Posted on 10/04/2003 9:12:29 AM PDT by TERMINATTOR
A strange thing is happening in California politics: The GOP is turning its back on a popular, conservative Republican to support a Hollywood actor who opposes nearly every social issue the Republicans claim to stand for.
Meanwhile, Libertarians across the state of California are making an unprecedented exodus from the Libertarian party's candidate and instead supporting California state Sen. Tom McClintock, a conservative Republican. Nothing like this has happened before in the Libertarian Party and it speaks volumes about the character and integrity of Tom McClintock.
Why is McClintock attracting so much attention from the "Party of Principle"? It's because McClintock is the only candidate who is prepared to veto the reckless spending spree that has overtaken Sacramento.
In a recent cover story that appeared in the Orange County Weekly, R. Scott Moxley explains why McClintock is admired and feared for his willingness to veto spending bills. "Ask Sacramento Democrats what they think of McClintock. They'll likely tell you the last man they want holding the veto pen to their spending habits is the relentlessly frugal 47-year-old conservative from Thousand Oaks."
I should tell you that the Orange County Weekly is anti-Bush, and anti-conservative. So a cover story endorsing McClintock is already generating "horror on the left and suspicion in establishment GOP circles," according to Moxley. But the message is too powerful to ignore: The spending spree has to stop and nobody has the guts to stop it, except McClintock.
When Gray Davis first ran for governor in 1998, California's economy was the envy of the world. As Libertarian nominee for governor, I campaigned against Gray Davis and the spending habits of the Democrats. I predicted back then that the California economy was going to collapse because of the rapidly expanding role of government in our lives and in our pocketbooks. (In fact, one popular radio host denounced me for my alarmist economic views.) Back then, nobody wanted to hear that, but now – five years later – California's fiscal problems are painfully apparent to everyone.
Here's how the Orange County Weekly sizes up the problem: "While California's population rose 21 percent during the Davis era, the Democrats raised state spending by a whopping 40 percent. They've added 44,000 new public employees to the state payroll and, in the midst of the current fiscal crisis, strapped taxpayers with an additional $700 million per year in ridiculously generous public-employee pension perks."
A group calling itself, Libertarians for McClintock, has posted a website which has an impressive list of California Libertarians who are endorsing Sen. McClintock. The site lists a number of issues with which the state's leading Libertarians are in strong agreement with McClintock.
Tom on the issues
Medical Marijuana: "The people of California spoke clearly on that subject. The federal government has no right to intervene." Tom says he voted for Proposition 215 in 1996, which legalized medical marijuana in California.
Cut Taxes And Spending: He was the first to call for repealing the car tax, beginning a petition drive to force a vote on the issue. Since then, all the other major candidates for governor have jumped on Tom's bandwagon, echoing his call to repeal the car tax.
Restore Choice In Education: "Two simple but far-reaching changes are needed to turn the system right-side up: first, restore to parents the ultimate choice over their child's teacher, subject only to academic qualifications and space limitations set by the teacher; and second, pay teachers according to the number of students they attract."
Limited Government Liberates People: "Jefferson observed that a government which attempts to do more than it ought will accomplish less. His America today is not experiencing a crisis of confidence in government; but rather a rediscovery of the limitations of government. To the existing establishment, that may be a crisis. But to the people, it is a liberation."
Right To Keep And Bear Arms: "The right is absolute. In a free nation, government has no authority to forbid me from speaking because I might shout "fire" in a crowded theater. Government has no authority to forbid me from using my fist to defend myself because I might also use it to strike your nose. And government has no authority to forbid me from owning a firearm because I might shoot an innocent victim."
Draft Registration: As co-chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, Tom led the fight to kill the bill requiring young people to register for the draft before they could get a driver's license. The bill was defeated in committee.
Free Trade: "Respecting the right of consumers to make their own decisions in the marketplace without having government interpose its judgment for theirs."
Slash Regulation And Bureaucracy: "This is the opportunity of our generation, this historic turning point, to roll back the taxes, the regulations destroying our economy, and to rein in our out-of-control bureaucracies.
Superiority Of Individual Over Collective Decision-Making: "In any human enterprise, individuals making their own decisions according to their own lights produce a far higher level of prosperity and a far wiser and more just allocation of resources than decisions made collectively and administered centrally."
There is an old saying that character is destiny. Certainly the past decisions of the other top contenders in the recall election are still shaping their destiny. Quite frankly, we are being asked to place our trust in those who have repeatedly demonstrated themselves to be unworthy of our trust. Or, we can stop fooling around and vote for a man who has a long track record of walking his talk and standing up for the rights of the individual against the tyranny of "collective decision making."
Yes.
Legalization of drugs. Is that principled?
If you believe that the feds have no business telling individuals how they may medicate themselves it is. In the land of the free and home of the brave, our benevolent government prevents us from buying, possessing, or using drugs and are successfully used in other countries. Is there and will there be abuse? Yes. Should people abuse drugs (food, tobacco, alcohol, firearms, etc, etc.)? No. Should they have the freedom to do so? Yes. Is that principled? Yes.
Legalization of prostitution. Is that principled?
Why do YOU care what to other willing adults do? Should prostitution be honorable? No. Should it happen? Probably not. Who is the victim? The willing woman or the willing man? (Adultry is a separate issue.)
Legalization of sex with minors. Is that principled?
You'll have to show me that one. I didn't see it on a search and that doesn't sound correct to me. The way you've put it, it looks more like one of the wacky allegations than a sound criticism. The last I saw, the LP supported the rights of ADULTS to have sex without government restricitions.
You seem to be in favor of MORE government in our lives than less. That isn't a Conservative principle, now is it?
This is pure crap and you know this.
I don't really care for either. The LP tends to rely on shock value statements that marginalize the good, solid positions that they take on relevant issues such as government reduction, limited government and supporting 2A rights.
Second, I have great admiration and respect for President Bush - a true leader.
I agree with you regarging the WoT. But not on many of his other policies that have been shown to be Moderate to Leftist in many cases.
Libertarians do all they can to undermine him as he leads the war against terror. Libertarians work more closely with the RATS than they do with the Republicans.
The LP (to the best of my knowledge) does not activley coordinate with the Democrats. Many times the LP disagrees with the President and has every right to voice that opinion. Do you have a problem with that? Are there some that get into personal attacks? Yep. Are there Republicans that do that? Big time.
I have no respect for them whatsoever. Let's just let it go at that.
Maybe you need to change your focus. If all I did was look at McCaine, Jeffords and the Log Cabins as representative of the entire RP then I'd have little to no respect for it either.
Do yourself a favor, learn to differential between Libertarians and libertarians. There are plenty of libertarians on FR with whom you probably mostly agree.
The Libertarian platform is solidly anti-liberal. Do you and others who incessantly despise the LP always resort to lies and propaganda?
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