Posted on 12/20/2006 3:27:19 PM PST by neverdem
In a recent column, I discussed the disaffection of libertarians within the conservative coalition, suggesting that many might be more at home on the political left. A number of readers wrote to say that they agreed with my analysis and had left the Republican Party for the Libertarian Party. Among these is former Republican Rep. Bob Barr of Georgia, who officially joined the Libertarians last week.
Of course, people are free to do what they want to do, and if they want to join the Libertarians, that's their business. But if their goal is to actually change policy in a libertarian direction, then they are making a big mistake, in my opinion. The Libertarian Party is worse than a waste of time. I believe it has done far more to hamper the advancement of libertarian ideas and policies than it has done to advance them. In my view, it is essential for the Libertarian Party to completely disappear before libertarian ideas will again have political currency.
The basic problem with the Libertarian Party is the same problem faced by all third parties: It cannot win. The reason is that under the Constitution a candidate must win an absolute majority in the all-important Electoral College. It won't do just to have the most votes in a three- or four-way race. You have to have at least 270 electoral votes to win, period.
Theoretically, this is no barrier to third parties at the state and local level. But in practice, if a party cannot win at the presidential level, it is very unlikely to achieve success at lower levels of government. In short, the Electoral College imposes a two-party system on the country that makes it prohibitively difficult for third parties to compete.
(Excerpt) Read more at realclearpolitics.com ...
Liberterrarian.
Bob Barr will be debating in NYC in January on guess what topic? Medical marijuana.
This should be interesting.
Ping
Who's he debating?
I'm a libertarian and I'm no steenking liberal-- beware of Bill Maher types masquerading as "libertarians" to impress their friends and co-workers with their maverick political philosophy.
The author explicitly distinguishes between libertarian philosphy and the platform of the Libertarian Party, ie libertarians from Libertarians. It's going to be interesting to see if it's possible to have a discussion in that context.
As soon as this party starts to gain a significant following, the Republican Party will adopt the same platform. You don't think they're going to just sit back and lose.
Now, that's good for us, but spells doom for the third party. Once they're gone, the Republican Party goes back to what they were doing before.
Communitarian vs libertarian always is.
Majority rule is a socialistic political disease that infects all factions of all parties.
This is incorrect. It's the policies of major parties and their leaders which cause them to lose elections.
Witness the loss of GHW Bush in 1992.
Then witness the loss of Dole in 1996.
Obviously the GOP didn't learn anything between these two elections, yet the party faithful will always blame Perot.
Witness the loss of the GOP this year. Which third party caused them to lose? None. The policies of the party and it's leaders caused this.
But then, the GOP has always found it easier to blame the Libertarians rather than take resposibility for their own actions.
You bring up 1992 to contradict my point?
So? Isn't that the point - to get libertarian principles established? What difference does it make which party does it?
I'm not into vendettas against current politicians or hero worship of any of them. I'd vote for anyone who supports my principles.
The only advantage to officially belonging to a party is participating in the "primary process." Otherwise it is pointless.
Even after a voter changes official party designation or claims independent status, the original party still probably bombards the voter with spam, begging for cash.
Independent and off the radar is the best bet.
Republicans keep making the same false assumption about the liberal-tarians. They keep thinking these people are on our side and groan every time we lose a close race by less than the votes a liberal-tarian gets. This is a waste of time. These people aren't our voters. The rat is the one who should moan when WE win a close race like that. liberal-tarians are just democrats who don't like hearing that they are out loud. Barr is a jerk. He was and may still be on the board of the aclu. You do the math.
I hope he's boned up for the topic.
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The problem is, the Republicans haven't given people who don't agree with the religious right, pork-barrel spending, or general incompetence much of an alternative.
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