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 ...
Well said.
Oh yeah!
The Constitution.
Works for me.
"These people aren't our voters."
You ought to study what a Goldwater Republican was in that day. That was the philosophical start of the Conservative Revolution.
Goldwater was more of a small l politician, not the bible-thumping theocrat faction of today's Republican party.
So I guess they aren't your voters, provided you have enough votes without them, or are content to lose most of they time without them.
There are a lot of them. They call themselves Republicans (moderate, middle of the road), Independents and even some democrats.
Well done.
Regards
He was on Boortz this morning. I think he said that he has changed his view, but I wasn't listening too closely.
According to this, he seems to be coming around a bit:
"Goyette: ...but I have to assume that as a former US Attorney youve been kind of an oldline and maybe even a hardline drug warrior and most of us Libertarians think the drug war is foolish and folly.Barr: Theres a lot of room to work on that issue. For example, on the issue of medical marijuana and the states rights issues involving that. Im very supportive of states rights. I am also very supportive the concept of legitimate testing for the use of medical marijuana and Im very disappointed that the government has stood in the way of that. So theres a lot of room there. Im working through some of those individual liberties issues
Exactly! I guess the electoral college also explains why they cant win a few dozen congressional seats.
They have some pieces of good ideas, but are unelectable as a whole.
If youre a libertarian, the GOP already lost you. I think the GOP is against people who vote Libertarian, especially in tight elections, not libertarian ideas competing for acceptance.
Second of all, Libertarianism is the heart and soul of the GOP. Limited gov't, low taxes, individual responsibility....so the GOP should disregard these voters?
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Of course! Haven't you seen where the Republican party is going?
Limited gov't, low taxes, individual responsibility are just as much an anathema to the Republicans as they are to the Democrats, nowadays.
And that's the way they want it.
LOLOLOL - And the GOP isn't open borders?
Who ghas closed the borders thus far?
It's always about pot for the losertarians. It's always about pot.
Here's MY libertarian version of the Open Borders issue. Yes-- in a PERFECT world we could have open borders. But this would mean we have STRICT and drastic enforcement of illegal employment laws, no anchor babies, no welfare or social services for illegals, etc.
The border is open for those who want to come across it, provided they are screened and documented-- that may indeed mean a fence or a wall for national security purposes.
Those that come through to work are documented and given a temporary work visa, but there is a limit to how many visas are issued per year based on need.
Those that come across under the guest worker program pay their taxes and are INDIVIDUALLY entitled to limited benefits-- no incentives to start families.
That is MY vision of open borders-- but this will never happen, so I am content to just build a wall and keep ALL of them out. Guess, the makes me a bad Libertarian. So, screw 'em.
The 'religious right' isn't the problem; it's big spending, big Goverment "moderates"-The Republican Establishment under Bush 43 that is the Problem: that's why we can't let someone like John (Kerry) McCain win our nomination, he and others represent "more of the same".
I call such people "penisterians" because they really are less interested in politics than they are in pretending that government is going to keep them from shagging.
I agree with you completely on this matter.
You've managed to be precosciously cute and creepily paranoid in the same sentence. Bravo!
The quantity and quality of misinformation or intentional outright deception spewed forth by the Republican mymidons on FR is really amazing-- go read the Libertarian Platform:
IV.1 Immigration
The Issue: Our borders are currently neither open, closed, nor secure. This situation restricts the labor pool, encouraging employers to hire undocumented workers, while leaving those workers neither subject to nor protected by the law. A completely open border allows foreign criminals, carriers of communicable diseases, terrorists and other potential threats to enter the country unchecked. Pandering politicians guarantee access to public services for undocumented aliens, to the detriment of those who would enter to work productively, and increasing the burden on taxpayers.
The Principle: The legitimate function and obligation of government to protect the lives, rights and property of its citizens, requires awareness of and control over the entry into our country of foreign nationals who pose a threat to security, health or property. Political freedom and escape from tyranny demands that individuals not be unreasonably constrained by government in the crossing of political boundaries. Economic freedom demands the unrestricted movement of human as well as financial capital across national borders.
Solutions: Borders will be secure, with free entry to those who have demonstrated compliance with certain requirements. The terms and conditions of entry into the United States must be simple and clearly spelled out. Documenting the entry of individuals must be restricted to screening for criminal background and threats to public health and national security. It is the obligation of the prospective immigrant to demonstrate compliance with these requirements. Once effective immigration policies are in place, general amnesties will no longer be necessary.
Transitional Action: Ensure immigration requirements include only appropriate documentation, screening for criminal background and threats to public health and national security. Simplifying the immigration process and redeployment of surveillance technology to focus on the borders will encourage the use of regular and monitored entry points, thus preventing trespass and saving lives. End federal requirements that benefits and services be provided to those in the country illegally. Repeal all measures that punish employers for hiring undocumented workers. Repeal all immigration quotas.
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