Can Libertarians function in the Republican Party?

Fox News | 11/26/02 | me

[Sparta]

I just heard on John Gibson's show a guest say that libertarians can influence policy in the Republican Party. He pointed to Ron Paul and Dick Armey as examples. Your comments please.

[Sparta]

I have my flame suit on from LIBERALtarians, LP loyalists, and some conservatives, so flame away.

[PhiKapMom]

I would sure rather they influenced the Republican Party from within rather than running their candidates for Senate thata draw 1-3% and costs us seats in the Senate.

They have no influence as it is other than to make Republicans disgusted with them. I believe Paul took the right attitude and decided to work from within!

[dirtboy]

Well, if this were a parlimentary system, Libertarians could run as their own party, maybe get a couple of seats in Parliment ... and then compromise to be part of the ruling coalition. Here, libertarians need to compromise before the elections if they want to be part of the power structure. The point is, if you stay outside, you can influence ideas, but you won't have much of a say.

[billybudd]

Sure. Libertarians do influence the Republican Party, just not to a significant degree right now, because the center of the party is G.W. Bush. There will probably be some libertarian-incited conflicts within the Republican Party regarding some of the Bush Administrations more radical "security" measures, such as increased surveillance, tracking purchases, indefinite detentions of suspected terrorists, etc. By the way, Dick Armey is retiring along with a bunch of other hard core conservatives.

[SwinneySwitch]

Libertarians do not work well with others!

[Uncle Miltie]

We are the implementation wing of the Libertarian Party. It just takes us 20 years to get there.

[Onelifetogive]

I am a Libertarian Republican. I think it's the only effective way a Libertarian can function. Although deeply Christian, I could support rolling back of Federal Drug Laws. Porn laws are a little tougher. How do you keep it out of the hands of kids, while keeping it available to adults?

Federal government limited to the Constitution. Minimal taxes and government services. I can deal with those.

[Austin Willard Wright]

20 years? Don't think so. Big government has increased under Bush overall.

[Saundra Duffy]

Libertarians destroyed several Republicans' chances in the last election. I have no use for Libertarians.

[WaveThatFlag]

Can Libertarians function in the Republican Party?

Not until they revise their political agenda to protect the rights of the unborn.

[End The Hypocrisy]

Libertarians are more willing to stay out of voters' bedrooms than a certain sect (comprising 35%) of the Republican party is. But campaign finance reform will diminish that sect's significance, and this distinction between the 2 parties will likely fade.

[Sparta]

Not until they revise their political agenda to protect the rights of the unborn.

Not all libertarians support abortion.
http://www.libertariansforlife.org

[Sparta]

Wrong link

http://www.l4l.org
Pro-life libertarians.

[wku man]

Do you have any use for RINOs? They have cost the party a lot more than Libertarians have. If the Pubbies would get back to their long held core beliefs, the LP would wither away and die, and disgusted former-Pubbie-now-independants like me might actually come back.

Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!

[coloradan]

How do you keep it out of the hands of kids, while keeping it available to adults?

You could charge parents with the responsibility to protect their children with repsect to porn, just as you already do with guns, drain cleaner, and swimming pools. There is no need for government (let alone Constitutional authorization) doing any of these things.

[Doug Loss]

I think you ought to look into the Republican Liberty Caucus.

[jimt]

You don't need a flame suit, just an increase in intelligence. Insulting those who'd agree with you on many points is not bright.

[bigfootbob]

The Republican's could destroy the Libertarian Party by adopting the legalization of pot. This argument would then be over.

[Little Bill]

Libertarians do not work well with others..

That is true, I have worked with libertarians on some tax issues, but have taken a lot of guff because I am conservitive and Republican. Not a bad group of people but a bit thick headed.

[Britton J Wingfield]

Take a look for yourself: RLC on Free Republic