If the GOP despises libertarians so...

[bsdaddict]

then why do they expect/want/plead for our votes?  See http://www.elkodaily.com/articles/2008/08/04/news/breaking_news/aid10.txt and http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/08/03/0803libertarians.html.  In the first Orrin Hatch addresses Ron Paul supporters and tries to assure them that McCain is 1) a conservative, and 2) worthy of voting for because not voting for McCain helps Obama.

In the second article Suzanna Hupp (complete cooincidence that I posted something about her yesterday...) we hear how she called three Libertarian Party candidates for the TX State House and personally urged them to drop out, because she's worried about the ongoing power struggle with the Dems and she sees that if the TX GOP loses 5 or more State seats the "bad party" will come out on top in the next redistricting.

I say Nuts! to that.  If Republicans want libertarian-minded voters to vote for their candidates they're going to have to do more than just pay lip service to our concerns.  They give us politics as usual time and time again and when the races get close they play the "lesser of two evils" card, urging us to abandon our principles and vote for their guy because, when it comes down to it, he's not a Democrat.  Nuts!  You all know that adage, "Fool me once, shame on you.  Fool me twice, shame on me..."  Does the GOP really think we're going to be fooled again?  Of course, we'll be blamed for GOP losses.  It won't be the GOPs fault for abandoning their "smaller gov't, lower taxes" rhetoric, nooooo.  It'll be the libertarians fault for not getting in the kool-aide line and voting against the Dems.  NUTS! 

 

[moot]

The end justifies the means.. The end being getting elected.

[john9001]

have any libertarians ever been elected to any office?

[lasersailor184]

Yes, in a couple districts here and there.

[Torque]

repugnican or dummycrat... both are just different wings of the same dollar socialism party.

ron paul was total against global dollar socialism.

[bsdaddict]

have any libertarians ever been elected to any office?

yes, a few at the federal level and more often at the state and local level.  Unfortunately the sad fact is that the Dems and Reps have a stranglehold on our political process, they play one side against the other using divisive social issues while playing lip-service to their stated platforms, only to go back to business-as-usual once the election cycle is over.  This is marginally easier to overcome at the local and state levels, which is where you'll find most elected Libertarians.  At the Federal level, however, there's too many ignorant voters who've bought into the two-party system and too many un-principled politicians who reinforce that concept.


EDIT:  not that I'm including O'Club posters in the "ignorant voters" group.  The fact that you participate in the discussion proves you put more thought into your decisions that 90% of the rest.  I'm ranting about more typical voters, who barely pay attention to issues and just go to the polls on voting day and "vote the party line"...

[john9001]

the  Libertarians need to start on the local level and get control of the state, when that happens they can send people to congress, if they can get enough people in congress the two parties will have to deal with them to pass any bills.

personally, i would like to see more independents in congress.

[Mr No Name]

I am voting for Bob Barr this november, i cannot vote for mcpain or osamabama.  If Jim DeMint or another decent conservative was on the GOP ticket that is the way I'd go... for me, it isnt just about having an "R" beside the candidates name... mcpain is a liberal of monstrous proportions and osamabama is just an out and out marxist.

[Charon]

I am voting for Bob Barr this november

I think I have that luxury myself. The ONLY reason I would vote for McCain would be the Supreme Court nominations, though the Democrat Congress will keep any Scalia or Roberts out this time. But a Kennedy type to replace a Ginsburg wouldn't be a bad trade at all. McCain is better for the 2nd Amendment, but I don't see that being a big Democrat issue given the need to protect the Southern Blue Dogs in the House.

But, in Illinois Obama will be locked in so a protest vote is not a problem.


Charon