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There are some Illinois freepers trying to paint this Skinner guy as the sucessor to O'Malley-- proclaiming him a stauch conservative who stands for intergrity.

As Rich Miller documents here, Skinner's candidancy is far from honest and he is definitely NOT the next Pat O'Malley. It amazes that a bunch of freepers will attack Jim Ryan for being for gay marriage, cozying up to pro-abortion folks, abadoning family values, having a seedy backgroud, being in office forever, and being tainted by a major scandal-- yet they back this Skinner guy who fits ALL those labels and more.

As Miller stated (who was quiet positive about O'Malley PRIMARY campaign and against the "Republicrat" establishment), Jim Ryan is a LOUSY candidate, but Skinner is far from the answer. Wrong candidate at the wrong time. O'Malley, a devout Irish Catholic REPUBLICAN and a family man untainted by scandal, will never endorse a fringe candidate like Skinner.

Too bad some conservatives won't listen to reason.

Stuff like this is why I never joined the LP and why to a large extent, that they aren't taken seriously. The best guy they had for a major candidate was L Neill Smith.

The only way a third party can really go legit is when they
1. Get 30% nationwide or statewide...consistantly
2. Have non celebrity candidates win major elections.(House, Senate, Governor, Sec of State, AG). Angus King and Jesse Ventura are the only two that did it. Virgil Goode is really a GOP'er and an ex-blue dog, and Jim Jeffords is really a dem, ex GOP.

3. "Farm clubs." What's in the Libertarian Party, Constitution Party, or Reform Party farm clubs? Not much. A few city council races and a couple of sheriffs or prosecutors. The only thing they are really good for is a protest vote.

I've given up on 3rd parties as real alternatives. A rehash of Federalist 10, plus the bottom line on election results tell me it isn't really worth trying either. Trying would also cost the best GOP'ers as well. The best GOP'ers are at the farm club and local level. They have a shot. I'd rather get the next Reagan, O'Malley, Sue Tabor, or Alan Cropsey elected to higher office.

I'm extremely PO'ed at Bush right now over CFR. I'm not going to take my distain out on the rest of the GOP that voted RIGHT on CFR. I'll take it out on Fred Upton by backing his primary opponent - Dale Shugars.

3rd parties I think CAN become a force by fighting smart. That's how it works in New York to some extent. If the Constitution Party and Reform Party backs an Alan Cropsey, they can maybe start making a difference.

Skinner is not really a very good Libertarian, either. From the Libertarian Party web site:

Skinner, who became a dues-paying LP member on March 23...

That was eight days ago.

http://www.lp.org/lpnews/0205/skinner.html

But instead of putting together a serious ticket, the Libertarians decided to court disaster at their recent convention by nominating as their candidate for governor a former state representative who has been accused of pedophilia.

Problem is, The Libertarians have no problem with Pedophilia, in fact there were libertarians on this very forum screaming about the age of consent. In the libertarian theology, you have a right to have sex with whoever you want, because if it feels good it must be okay.

Hedonists. That is what Libertarians are.

Whenever faced with a Hobson's choice of Liberal Democrat and Moderate Republican I will look for third party alternatives. As a matter of fact I voted for Howard Phillips in 2000 and I will likely make that choice again. As for the Libertarians, the problems I have with them include their double-mindedness on abortion, their support for open borders, their obsession with legalizing dope and their naive support for trading with totalitarian countries. Other than that, they are decent guys.