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Libertarian challenges Bush
Daily Texan ^ | 8-26-04

Posted on 08/25/2004 11:08:20 PM PDT by ambrose

The Daily Texan - Top Stories

Issue: 8/26/04

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Libertarian challenges Bush

By Daniel K. Lai

Libertarian presidential candidate and Austin native Michael Badnarik has been vigorously campaigning in crucial battleground states over the summer, plugging a strong message of a better future for the American people and a call to change in the November election.

Badnarik, a former computer programmer for Evolutionary Technologies International, accepted the Libertarian party's nomination in May at its Atlanta convention. Badnarik said voters looking for change aren't going to get it by voting for President Bush or U.S. Sen. John Kerry.

"If you continue doing what you've always done, you're going to get what you've always got," Badnarik said.

The Libertarian Party of Texas will offer 60 candidates for public office in the election, according to Patrick Dixon, Libertarian state chair.

"The presidential battle in Texas is a two-horse race between Bush and Badnarik," Dixon said. "The Texas Democratic Party has already conceded the state [to Bush] and told its members not to support the Kerry campaign."

However, Mike Lavigne, chief of staff for the Texas Democratic party, said that this is not the case.

"There was a call by the Texas Democratic party chairman that asked, when possible, Texans should keep their contributions in Texas, but Kerry has not given up on Texas," Lavigne said. "The poll numbers show Bush has problems down there too."

But the Bush campaign does not view Badnarik or Kerry as any deterrent in its path to the White House.

"I think voters recognize this is going to be the most important election in a generation and there are only two clear choices between President Bush and Senator Kerry," said Danny Diez, a Bush campaign spokesman. "President Bush has made significant progress for the American people, and they see that."

Ben Woosley, president of the Libertarian Longhorns, said the group actively campaigned last spring to get Badnarik's name on the ballot.

"For the first time in 30 years, we had to gather signatures to get a candidate on the ballot," Woosley said. "Students from UT were gathering more signatures than most counties in Texas."

Libertarians believe Badnarik, who ran for office in 2000 and 2002 for the Texas House of Representatives, could shift the tide on election night, Woosley said.

"This whole election is going to be close, but Bush being re-elected would be far worse than Kerry winning," Woosley said. "We are definitely trying to be the spoiler, and there is a lot of battleground-state campaigning going on."

Badnarik said he believes college students and young adults have a "vested interest" in the outcome of the election and that it could very well be a "life-or-death" decision. Badnarik said he opposes the war in Iraq and would bring American soldiers home if elected, while both Kerry and Bush plan to continue the occupation.

"Both Kerry and Bush want to reinstate the draft. I consider that involuntary servitude, and I would veto any act for it," Badnarik said. "If young people don't change things now, they will be paying for it the rest of their lives."

Badnarik also said if elected he would reduce the military influence in countries abroad and stop "politically poking other countries in the eye with a sharp stick."

Badnarik said in order to stop the war on terrorism, the United States has to stop creating terrorists.

"Every time we bomb a building and kill innocent civilians, we may kill five terrorists, but we create 50 more," he said.

Badnarik also plans to eliminate the Social Security program, which he said is "doomed to failure" and requires young people to invest money into it which they may never see again.

If elected, Badnarik said his administration would work toward decreasing the size of the federal government by eliminating the IRS and the Department of Education, which he blames for American students falling from No. 1 in 1953 to No. 29 worldwide in math and science.

"It is insufficient when our children are becoming dumber and not smarter," he said.

Badnarik said he also plans to stop the federal government from requiring licenses for concealed handguns.

"Most of what the government does these days is unconstitutional; they operate like they are the supreme power in the U.S.," Badnarik said. "It's ludicrous for the government to require a license in order for us to protect our families and children."


TOPICS: Extended News; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: badnarik
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1 posted on 08/25/2004 11:08:20 PM PDT by ambrose
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this thread should be fun.


2 posted on 08/25/2004 11:08:30 PM PDT by ambrose (http://www.swiftvets.com/)
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To: ambrose

This is series. Maybe even hugh.


3 posted on 08/25/2004 11:10:53 PM PDT by Jim Robinson
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To: ambrose; Jim Robinson
"Every time we bomb a building and kill innocent civilians, we may kill five terrorists, but we create 50 more," he said.

I somehow get this impression, that the Libertarian candidate is not pandering to the most profound beliefs of most Freepers, from Torie on out to the well, whatever. Just my vague impression.

4 posted on 08/25/2004 11:21:56 PM PDT by Torie
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To: Torie

The only thing terrorists understand is death. I'm for giving them all they can take.


5 posted on 08/25/2004 11:23:37 PM PDT by Jim Robinson
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To: Jim Robinson
Myself, I'm gett'n abit old for too much change. I'll more than happily take same old stuff from Bush anyday, with the likes of Jf'K hanging around.
6 posted on 08/25/2004 11:28:06 PM PDT by ancient_geezer (Equality, the French disease: Everyone is equal beneath the guillotine.)
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To: ambrose

I like Michael and unless GWB does something dramatic to earn my vote, I'm voting for Michael.

I do wish that he was a 'Neal Boortz libertarian'. I agree with Bush's war on terror overseas, but I more aligned with Badnarik domesticly, although we do have disagreements.

With that said, in my opinion, PA will go to Kerry by a substantial margin again so my vote for Badnarik is more symbolic and to send a message to the GOP to clean up it's act. If it really were a horserace here, I *might* vote differently.

I don't want Kerry to win (I believe that after his trial, he should face a firing squad for his after Vietnam activities), but I don't believe that I can vote for Bush because of a long laundry list of disagreements. CFR and drugs for geezers being the top 2.


7 posted on 08/25/2004 11:28:42 PM PDT by Badray (Stay well - Stay safe - Stay armed - Yorktown. RIP harpseal.)
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To: ambrose

Badnarik said he also plans to stop the federal government from requiring licenses for concealed handguns.



good idea....
how is a loser going to get it done?

though generally sympathetic to libertarian ideas... what does this guy really have to offer in the way of leadership skills?

zip.
What's he gonna get in the election?
the same as all the fringers... less than three percent all together....

except for maybe nader.
oregon democrat party is trying to block nader from getting on the ballot.


8 posted on 08/25/2004 11:35:35 PM PDT by Robert_Paulson2 (the madridification of our election is now officially underway.)
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To: ambrose

Who is Badnarik? ...maybe one of those

"like-wow-man-far-out-like-let's-just-all-get-naked-and-live- together-and-have-no-more-war-and-inject-some-heroin-then-
fire-a-few tactical-nukes-at-the-next-door-neighbors-
for-kicks-instead-of-hurting-those-beautiful-people-overseas"

kind of "conservatives?"


9 posted on 08/25/2004 11:42:59 PM PDT by familyop (Essayons)
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To: Torie

"Every time we bomb a building and kill innocent civilians, we may kill five terrorists, but we create 50 more," he said."
Because of spatial limitations (there could be only so many potential terrorists at any given time in any given place, no matter how large) if enough buildings are bombed, the terrorist pool will start getting depleted and the math will change.


10 posted on 08/25/2004 11:46:29 PM PDT by GSlob
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To: Torie

He mentions college age and young adults...who may have voted Democratic anyway with-out the Libertarian candidate in play...so I don't see that much of a threat accept to the Democrats who need that college Demographic to vote for him!


11 posted on 08/26/2004 5:46:31 AM PDT by mdmathis6 (The Democrats must be defeated in 2004)
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To: ambrose
Below is a published report on both Badnarik and Campagna. Need anyone say more? This party is a joke wrapped in paranoid psychosis.

LIBERTARIAN V.P. NOMINEE TOUTING FAKE DOCTORATE. Last month we wrote about Libertarian Presidential nominee Michael Badnarik refusing to get a driver's license, use zip codes, or pay federal income taxes.

It turns out his Vice Presidential nominee is just as unconventional. Psychologist and attorney Rich Campagna occasionally touts himself as "Dr. Campagna" and holds himself out as "a multi-disciplinary professional." What makes no sense is why a guy with real Ivy League B.A. and M.A. degrees, another legit M.A. degree, and a real J.D. degree, would need to embellish his resume by adding a Ph.D. from the American College of Metaphysical Theology. If you'd like a Ph.D. from that school, you can get it for just $249 (see the school's website, as they're for sale right from the homepage). Campagna explains that he had nearly completed his Ph.D. studies in psychology at the University of Iowa when he withdrew from the program in 1993 "for a plethora of complex personal, familial, professional and philosophical reasons." Afterwards, Campagna decided he "chose to craft my own educational destiny and final degree of distinction in a manner that any libertarian would appreciate" (to wit: by buying it from a diploma mill). "I am proud of the ACMT degree and the unique methodology I employed to obtain same ... The institution in question is not a fraud; it does exactly what it says it will do. It promises no qualifications for licensure ... Considering the travels I have engaged in, the practical experience obtained and the time, energy and moneys expended to finally obtain this degree, I do not feel compelled to blush from mentioning this degree in my resume. The manner of obtaining this degree ... is part of my campaign, part of my identity and in a way, part of my platform stance on 'freedom of choice' in education," he defiantly explained in a written statement.

12 posted on 08/26/2004 6:20:20 AM PDT by shrinkermd
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To: ambrose; dighton; aculeus; general_re; L,TOWM; Constitution Day; hellinahandcart; Poohbah
"... but Bush being re-elected would be far worse than Kerry winning ..."

Says all there is to say about the attitude of the big-L Libertarians ... and a good number of the small-L's and paleos as well.

13 posted on 08/26/2004 6:27:57 AM PDT by BlueLancer (Der Elite Møøsënspåånkængrüppen ØberKømmändø (EMØØK))
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To: ambrose
"The presidential battle in Texas is a two-horse race between Bush and Badnarik," Dixon said.

(snicker) Yeah right.

Bush:

Badnarik:

14 posted on 08/26/2004 6:33:25 AM PDT by asgardshill (The Republican's best weapon lies midway between John Kerry's nose and lower chin.)
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To: BlueLancer; All
"This whole election is going to be close, but Bush being re-elected would be far worse than Kerry winning," Woosley said. "We are definitely trying to be the spoiler, and there is a lot of battleground-state campaigning going on."

Not exactly a secret, and hasn't been for a long time.

The LP is beneath contempt.

15 posted on 08/26/2004 6:41:03 AM PDT by dighton
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To: ambrose
It's a pity that the system is so skewed towards the two (?) parties that other parties cannot attract and support adequate candidates to oppose the anointed.
16 posted on 08/26/2004 6:42:33 AM PDT by Protagoras (" I believe that's the role of the federal government, to help people"...GWB, 7-23-04)
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To: shrinkermd

can I get a link to a source for those Campagna quotes please?

Thanks much in advance.


17 posted on 08/26/2004 6:50:39 AM PDT by t_skoz
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To: dighton; All

Where does this a$shole live? I'll pony up the first day's kick for 100 pregnant, black women to carry signs saying and chant "Woosley Is The One" in front of his house. His neighbors will enjoy that.


18 posted on 08/26/2004 7:08:18 AM PDT by olde north church
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To: olde north church

Where do you live?


19 posted on 08/26/2004 7:23:24 AM PDT by Protagoras (" I believe that's the role of the federal government, to help people"...GWB, 7-23-04)
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To: olde north church

Have another cup of coffee. Do something productive like work a phone bank for Bush.

Sheesh.


20 posted on 08/26/2004 7:27:06 AM PDT by t_skoz
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