Posted on 12/31/2004 12:18:54 PM PST by freepatriot32
After being elected twice as a Republican to the position of county attorney in Anderson County, Kan., Fred Campbell decided following the Nov. 2 elections to drop his Republican Party affiliation in favor of the Libertarian Party, saying the GOP has abandoned the idea of minimal government.
Campbell was re-elected in November with no opposition. He has been a Republican for years, primarily because he's "always been in favor of less government rather than more," he said.
"I've always thought that the Republican Party was the major party that went along with that philosophy," Campbell explained. "But in the last four years, I've seen no evidence of that. For the last four years, we've had a Republican majority on the national and local level. But even though the Republicans had the majority in the national arena, I haven't seen a reining in of bureaucracy; I don't see anything getting smaller; I don't see government getting out of my life.
"Government is way too big, and too involved in every facet of our lives. After the election, I thought, 'Why do I maintain support for this Republican Party that is not doing anything to change the way things are?' So I decided to change my affiliation to something that more accurately represents what I believe."
He followed that decision with action, heading down to his county clerk's office to fill out a new voter registration form -- thereby making a statement that he wants to see changes in government.
He didn't expect his statement to be made public, at least not as rapidly as it was.
"Apparently the county clerk was worried about the next election, four years from now, and called the secretary of state's office to see how my leaving the Republican Party would affect me in that race," Campbell said. "And the newspaper picked up on it somehow, and it became news."
Campbell graduated from law school in 1997, and the same year was hired as an assistant county attorney in Anderson County -- a small rural county in east-central Kansas.
The Republican county attorney he was hired to assist never bothered to move to the county, however, and in 1999 Campbell was asked to replace him.
"After that, I ran unopposed in both the 2000 and 2004 elections, as a Republican. Ever since I've been in this position, I've told people that if I am ever opposed in an election, I will lose -- because I don't tell people what they want to hear. I'm not a good politician; I'm actually ashamed to call myself a politician. I'm just here to do what I think is right for the community and what is right for the job.
"The interesting thing about this last election was that, although we are a Republican majority county, almost all Republicans that ran for local office lost to Democrats. In all national and state elections, the county voted Republican, but in local elections, the voters went for the Democrats. I think there's a great deal of frustration with the Republican Party here, and I find that very interesting."
With that in mind, Campbell decided to follow his personal ideals -- which led him to the Libertarian Party.
"I don't remember where I first heard of the Libertarian Party," he said. "I've considered myself basically a Libertarian for years because I think the views that are expressed are very much in line with what I personally believe, including primarily a belief in minimally intrusive government.
"A year or two ago, I read the entire writings of Lincoln, seven or eight volumes of his works. And I decided (while reading what he wrote during the founding of the Republican Party) that in this day and age, Lincoln would be a Libertarian. From what he wrote about the origins of the Republican Party, it sounds much more like he was describing the Libertarian Party than the Republican Party we have now."
One question that remains to be answered is whether Campbell's affiliation will affect the way he goes about his job as a prosecutor for the county; he doesn't think his actions will change.
"It's my job to enforce the laws, whether or not I believe the laws are just and right," he said. "I had this discussion with a judge a few weeks ago, not before the bench but in conversation.
"I was concerned about a charge that I had made: I charged someone with a weapons crime that I disagree with, but the law is on the books. The judge said I have prosecutorial discretion, which essentially means I can decide which laws to prosecute people under.
"But as I told him, if I used my discretion to eliminate [all crimes] I think the government shouldn't have a hand in, the judge would have a very light load. As an elected official, as a county attorney, I'm supposed to do what the law says. But I certainly would like to see some of the laws taken off the books."
Looking at a coffee cup on his desk, Campbell read the following quote: "The best way to get a bad law repealed is to uphold it strictly."
"I've been dealing with this philosophical problem for years," he said. "That's not going to change. There are laws on the books that shouldn't be there."
He's too late. The Republicans have never been the party of smaller government. They just want to differently use governmental power.
This guy didn't have the balls to run as a Libertarian on November 2? Yeah, that's showing real courage. </horse pile>
Notice this A hole did not drop the Republican name until AFTER the election.
Had he gone in as a Libertarian, he would have mustered a big loss, and he knows it.
True the GOP has its sorry assed RINO faults--but the big
problem I have with the Libertarians is they -if Boortz is
any example- they seem to have as much problem reading the
US Constitution -as do the Democrats--or the Soviet Communists and Dupes in the Anti-Christian Liars Union.
I cannot join a Party that is led by the ACLU and rejects
Moral law.
Means he knew he couldn't get re-elected as a Libertarian and kept the R for the election.
He's a Libertarian Jumping Jeffords... and could be very well illegally medicated, yes.
Amen.
Sort of like Phil Gramm and Richard Shelby right?
[Had he gone in as a Libertarian, he would have mustered a big loss, and he knows it.]
He wouldn't have received funds by Libertarian donors to mount an effective campaign. Thus he had to rely on GOP donors. The guy is a welfare cheat.
He totally used the funds and voices of the Republicans, then did a jumping Jefforeds deal to Libertarian.
The Republicans should have some fun and recall him.
Uh, no...WRONG. Phil Gramm RESIGNED his seat and re-ran for election as a REPUBLICAN. And Richard Shelby stayed as a Democrat for two years, giving Impeached42, also known at TheBentOne, a chance to prove he was a "New Democrat". As we all know, derSchlickmeister and Hitlery tried to force Socialized Medicine on America. Shelby had had enough, and then he switched parties. But at least he stuck it out for a couple of years.
This guy was even more brazen the Jim Judas Jeffords...at least Jeffords waited about six months before changing parties (or becoming "Independent".) This guy was elected just barely EIGHT WEEKS ago.
I doubt it, it seems like no one really cares about this guy.
Based on the article and what he said, I doubt the republicans and democrats spend more then a second even thinking about going for this guys job.
Just wondering. Have you ever complained about all the Democratic legislators in the South and elsewhere who have switched to the GOP in the last few years? If you have, you deserve credit for consistency. If not, your complaints are merely partisan and deserve to be discounted.
Its pretty tough to lose when you run unopposed, even if you're on the Persistent Vegetative Party ticket.
I know exactly how this guy feels...put me on your ping as well.
I thought you could....
youve been added to my list
Right -- LOL. That whole fiasco shows the Libertarian Party is nothing more than an arm of the Democrat Party. Badnarik openly stated they were trying to help Kerry win, even.
I doubt that he will be re-elected again.
The Nebraska Republican party started reclaiming the state about 25 years ago. They banned several politicians who would continue the fight after the primary elections -- thus splitting the Republican vote and giving the victory to Demoncrats. Some of the banned Republicans switched to Independent. Several lost the next election, a few won. One I remember switched to Libertarian. Although he ran several times before as a Republican and was elected several times, he never won another election.
"Patience! Rome wasn't burnt in a day, after all!"
AND...the sovereign republic of America has transmuted in daily increments by subverting politicians.
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