[MNJohnnie]

Screaming for 100% of what you want and demanding ZERO of what you don't want is the behavior of spoiled petulant children, NOT adults. "Organized voting blocks" who demand 100% ideological purity end up being completely politically irreverent. Why. Well suppose the losetarians form a block. Suddenly issue A comes along. Give their knee jerk 100%erism, anyone who has a different view on issue A will suddenly decide they have to "Stand on principal" and abandon the party. Pretty soon you have 40 Losetraian parties each thumping their chest and screaming about how "pure" they are. Meanlwile they get ZERO accomplished in politics.

Based on Judge Appointments alone the Losetarians have reason to be happy with Bush. Squealing for 100%erism will get you one thing. 100% Political irrelevancy. Adults understand the need to compromise, spoiled children throw tempetantrums about it.

[carlr]

Well said,living here in NY I will take a Pataki any day over his predecessors,Hugh Carey and Mario Cuomo.

I wonder how many here that think the road to paradise can be paved by the devil can imagine the worst the libs have.

[roaddog727]

"Give their knee jerk 100%erism, anyone who has a different view on issue A will suddenly decide they have to "Stand on principal" and abandon the party. Pretty soon you have 40 Losetraian parties each thumping their chest and screaming about how "pure" they are. Meanlwile they get ZERO accomplished in politics."

That analysis sounds surprisingly like the situation which the "muslim populations" of the world are currently experiencing.

[mugs99]

Adults understand the need to compromise, spoiled children throw tempetantrums about it.

ROFL!
Libertarians know that voting does not change things. Libertarianism is ideology, not pragmatism. The establishment is composed of two socialist wings...Democrat and Republican. The establishment does not allow any 'third' party access to debates or press coverage.

Change will not come from the voting booth. Change will come by way of public outrage. When that day comes, Libertarians will be ready just like they were in 1776.
.

[RebelBanker]

Screaming for 100% of what you want and demanding ZERO of what you don't want is the behavior of spoiled petulant children, NOT adults. "Organized voting blocks" who demand 100% ideological purity end up being completely politically irreverent. Why? Well suppose the losertarians form a block. Suddenly issue A comes along. Give their knee jerk 100%erism, anyone who has a different view on issue A will suddenly decide they have to "Stand on principal" and abandon the party. Pretty soon you have 40 Losertarian parties each thumping their chest and screaming about how "pure" they are. Meanwhile they get ZERO accomplished in politics.

IMHO, you have written a pretty good description of ANY extremist group. This includes some "unappeasables" here on FR. The pragmatic approach is to support the electable candidate whose views most closely match your own and then attempt to influence the person you helped elect on issues where you disagree. Not perfect, but better than turning power over to people you can't stand and then carping about how bad they are.

[Taliesan]

"Organized voting blocks" who demand 100% ideological purity end up being completely politically irreverent.


You nailed it. Libertarians don't understand politics. They don't understand, or can't accept, that political power is ALWAYS -- did I say ALWAYS? -- gained and held by one part principle, one part compromise, artfully mixed.

The Republican Party is simply a coalition of the center-right in America. It's not gathering of pure-souled libertarians, conservatives, pro-lifers, whatever: it's a political party. It's function is to KEEP POWER AWAY FROM THE OTHER GUYS.

Participating in politics is A TACTICAL ACT, not a religious devotion to be accomplished with utmost purity. In every vote, make the choice most likely to lead to the best outcome (which is not necessarily the same as voting for the person you like the best). The concept of a protest vote is the intellectual equivalent of the buddhist monk who burned himself in front of the embassy: interesting exercise, but no practical outcome in this universe.

[Teacher317]

How about screaming for basic Constitutional principles?