Ex-Rep. Barr Quits GOP for Libertarians

breitbart ^ | 12 15 06 | BEN EVANS

[Calvinist_Dark_Lord]

Burns product was 100% conservative.

I do blame the voters.

JMO.

Yeah, that pesky damned democratic process and one man-one vote concept is a bitch when it doesn't go the way you think it should, isn't it?

Kinda makes you miss the good old days of King George III, eh?

[ellery]

The Republicans would control the next US Senate if a Libertarian had not received enough votes to cause the defeat of Republican Burns in Montana.

So what's the plan to overcome this problem in the future? Find common ground with small-l libertarians (e.g., with fiscal conservatism), so that there's a majority that can beat the donks? Turn out more non-libertarian-leaning Pubbies? Because the harping small government folks constantly hear around here isn't very constructive.

[Calvinist_Dark_Lord]

I'm have zero use for wacked out libertarians that worship at the shrine of drugs and so-called rules-based principles without a lick of common sense.

Then don't bitch when they have no use for Republicans (as if they owed anyone their vote), and the Pubbies remain a minority party.

[ellery]

Burns' pork-barrel projects knock him out of the "100% conservative" camp for me.

[SuziQ]

Barr started going off the deep end after Impeachment, but especially after his election defeat. He's just been doing wierd stuff lately.

[BigTom85]

Despite the philosophical Libertarian support found here at FR, it is foolish to vote one for President until they can snag lots of state legislative offices, a few governorships, a couple dozen seats in the House

You have to start somewhere. Nothing worth while is going to be easy. Building a political party/movement takes a lot of work and $. The Constitution and Libertarian parties agree on a host of issues and it's important that they try to work together in whatever ways that they can.

The US needs a dependable 3rd party.. the Democrats and Repuclicans are both doing one hell of a job driving the country into the g'damm ground. Ron Paul does a great job.. I wish I lived in Galveston, Tx so that I would be able to vote for him next time he is up. It's time to have more people like him elected to serve on all levels of government.

[BigTom85]

I'd vote for what's-his-name too. As long as he/she would stand up to the media and democrats, and start acting like Conservatives.

Most Republicans campaign like conservatives and then spend like liberals once they get to DC. A lot of Democrats try to campaign as conservatives (especially in the heartland) and spend like liberals once they get to DC. My point- Democrats and Republicans are basically one and the same (with a few exceptions on both sides). The Dems will take the country to hell in a handbasket via the 'express' lane. The Republicans will take the country to hell in a handbasket not as quickly- perhaps in the 'local' lane. It's time for a 3rd party.

[Small-L]

According to some in the know, the GOP is going to go more to the left to try to capture the independent voters in the center, and the conservative voters will be "left wandering in the desert."

[cva66snipe]

Ross Perot gave us 8 years of Clinton. Ralph Nader caused the Gore loss. 3rd party effects both.

I think the 1000 points of NWO nonsense and the Poppy statement "Read My Lips" cost Poppy the election. He abandoned the Reagan legacy almost as soon as he was sworn in. Voters were expecting a continuation of the Reagan Legacy and Bush SR wanted nothing to do with it whatsoever. He had other plans. He actually loathed it.

Poppy Bush lost 1992 all by his wee little self. Clinton won again only because the GOP foolishly ran Liberal in 2006 and in doing so lost big. The GOP won big on running Conservative in 1994 but by 1996 the sellout and Rockefeller takeover of the GOP was underway. Perot had nothing to do with that one either. That was Bob Dole's fault for letting two North East Rockefeller Elitist Liberals take over the convention. Conservatives stayed home.

As for Gore LOL. His ties to Clinton scandals cost him the election and not Nader. Had Gore not been scandal ridden he would have take W's Me Too/ "Me and Mr Gore are not that far apart on most issues" campaign and beaten him by a landslide. Scandals cost Gore the election.

[cva66snipe]

According to some in the know, the GOP is going to go more to the left to try to capture the independent voters in the center, and the conservative voters will be "left wandering in the desert."

And well on it's way to the same fate as the Whigs they replaced if they do so. The GOP could be replaced in short order. The GOP was organized and in the White house in about 10 years. In todays communications it could happen real fast. The GOP had best not think it can survive by dumping the Conservative vote. The Conservatives will walk, the Conservative DEM's will stay in the DEM party and the Dem fence sitters will vote DEM as well. If they want liberalism why leave home?

Wake up GOP! Maybe when the GOP falls flat on it's face it will wake up and realize nobody wants a Liberal Republican Party except Rockefeller Republicans. They are the party minority but control the money.

[Sandy]

Every time I hit the apostrophe key, Firefox takes me to "Find" function. Anybody know how to fix this?

Four steps:

1.  Type about:config in your Firefox address bar, then hit enter.

2.  Type (or copy/paste) accessibility.typeaheadfind.autostart into the search/filter line on the "about:config" page, then hit enter.

3.  If the value for "accessibility.typeaheadfind.autostart" is listed as "true", change it to "false" by double-clicking on it.

4.  Return to Free Republic and open a reply box. Type something to see if the problem is fixed. Let me know.

[Josh Painter]

"The Republicans would control the Senate if the voters hadn't wasted their votes on that RINO Burns instead of voting for the Libetarian. Ahh well."

RINO? The man had a 100% conservative voting record in 2004 and again in 2005, according to the ACU.

[Princip. Conservative]

I'm no fan of Barr either, and I say good riddance.

[Jacquerie]

You have to start somewhere.

IIRC the Libertarian party was started in 1972. They have had 34 years to get started. Since then the electorate has seen fit to send one member, Ron Paul to Washington. Pitiful. For whatever reason, the party's message does not connect with the electorate. The party has no base, and until it does any vote for a Libertarian presidential nominee is a wasted vote.

[Gaffer]

Did you also agree with him on his decision to join the ACLU after he left office?

[mac_truck]

Burns was 100% conservative.

Was Jack Abramoff a conservative also? Just curious...

[NittanyLion]

Nope. A vote for a libertarian IS a vote for a socialist. That's the difference between a idealist and a realist.

You can say that as much as you want. Heck, you might even actually believe it. But that simply doesn't make it so. A vote for a candidate is a vote for that candidate, period. If the GOP continues to adopt your attitude (vote for us; we're better than the alternative), we will continue to lose elections.

[NittanyLion]

Then don't bitch when they have no use for Republicans (as if they owed anyone their vote), and the Pubbies remain a minority party.

According to the libertarian haters, there are three absolute truths when it comes to libertarians:

1. They are too few in number to matter
2. If they weren't voting for the LP they'd vote for Democrats
3. They always cost the GOP close elections

Interesting logic, huh?

[muawiyah]

Would seem you continue to be confused. You can be a Libertarian or a Christian but not both.

Christians can't just "pass on by".

[muawiyah]

You hit it on the head ~ Libertarians are essentially "legalists" and not all that different from their Sharia burdened brethren in Islam.