Like a drunken booty call, they always come knocking when it’s convenient for them
Hey, libertarians, shut up and vote Republican so we can immediately wait a bit then ignore you. And thanks for your vote. Because Democrats suck.
Update: And no. Get it over with. I don’t want to stall for x number of years.
November 5th, 2012 at 11:45 pm
Perhaps if the republican party wanted the libertarian vote, it could actually live up to its small government, fiscal conservative promises instead of grabbing more fed.gov power, eroding our freedoms, and starting illegal and ruinously expensive wars. They might also consider not throwing Ron Paul supporters under the RNC bus.
November 6th, 2012 at 12:05 am
Libertarians will have a true libertarian candidate that can actually win when libertarians actually do the work needed. Organize at the local level and seriously run to win in local, state and federal elections.
Lots of internet folks saying they are libertarian, but when it comes time to do the work, there are maybe 50 or so in a given state actually doing something.
EVERY political party belongs to the folks who actually show up, do the work, and support candidates. The folks who simply register for a party, and bitch on the internet when they don’t like the nominee contribute, and get nothing.
Republicans get off their asses and do what it takes to get candidates into office. If small L libertarians are not willing to either participate in the Republican Party, or do the work needed to make the LP supersede the GOP, then yes, they can hold their breaths until they turn blue, and vote for their current protest candidate.
Protest candidates don’t win, and don’t go home with the prom queen.
We are doing our best in the Republican Party to unseat Obama. Yes, you might have a problem with our nominee. A lot of us in the GOP do as well. But we will not stand by and do nothing while a socialist a-hole is in the Whitehouse.
November 6th, 2012 at 12:07 am
AndrewS: Republicans want the Republican vote, and are doing what it takes to make other Americans want to be Republican.
Good luck with the Libertarian Party. I would have liked to have seen it actually go somewhere, but it is too busy writing screeds and not electioneering.
November 6th, 2012 at 3:34 am
I see the radical element of the libertarian wing has been blind to the lessons of the Tea Party and 2010.
November 6th, 2012 at 9:24 am
I would be more sympathetic if so many libertarians weren’t such loonies. Once upon a time, I called my self a libertarian, I even supported Ron Paul back in the day. But the moreI talked to libertarians, the more nuts they sounded. Wanting to do away with the CIA? Because being deaf and blind ina world full of dangers is a good idea? Ending the FDA and USDA? Becuse the free market will solve the problems of people selling snake oil, bad drugs, and tainted meat? I belive in limited government, but what does “limited” mean in a nation of 370 million people is a tough call. And although I agree, the govt has too much power now, too many libertarian’s definition of “limited” government sounds a lot like anarchy in a nation the size of ours.
November 6th, 2012 at 9:46 am
Big J: The majarotiy of libertarians are not loons.
There are a few who figured out that they could pimp their personal bonnet-bees by giving lip service to NAP, but they are loud but rare.
The LP’s problem is an unwillingness by members to electioneer, and get serious about taking seats and positions form the big two.
They will write screeds on the internets until doomsday, but you won’t see them knocking on doors, putting up yard signs, or manning phone banks.
At most they will show once an election for the party convention, or, in the case of Paulistas, flashmob open state caucuses.
November 6th, 2012 at 10:12 am
The issue with Libertarian politics is that it is not a political movement. It is a philosophical movement. While the two can mix, you cannot substitute one for the other.
And many who espouse the philosophy will openly close their mind to alternatives, including – horror of horror – the idea that one established party or the other could actually suffice to get a good amount of libertarian work done. They like to point to Bush and say, “See! The Republicans are just Democrats in drag!”
History says they were right. But recent movement of libertarian ideals (Tea Party, etc.) into the Republican establishment has turned that tide a bit. Rather than fight for something nobody in history has ever done – establish a serious third party in the USA – they could just do what others have done before: take over a party and call it their own. It ain’t perfect, but it beats nothing.
November 6th, 2012 at 10:16 am
I don’t want to make my above post sound simple. There are serious challenges getting libertarian philosophy codified into the Republican Party – not the least of which is that there are serious chasms between libertarians and social conservatives. Abortion, Gay Marriage, Drug Wars, etc all will be social issues where disagreement will exist. The theocratic wing of the GOP has worked hard to take control of certain functions, and they won’t relinquish it easy.
Initially it would be best to focus on things they can agree on, such as fiscal policy. The people will sort out the rest in time.
November 6th, 2012 at 10:37 am
“The theocratic wing of the GOP has worked hard to take control of certain functions, and they won’t relinquish it easy.”
They did work hard. They organized. They used existing social networks. They co-opted an existing party in their image (I live in Alabama, and am decidedly not a member of the “theocratic wing”).
I don’t see “libertarians” doing nearly enough of these things, and then they complain because they don’t have th political weight of the religious Right.
November 6th, 2012 at 11:21 am
And then you have people like me; Religious, personally conservative, politically liberal, who are hated by Democrats, Republicans, AND Libertarians (too much Liberty for the D’s, too much Liberty for the R’s, and not ‘pure’ enough to fit in with the L’s).
Actually being involved in politics now with Florida Carry, I’ve realized my blogging, my speeches to friends and family, my tweets, my Facebook posts, none of it means shit. Unless you are getting people to physically show up to their rep’s offices or hound them via the phone or email, you’re not doing anything at all besides making noise.
Come voting time, you get to either select the best of the worst, or you get others to select that for you. Either way, you’re going to be under that party / person / political org’s rule unless you’re ready to go Full Wolverine.
Shitty situation, and still nobody can come up with something better.
Time to start drinking.
November 6th, 2012 at 11:33 am
Yes yes,
Your special…
…just like everyone else
Get over it, we get it. No one came and rubbed you in your special place. We understand, yes your different and supercool because you have made a stance
Are we done with your ego because we have a president to elect now.
November 6th, 2012 at 11:35 am
I love the post title, Uncle. It’s a great metaphor.
Mitt Romney didn’t persuade me to vote for him. Gary Johnson did. He’s the candidate that I want as President. It’s as simple as that.
November 6th, 2012 at 1:08 pm
Yes very nice … please tell me more about how you were persuaded by his debate, hosted by RT news
Run along snowflake, the adults have work to do
November 6th, 2012 at 1:19 pm
Run along snowflake, the adults have work to do
Sure. Insult your opponents. That’ll a winning campaign strategy. And it’s the adult thing to do.
November 6th, 2012 at 2:57 pm
Get it through your heads.
The Libertarian Party will never ever win a Presidential election. Ever.
Why? Because third parties will never ever win a presidential election. Plus, getting Libertarians to do anything in a bloc is like trying to herd cats.
The Republican party is ever so slowly turning toward small “L” libertarian ideals. As old-school blue blood Rs die off, they are being replaced with small government groups like the Tea Party and others. THIS is the only way libertarians can win the presidency.
By taking over the Republican party.
As for making a collapse happen quicker, that’s a stupid move. If everything falls apart, you are NOT guaranteed to be the only surviving group. Most times when something like this happens, authoritarianism, not liberty, is usually the result. If you want that for your children, well, have fun with that.
You want examples?
English Civil War- They got rid of a king, then got Cromwell. Not a move up. A move sideways.
French Revolution- replaced a king with a reign of terror and then Napoleon.
Russian Revolution- Got rid of the Czar and replaced him with Lenin.
Assorted South American and African countries- got rid of colonial powers, but how many are STILL struggling, if not outright chaotic?
America’s Revolutionary outcome is the exception, not the rule. It would be unwise to roll the dice again.
November 6th, 2012 at 4:04 pm
I made it as far as:
However true this once was, in recent years Republicans have been better for liberty and Democrats have been worse.
Then I lol’ed. And quit reading.
November 7th, 2012 at 2:55 am
Your not an opponent to anyone
Your fringe, leftover counterculture silliness, you have tied yourself to a group that even ayn rand grew to hate
November 7th, 2012 at 9:15 am
The Republican party is ever so slowly turning toward small “L” libertarian ideals.
And yet Republican administrations consistently grow the size and scope of government.