Ron Paul Libertarians

[bobbyw24]

http://redstateeclectic.typepad.com/redstate_commentary

Ron Paul Libertarians

I've talked a lot about Ron Paul Republicans here. As I was heading downtown to pick my daughter up from school, I happened to turn on talk radio, and Sean Hannity was interviewing Bob Barr--who it sounded like is getting really close to announcing that he's running for the Libertarian nomination for the Presidency.

Hannity, of course, pulled out the "but what if your candidacy were to result in enough votes for Obama or Clinton?" To which Barr suggested that was pretty lame--that if they were pulling that argument out already, there must be a perceived weakness of McCain that they don't know how to get around--and that if McCain couldn't win enough votes outright, then he didn't deserve to be President.

I thought it interesting that Sean Hannity suggested that if he really wanted to make change that he ought to try to do it within the context of the Republican Party--given that Hannity, who claims to be a great Reagan traditional conservative--did a fine job of trashing Ron Paul at every opportunity, even though Paul was and is trying to do exactly what Hannity suggests.

I'm going to add a new category for Bob Barr in our categories list shortly. Do I think Barr can be elected? No. But I do think it possible that betwen the libertarian/constitutionalist leaning Republicans who have started to embed themselves within the Republican Party as part of the Paul campaign, and a libertarian-conservative Bob Bar who would provide a voting option for those folks, that there might develop a critical mass of libertarian-conserative types who could--eventually come together and either reclaim the Republican Party; or, if the Republican Party were to continue its downward trend, those folks might come together, with a level of political savvy having been developed, and form a new party of some sort. Nothing will happen fast, but all of us need to stake out a base of operations from which to work, and then do everything we can to promote the cause of liberty.

[Caulfield]

Hannity forgets that Barr was a member of Congress for years, and also impeached Clinton.

[acptulsa]

I thought it interesting that Sean Hannity suggested that if he really wanted to make change that he ought to try to do it within the context of the Republican Party--given that Hannity, who claims to be a great Reagan traditional conservative--did a fine job of trashing Ron Paul at every opportunity, even though Paul was and is trying to do exactly what Hannity suggests.

I'm going to add a new category for Bob Barr in our categories list shortly. Do I think Barr can be elected? No. But I do think it possible that betwen the libertarian/constitutionalist leaning Republicans who have started to embed themselves within the Republican Party as part of the Paul campaign, and a libertarian-conservative Bob Bar who would provide a voting option for those folks, that there might develop a critical mass of libertarian-conserative types who could--eventually come together and either reclaim the Republican Party; or, if the Republican Party were to continue its downward trend, those folks might come together, with a level of political savvy having been developed, and form a new party of some sort.

This is pretty much a nice further development of my argument that we get Dr. Paul on state ballots by petition this summer so he can go to the convention and tell them, "Hey, they don't seem to want to vote for that idiot. What can I do?"

Parallel development of the type you suggest sends the same message even more clearly to the G.O.P., but is even more of a long-term threat. We would need to pick one and encourage all the active types who get chased off by Republicans to take what they've learned and bring it to the other party. "The more of us you disenfranchise, the more of them you create. And they'll mainly steal votes from you." Active old line Republicans who are in it for the cause won't put up with that for long.

They want the party to survive much more than they want the neocon agenda. Remember that! They can be allies!

[Lovecraftian4Paul]

Barr running Libertarian would be good. He would even provide a final avenue to a third party run after the convention, if Ron Paul would want to do such. Bob Barr would most likely be glad to step aside for him, and the bulk of the Libertarian Party would have no problem with it. It isn't likely, but at least it leaves the door open.

Otherwise, Ron Paul will probably endorse Bob Barr sometime in the fall. The two men are known to communicate well with each other.

[Badger Paul]

Barr is nice leverage to have against the GOP bigwigs at the convention. They may treat him with more kindness knowing there's a credible LP alternative for Paul's supporters to vote for.

[Rhys]

i don't know what to think right now... McCain is off telling people how great he is,and they might believe him.

[m72mc]

i don't know what to think right now... McCain is off telling people how great he is,and they might believe him.

Diebold voting machines sure will believe and support him.