Rand calls for libertarians to join GOP, run for office:

[cajuncocoa]

And why should Randal waste his time working to get the votes of people that spend their time arguing against voting or are so hung up on labels that they would refuse to vote for somebody just because of the party they are members of? Its a giant timesink. Either Libertarians figure it out on their own or spend their time patting themselves on their back over fighting for ballot access.

that works both ways, specs. Many Republicans are so hung up on labels they will vote for Team Red without even bothering to listen to what the candidate wants to do. They just vote for him/her because of the party they are a member of.

[NewRightLibertarian]

Oh please, as if the GOP has "succeeded." The GOP is losing a demographics game. That is why they are talking about "liberty" these days. Not because they believe in it but because they want to "succeed." And you being a loyal card carrying member, will follow in lockstep along with all the other sheep. If they GOP were really "ripe" for a takeover, explain to me why John Boehner is still House Majority Leader? How is Lindsey Graham about to get re-elected? How is Peter King about to get re-elected? And those are the worst offenders of liberty. You are just cheer leading this on because you are a devoted Team Red member. As for me, I've heard this all before.

The only way out of the 2 party system is to stop supporting the 2 parties.

The GOP has always paid lip service to liberty. But now they're getting overrun by tea party and C4L people everywhere. That's the big difference. And if you got involved, you could overthrow their leadership. You can't do that by sitting on the sidelines and voting in an irrelevant party.

$#@!, I know people who are huge LP supporters and long-time members of the party that are Republican precinct delegates. They show up not because they are a 'devoted Team Red member' but because they know the GOP is vulnerable and they can cause trouble.

[specsaregood]

that works both ways, specs. Many Republicans are so hung up on labels they will vote for Team Red without even bothering to listen to what the candidate wants to do. They just vote for him/her because of the party they are a member of.

And it works well for a libertarian minded person! I think that's the point, Team Red already has a large number of people that just vote the party line without any critical thinking, so Randal is saying Run as Team Red and work to remake it in the image of a pro-liberty team. Why are we still even arguing over this? Its the same thing his dad has been saying since this site started.

[Bastiat's The Law]

The LP will never succeed. The GOP is a disaster and ripe for a takeover. We can overpower them with our numbers even if we don't have their money.

We've proven that in many states. Our people have to realize this is a long war and stay the course. And like any war it's going to take tremendous sacrifice.

[philipped]

Why are we still even arguing over this? Its the same thing his dad has been saying since this site started.

Question of the year.

[NewRightLibertarian]

We've proven that in many states. Our people have to realize this is a long war and stay the course. And like any war it's going to take tremendous sacrifice.

Yeah, I'm not suggesting that people join the GOP and lick the boots of the establishment. I'm not even suggesting that they go into the party and kiss ass like Rand is. Libertarians should join to stir the pot and get the ear of Republicans. Otherwise, it will be charlatans like Mark Levin and Glenn Beck that they will look to as their 'liberty leaders.'

[philipped]

ILL DO IT RAND! YOU AINT GOTTA TELL ME TWICE B. WE LIT FRFR!!!

[r3volution 3.0]

And it works well for a libertarian minded person! I think that's the point, Team Red already has a large number of people that just vote the party line without any critical thinking, so Randal is saying Run as Team Red and work to remake it in the image of a pro-liberty team. Why are we still even arguing over this? Its the same thing his dad has been saying since this site started.

Exactly.

It's a lot easier for a libertarian to win the Republican nomination than for a Libertarian to win the general election. The former is still difficult, mind you, but the latter is impossible. Put another way: A Libertarian needs to win 51% of the national electorate, while a libertarian running in the GOP only need to win 51% of half the electorate - the half who doesn't vote for him in the primaries will still (mostly) vote for him in the general, because they're blind party loyalists.

[invisible]

I'm not even suggesting that they go into the party and kiss ass like Rand is.

Other than a few questionable endorsements (romney, mcconnell, brown, etc), by far and away Rand is kicking ass, not kissing it. 2016 promises to be just as much fun as 2008 and 2012 were!

[Carlybee]

It is very difficult to explain to liberals the concepts of libertarianism when they ask why you vote the same party that includes people like Rick Santorum and Ted Cruz.

[invisible]

It is very difficult to explain to liberals the concepts of libertarianism when they ask why you vote the same party that includes people like Rick Santorum and Ted Cruz.

Actually, it's not. I've been doing exactly this, and am currently up to my eyeballs in it with Duane C's campaign. Explain that there are good and bad candidates in both parties, and that you refuse to vote for those sort of candidates, just as they do. Then explain how it has been Republicans leading on the issues important to them in recent years, with examples. I can write more in detail about this later if you'd like, but I have to get going and knock more doors for Duane.

[Carlybee]

Actually, it's not. I've been doing exactly this, and am currently up to my eyeballs in it with Duane C's campaign. Explain that there are good and bad candidates in both parties, and that you refuse to vote for those sort of candidates, just as they do. Then explain how it has been Republicans leading on the issues important to them in recent years, with examples. I can write more in detail about this later if you'd like, but I have to get going and knock more doors for Duane.

Thank you but I really do t even care anymore about trying to convince them after seeing some of their hypocritical hateful rhetoric online. I say let them stew in their own cesspool.

[Bastiat's The Law]

Yeah, I'm not suggesting that people join the GOP and lick the boots of the establishment. I'm not even suggesting that they go into the party and kiss ass like Rand is. Libertarians should join to stir the pot and get the ear of Republicans. Otherwise, it will be charlatans like Mark Levin and Glenn Beck that they will look to as their 'liberty leaders.'

Stirring the pot is fun!

[Pawn3d]

“I’m sure it will not only be a great time, but it will also go a long way to proving you and I are the future of the Republican Party.” -Ron Paul

Ron Paul’s dream is to see his supporters take the message of liberty into the heart of the GOP and transform the Republican Party.

http://communities.washingtontimes.c...#ixzz3I7dsqCq2

[NOVALibertarian]

Thank you but I really do t even care anymore about trying to convince them after seeing some of their hypocritical hateful rhetoric online. I say let them stew in their own cesspool.

It's impossible to convince die-hard Progressives and Liberals to fully come over to our side. You can potentially convince those who used to only vote for Democrats because they're Democrats (I personally know a few former-Obama voters in my family that are sold on Rand Paul), but not those who have actually dedicated time and energy to Democratic candidates and are neck-deep in their ideology. Perhaps you may get them to recognize a problem, but then they'll come to the wrong conclusion on how to solve said problem (In most cases: federal intervention). This is due entirely to their ideology centering around a big federal government.

When someone does that, you just wasted all of your time that could have been spent trying to convince Republican voters, who at least (for the most part) come to the right conclusion once you get them to recognize a problem. However, it's getting them to recognize a problem (such as the War on Drugs) that's the hard part.

[Quark]

I don't see any problem with this. Didn't Ron Paul support a similar sentiment?