Libertarian Democrats: NOT!

fastpat · 10-12-2006, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Libertarian Democrats: NOT!
Posted by Norman Singleton at October 12, 2006 07:26 PM

Over at CATO they have been debating whether libertarians should join the Democratic Party. Nick Gillespie lays out the case against libertarians making jackasses of themselves and becoming Democrats. As Nick points out, the Democrats are bad on economic liberty, squishy on opposition to war, and proponents of sacrificing civil liberties to the police/nanny state.

For those still not convinced of the evils of the Democratic Party, check out CounterPunch where Joshua Franks details how Clinton pushed through an early version of the PATRIOT Act in response to the Oklahoma City bombings. In fact, many of the PATRIOT Act's most egregious provisions where items sought by Janet Reno's Justice Department, but rejected by a Congress that still understood the dangers of trading liberty for illusions of security.

Monday, I received first-hand evidence of Democratic unreliability on the question of war and peace at a left-right forum on "The Peace Voter's Dilemma." I asked the leftists on the panel about the contradiction between opposing Iraq yet calling for intervention in Darfur. One leftist said she hoped the problem could be resolved without military force, but pointedly did not rule out sending in the troops. Another leftist said his group opposed "unilateral" US military action in Darfur--meaning he has no problem with US military intervention as long as the soldiers are clad in UN blue.

For all the noise they make about opposing the GOP's war and deficits the Democrats have a long way to go before any self-respecting libertarian could even consider joining their party.
http://blog.lewrockwell.com/lewrw/archives/011523.html#more

hardflex · 10-13-2006, 05:56 AM

Yeah, well I voted Libertarian in the 80's when there was widespread disatisfaction with the status quo, and i think they went from 2% to 3% or something like that.

I'll take my chances dragging the Democrats right on Economic issues, let the Republicans keep them honest on International military excursions.

Nixon once said to to "go hard right in the Primaries, then to the middle for the election" or something like that. If the Dems do the same on the left side the "majority" in the middle gets left out. Since what I want is less left, I'll make the change on that side of the spectrum.

One thing is sure, the status quo is has got to go!!!

RallyJon · 10-13-2006, 06:06 AM

Why not? In our system, the only productive thing you CAN do is join a party and work to acheive your goals from within.

The lobbyists understand that, and aren't we all really lobbyists--for our own particular preferences and goals--at heart?

Know why I'm a registered Republican now? Because the winner of any local general election is decided in the Republican primary around here, and I want to have my vote count. I also get to talk to the candidates and the party machine. Access to power--limited though it may be--is certainly better than standing on the corner holding a placard.

Being a registered Libertarian ensures that your vote means nothing--nationwide.

Moneyguy1 · 10-13-2006, 09:30 AM

I am confused...Just which party is currently eroding individual freedoms in the name of "security"?

Much internal inconsistency in the article, pat.....

I would rather see something positive posted occasionally rather than simply fomenting anger, division and yes, separatism.

I rarely take you to task, but before you toss out the current form of government, you had better have something in mind to replace it other than chaos. And when I say something better, I mean for the Country and its citizens, not simply for you.