hmm, my staunchly REPUBLICAN brother is changing to Libertarian. What an odd little party:

[Jeffersons Ghost]

The Libertarian Party is a US political party founded on December 11, 1971. As one of the largest continuing third parties in the United States, it claims over 200,000 registered voters and more than 600 elected officials, including mayors, county executives, county-council members and other local officials. It boasts more people in office than all other third parties combined.

The Libertarian Party platform favors minimally regulated, laissez-faire (hands-off) markets, strong civil liberties, and no intervention as a foreign policy, which includes respecting complete freedom of trade and travel to all foreign countries.

Among other things, the Libertarian Platform features markedly reduced taxation, privatization of Social Security and welfare, reduced regulation of business, rollbacks of labor regulations, and reduction of government interference in foreign trade.

The platform also proposes abolition of all forms of taxpayer-funded assistance, especially welfare, food stamps and public housing.

Promoting abolition of victimless crimes like prostitution, driving without a seatbelt and use of drugs or other controlled substances, essentially represents the Party's Statement of Principles. Legalized abortion is also covered in this Statement.

Statement of Principles
"We hold that all individuals have the right to exercise sole dominion over their own lives, and have the right to live in whatever manner they choose, so long as they do not forcibly interfere with the equal right of others to live in whatever manner they choose." To this end, Libertarians seek to reduce the size of government, entirely eliminating many current functions.

Can we expect this political party to attract more Republicans in the next presidential election?

[sinkingfeeling]

1. Ron Paul seems to have taken the interest of both Republicans and Democrats.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

10. he said something about Ron Paul

In 1988, former Republican Congressman Ron Paul won the Libertarian nomination for president and was on the ballot in 46 states. Paul later successfully ran for United States House of Representatives from Texas, once again as a Republican, an office in which he still serves.

He's not currently running as a Libertarian.

Feb. 9, 2008, 11:37PM
With losses mounting, Paul downsizes campaign
National staff for White House bid will be 'leaner' as he turns focus to keeping House seat
By BENNETT ROTH and R. G. RATCLIFFE
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle

Ron Paul, the Lake Jackson GOP lawmaker whose Internet-driven presidential campaign has smashed fundraising records but failed to garner substantial voter support, is scaling back his White House efforts and is focusing on the primary race to retain his House seat.

In an e-mail message sent to supporters Saturday, Paul said that while he will remain in the presidential race, he must place a priority on his congressional contest, where he faces Friendswood accountant Chris Peden...

With Arizona Sen. John McCain on a clear path to the Republican presidential nomination, Paul said he no longer needs as big a national staff, "so," he said, "I am making it leaner and tighter."

[zanne]

2. I think that all but Evangelical Republicans are closet Libertarians. nt

[Jeffersons Ghost]

7. Neocons aren't Libertarian but they're not true Republicans anyhow. nt

[newmajority]

3. The Libertarians could get a huge boost in this election if they would do one thing

Beg Ron Paul to be their candidate. He represents their platform more than he does the Repukes.

Better yet, he can peel off some of that "MC CAIN IS A GODDAMED LIBRUL !!!111!!!!!" vote from the Repukes, resulting in a historic Obama landslide in November.

[BridgeTheGap]

4. Why didn't he just support Paul? n/t

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

5. I think the Ron Paul supporters around here will vote Libertarian

they tend to want less government interference and less taxes. I'm hoping to encourage them in doing this, as I know they will never vote for a Democrat. And I figure helping someone choose Libertarian over the GOP only helps our cause in this case.

[orleans]

18. any REAL man or woman would vote democratic

:evilgrin:

(did you make a wish on that birthday cake i gave you for this morning? and how was it?)

[orleans]

19. any REAL man or woman would vote democratic

:evilgrin:

(did you make a wish on that birthday cake i gave you for this morning? and how was it?)

[The_Casual_Observer]

6. Libertarians were republicans that smoked pot. I don't know what they are anymore.

[KharmaTrain]

8. How To Spin A Libertarian's Head...

You are right...these people are a bunch of contradictions...generally they hide behind states rights and individual rights as a guise to hide other agendas.

The problem has been the party has been a haven for a lot of racists and supremesists...who can easily slip into the anti-government crowd and stir 'em up...people like Hal Turner.

The fun with these people is to play cause and effect. They want to eliminate the income tax but I have yet to hear how they will replace the revenues...since they're usually against user fees and defecit spending as well. Just ask him if we eliminate the IRS how do roads get built or fixed? Or try to have them explain how they'd replace the billions of dollars our tax system and large bureacracy puts into our economy...what would they do with the millions of former government workers who would be unemployed. I'll bet you'll never get an answer...

In the meantime, I still stand by my prediction Paul will bolt and run third party...he's biding his time while he builds up cash and watches the GOOP pot boil...

[leftofthedial]

9. small "l" libertarianism is seductive

until you realize that it is ultimately in conflict with the concept of Civilization.

Big "L" Libertarianism has a high-minded tag line, but in matters of actual policy devolves into "my property is the most important thing in the whole world and is certainly more valuable than anyone else's life."

[Jeffersons Ghost]

13. small "l" big "L" ?? Is that party split?

Is the Libertarian fragmentation represented in these numbers?

The Libertarian Vote

by David Boaz and David Kirby

This article appeared October 23, 2006 at Cato Institute (online) http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=6735.

Journalists these days tell us that we're a country split down the middle, liberal vs. conservative, red America vs. blue America. Liberals and conservatives read different books, watch different networks, and go to different churches.

In the 2004 election both parties decided their best strategy was not to appeal to moderate voters but rather to find people already inclined to vote for them and get them to the polls.

Our new research finds that 15 percent of American voters are libertarian rather than liberal or conservative.

More importantly, are those numbers accurate?

[leftofthedial]

16. I don't know about the link you cite, I use small and big "l"

to distinguish between a philosophical movement (small "l")

and a political party with specific proposals, policies and positions (big "L")



I support neither.

[zbdent]

11. encourage Repukes to waste their votes on a protest, third-party vote ...

and thank them in November ...

Discourage Dems from doing same ...

[baldguy]

12. Ah, The Libertarian Party - the party for 10 yr olds.

[Orsino]

14. The ones who were never taught sharing in pre-K. n/t

[Jeffersons Ghost]

15. LOL. that's how the party sounds, doesn't it?

Libertarian approach:

ME! ME! ME! screw the rest of them!

[Disturbed]

17. Ron Paul is a Libertarian, except that he is Anti-Abortion.

He ran for Pres. as a Lib once but joined the Repug Party in order to garner
his House seat.