Handy Reference
“Why Not the GOP?,” by Lincoln Ferree of the Freedom Democrats site, is an effectively concise account of the reasons why libertarians (upper and lower-case) ought to give up on the Republican Party, if they ever put much allegiance in it. The only thing I’d add to his bill of particulars is that the Republican Party doesn’t even engage in much libertarian rhetoric any more.
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Comment by Jim Henley —
July 26, 2006 @ 10:21 pm
Testing testing
Comment by Bruce Baugh —
July 27, 2006 @ 4:58 am
This is ground control to Major Tom, eat your protein pills and put your headlights on.
Comment by abb1 —
July 27, 2006 @ 7:56 am
How about that Internet Gambling Prohibition and Enforcement Act, uh? Sponsored by two Republicans, of course.
Trackback by Outside The Beltway | OTB —
July 27, 2006 @ 11:10 am
Should Libertarians Abandon the Republican Party?
Logan Ferree argues that the Republican Party has failed in its promises to libertarians for so long that it’s time to stop voting for them. While I disagree with the tone and even some of the particulars of the piece, his analysis is likely righ…
Comment by Jennifer —
July 27, 2006 @ 1:05 pm
I don’t recall the Republicans ever going in for Libertarian rhetoric, except for lip-service talk about ”small government.” But even when they said ”small government” all they really meant was ”cut social programs.” Meanwhile, let’s expand the powers of law enforcement, be the main cheerleaders for the drug war, support laws outlawing forms of adult consensual sex, hold Congressional hearings on the evils of pornography, whine about how moms with jobs are destroying America, scream about those scary Mexicans who are the sole reason the economy has any problems at all, spend a fortune on ”abstinence-only” sex ed . . . and libertarians were willing to support THIS party in exchange for the possibility of a tax cut?
Low taxes won’t do me any goddamned good if I’m rotting in jail for a ”crime” which hurt no one.
Comment by Barry —
July 27, 2006 @ 3:27 pm
Yes, they will, Jennifer! You’ll build character from harsher conditions. You’l profit from learning a trade, in the thriving prison privatised work-sourcing program.
Comment by Andrew Olmsted —
July 27, 2006 @ 7:24 pm
It seems quite clear that libertarians will find no relief with either party, since the sweet intoxication of power makes political parties incapable of restraint.
Gridlock does sound awfully good right now, though.
Comment by James —
July 28, 2006 @ 6:37 pm
There will still be people who call themselves libertarians voting Republican as long as Republicans are against environmentalism and against affirmative action. So if one’s idea of the devil incarnate is exemplified by either Al Gore or Jesse Jacksion, then it still makes sense. Or maybe ”sense.”
It is interesting to do a web search for libertarian combined with ”affirmative action,” ”environmentalism,” ”marijuana,” or ”sodomy,” incidentally. The resulting material is illuminating.