The Time is Right

[Mike Renzulli]

This past May I left the Libertarian Party after 12 years and switched to the Republican Party. I was an officer with the L.P. on the state and county level for the last 4 years of my involvement.

The reason for my switch was, in part, due to the L.P.'s opposition to the War on Terrorism (on which I have come around) and Obama and the Democrat's socialist agenda.

Mainly the enactment of their health care bill.

Any lack of differences between the Republicans and Democrats have been erased due to the bailouts, spending, appeasement of radical Islamists and Obamacare. Likewise, a vote cast for a third party candidate (such as a Libertarian or Green) will be wasted since the candidate that can reverse the Obamanomics enacted could be defeated due to votes siphoned away.

At best, the best reason to vote Republican is, at the very least, to reverse the crap Obama and Congressional Democrats have pushed through.

Hopefully the G.O.P. will gain the majority in Congress and in the state legislatures. Doing so can help stave off anymore nonsense Obama, Pelosi and Reid want to implement.

As much as I would like the Libertarian Party to be viable, the unfortunate fact is that they have one major hurdle that inhibits the L.P. from being able to achieve major party status: the first-past-the-post voting method.

If the U.S. had ranked choice or single-transfer voting then voters could rank candidates in order of their preference. The way things are now, people have to choose the lesser of two evils.

In countries that have alternate voting methods (like Germany) they have viable libertarian-leaning political parties such as the Free Democrats.

Until the method of voting and overall culture is changed in the U.S. voters (including libertarians) will have to either not vote or choose candidates from one of the two major parties.

The Republican Party is probably as close the U.S. will get to having a libertarian political party.

Thoughts anyone?

Edited August 26, 2010 by Mike Renzulli

[Reidy]

The LP has been a waste of time at least since 1980 and perhaps since its inception. I'm holding back judgement on the Republicans They blew it inexcusably after 1994 and worse after 2000, when they gained the presidency in addition to both houses of congress. Maybe they'll do better this time, and if they do I might vote for them next time.

[Mike Renzulli]

It was a serious mistake for the Republicans to cave on the government shut down and many of the things they campaigned on with the Contract With America in the mid 1990's.

The 2000's were mixed as I have come to appreciate the Presidency of George W. Bush yet their spending money like drunken sailors is obviously one of the factors that did them in at the polls.

Like you I hope the Republicans do better this time and it looks like they just might.

Recent news reports lead me to conclude they have become more ideological since many conservatives have heeded the call by Rush Limbaugh as per the speech he gave at a CPAC conference not too long ago to, essentially, embrace principles over pragmatism.

The Republicans have become much more libertarian than they have in recent years since they are emphasizing economic issues rather than social ones, respectfully.

The L.P. for all of its merits was geared to be a educational platform for libertarians as well as one that would do advocacy politics. The problem is that many now want to get elected at any cost even at the expense of the party's core philosophy.

Not a good idea for an ideologically driven political party.

The LP has been a waste of time at least since 1980 and perhaps since its inception. I'm holding back judgement on the Republicans They blew it inexcusably after 1994 and worse after 2000, when they gained the presidency in addition to both houses of congress. Maybe they'll do better this time, and if they do I might vote for them next time.

Edited August 26, 2010 by Mike Renzulli

[BaalChatzaf]

The Republican Party is probably as close the U.S. will get to having a libertarian political party.

Thoughts anyone?

What is the quickest way of shocking someone to death? Answer: Show an original idea proposed by a Republican. So far the main appeal of Republicans is that they are not Democrats. That is pretty damned thin.

Ba'al Chatzaf