Bob Barr announces Libertarian bid

Bob Barr, "Mr. Libertarian," leading figure of the fight to impeach Bill Clinton over his sex life:

http://www.ajr.org/Article.asp?id=530

Of the fight to make the legal definition of marriage a federal issue:

-While decrying a marriage amendment on "state's rights" grounds;

And of the move to declare which religions should be considered valid, and which not, with respect to the private faith of American service people - seeking to disallow Wicca as a recognized religion; hell, to prohibit folks from practicing it, while serving in the military:

http://www.rules.house.gov/archives/dod_amendments.htm

-Has announced his bid for the Libertarian candidacy for President.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/05/12/barr-announces-presidential-bid/

Sex lives, private faith - yep, precisely the stuff of a Libertarian candidate for Prez, right? I know Guerilla's a fan:

Regardless, this does not bode well for McCain, though. Can anyone say Ralph Nader, at least when people paid attention to him?

 

Bob who? I mean really. Not bode well? Please.

Exactly how many "libertarians" are going to be running in November? Gravel is pretending to be one too, isn't he?

Does "libertarian" mean anyone who isn't democrat or republican these days? Work on some party identity people.

 

Barr has caché as a social and political conservative. Those wary of McCain's credentials in this way may peel off to vote ideologically. I do not think he is a maker of any kind, but will quite possibly be a spoiler in a close contest, as this Obama-McCain election will likely shape up to be. Just my hunch.

 

I forgot. I thought the libertarians already had their nominee? Some chick who thinks child porn should be legal or something? I forget her (?) name now.

 

Got me, man. You sure this isn't Italy, and Cicciolina, you're thinking about?

Barr is on the National Committee of the Libertarian Party, so at least in name, he's Libertarian.

 

I got it. Mary Ruwart - she's not the candidate but the front runner.

Libertarians have an actually interesting primary this year; between the pure anarchists and the sane end of their party.

 

Good god. Congrats, Libertarians - some real winners, there.

 

Hilarious to see a notorious liberal statist and a neoconservative debating the LP candidates.

Bob Barr will probably win the nomination, although Ruwart is the more sincere and educated libertarian in the bunch.

 

What I always find laughable is that it comes down to one of a few things: distortion, avoidance, name calling, or this - labels, supposedly precluding an evaluation on the merits.

These are Barr's positions - not a concoction of mine, nor Lorien's. What the hell does a Libertarian have to do with the private sex life of anybody, or declaring which faiths are, or are not, "legitimate?"

Ruwart; well, based on the polygamy/pedophile-pregnant girls thread, and Guerilla's view of "consent" between kids under an authoritarian mind-melt and the middle aged men who impregnate them, I have no confusion as to why he'd sing the praises of a woman saying:

I hear snuff films between teens is the next hot thing, further beatifying the keystone ideal, "individual choice" of consenting, uh, kids.

I only repeat - great short list, Libertarians. And thank you, by the way, for helping make the upcoming several months just a bit easier for those of us who, while respecting the service of McCain, the man, do not wish to see him vent his particular brand of steam in the Oval Office.

 

An "evaluation based on the merits"?

And exactly how much research did you do into Dr. Mary Ruwart?

We've already covered that you're quite thick when it comes to libertarian philosophy or principles.

But a principle of arguing honestly, and "evaluation based on the merits" surely goes further than a brief quote from lorien...

So, what do you know about her? Did you bother to read the comments on Lorien's link?

Probably not. You're doing an "evaluation based on merits" right?

You whine and cry about the treatment Obama gets, and then just like the wheelchair attacker thread, you jump all over the first piece of info posted, and offer a condemnation without any other research.

I feel a lot safer knowing a statist Berkley liberal like yourself is out there to convict people in the court of public opinion, never hesitant to call the cops on a neighbor, or to slander a good name.

Clown.

 

I'm glad to hear Barr is running. I'd like to see him do well. Partly because it'll kill McCain's chances, but also because I agree with Libertarians on quite a few issues.

I think he's got a shot at 5% if Paul's supporters rally behind him. I wonder if Paul will endorse him?

 

Why, yes I did read Lorien's link, in full, and went to other pieces from there.

The trouble with Guerilla's view is that it exists strictly in his mind, religious in fervor, and as unyielding as religion in appraising oh, so many points that wither under the effulgent light of common sense.

The issue here is apparently over "force." I will reiterate Ruwart's paragraph - not taken out of context - her thought on the subject:

Sounds familiar:

Now, from Guerilla's link, provided in an attempt to malign my views as "clownish," I guess; again, it has the subtle language of "force" and its implied antipode, "consent," between children doing porn:

The fundamentalist Libertarian battle-cry - the market cures all. Allow mayhem, murder, rape, whatever - it will correct itself, eventually. And as Guerilla tried to argue in the polygamy/pedophile-pregnant girl thread, hell, as long as the kids "consent," who are we to intervene? I believe we call this for what it is: bullshit.

I understand, I really do; it must hurt to deal with Barr's stances:

When Guerilla's come out cheerleading for the man, and claims a stand on "principle" and "Libertarianism." Hurts, but glaring, nevertheless.

 

Unlikely. Barr just came out today with a lousy position on the war and foreign policy. It's just slightly "right" of Obama, making Barr the 3rd of 4 candidates for hawkishness.

Again, libertarianism is founded on the non-aggression principle. War mongering or an aggressive foreign policy has no place in libertarian politics.

But, as you mentioned, perhaps Barr is trying to outflank McCain, because an Obama presidency during a time of financial crisis would mean that Mark Sanford would have an excellent shot in 2012.

 

There are Randian libertarians, Heinlein libertarians. Not just rothbardian libertarians. The disagreement between the groups is the major break in the party. Not sure why you dismiss this. it's a big issue within the party.

 

Speaking of Rand, (side topic), ever read The Romantic Manifesto?

 

This is incorrect, and inconsistent with libertarian principle which I constantly correct you on, but as stated previously, you are too thick to understand.

Libertarianism criminalizes all aggressive violence and coercion.

This is a strawman (and now you will go scurrying to quote me out of context).

Btw, how many of those 400 people have been charged with pedophilia anyway?

Why? I'm not a huge Bob Barr fan. He's a real conservative, but I'm not sure he's a real libertarian. I really don't see what point there is in dragging up his Republican party positions, since he's turned around almost 180 degrees from them since leaving the party. For crissakes, he's a NORML lobbyist now.

You're missing something here. I'm not an LP voter. I'm with Murray Rothbard. The LP's purpose is education, not political power.

 

Is this the next Ron Paul...AKA "Mr. Insignificant!"

 

You mean I can use this?

 

There is no such thing as a "Randian" Libertarian. Randians are Objectivists. Have you ever read Rand? She wasn't a fan of Libertarianism.

As far as a Heinlein libertarian, Heinlein wrote a few books with individual memes, but he certainly wasn't a libertarian philospher or economist. Are you referring to the Reason magazine branch of the LP that thinks that freedom is gay sex, smoking dope and bombing Arabs?

The major break in the party is that the LP is selling out for power, instead of focusing on being a tool for education. Which is why many LPer stab RP in the back, but then begged him to be their nominee, because he could bring nearly a million voters with him, that would make him the most successful LP candidate ever.

 

Hey Rob, you cut that out. Paul is still running. He's trying to get to 1,100,000 votes.

We need to get you a banner for his NYT Best Seller List #1 Book.