Libertarians Pick Barr as Presidential Nominee

Jeff Z. · 05-26-2008, 12:27 AM

I have to confess that I'm not very excited about this. I think that Barr's libertarian credentials, based on some of his past positions, are rather shakey to say the least. Mr. drug warrior not only voted in favor of the Patriot Act, but advocated sending troops from Iraq to South America to help stop the flow of illegal drugs. The only potential good that I can see coming from this is Barr drawing away a substantial number of votes from McRINO.

Getting a jump on Democrats descending on Denver in August, the Libertarian Party held its presidential convention in the mile-high city this weekend and on Sunday nominated Bob Barr to go up against the major party candidates in the November presidential election.

Libertarians Pick Barr as Presidential Nominee - America’s Election HQ

motivez · 05-26-2008, 12:29 AM

Hasn't he essentially "repented" for his past positions and votes and come to carry the mantle of libertarian principles pretty well?

I think it's exciting because this way, at least if Nader gets in, he'll be offset by this guy.. and hopefully Ron Paul help him turn out the million+ votes he got in the primaries

lew · 05-26-2008, 12:46 AM

He regrets his past political positions.

Jeff Z. · 05-26-2008, 12:51 AM

Originally Posted by lew

He regrets his past political positions.

I'm not convinced.

motivez · 05-26-2008, 12:53 AM

Originally Posted by Jeff Z.

I'm not convinced.

What would it take to convince you?

Ardentfrost · 05-26-2008, 10:36 AM

My God, he has been the most public libertarian over the past 4 years. He has publicly renounced his previous positions and votes and the Republican Party in general.

That is how EVERYONE becomes a libertarian. I also used to be a know-nothing Republican, thinking the direction of the party must be the correct one. He, just like all of us, educated himself and changed his tune.

That is MORE respectable in my opinion. He's not pretending to have always been perfect, but that he came to his conclusions after learning more about the subjects.

lew · 05-26-2008, 10:57 AM

Originally Posted by Ardentfrost

My God, he has been the most public libertarian over the past 4 years. He has publicly renounced his previous positions and votes and the Republican Party in general.

That is how EVERYONE becomes a libertarian. I also used to be a know-nothing Republican, thinking the direction of the party must be the correct one. He, just like all of us, educated himself and changed his tune.

That is MORE respectable in my opinion. He's not pretending to have always been perfect, but that he came to his conclusions after learning more about the subjects.

.

SoFlaJDM · 05-26-2008, 11:43 AM

he may drain enough votes from mccain in GA to make it competitive for obama

kinggovernor · 05-26-2008, 01:08 PM

I didn't know that he worked for the CIA

Smull · 05-26-2008, 03:34 PM

Hopefully Ron Paul comes out and officially endorses him soon. The real test of the Ron Paul Revolution is whether or not the enthusiasm can be transfered to libertarian ideas in general, and not just focused around one person.

How large of a role do you think Paul will have in the Barr campaign?

kombayn · 05-26-2008, 04:02 PM

Paul will not endorse anyone. Just go to RonPaulForums.com, the 15,000 members are basically split on Barr while the others look at Constitution Party's Chuck Baldwin as the other option. Paul has gone on record saying he won't tell his Revolution-base who to vote for but when asked about Bob Barr or Chuck Baldwin, he tells them they're both great choices. So basically he's endorsed the LP and CP.

I don't think he wants to endorse a different party this year, because he wants to make strides in the reform of the GOP. PaulForCongress.com is a big activist site working with him, and a lot of them are winning primaries and can possibly win seats in Congress and the Senate.

That's the best way to work it, get libertarian Republicans elected into office so you can slowly start pushing for your positions. The Ron Paul Grassroots team is the most exciting and determined group of people I've ever seen. This is a future base that will make a play at the White House, Congress & Senate in one fell swoop. America has a bright future.

thewise1 · 05-27-2008, 11:22 AM

Originally Posted by Jeff Z.

I'm not convinced.

I regret mine now as well. I went from being neoconservative 'lolz if you have nothing to hide then what are you worried about' to vehement libertarian as I started questioning things. It's definitely possible.

Honestly, there's no reason to worry about it. Libertarians are not going to win in a landslide or something. If he can bring more people to the Libertarian party - and a history like that might, in some cases - then we are better off for it.

I'm looking forward to this. The guy seems like I could endorse him from what I've learned thus far, although it's not much yet, admittedly.

Ardentfrost · 05-27-2008, 01:31 PM

Originally Posted by thewise1

I regret mine now as well. I went from being neoconservative 'lolz if you have nothing to hide then what are you worried about' to vehement libertarian as I started questioning things. It's definitely possible.

Honestly, there's no reason to worry about it. Libertarians are not going to win in a landslide or something. If he can bring more people to the Libertarian party - and a history like that might, in some cases - then we are better off for it.

I'm looking forward to this. The guy seems like I could endorse him from what I've learned thus far, although it's not much yet, admittedly.

Everything I've seen from him impresses me. You can't catch someone in hypocrisy when he admits he changed his mind, has good reasoning for why he did, and is sorry for his previous stance.

You can find just as much flip-flopping on him as you can for Clinton or McCain, but the difference is he addresses it and explains it. They just ignore it or sidestep the issues.

thewise1 · 05-27-2008, 01:39 PM

Originally Posted by Ardentfrost

Everything I've seen from him impresses me. You can't catch someone in hypocrisy when he admits he changed his mind, has good reasoning for why he did, and is sorry for his previous stance.

You can find just as much flip-flopping on him as you can for Clinton or McCain, but the difference is he addresses it and explains it. They just ignore it or sidestep the issues.

I've always thought that the flip flopping argument was a cop-out. Times change, circumstances change, and opinions change. That doesn't mean they are flip flopping with the wind, it just means that some factor changed for whatever reason.

It's a great way to trivialize all the less well remembered factors that go into a decision and just make someone look bad, and I think it's pathetic.

Ardentfrost · 05-27-2008, 01:58 PM

Originally Posted by thewise1

I've always thought that the flip flopping argument was a cop-out. Times change, circumstances change, and opinions change. That doesn't mean they are flip flopping with the wind, it just means that some factor changed for whatever reason.

It's a great way to trivialize all the less well remembered factors that go into a decision and just make someone look bad, and I think it's pathetic.

Flip-flopping is really conditional. Like, the vid that Motivez posted about McCain, all that is from the same timeframe. What Kerry did in 2004 was saying different things depending on the audience he was addressing. THAT is flip-flopping that people need to be made aware of.

But I only mentioned it because I know MSM will try to marginalize him by saying "he voted for Patriot Act, but now says it needs to be repealed" but HE addresses that himself. They don't even have to bring it up. Hell, I could see him bringing it up in his own commercials or debates or whatever. He WANTS people to know that he changed his mind. That's part of what will make him a good candidate.

kombayn · 05-27-2008, 04:30 PM

If you want to learn more about Bob Barr go to, Bob Barr 2008 — Liberty for America and if you want to learn about his running mate Wayne Allyn Root go to, Wayne Allyn Root's Libertarian Presidential Candidate Website: Root for America!

I like both guys a lot and on ThirdPartyWatch.com I really pushed hard for a Barr/Root '08 ticket for all the National TV coverage they'll get and how Wayne Allyn Root brings the Las Vegas gamblers and businesses along with the ticket.

It will be a good year for the Libertarian Party. I'm hoping they capture 5%, because if they do that'll be huge coming up next election cycle.

Smull · 05-29-2008, 11:20 PM

reason.tv - Editors' Picks > Bob Barr: Why I Want To Be President
thought some people here might be interested in that

Dispatcher · 06-01-2008, 04:27 PM

Oh please...non issue (yawn). He has as much chance as Nader.
nada
zip
zero

Ardentfrost · 06-01-2008, 06:43 PM

Originally Posted by Dispatcher

Oh please...non issue (yawn). He has as much chance as Nader.
nada
zip
zero

This has nothing to do with his chance to get the presidency and everything to do with the party growing.

Bob Barr is not a MSM outcast. He is ALREADY getting relatively big press coverage. Badnarik got practically nothing in 2004, Barr already has more. He's already been on Hannity (albeit, Hannity criticized him for potentially "stealing votes" from McCain, who he always criticizes on his show...)

The Republican Party is lost. RP tried to bring them back to their roots, to the message they claim but don't follow through. He failed in a major way. Despite all the excuses people make for him, it just wasn't in the cards, the people controlling the party have a death grip on it.

Barr knows the Republicans are lost and hopeless, and he will be a great candidate this year in pulling more voters away from the Republicans. This will do one of three things: 1. Nothing and the Republicans will continue their spiral into authoritarianism; 2. Force the Republicans to change in the way RP tried to get them to, thereby fixing a broken party (at least somewhat); or 3. Grow the Libertarian Party such that it contends more on the national stage than it does currently.

1 is just a failure which changes nothing, Libertarians will just try again. 2 and 3 are successes, one that the LP is hoping for, and the other that libertarians are ok with (us little l's don't care the agent of change as long as it happens).

kombayn · 06-02-2008, 06:08 PM

Originally Posted by Dispatcher

Oh please...non issue (yawn). He has as much chance as Nader.
nada
zip
zero

Can you go back to lurking?