i like the marriage methopor better, two decent good people in a bad 
unprodcutive marriage with each other need to move on, get a divorce 
while they don't have any kids or much community property between 
them.--- In [email protected], "uncoolrabbit" 
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> To keep with the metaphor, trains occasionaly get derailed, and 
> conductors can be replaced. If enough people on the train want to 
> stop the train before it reaches its final destination, they can 
> find a way to do so. The train is traveling on Democratic tracks, 
> and must be ready for a change of plans.
> 
> --- In [email protected], "Eric Dondero Rittberg" 
> <ericdondero@> wrote:
> >
> > this is absolutely brillant.
> > 
> > Jim, never heard of you before, never seen your posts on any 
Yahoo 
> > Libertarian Groups, but I'm impressed.  You've summed up the 
> problem 
> > with our movement splendidly.
> > 
> > You really ought to post this to other forums, maybe even print 
it.
> > 
> > Did you come up with it, or did you get if from someone else.  
> > 
> > Mann that was good!!!  A hearty Congratulations Sir.  
> > 
> > BTW, what part of the country are you from?  Active LPer, RLCer 
> > perhaps?  Tell us more about yourself.  
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > --- In [email protected], Jim Syler <Calion@> wrote:
> > >
> > > Alright, you've missed the entire point of the train metaphor, 
> and 
> > > proved my point in the process.
> > > 
> > > First, let's discard this talk about personality. I don't know 
> > where 
> > > you got it, but it forms no part of my argument.
> > > 
> > > The point of the train metaphor is that you have 
> this "libertarian 
> > > train" that is leading toward liberty. It starts here, at the 
> > horrible 
> > > situation we are in now, and has several stops on the way, that 
> > might 
> > > be called "lower taxes," "fewer business regulations," "greater 
> > > personal freedoms," "abolishment of the income tax," "re-
> > establishment 
> > > of Constitutional government," and finally "anarcho-
capitalism." 
> > The 
> > > idea is that everybody can get on the LP train, then get off 
> when 
> > they 
> > > have reached their desired level of freedom.
> > > 
> > > The problem is that when you walk up to the LP conductor, he 
> says, 
> > > "Welcome aboard! Here's your ticket to anarcho-capitalism." 
(The 
> > > ticket, for the metaphorically impaired, being the Oath.) The 
> > boarder 
> > > says "no, there must be some mistake, I only wanted to go to 
> > > Constitutional government." The conductor says, "That's fine, 
> sir, 
> > > we'll be going right past there on our way to anarcho-
> capitalism." 
> > > "So," the potential passenger says, "I'll be able to get off 
> there 
> > > then?" "Well, no, sir, we won't making any stops until we get 
to 
> > > anarcho-capitalism. If you get on here, you're on for the long 
> > haul." 
> > > "Thanks anyway," says the potential passenger, and looks around 
> for 
> > > another train. The problem is, there aren't any other trains 
> > heading 
> > > for liberty.
> > > 
> > > j
> > > 
> > > On Mar 28, 2006, at 2:27 PM, steven linnabary wrote:
> > > 
> > > > From: "Jim Syler" <Calion@>
> > > >
> > > >>
> > > >> Which is the point, and the problem. If we could all work 
> > together
> > > >> toward liberty, using the "libertarian train" metaphor, that 
> > would be
> > > >> great. But that's not how it works. The purists (admittedly, 
> not 
> > all 
> > > >> of
> > > >> them, but I don't hear the ones that don't chastising the 
> ones 
> > who do)
> > > >> do everything within their power to move all others out of 
> the 
> > Party,
> > > >> by ridicule, by condemnation, by calling them "not 
> > libertarians," by
> > > >> loudly trying to exclude them from leadership positions, 
from 
> > trying 
> > > >> to
> > > >> stymie every move in any direction if they are in leadership 
> > > >> positions,
> > > >> ad nauseam.
> > > >>
> > > >
> > > > To expand on your train metaphor, the engine, or locomotive, 
> that 
> > > > powers the
> > > > LP is its ideology.  And that ideology is best explained (in 
> its
> > > > consolidated form) with the pledge.  The pledge is expanded 
> with 
> > the
> > > > "Statement of Principles" and that is expanded with the LP 
> > Platform.
> > > > Now, while anyone is welcome to ride aboard this freedom 
> train, 
> > it 
> > > > wouldn't
> > > > be prudent to allow just anyone to be the engineer.  In fact, 
> it 
> > would 
> > > > be
> > > > counterproductive.
> > > > You see, there have been several "trains" since the birth of 
> the 
> > LP in 
> > > > '71.
> > > > There was the "Wallace" train in '68 & '72, the "Anderson" 
> train 
> > in 
> > > > '80, and
> > > > the "Perot" train in '92 & '96.  Each of these trains could 
> (with 
> > some
> > > > pretzel logic) be considered "libertarian" by one stretch or 
> > another.  
> > > > But
> > > > in each case, the train locomotive was not principle but 
> > personality.  
> > > > And
> > > > each of these trains is now dead, while the LP train driven 
by 
> > > > ideology is
> > > > still chugging along.
> > > > So it seems pretty clear to me that any attempt to sell out 
> our 
> > > > principles
> > > > for a personality driven cult would be idiotic.  In fact, 
> while 
> > the
> > > > republican party took up some of Perots' ideas in '94, all 
> those 
> > cars 
> > > > were
> > > > abandoned at the siding many years ago.
> > > >  At the same time, not one single train car or plank of the 
LP 
> > > > Platform has
> > > > been abolished or repudiated, except when it has become 
> necessary 
> > by
> > > > beaureaucratic shuffling (the LP no longer calls for the 
> > abolition or 
> > > > Dept
> > > > Health, Education and Welfare or of Immigration and 
> > Naturalization 
> > > > Service).
> > > > The LP is several time bigger than when I got on board in the 
> > early 
> > > > 80's and
> > > > is still chugging along just fine (in spite of the uphill 
> grade 
> > since 
> > > > 9/11).
> > > > It is pretty clear to me that the LP would have run out of 
> steam 
> > long 
> > > > ago
> > > > had we put an engineer of personality (as opposed to 
> principle) 
> > in the
> > > > locomotive.
> > > > And when this train gets to the crest of the hill, I want an 
> > engineer 
> > > > in
> > > > charge that knows what he is talking about when we speed up 
on 
> > the 
> > > > other
> > > > side!
> > > >
> > > > PEACE
> > > > Steven R. Linnabary, Treasurer
> > > > Franklin County Libertarian Party
> > > > (614) 891-8841
> > > > P.O.Box#115;  Blacklick, OH  43004-0115
> > > >
> > > > "When you make peaceful revolution impossible, you make 
> violent 
> > > > revolution
> > > > inevitable"  John F. Kennedy
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > ForumWebSiteAt  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Libertarian
> > > > Yahoo! Groups Links
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > -- 
> > > "If this were a dictatorship, it'd be a heck of a lot 
> easier...just 
> > as 
> > > long as I'm the dictator..."
> > > --George W. Bush, Dec 18, 2000, during his first trip to 
> Washington 
> > as 
> > > President-Elect
> > > 
> > > 
> > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> > >
> >
>






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