LOL. Could comebacks on the "exposing facts." Great post. Might I invite you to come over and join us at Yahoo Libertarian Republican. It gets a bit fiery over there too with LP partisans Marthos, Tom Knapp and Todd Barnette. But the LPers over there care very much about real world elections and politics.
Come on over. The water's warm! --- In [email protected], "Eric S. Harris" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Eric Dondero Rittberg wrote: > > > Couple problems with your response. > > > > Firstly, you're assuming that the Libertarian Party represents the > > entire libertarian political movement. It most assuredly does not. > > Actually, not. I made a different mistake: I didn't see that you were > talking about the libertarian movement, rather than the LP. (On > re-reading your post, I can see why I thought that: you talked about > what the LP could do, and it is the only organization you mention.) > > > Especially these days when it looks like Republican Liberty Caucus > > chapters are overtaking the LP nationwide: > > > > In Maine the Libertarian Party has pretty much disbanded. The > > Chairman quite a few weeks ago, and they can't find anyone to > > replace him. Talk is of the LP of NH taking over as "Acting Maine > > Affiliate." Meanwhile, the RLC's chapter is going strong in Maine. > > the ME RLC Chair was recently elected to the State Legislature!! > > Are you sure dragging facts into this discussion is appropriate? It's > so, well, empirical, and completely inconsistent with the traditions and > conventions of libertarian political discourse. > > > In Florida, The RLC headed by Phil Blumel has pretty much taken over > > as the main libertarian political group for the State from the > > hapless and hopelessly disorganized Florida Libertarian Party. > > > > In Texas, the RLC is now rivaling the LP in the State in > > organization and sheer numbers. Recent TX LP Conventions have > > attracted a mere 60 participants. A recent TX RLC Caucus Meeting > > attracted over 5,000 (!!!). > > More facts. I'm beginning to think you are not only empirical, but > possibly even unprincipled. > > The next thing I know, you're going to test theories by trying them out > in the real world and examining the results. Blasphemer! > > > So, I don't accept your premise. > > > > Secondly, I'm in favor of the LP nominating a "Minor Celebrity." > > Which would be a great improvement over a "No Celebrity" like > > Badnarik and Browne. > > > > I feel the LP is in no position to attrace a John Stossell or Drew > > Carey. Maybe an outside shot of a Gary Johnson, Walter Williams or > > Jesse Ventura? > > Not much of one with Walter Williams, unless he's changed his mind about > the LP. Seems unlikely. The reason he gave for being uninterested > still applies. > > John Stossell would have to end his successful career in broadcasting, > where he is doing a good job of promoting libertarian ideas. A > lose-lose if I ever saw one. > > A minor celebrity -- or even a major one -- wouldn't address the LP's > primary problem: the domination of the LP by dogmatic anarchists. Well, > if might, if: > o The publicity caused the LP's membership to grow immensely. > o The new members were not anarchists. (Of necessity. I said > "immensely", and anarchists are atypical Americans. Duh.) > o After joining (duh again), the new members read the platform, > Statement of Principles, and thought about the oath. > o The new members were the majority of delegates (or at least a "swing" > vote bloc) at a national convention. > o The convention removes the dogmatism and anarchism in the platform and > SoP, and removes the oath requirement. > > > But a halfway measure, someone like Ed Thompson of Wisconsin, > > Economist Mark Skousen of Florida, Investement Advisor Bob Prechter > > of Atlanta, Michigan State Legislator Leon Drolet, Alaska Legislator > > Vic Korhing, Montana Legislator and Tax Protester Rick Jore, or > > someone along those lines. > > > > Not 2 million votes like they'd get with a Dennis Miller. But at > > least nearly a million, much, much better than Browne or Badnarik. > > And very respectable. > > If the scenario were to play out, followed by the opening of the LP to > non-anarchists described above, that would be a good thing. > > I wouldn't bet the rent, but I'd say it had a chance. Certainly more > likely than the Republican Party becoming something Barry Goldwater > could find admirable, or that I could support. > > But if individual Republican officeholders were to be somewhat > libertarian in their behavior, I certainly would refrain from hurting > their re-election chances. (Ditto for Democrats in office.) - Eric > > -- > Eric S. Harris > > If this address ever fails, try visiting http://www.returnpath.net > ForumWebSiteAt http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Libertarian Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Libertarian/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
