Libertarian Party Press Release

[LesJ]

I came across this a few minutes ago and thought you all may find it interesting. My favorite quote is this [ QUOTE ]
"In restricting Internet activities, I think it would make much more sense to ban instant messaging within Congressional offices rather than ban the online hobbies of millions of tax-paying citizens."


[/ QUOTE ]

http://www.lp.org/media/article_410.shtml

[ThunderEagle]

This event has me seriously considering the Libertarian Party.

From the top of their web site:

Smaller Government... Fewer Taxes... More Freedom...

You know, I thought that is what the Republican party stood for. I don't know how well the Libertarians deliver on this, but the Republicans sure as hell are not anymore (if they ever really did).

[OmahaGal]

The republicans, like democrats enjoy elitist power.

I am one of the many 'unenrolled' and really wish Libertarians would become stronger.

Government needs to get out of our lives and do their only job....protect our constitution and our citizens from foreign invaders. The last 20 years have been a joke!

I want democracy in its truest form.....majority, majority, majority voices without suppressing or oppressing the minority. Not the other way around. Now we have an oppressive minority where special interests seem to have taken over. It's really unAmerican! The majority were use to having their wishes yeilded to by elected officials - we seem to have lost their ears to special interest groups.

[tempogain]

i don't like their stand on defense or i would join.

[N 82 50 24]

I'm a fan of any party that doesn't like the bill. It's really my only immediate issue.

Things like stem cell research might matter to me down the road, but this issue is immediate.

[roxtar]

Republican = Democrat, they're both the same thing, except Democrats are a little more apt to reach into your wallet rather than into your bedroom/living room/computer.

[StregaChess]

As a lifetime Republican, I’m fed up. This press release just adds to my overall frustration, with the two party system.

I’m contacting my elected GOP officials and my state GOP headquarters and letting them know I’m leaving the party. I will stop contributing and voting for the GOP.

Check out this funny video!

Politician Removal Service

[Wahoo73]

[ QUOTE ]
i don't like their stand on defense

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't either, but that won't stop me from voting for any libertarian candidate running for office in my voting district.

FWIW, nationally syndicated radio talk show host Neal Boortz is a libertarian who also disgarees with the Libertarian Party's defense platform. Following are his comments yesterday on the UIGA:

THE REPUBLICAN'S INTERNET GAMBLING BILL

So tell me .. what right does the Imperial Federal Government of the United States have to tell a private business -- a credit card company or a bank -- that they cannot process payments that settle bets made on the Internet?

This is a matter of freedom When someone places a bet on the Internet nobody's rights are being violated. No person is being denied their right to life, liberty or property through the placement of that bet. There is no role for the government to play here. Either we are free, or we serve as subjects to the government. Do people lose money gambling on the Internet? Of course they do! People lose money investing in stock, bonds and futures contracts also! Should we make them illegal as well? Should we forbid American banks from processing payments made to buy stock or bonds?

This is where the libertarian in me really gets ticked. We in this country are going to have to make up our minds at some point. Either we are going to move toward freedom, or we are going to continue moving toward a system where the particular group in power gets to force its moral code on all others through the police power of government.

The sponsors of this bill will tell you that families are hurt by their breadwinners pissing all of that money away on Internet gambling. Perhaps so. Shall we sit down right now and make a list of all of the human activities that can end up hurting a family?

Let's start with smoking. Smokers make less money. Smokers are sick more often. Smokers pay higher rates for insurance. Smokers die sooner. Smokers pay much, much more for basic medical care. Smokers make those who live and work with them ill. For these reasons and more perhaps we should just outlaw tobacco! Frankly, one of the reasons I would like to see that is just because I know how completely nutso the smokers would go.

What about overeating? Overeating and becoming a fat pig leads to health problems and, in many cases early death. Well, looks like we have a negative affect on the family here, don't we? How about another federal law ... this one banning overeating.


I e-mailed Boortz yesterday and expect him to continue to discuss this issue on his show. Inasmuch as media publicity on this issue is critical to influence future actions on this bill, I encourage you to contact the Boortz show: http://boortz.com/cgi-bin/mail.cgi?id=boortz

[Sir Limps Alot]

Im a libertarian now.

[TimM]

[ QUOTE ]
This event has me seriously considering the Libertarian Party.

From the top of their web site:

Smaller Government... Fewer Taxes... More Freedom...

You know, I thought that is what the Republican party stood for. I don't know how well the Libertarians deliver on this, but the Republicans sure as hell are not anymore (if they ever really did).

[/ QUOTE ]

The republicans supposedly stand for the first two, not so much the last one.

Examples: Abortion, same-sex marriage, patriot act, church & state separation, assisted suicide, stem cell research, drug policy, etc.

One problem I had with the Libertarian Party was that they are going to seem too extreme for the average person to get behind. They seem to be fixing this a bit.

Examples: Ending all drug prohibition, ending all government safety nets, complete economic deregulation, etc.

These things might be good in principle, but in reality they would need to be done gradually, and in fact nothing really drastic would happen unless the LP got majority control.