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Good commercial, except for the implication that our failed government is Obama and the Democrat’s fault. The GOP is complicit and should not be rewarded just because they aren’t Democrats.
We used to have rebels in this country. Now, we just let the Rs and Ds play ping pong in DC and expect things to change. We accept two bad choices just because “that’s the way it is” and we “must accept the reality of a two-party system.”
Americans used to fight oppression and corruption. Now, we accept the Leviathan in the name of some misguided loyalty to political parties.
We get the government we ask for. Worse than that, we get the government we deserve.
I know, I know, “this time, it will be different.”
Uh huh.
My small-government GOP friends tell me often that I should accept the reality that we live in a two-party system with plurality voting.
They miss the point.
I accept reality.
They, however, fail to see that reality can be changed. At one time, we were a group of colonies subject to a monarchy. That reality changed.
At one time, Blacks in this country were chattel. That reality changed.
At one time, women were not allowed to vote. That reality changed.
Most of my small government Republican friends will acknowledge that they, themselves, want to change reality. The reality is that Barack Obama is in the White House. They want to change that. So do I. But I also want to change the reality that, right now, the only alternative is a Big Government Republican.
I will listen to arguments that perhaps Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee or John McCain would be better than Obama. Those arguments, alas, miss the point. All of them, Obama, Romney, Huckabee and McCain want the federal government to tell you and me how to live.
I reject the proposition that any degree of state control over my sovereignty is acceptable. The argument that a Republican wants slightly less control than a Democrat over my life is meaningless. I will not give it to them: not voluntarily.
Americans should never accept state control over our personal lives. Not even from a Republican.
Reality is, our government controls us. We can change that reality.
Each wing of the two-party duopoly will hold its statewide caucuses tonight.
Nothing unusual will happen with the Democrats.
Unfortunately, I predict nothing unusual will happen with the Republicans, either. (Of course, I also predicted that North Carolina would finish in the top half of the ACC, so my clairvoyance is quite limited.)
I foresee that, despite the recent “Tea Party” and related phenomena, it will be business as usual for the Republicans. All of the Tea Party support for governor candidate Dan Maes will be dwarfed by the establishment support of Scott McInnis. Likewise for Tea Party favorite Ken Buck in the Senate Race. The grassroots support for Buck will be stomped on by the Republican establishment support for Jane Norton.
The status will remain quo.
As a Libertarian, I find it amusing when Republican Dan Maes’ supporters tell me I’m wasting my vote because Libertarians “can’t win.” There is no more accurate description of Dan Maes than “can’t win.”
The Republican Politburo has annointed Jane Norton and Scott McInnis as the candidates that will represent the party. And they will. The Soviet Union had elections, too, and the outcome was just as certain.
The sad part is that all too many Maes’ supporters will then perpetuate the problem by holding their noses and voting for Big Government Republican Scott McInnis. Likewise for the Ken Buck supporters (and Tom Weins and Cleve Tidwell supporters) that decide they owe their vote to Big Government Republican Jane Norton out of some misguided sense of “party loyalty.”
Loyalty is owed to principle, not party. Loyalty is owed to the country, not party. Loyalty is owed to the Constitution, not party. Loyalty is owed to freedom, not party. Most importantly, loyalty is owed to yourself, not party.
I hope my predictions are wrong. We shall see.
But for those that actually believe small government principles are more important than their Big Government Republican Party, they have a home.
And we welcome you. Don’t waste your vote on Big Government Republicans. Vote Libertarian. And let freedom ring.
It is a familiar sight at the legislature.
Another well-intentioned bill that would cost taxpayers’ money was supported by all the members of one party and opposed by all the members of the other party.
The supporters of the bill, estimated to cost $22 million according to the Denver Post, argued that it was good for the state, despite the cost. The party opposing the bill said that this is no time to increase government spending since the state is facing a $1.2 billion shortfall.
Of course, it is easy to tell which party is which. Yep, all the Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee voted in FAVOR of the bill and spending the money, and all the Democrats on the committee voted AGAINST it.
Wha – what?
It’s true. Apparently “fiscal restraint” has its limits.
The bill in question died in committee along a 7-4 party vote. It would have made a third DUI a felony. That is probably a really good idea. But when you can not pay for it, you can not have it. It is a pretty simple rule. Isn’t that what the Republicans tell the Democrats all the time?
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 10, 2009
Contact: Wes Benedict, Executive Director
E-mail: wes.benedict@lp.org
Phone: 202-333-0008 ext. 222
Libertarians respond to President Obama’s health care speech
Remind voters about Republican-initiated government-run health care plans
WASHINGTON – In the wake of President Obama’s speech to Congress, America’s third-largest party wants to remind voters about Republican support for government-run health care plans.
William Redpath, chairman of the Libertarian National Committee (LNC) commented, “Make no mistake, the Libertarian Party is opposed to President Obama’s health care plans, and his speech last night has not budged us. But we also opposed Republican plans for big-government health care, many of which have been implemented in recent years.”
In 2003, President Bush and the Republican Congress enacted a Medicare prescription drug expansion. It was originally expected to cost $400 billion, but just two years later the cost was revised upward to $1.2 trillion.
In 2006, Republican Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney supported and signed a bill that required all residents to purchase health insurance, and increased state health insurance funding.
In 2007, Republican Texas Governor Rick Perry issued an executive order to force sixth-grade schoolgirls to receive HPV vaccinations.
This year, congressional Republicans put forward the “Patients’ Choice Act of 2009,” which would increase federal government spending and control of health care in a variety of ways.
The Libertarian Party has put a poll on on its home page to allow voters to choose which Republican plan is the most hypocritical.
Redpath said, “Republicans are living in glass houses when they complain about the President’s health care plans and the bills in the Democratic-controlled Congress.”
Redpath continued, “It’s time for President Obama to be intellectually honest, himself, and to stop inferring that his ideas of health care reform are the only ones out there. With neither of the major parties is there any serious discussion about letting individuals control their own health care dollars, moving away from employer-provided health insurance, and increasing competition among insurance companies by letting people purchase health insurance across state lines and among providers by taking a good, long look at medical education and licensure laws to allow potential providers to freely respond to health consumers’ needs.”
Redpath continued, “But, before the President and the Gang of 535 even do that, it would be refreshing to at least hear them debate whether the federal government is empowered to be in the middle of all of this. An honest reading of the Constitution might stimulate the right move — punting this to the states and the people.”
The Libertarian Party favors a free market health care system. The party’s platform states, “We favor restoring and reviving a free market health care system. We recognize the freedom of individuals to determine the level of health insurance they want, the level of health care they want, the care providers they want, the medicines and treatments they will use and all other aspects of their medical care, including end-of-life decisions.”
For more information, or to arrange an interview, call LNC executive director Wes Benedict at 202-333-0008 ext. 222.
The LP is America’s third-largest political party, founded in 1971. The Libertarian Party stands for free markets and civil liberties. You can find more information on the Libertarian Party at our website.
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Pat Buchanan, in a recent column (Fatal Flaw of Democracies), asks
Does either party have any plan to cut federal spending from today’s near 28 percent of GDP to the more traditional 21 percent?
George W. Bush didn’t even try, and Obama is making that Great Society Republican president look like Ron Paul.
Of course the answer to Mr. Buchanan’s question is “no.” Neither party has such a plan. We don’t really expect the Democrats to have such a plan. They are willing to ride the Ponzi scheme all the way to the bottom.
But the Republicans say they believe in smaller government and fewer taxes. Yet they lie.
When you support the very institutions – the Democratic and Republican Parties – that created the problem, how can you expect them to solve it?
They haven’t. They won’t. They can’t.
And you shouldn’t support them. Because they are lying to you.
Unless, of course, you believe that THIS time they mean it.
And like the unfaithful spouse, how many times do you let them play you for a fool? Eventually you have to say “no more.”
If you don’t kick them out, you have given your implicit consent to the conduct you pretend to abhor. You allow it. You enable it.
And you are kidding yourself if you believe that THIS time the promise will be kept.
It won’t.
How many times do you have to be played the fool before you say “no more?” How many?
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