Here's One For You
Thursday, October 23, 2008
A Libertarian's view of why, lacking any other choice, is voting for Obama.
Sopor: consider it.
Steves: contradict it.
Bob: Yeah, he hates Obama too but it's one more vote for our guy.
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12 comments:
Well I think you already got me the other day anyway Smitty, my vote is for Obama. Hell, you've even got me questioning my loyalties to the Libs in general... Idealistically I still love their platform. Realistically... I'm not sure it's viable.
That's my goal, Sopor. Corrupting impressionable minds.
Interesting.
I believe Sopor and I have actually bounced this around the office before :-) I know I've had the same thoughts - if I'm confident that McCain will lose Michigan, maybe I'll throw my support at the Libertarians so they can build their numbers. But I'll vote for Obama just to make sure McCain *doesn't* win.
And the thing is, I disagree with Obama and the Democratic party on a number of issues, mostly around the ideas of social welfare and whatnot. But things have been such a mess over the past almost-decade, and have gone so far to the neo-Right, that I figure going for the left-most viable candidate would help to even things out to be back towards the middle. I don't believe McCain, maverick that he is, would truly steer this ship in a completely different course.
The funny thing is, in recent years I've thought I lined up pretty close to the Libertarian ideals. But a quiz that Sopor showed me actually had me and Bob Barr on complete opposite ends, with Obama ranking second and the Green Party coming in first. I like to think I agree with the smaller government mantra, but the hardcore Libertarians and Barr apparently take that further than I would prefer?
So where's the party for minimal and conservative government, but that also has liberal social views? I want as little government involvement as possible - let me do what I want as long as I don't hurt others, and let me keep my money to do with it as I wish. But I also think government has to play *some* role; otherwise you'll have 50 independent states doing their own thing and you'd have chaos on a global scale. You need a federal military presence (you just can't go marching around the world playing God, though, either). I think it's in the best interest of a country's citizens for them to be educated, and I don't think purely privatizing education would result in everyone having an equal chance. So I think there should be some *basics* covered, but things need to be massively scaled back from where things are today.
But then again, when has any government ever gotten smaller, outside of a coup or revolution?
Maybe I should start my own cult^Wparty.
And the thing is, I disagree with Obama and the Democratic party on a number of issues
A hard-core republican contact of mine told me that he was voting for Obama. To paraphrase, he said:
"I disagree with Obama's stances on a number of issues, and in some cases am diametrically opposed. But at least I feel that he will govern competently, and there is much to be said for that."
For pissed-off/disaffected Republicans, Libertarians, etc., I think this is be better than not voting at all.
(B Mac steps onto soapbox)
In my years of knocking doors, the only response that ever really irked me was "I'm not happy, so I'm not voting". If you don't want to vote for either of the major party candidates, pick a 3rd party. Or vote the rest of the ticket, but leave the presidential blank. Hell, write in "Mickey Mouse" or "I.P. Freely".
You don't vote, you lose the right to complain. I vote, which is why I get to complain so much.
(B Mac departs the soapbox)
I agree that their platform lacks much in the viability department, which is why I have always preferred the small 'l' moniker when I call myself a libertarian. I'll have to dig around for the article, but some libertarians are trying to take a more rational and compromising approach to attract members and win elections.
Contradict it? Why?
I happen to agree with article. I am hoping that the Republicans will purge themseleves of the neo-con idiots that they seem to be trying to push on us.
I have always liked Balko. I think I even quoted him in my blog on Biden.
I like the article.
The one thing that sticks with me is the idea that Reagan was some sort of McGovernite. That's bull. Reagan espoused small government, but was no better than the current crop of Republicans.
Frankly, I think Democrats CAN be more toward the liking of Libertarians. Despite some of the weak-kneed Democrats who have not stood up to Republican attacks on civil liberties, I generally think that Democrats who support religious freedom and civil rights and who don’t go too far with gun control, CAN make a better civil libertarians than most modern day Republicans. Republican support of tax moneys going to religious schools is a good example of Republican, big government run amok.
I also think that some Democrat’s philosophies on taxes have been more in line with the Reagan-era desire to reduce the rate and broaden the base. Some Democrats push the concept of cutting out corporate loopholes which exist in Michigan’s and the US tax structure and use the proceeds to reduce the rate or pay off debt.
The concept of libertarianism is nice, but may be impossible considering the global world we live in. If other countries governments manipulate their economies to benefit their people, how can we not have an active government to benefit our citizens? I just don’t see much benefit to an unregulated, wild-west marketplace in the US, when we are crushed by active governments in markets outside the US.
A hard-core republican contact...
Give that person a pat on the back for patriotism.
You know, I am acutally starting to feel bad for some Republicans. I really feel the Democratic Party abandoned a core group of our consitutency during the 90's, so I know how many R's must feel today.
I am acutally starting to feel bad for some Republicans.
Don't do it, Bob!
For the record, I'm a pretty big Balko fan. His stuff on the war on drugs, police abuse and innocent victims of both is powerful stuff.
Contradict it? Why?
I was just busting on your semi-contrarian role.
Normally I vote Libertarian or Green, but with Bob Barr and Cynthia McKinney as the choices, it ain't happening this year.
The Big O will get my vote. First time I'll pull the lever for a Dem (or a GOPer, for that matter) since I voted for Big Dog in '92.
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