Libertarian Root Transplanted To Republican Soil
I hope this, linked by Instapundit, signals a trend:
Wayne Allyn Root, 2008 Libertarian Party’s Vice Presidential nominee and political commentator, resigned this morning from the Libertarian National Committee (LNC) to, according to his resignation letter, “elect good people and change the direction of this country outside of a third party.
In the letter to the LNC, which is available at Independent Political Report, Root explains that his decision much is not unlike those of previous Libertarian Party presidential candidates, including Ron Paul and David Koch; both of whom left the LP to become prominent Republicans.
When I asked if he was now backing Mitt Romney, Root responded, “I am,” adding, “I don’t deny that Romney and Ryan aren’t libertarians, but Romney is a pro-business capitalist and Obama is a Marxist-socialist.”
“The economy has been trashed. This is about my kids’ future, it’s about my businesses,” said Root. “There is no hope for America if Obama is re-elected.”
Sometimes political purity has to give way to pending disaster. I hope Root has some influence in the Libertarian Party and can wake them up to the folly of feckless third party loyalty.
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Comments:
Dec '11
Re: Libertarian Root Transplanted To Republican Soil
Republicans are fecklessness made flesh, I wouldnt go around dropping that F bomb on others.
Aug '12
Re: Libertarian Root Transplanted To Republican Soil
You know, I was just thinking that a greater libertarian presence in the party would help the GOP appeal to the youth vote. Most of my friends are liberal and are generally hostile to the Republican platform, yet I've noticed that they will almost always agree with it if I tell them "it's what the libertarians think." It's possible my friends just don't understand what libertarianism means (or are just trying to appease me), but I am hopeful that maybe, just maybe, it will be their gateway to the GOP.
Jul '10
Re: Libertarian Root Transplanted To Republican Soil
Yes, well maybe, just maybe, they can be excused because the republican party has been a great collection of country-club politicians. There really hasn't been much serious conservatism on display. Any party that would select the likes of McCain for their presidential nominee hasn't much to offer youth - or really any age group except perhaps the dead.
Oct '10
Re: Libertarian Root Transplanted To Republican Soil
I agree it's much easier to be a young libertarian than a young Republican. The latter is portrayed by the media as a buttoned-up, repressed prude but libertarians are considered casual and cool rebels. The true rebels are the suit-wearing young Republicans that preach abstinence before marriage. Talk about defying the zeitgeist.
Apr '11
Re: Libertarian Root Transplanted To Republican Soil
I agree that third parties like the Libertarian Party don't do much good. That doesn't mean they need to close up shop. Instead they should become a PAC, 503(c), or what have you. Offering politicians campaign donations and a voting bloc would do far more for the libertarian cause than running candidates who, at best, can act only as spoilers.
Nov '11
Re: Libertarian Root Transplanted To Republican Soil
That's an interesting idea. But I still like having an alternative choice for when the two parties put up losers. Or if one party puts up a schmuck and the other party puts up someone you don't want to vote for. cough*Akin*cough
Dec '10
Re: Libertarian Root Transplanted To Republican Soil
I did what Root did. Long-time registered Libertarian. Became a formal Republican to become involved in the party structure itself.
It also helps in my case as I am no longer, in fact, a Libertarian. I am libertarian-ish. A paleoconservative, really. But, still, from within the GOP: I may as well still be a libertarian.
And, lo and behold, I now hold elective office. My guess is there is a run for school board in my future. If my wife will put up with it.
So, yes: A libertarian-ish paleoconservative can get at least a little traction as a Republican. It remains to be seen how the leaders of the Republican party will respond to this trend. Recent evidence suggests the answer is "poorly."
Re: Libertarian Root Transplanted To Republican Soil
I'm not a fan of the Republican Party. It was only two years ago, you'll remember, that the NRSC was pushing Charlie Crist over Marco Rubio and actively trying to fight Rand Paul (his primary opponent is now running a Democrats-only SuperPAC!).
However, I have realized recently that GOP voters aren't people who embrace the Party so much as people who are dealing with reality that most change is effected incrementally closer to the mean. I think I'm too much of a revolutionary to play that game, at least at this point, but I get it.
Oct '10
Re: Libertarian Root Transplanted To Republican Soil
This is such a simple and Brilliant way to influence the course of a Party. It's one thing to threaten to withhold hypothetical money from a politician, but dangling it just out of reach where they can smell it would be very effective. And the same with an organized voting bloc.
Oct '10
Re: Libertarian Root Transplanted To Republican Soil
Mollie Hemingway, Ed.: I'm not a fan of the Republican Party. It was only two years ago, you'll remember, that the NRSC was pushing Charlie Crist over Marco Rubio and actively trying to fight Rand Paul (his primary opponent is now running a Democrats-only SuperPAC!).
However, I have realized recently that GOP voters aren't people who embrace the Party so much as people who are dealing with reality that most change is effected incrementally closer to the mean. I think I'm too much of a revolutionary to play that game, at least at this point, but I get it. · 1 minute ago
I wonder what the percentage of Ricochet members would describe themselves as at least somewhat Libertarian. I think it must be very high.
Oct '11
Re: Libertarian Root Transplanted To Republican Soil
Mollie Hemingway, Ed.:
However, I have realized recently that GOP voters aren't people who embrace the Party so much as people who are dealing with reality that most change is effected incrementally closer to the mean. I think I'm too much of a revolutionary to play that game, at least at this point, but I get it. · 9 minutes ago
That realization was after you voted for Ron Paul, I imagine. Talk about failing to deal with reality...
Nov '11
Re: Libertarian Root Transplanted To Republican Soil
Severely Ltd.
I wonder what the percentage of Ricochet members would describe themselves as at least somewhat Libertarian. I think it must be very high. · 6 minutes ago
They should run a poll.
Nov '11
Re: Libertarian Root Transplanted To Republican Soil
Albert Arthur
Mollie Hemingway, Ed.:
However, I have realized recently that GOP voters aren't people who embrace the Party so much as people who are dealing with reality that most change is effected incrementally closer to the mean. I think I'm too much of a revolutionary to play that game, at least at this point, but I get it. · 9 minutes ago
That realization was after you voted for Ron Paul, I imagine. Talk about failing to deal with reality... · 1 minute ago
Can you explain how you mean?
Apr '12
Re: Libertarian Root Transplanted To Republican Soil
Root:
Hemingway:
In the Republican Party many have come to terms with the reality that finding ideological consistency across millions of independent minded people is unlikely. Such is the nature of a republic.
The Democratic Party is looking for across the board ideological consistency in by offering entitlements and special considerations for supporters. Such is the nature of demagoguery.
Re: Libertarian Root Transplanted To Republican Soil
Albert Arthur
Mollie Hemingway, Ed.:
However, I have realized recently that GOP voters aren't people who embrace the Party so much as people who are dealing with reality that most change is effected incrementally closer to the mean. I think I'm too much of a revolutionary to play that game, at least at this point, but I get it. · 9 minutes ago
That realization was after you voted for Ron Paul, I imagine. Talk about failing to deal with reality... · 1 minute ago
You do realize that Ron Paul was running in the Republican Party, and it was a GOP primary in which I voted, right? And not just because his views are closest to mine between the two options I was given in Virginia?
Oct '10
Re: Libertarian Root Transplanted To Republican Soil
As Clouseau would say, 'The old Trojan horse ploy'. Between this and Michael Minnott's plan the Republicans could be shifted over. The idea that you won't support the lesser of two evils until they meet your standard is self defeating. If the Republicans aren't in power, their perfect doctrine (hypothetical, Fred!) won't matter much anyway.
The Left has prospered by taking over existing institutions such as the Democratic Party and easing them leftward. If they'd waited until those institutions were doctrinally pure, they'd still be in the wilderness. In fact, those that did, are. How much influence does the CPUSA have now? Considerably less than the Libertarian Party.
Edited on September 7, 2012 at 5:04pmSep '10
Re: Libertarian Root Transplanted To Republican Soil
As my profile says, I'm a libertarian with a small "l" by which I mean not a Libertarian Party member. The idea of a libertarian party is a bit of a contradiction in terms for me because I see libertarianism as much more useful as philosophy than politics, where compromise is the mechanism of the day and pure victory is so rare as to almost nonexistent. What I hope for is something toward the middle—win some, lose some, then have a beer with the neighbors. I'd be very happy with a mere change in direction. I know a lot of libertarians think there is more crossover with Democrats than Republicans, but I've just never seen it. Much more overlap with Republicans on the primary issue: smaller government. I'd rather disagree with religious social conservatives than with religious social leftists any day. The former disagree with who I am. The latter want to control who I am. Surely the latter is more troubling.
Re: Libertarian Root Transplanted To Republican Soil
I sometimes have more trouble with the religious right than folks on the left, but I agree very much with Leslie. I don't do polls very well as I always need the terms defined first. But that's what makes me such a libertarian in the first place!
Jun '10
Re: Libertarian Root Transplanted To Republican Soil
The Religious Right are "leave me alone to live my life" voters. They'd just like some of the more unsavory parts of our culture to leave them alone as well. "Call me a Neanderthal, but let me be a Neanderthal in peace." They'd even like little unborn babies to be left alone. That's where they start to get in trouble.
Apr '11
Re: Libertarian Root Transplanted To Republican Soil
I'm curious as to what problems you have with the religious right versus the left Mollie and how does that play out for you.
I have a 28 year old son who leans libertarian, voted for Obama, abhors the Republican party and disavows my religious worldview.
Any light you could briefly shed on the subject would be appreciated.