Comments on: Barr – Root

By: The GOP’s brand new face « Upturned Earth || John Schwenkler

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 14:45:17 +0000

[...] that way, too – but Larison has been every bit as hard on Obama as on McCain, and Wilkinson has indicated that he’ll either vote Barr-Root or not at all. That gives you a maximum of two Obama voters [...]

By: John Combs

John Combs — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 21:30:21 +0000

also, Gravel is a terrible candidate for the LP. watching the debate, he seemed to still believe that authority was better at handling most decisions that individuals.

also…mary ruwart…very bad for PR for us…never mind why. it’s a dead issue now that we need to drop…but if she’d been our candidate……

By: John Combs

John Combs — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 21:27:52 +0000

ayn rand’s philosophical point of view is one that i hold very dear to my heart and disagree with only a small amount of issues, all very minor and all issues were ones she herself said she knew little about.

and, from an objectivist’s point of view of integrity, reason and purpose, i can’t believe some of you are seriously judging a candidate based on her prejudices of physical appearance. why didn’t she trust men with beards?…probably because she just plain didn’t like beards. that’s not logic…that’s childish.

By: John Combs

John Combs — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 21:20:32 +0000

Is this supposed to be ironic based on my comment? Libertarians are NOT ultra-conservative. Libertarians are liberal.

you’re right, they’re not ultra-conservative. also, you’re wrong. they’re not liberal.

libertarian was the name of a political point of view long before it was a political party. even thoreau and emerson claimed to be libertarian.

so libertarians are libertarians. we came BEFORE conservatism in america as well as liberalism. we are neither and both conservatives and liberals have more in common with each other than either has with libertarians

By: student

student — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 07:32:15 +0000

Gravel is not an economic libertarian AT ALL, When asked about government role in economy, schools, regulation, he kept saying “well, that we can work out.” I am practical (I wouldn’t abolish welfare or anything, but Gravel is just an old fashioned liberal- socially and economically liberal).

By: Hugh

Hugh — Fri, 30 May 2008 03:21:04 +0000

I’ve never seen him look into the camera. (at least on still photos) He looks like a Realtor or car salesman. Ayn Rand had a BIG distrust of beards and mustaches, not a mild distrust.

By: wootendw

wootendw — Thu, 29 May 2008 23:25:48 +0000

Ayn Rand had, at most, a mild mistrust of some men with beards. And Barr looks directly into the camera when he has something to say.

By: Hugh

Hugh — Thu, 29 May 2008 23:12:59 +0000

There is no question, at least to me, that if Ayn Rand had never been born, there would be no Libertarian party.

Ayn Rand was known to NEVER trust anyone with a mustache or beard. I’m not sure of the validity of this, but looking at Barr and his sideways glances at the camera in many of his photos, his cattiness brought back these thoughts. In my mind, he looks like a crook.

Shave and have the guts to look at the camera.

By: jwpegler

jwpegler — Thu, 29 May 2008 00:20:32 +0000

During the debate Gravel said that people can’t truly be free if they are hungry and uneducated. This is exactly what socialists of all stripes have been saying for more than 100 years. This excites you in what way???

By: scenic central virginia

scenic central virginia — Wed, 28 May 2008 18:24:12 +0000

I'm going to direct you to my knock-down argument in favor of Barr: it's here and here. But allow me to add one remark: Bob Barr will NOT inspire a cult of personality and this is an excellent thing. One of the most important messages in libertarianism is don't look for your salvation in politicians. By nominating Barr, we prevent the possibility of replicating, the creepy bowing and scraping of kow-towing Obama-maniacs. Is it possible for people to sell the libertarian message in an inspiring way? Sure. I would hardly object if a taller, more movie star-esque version of Milton Friedman were selling libertarian ideas back in the day. But a body of ideas shouldn't be bound to the particularities of one person. One creepy part of the Ron Paul phenomenon was "The Church of Ron, Ron Paul, Reverend." Liberty is the thing--we don't want the messenger outshining the message. Bob Barr is sensible but far from charismatic. He won't outshine anything.

By: Butler T. Reynolds

Butler T. Reynolds — Wed, 28 May 2008 15:59:12 +0000

I sort of feel your pain, but Gravel?

The LP can’t catch a break. Get a purist, and he’s not mainstream enough. Get a more mainstream guy, and he’s not libertarian enough.

By: Jared Lorz

Jared Lorz — Wed, 28 May 2008 14:34:20 +0000

I can’t in good conscience vote for Bob Barr. To me it would be rubber stamping the Republican hijacking of the Libertarian Party. They pooped in their sandbox now they have to play in it!! First it’s Bob Barr, next it’s going to be Newt Gingrich and Rush Limbaugh joining and the next thing you know, the Republicans will have successfully rebranded their BS and Libertarian platform.

By: chad

chad — Tue, 27 May 2008 00:58:52 +0000

Now you know how republicans feel. And this one is voting Barr.

By: Christopher Monnier

Christopher Monnier — Tue, 27 May 2008 00:56:49 +0000

> I think that it’s hard to go from Democrat to Libertarian, since Democrats are liberal and Libertarians are essentially ultra-conservative.

Is this supposed to be ironic based on my comment? Libertarians are NOT ultra-conservative. Libertarians are liberal.

By: Micha Ghertner

Micha Ghertner — Mon, 26 May 2008 18:57:38 +0000

When it comes to filthy non-theoretical politics, the soft bigotry of low expectations is where it’s at, yo.