The Pink Flamingo :: Can Bob Barr Damage John McCain?

Is Bob Barr’s Libertarian Party nomination the Kiss of Death for John McCain’s Presidential efforts or is the impact of his nomination greatly exaggerated? I’m beginning to wonder if it might just be the latter. In 2004, Libertarian candidate Michael Badnarik pulled in less than 400,000 nationally. Granted Badnarik was a poor candidate.

That same year, Constitution Party candidate Michael Peroutka did a little less than 150,000 votes. Ralph Nader came in third with about 465,000 votes.   In 2000 the combined candidacies of Pat Buchanan (Reform), Harry Browne (Libertarian) and Howard Phillips (Constitution) brought in less than a million votes. In 1996 Harry Brown brought in less than a half million votes for the Libertarians. That was the year Ross Perot once again played spoiler taking 8.4% of the vote.

What Bob Barr and his handlers which include Richard Viguerie and Libertarian talk show host Neil Bortz are trying to do is attempt the spoiler role Ross Perot played in 1992 when he captured nearly 19% of the popular vote, enough to deny George H. W. Bush a 2nd term and elect Bill Clinton.   That year, Andre Marrou, the Libertarian candidate pulled less than 300,000 votes.

Those are the numbers. The Libertarian Party had it’s glory days back in 1980 when Ed Clark garnered nearly a million votes for a 1.1% cut of the national totals. Legend has it that their greatest glory came with Ron Paul in 1988. A quick look at the numbers proves otherwise, with Paul receiving half the votes Clark did in 1980. Harry Brown did better in 1996 than Paul did in 1988. Brown captured a whole half a percent of the total US vote.

There is a bottom line here.   Bob Barr has visions of electoral glory by winning splitting the vote so badly he will come out with the electoral advantage. With a party that has traditionally received less than half a percent of the popular vote, he is very optimistic.

Farther right, Bob Barr has additional competition. Chuck Baldwin is running for POTUS with the Constitution Party. Unlike Barr, Baldwin is running on a hard-line anti-immigration platform. Both men are vying for Ron Paul’s imperial blessing. It is entirely possible they are going to split the “independent” conservative vote. Anti-immigration conservatives are furious with Barr for “betraying” their principles. Hard-line Libertarians are not happy with Barr for strong-arming his way into their party. Are they going to vote for him?

IS THERE A PROBLEM?
Evidently there is a move within the Libertarians to merge with the “Greens” and form some sort of an anti-capitalist movement?

“…the potential for a strategic alliance between Libertarians and Greens, based on using free market principles to undermine corporate state capitalism, to stop subsidizing waste and pollution, and to empower labor: "Libertarian-Green Tax Reform Alliance?" Dan Sullivan also wrote an excellent article on the same theme: "Greens and Libertarians: The yin and yang of our political future." In the past, I concentrated mainly on building a consensus on substantive policy issues, rather than a common political strategy. But recently I read an interesting blog post by Logan Ferree, who suggested that libertarian Democrats should take a page from the 1994 Republican playbook and craft something like the "Contract With America," designed to build a large majority that cuts across party lines…”

The Libertarian Party of today is not the same Libertarian Party of three years ago. Around 2006 a group of religious and police types have been trying to take over.

“…In addition, GOP and Libertarian Party chapters have complained of takeover by religious or police elements, in one case in Colorado leading to scandal when the charges led to police department shake-ups. Small parties in recent years have also complained. The US Libertarian Party has lost, according to its annual reports, nearly 90% of its members after a group called the Libertarian Reform Caucus, which its literature says was formed by Republican, Green and former Libertarian Party 'big tent' libertarians de-funded local Libertarian affiliates and 'overturned' the long standing LP platform when it took control in the 2006 convention, leading to the collapse of three quarters of its state parties. The Green and Constitutionalist parties have experienced splits after similar complaints. In common is the appearance of members calling for a more moderate platform, charges of lack of financial transparency, and claims the party must 'get professional' even as archives and resources vanish and positions seem to be quickly changed to support other parties…”

It is entirely possible Bob Barr has stepped into a divided party. There is the Libertarian Reform Caucus. They have a little over thousand members. Is this a problem?

“…"Put very simply: John McCain is a liar," argued prominent conservative activist John Hawkins. While Mr. Hawkins was always skeptical of Mr. McCain, he opted to support the Arizona senator after it appeared he won the nomination on the grounds a Democrat would be much worse. But Mr. Hawkins decided to rescind his support, raising the question of whether others will follow suit. "John McCain's consistently weak position on illegal immigration and support for a 'comprehensive reform' is going to backfire with his Republican base in November," stated Michael Erickson, chairman of Republicans for the National Interest. "There are indications of growing support among conservative voters for the [Libertarian] Bob Barr candidacy and even though we may not see eye to eye with Mr. Barr on every issue, his strong stance on immigration is going to be very popular." Mr. Erickson further noted Mr. McCain is scheduled to address the annual La Raza convention in July, making him the first Republican to do so. La Raza is a controversial Hispanic rights group criticized for its separationist sentiments and open border advocacy….”

Link test to Faultline USA
(Great article about Barack Obama)
It's fine for someone to want to vote Libertarian and not vote for John McCain. Just remember, buyer beware. A vote for Bob Barr or Chuck Baldwin, even as a protest vote, is a vote for Barack Obama. Would you rather have Obama (see Faultline) or put up with John McCain. If you are a patriot with America's best interest at heart, the choice is clear. If you are a Suicide Bomber Conservative like John Hawkins or any number of others, well, you are the ones who are going to live with the monster you create. Frankly, I don't understand the spoiled, seflfish mindset of someone so immature they must have a temper tantrum and risk this nation's future. I don't call someone like John Hawkins or a few others patriots. I call them spoilers.

Trackposted to Pet's Garden Blog, Rosemary's Thoughts, Alabama Improper, third world county, Online Gym, Faultline USA, Alabama Improper, DragonLady's World, Big Dog's Weblog, Chucjk's Place, and The Yankee Sailor, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

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