This election gets more interesting all the time. I don't think it's clear who might benefit from an alliance here. It's easy to see these two maverick Republicans drawing votes from McCain but it's at least equally easy to see them picking off anti-war and change-hungry voters from Obama. Meanwhile, it's fascinating to me to see Obama and McCain fighting over Clinton voters while Barr and Nader compete to court Paul voters. This election is such a trip. http://www.boston.com/news/nation/a...iance_for_fall_election/?rss_id=Boston.com+-- Paul, Barr may be forging an alliance for fall election By Foon Rhee June 14, 2008 Signs are emerging of a possible alliance this fall between Ron Paul, the libertarian-minded rebel Republican, and Bob Barr, the Libertarian Party's presidential nominee. Paul was the Libertarian nominee in 1988, and many of his supporters are libertarian-minded on economic and social issues. Just before formally ending his presidential bid Thursday night, the Texas congressman praised Barr, and in a statement yesterday, Barr reciprocated. "Congressman Ron Paul has fought tirelessly in both the Libertarian Party and the Republican Party to minimize government power and maximize individual liberty," said Barr, a former six-term GOP congressman from Georgia. "I want to thank him for all that he has done for liberty in this nation, and encourage him to continue his fight through whatever avenues he sees fit." The Libertarian Party plans to get Barr on the ballot in 48 states in November, and Barr could get a significant boost if a sizable number of the 1.1 million people who voted for Paul during the Republican primaries go his way. Some analysts say Barr could be a spoiler, taking votes away from presumptive Republican nominee John McCain in key swing states, including Colorado, Nevada, and his home state of Georgia. Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader also began courting Paul voters yesterday. "Ron Paul was a lightning rod for millions of Americans against the war in Iraq and for the protection of personal liberties that the two major parties have turned their back on - by continuing to support the illegal criminal war and the PATRIOT Act," the Nader campaign said in a statement. "There is a clear choice for those who want to support a candidate who will stand up against the war and stand up for personal liberties and privacy." On Thursday night, Paul told supporters attending the Texas Republican Party convention in Houston that he was ending his campaign and starting the group Campaign for Liberty to help elect libertarian-leaning Republicans. Paul hopes that at least 11,000 of his supporters fill a Minneapolis arena for a counter-convention on Sept. 2, timed to coincide with the Republican National Convention in neighboring St. Paul.
Paul voters mimic Obama voters in terms of their naivete and a divorce from reality and practical solutions. They also both favor immediate surrender/defeat in Iraq. Beyond that, there aren't many similarities between the candidates. If libertarian-minded voters are on the fence between Paul/Barr and Obama, then they are just confused and/or ignorant of the issues. Hey, sounds like an Obama voter -- young, inexperienced, gullible.
I suppose they would have been better served last election by voting Bush? We all know how Bush has really reduced the size of government.
Is there anything Ralph Nadir won't poke his nose into? He'll court any political party except the one party that shares so many of his stands on the issues, the Democratic Party. Here's a man... (typing that made me think of The Big Lebowski), well, here's a man who could have had his pick of 2 or 3 cabinet positions in 2000, in my opinion, had he endorsed Al Gore. Instead, along with the Supreme Court, he cost Gore the election, and has been running around denying it at every talk show in the nation since then. Now it's the Libertarians. Give us all a break, Ralph, and don't forget your battered briefcase and cheap suit when you go to the bank to count your millions. Impeach Bush and Sentence Him to Live on a Deserted Island with Ralph Nadir.
The only group calling for Ron Paul to be on a third party or independent ticket is the blogosphere. Ron Paul supporters, including three of my friends, gained several delegate seats and dozens of alternate seats from Texas to the National Convention on Saturday. Nearly all of the delegates under 40 who weren't related to an elected or party official believe in real liberty. The Texas Republican Liberty Caucus Convention drew more people than the concurrent Official Party Dinner with Mitt Romney speaking. Ron Paul is the Goldwater for the 21st century. He has inspired millions of real conservatives across the country, and they aren't going away.
I keep forgetting that both Republicans and Democrats have a divine mandate to receive all votes, and that anyone attempting to subvert this glorious process is an evil-doer. It couldn't possibly be that Gore cost himself the election by not campaigning well enough, and it couldn't possibly be voters for Bush that cost Gore the election, and it couldn't even possibly be people who didn't even vote at all! No, it has to be the upstart who believed that more options were better in the election, one who (unfathomably!) didn't see either of the two major parties meeting his beliefs. May he burn in hell forever.
I don't believe in a Hell, but I'm glad you agree with the sentiment I expressed! Impeach Bush and Sentence Him to Live on a Deserted Island with Ralph Nadir.