Topic: Libertarianism
The Libertarian Party: Is it Time for a Woman President? YES! The Libertarian Party this year has a superabundance of good candidates. Two of the candidates stand out . by rtbohan
(Libertarian)
Monday, April 21, 2008
The Democratic Party is facing this question in this election year. Their answer so far seems to be "No". Or at least "Not this woman". The Republican Party, while its Presidents have done a good job of appointing women to important positions, seems leery of naming them as candidates in national elections.
I think this is the year the Libertarian Party ought to take the lead and nominate a woman to head the ticket. Two women have announced their candidacy for the Libertarian nomination. They are, in my personal opinion, the best two candidates in the race. I don't think any libertarian can say of either of them "Not this woman".
Even though the any of the other candidates would be a libertarian and would run a good campaign, I urge everybody to consider Mary Ruwart and Christine Smith. Visit their websites, read what they have written. If you have the opportunity, watch their campaigns, either in person or on DVD. This is the year for the party to step forward with its best candidate, and it is the year to unite all libertarians, not just Party members, in the campairgn.
I support Ron Paul for President. Given the opportunity, I will vote for him this year. But, in spite of the determined and somewhat successful effort to name Ron Paul supporters as delegates to the national convention, I do not believe he will be the Republican nominee this year. He has said that he will not accept the nomination of any other party and will not run as an independent. Since I see not point in casting a write in vote for someone who is not a candidate, I will vote for the candidate of the Libertarian Party.
The Libertarian Party has always been more willing than other parties to nominate women candidates. Theordora Nathan in 1972,Nancy Lord,in1992, and Jo Jorgenson in 1996 were each nominated for Vice President. This year is the time to take the next step and name a woman to head the ticket.
Dr. Mary J. Ruwart is a long time Libertarian Party activist and an outstanding writer. She was a candidate for the LP nomination for President in 1984 and finished third on the first ballot. Most recently, she was the Libertaian candidate for Senator from Texas in 2002.
Her book Healing Our World is an outstanding statement of the libertarian position on a broad range of issues. A new edition of the book has been published, and I urge you to read it.
She began her campaign for President just last month after urging from her friends. Her first appearance as a candidate was at the LP's Heartland Conference where she participated in the candidates' debate.
The late start of the campaign means that the campaign is still in the early stages of development. I urge you to visit her campaign website (votemary2008.com) and her personal website (www.ruwart.com) .
In addition to her work in the Libertarian Party, Dr. Ruwart is a member of the Board of Directors of the International Society for Individual Liberty. While her campaign website so far has a somewhat limited selection of her positions, Her activity and her writings, as well as her appearance at the Kansas City debate indicate that she stands firmly for the libertarian position on all issues.
I consider Christine Smith to be an equally outstanding libertarian candidate for President. She does not have Dr. Ruwart's long record of service to the Libertarian Party, but she began her campaign for President earlier this year and has had great success. Like Dr. Ruwart, she is a successful writer and has been a supporter of the libertarian movement and its candidates. She won the Libertarian primary in California this year and has been endorsed by the Chariman of the Libertarian Party of New Mexico. Her campaign website is ([link edited for length]) . I urge you to visit it. I also urge you to read her column "Seeking Truth"" on Nolan Chart.
Ms Smith is an accomplished writer. She is also an outstanding public speaker. She has been a vigorous campaigner. Her positions, like Dr. Ruwart's extend to the full range of personal liberty. She promises not only a strong campaign for the presidency, but she promises to reform and build the Libertarian Party.
As an ideal, I would personally like to see both these candidates on the Libertarian Party national ticket this year, in either order. But the Party's rules, for what seem to me good reasons, do not permit this. Any candidate must register beforehand for the specific office they seek.
Given this limitation, I prefer to suggest the nomination of Christine Smith for President of the United States. She committed herself to a vigorous campaign and has so far carried one out. While I do not believe she is as accomplished a writer as Dr. Ruwart, she is a skilled writer. She is also a more effective speaker and a more charismatic candidate. so I can only say CHRISTINE SMITH FOR PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
To those who have read this article, I also recommend the Nolan Chart articles by Walt Thiessen on Christine Smith, by Melinda Pillsbury-Foster on Mary Ruwart, by George Dance on Bob Barr and on Vincent Imperato, and the article on Bob Barr by Jake Morphonios.
CHRISTINE SMITH FOR PRESIDENT....CHRISTINE SMITH FOR PRESIDENT CHRISTINE SMIT FOR PRESIDENT.
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2008 rtbohan, all rights reserved.
Published: Monday, April 21, 2008
Last modified: Tuesday, April 22, 2008
The views expressed in this
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I agree with you. There are several good candidates seeking the Libertarian Party's nomination, but I came to the same conclusion, even before reading this article: Mary Ruwart and Christine Smith are the two best.
They would make a great ticket. Apparently, as you pointed out, party rules eliminate that option. So.....who are the VICE presidential candidates? It would be nice to hear who they are, but that information is hard to find.
It pains me to have to choose between these two. Personally, I would give the edge to Mary Ruwart, who I am more familiar with. I read her excellent book. She is the most articulate communicator of the libertarian philosophy that I have found. But I could be very happy with Christine as well.
The most important thing, in my opinion, is that the Libertarian Party chooses a real libertarian -- someone who will not confuse the public as to what it means to be a Libertarian. We do not want to harm our brand name in a short-sighted attempt to gain a few more votes.
For example, I like Bob Barr, but his platform is more of a libertarian-LEANING platform. He would be better than McCain, Clinton, Obama or Nader, but his platform is uninspiring.
Ron Paul's campaign caught on, in part, I believe, because of its boldness. I want to see a bold Libertarian campaign.
If we could get one of these two women into the debates... Wow! And who knows -- a hard core llibertarian campaign may capture the public's imagination more than a "safe," moderate, semi-libertarian campaign would. I like to think so.
What's up with Barry Hess, by the way? I really like him and was quite impressed by his debating skills in his Arizona gubernatorial campaign, but his presidential bid is as close to nonexistent as it could be.
Either of the two Libertarian women would be good choices for president. But LP candidates rarely get more than 1% of the vote. Ron Paul had the best chance to get elected but even he got only 3% of all votes cast in the primaries. So we have virtually no chance of getting a libertarian leaning candidate elected. We're either going to get an anti-gun socialist for president or a short-tempered anti-gun neocon warmonger.
Sometimes I think the "Atlas Shrugged" solution might work; just sit back and let the country collapse and then try to rebuild it. But the last time that happened, in the great depression, the country just ended up going further down the path to socialism. I hate to be so pessimistic but basically we're screwed. I don't see any hope.
OK sorry for the rant.. We have to keep on trying to get the country back on its constitutional path.
The national LP delegates may select a presidental contender as VP if we show choose. While Dr. Ruwart is a strong national cantidate, I can't say the same for Ms. Smith.
There's so much evidence of rigged elections, it's been going on for years. They're STILL trying to get the New Hampshire primary straightened out after the vote count fraud there.
Well, here's one just from today -- Armstrong County in Pennsylvania: Ron Paul was at 71% in Armstrong County, then mysteriously he lost votes and went down to 15%.
Vote tally with 13% reporting: McCain - 118 Paul - 524
Vote tally with 48% reporting: McCain - 2,063 Paul - 409
Wow. How does a candidate lose votes?
If anyone believes that half a million people in Pennsylvania voted for McCain today and only 1/5th of that number voted for Ron Paul, I've got some swamp land in the desert to sell you.
Blakmira if in fact there is such a scam going on then the results should be challenged. As far as I know Ron Paul hasn't challenged the PA results. I don't know what the election laws are like there. In some states only people running for office can call for a recount and the challenger has to pay for the recount. If what you say is correct then Ron Paul should challenge it. I think he has enough dough left in the till to pay for it. Have you contacted his campaign about it?
Ron Paul's supporters are very enthusiastic. They are active participants in every internet poll, straw poll and text message poll, so its easy to believe there are more of them than there actually are. But if there is good cause to believe there was vote fraud then we should challenge it. If it could be shown that there was massive fraud such as you suggest in PA then it would cast doubt on all of the primaries.
I think that it is time for a woman president. That woman president is Christine Smith, not Hillary Clinton. With that said, however I am also a Ron Paul supporter, so I may vote Republican only for him. But since it is not likely that Ron Paul will win the nomination, then my vote goes to my girl for the job, Christine Smith. She, along with Republican Ron Paul, wants to abolish the IRS, the income tax and the Sixteenth Amendment and replace them with NOTHING! Oh, I forgot something. She, also like Paul, wants to end the federal reserve system and end America's warfare state. I, as a taxpaying citizen, hate giving money to the government knowing that their banker buddies just pocket it for themselves. GIVE THE MONEY BACK TO US!!!!!!!!!! And the Republicans, except Ron Paul, and Democrats in Congress are taking no action to stop this at all. My girl Christine Smith, again like Paul, wants to end the wars in Afganistan and Iraq, the "war" on "terrorism" and pull all of our troops out of the Middle East and everywhere else that has never threatened the United States. The United States military is for protecting American soil and waters. Nothing more! She also believes in a education without government involvement. She also believes that the government has no business in marraige licenses(the marriage tax). She is in favor of fewer taxes, not more taxes. Ron Paul has been described as the tax payers best friend. The same goes for Christine Smith. She is the taxpayers friend as well.
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2008 rtbohan, all rights reserved.