Topic: Liberty
Rare Ron Paul footage in new Barr video Ron Paul joins Reagan, MLK, JFK, Ayn Rand and George Carlin in Libertarian presidential candidate Bob Barr's new campaign video, "The Time for Liberty."by George Dance
(libertarian)
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Two-time presidential candidate Ron Paul, who became an internet phenomenon during his 2008 campaign, makes two appearances in Libertarian Party candidate Bob Barr's new campaign video, "The Time for Liberty" -- including a rare clip from Dr. Paul's own Libertarian run for president in 1988.
Paul is joined by Ronald Reagan, Martin Luther King, Ayn Rand, and comedian George Carlin. Barry Goldwater, John F. Kennedy, and TV host Glenn Beck also make brief appearances. (Blogger Stephen Gordon, the former publisher of Third Party Watch, seems to have an important non-speaking role as Mr. Barr's bodyguard.)
Back in June, I reported (via David Weigel of Reason magazine) that Ron Paul "won't endorse Baldwin or Barr. He'll kinda-sorta endorse both. He won't stop them from using photos of him or talking about his campaign." (Paul has since stated that he may make an endorsement after the Republican convention.) This video looks like a first fruit of that 'kinda-sorta' endorsement.
Paul's first appearance (at the 0:58 mark) begins with a shot of the U.S. Constitution over which is superimposed part of a quotation: "The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people,". Then the rest of that quotation is added -- "it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government -Patrick Henry" -- to the accompaniment of Dr. Paul's voice-over: "The Constitution was written very precisely: to restrain the power and force of government ...". The scene then cuts to Dr. Paul in his role as Berzelius Windrip from his 2008 Iowa TV special, continuing "... and to protect the liberties of each and every one of us."
Paul is followed by Ronald Reagan expounding on those liberties: "You and I have the ability, the dignity, and the right to make our own decisions and determine our own destiny." As someone with a soft spot for Reagan, I was glad to see that and his other footage used here: there has been so much attention in libertarian circles on the political failure of the Reagan Revolution, that his use of the Presidency to communicate and educate on liberty has often been overlooked completely. Videos like this may help result in a fairer judgement.
Of course, it is also shrewd politics to use footage of Reagan as well as Barry Goldwater -- who delivers his famous "extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice" to a cheering GOP convention at the 1:30 mark -- given the Barr campaign's targetting of the "mainstream libertarians" and fellow-travellers who normally vote Republican. As is the appearance of JFK (at 3:10), as a reminder that the Libertarian appeal is not to Republicans only. (And the two appearances of MLK, as a statement that it is not to white Americans only.)
Another good touch is the 1959 footage of novelist/philosopher Ayn Rand (which begins at 2:08). Barr experienced his first political conversion (from New Left Democrat to young Republican) after reading Rand's magnum opus, Atlas Shrugged, in the 1970's. He was not alone: Rand's books still sell in the hundreds of thousands each year, and it is safe to say that millions of Americans have been influenced by her philosophy; yet another demographic the Barr campaign needs to target.
Rand's interview smoothly segues into Ron Paul's next appearance (at 2:45). Asked about "the gradual growth of social and protective legislation" in the U.S., Rand replies that the country is "moving toward disaster until and unless all those welfare state conceptions have been reversed and rejected: because [to visuals of "Obama's Tax Plan" and nurses marching for "Guaranteed Healthcare"] we are now moving towards complete collectivism or socialism: a system under which everybody is enslaved to everybody."
Rand's words are immediately followed by Paul as Mr. Smith, from his 1988 Libertarian run, protesting that "This was not the kind of government that was designed by the Founders of our country -- it's not what was written in the Constitution." A great bite, used perfectly here.
The Barr video was posted on July 23, and has already received over 20,000 views. (UPDATE July 29: over 30,000.) It currently enjoys a rating of 5, for "Awesome!".
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There should be an eleventh question on the chart survey to distinguish if a person enjoys being lied to or is possibly too gullible to be a libertarian. No, I haven’t watched nor do I plan to watch any Bob Barr political ads, but none of the presidents listed in your review were libertarian or actually moved our government (or any other’s) toward liberty. Maybe in Oceania one could have a “soft spot” for Reagan after all he not only used Newspeak when preaching Libertarian Rhetoric with Statist Policiesbut must have had some sort of Kool-Aid to make you believe it. As far as the other cited politicians, Dr. No’s congressional record speaks for itself and I’ve not researched Goldwater’s. Even though I attend government indoctrination centers (aka public schools), my parents fortunately gave me the Red Pill early in my life.
Maybe the eleventh question should be: Which pill did you Take?
The video is more another sign that Bob Barr is running as a conservative. It's a complete betrayal of the libertarian principles. Ronald Reagan as libertarian icon... John Fitzgeral Kennedy as a libertarian president; this is ridiculous. Conservatives have their neo-cons; Libertarians have their neo-libertarians. Poor Libertarian Party.
Sorry George, but Ronald Reagan dramatically expanded the federal government. He preached small and practiced big. Not to say he didn't have his good points but Ronald wasn't a small government president. J-C R has a valid point why is Bob Barr trying to connect the Libertarian Brand with a Big Government Republican?
George, I liked the video. I don't know if I'll vote for Barr or the LP, at this point, but I won't be voting for either of the two "major party" candidates, that's for damned sure.
Just a few points:
- Gotta like Paul, but, his inability to go negative and to reach out to the "mainstream" (as ugly as it is), did cost him votes.
- Even if Barr does not satisfy the "hard core" RP supporters, one should consider the playing field before dismissing Barr outright. The playing field is the American public, not Plato's cave. So, Barr used Reagan? Big deal, so did Paul. So, Barr's changed his positions? Big deal. Do we really want another politician who has heard the Golden Word from God, Texaco, or the European Union, a la Bush, and cannot change, period?
- I followed Paul's campaign very closely. A great number of people wanted him to be more negative toward the other candidates, and more specific (i.e., less philosophical) on the issues. Barr is doing that.
- The reality is this: anyone running for a Third Party candidacy has got to reach some common ground with the masses. Memories of Reagan touch one segment; memories of MLK touch another; and those of Ayn Rand another. Each of these symbols has problems, but each carries votes.
We shouldn't lower our ideals or standards, but I think we should be pragmatic about our goals for changing this electoral system. Barr may not be ideal, but he is certainly somewhere between the insanity of Obama and McCain.
"A great number of people wanted [Ron Paul] to be more negative toward the other candidates...Barr is doing that."
Oh, really? That's a good one.
I don't know any Ron Paul supporter who didn't admire Dr. Paul even more when he acted like the true statesman and gentleman that he is instead of joining in the mud-slinging with all the other jerk candidates. When you're right, you're right -- and he's always been right.
As far as Barr "going negative," he already IS negative. So perhaps you mean double negative, as in former CIA and current DEA supporter? There is nothing "awesome" about Barr!
Bob Barr understands something that many libertarian purists seem to stubbornly forget--to build a bigger Libertarian Party that can go up against the Rips and Dums, a candidate must draw the attention of the mainstream American voter. Barr understands that people like JFK and Reagan are a big draw for those voters. I thought the video was very inspiring. I hope the average American voter sees it. I could care less how many of the handful of libertarian purists see it.
Steve: "J-C R has a valid point; why is Bob Barr trying to connect the Libertarian Brand with a Big Government Republican?"
Reagan was not an advocate of big government -- he had his inconsistencies (the war on drugs being the big one), but as you admit he always "preached small." I'd say the quotes are in there, first, because of their content; they're some of the most effective material in the piece; second, because Reagan is not only the most popular Republican president in general, but is an icon for the demographic being appealed to (the 80% or so of libertarian voters who normally vote Republican).
Scott & Commandroid: Thanks for your posts; I'm in essential agreement, and I'm glad you're seriously grappling with the 'purist' question. In a sense you're doing some of my work for me here; I've given up on it myself, since I don't see this as a problem of disgruntled Libertarian 'purists' at this point. It looks to me more like a campaign effort, of another party that's decided to go completely 'negative.'
The references to Ayn Rand need to be balanced with some essential facts. Rand states in interviews that the Libertarians lifted her ideas without atribution and then distorted them by ignoring the base that justifies them. My observation of Libertarianism is that it has one principle for inclusion - my enemy's enemy is my friend. Anti-government in all forms is the coin of the Libertarian realm. This is not a moral stand I can respect.
In contrast, Rand rebuilt the foundations of philosophy with politics solidly based on ethics which in turn sits on a theory of concepts and reality. In effect, she has done for philosophy what Newton did for physics - grounding it. The good news is that Rand's philosophical innovations are a topic of serious scholarly study in dozens of top universities around the country and world now. There is a new force in play here, The Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights in Washington, DC - www.AynRandCenter.org.
It may open your eyes to a more sane solution to our problems and to a home for those seriously interested in liberty as concieved by our founding fathers. This provides the intellectual foundation they lacked which in turn has led to our loss of so much freedom in 200 years.
Undeniably the modern libertarian movement (beginning with Hospers' Libertarianism in 1971) "lifted" the non-initiation of force principle (NIF) from Ayn Rand. It's wrong to say that it did so 'without attribution' -- libertarians and Libertarians have been lavish in giving her credit. Rand is the most cited author in Hospers' book, for instance.
Given the advocacy, by current Objectivist think tanks like the Ayn Rand Institute, for pre-emptive war in Iraq, Iran, Syria, et al, I cannot help adding: Why shouldn't we lift NIF? You guys weren't using it, anyway.
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