Topic: Bob Barr
Bob Barr: Letter to Dodge Landesman This author responds to a message that asks if I want to see the destruction of the LP. This supposedly due to my lack of faith in Bob Barr.by Dan Steward
(Libertarian)
Saturday, August 16, 2008
In a recent article I wrote regarding Bob Barr attempting to sabotage his own campaign and cause embarrassment to the Libertarian Party, I received this single sentence reply from Dodge Landesman:
"Dan, I'm glad you and many others are content on the destruction of the Libertarian party."
I wanted to respond not just to him but to others that have worked hard for Liberty in this nation...
Dear Mr. Landesman;
No Dodge, not ever. I am not sure how much clearer I can be about my absolute belief in and great hope for numerous future successes at the polls for the LP. There was no ambiguity Mr. Landesman and I'm positive that none could have been implied.
As Libertarians we used to believe (and hope we still do) those to be both wrong and narrowminded that would ask us "Don't you love America?" simply because we would take issue with those in power that would seek it's ruin. We got accused of being in favor of it's demise just by virtue of defending what made it truly free and noble in the eyes of the world.
I am sure that you are not in favor of such same intolerance against those who only desire to save what is beautiful, good, and free. The Libertarian Party.
In my first story, I was very plain on the need to not abandon the party as other candidates than U.S. President could otherwise be left in the lurch. I mentioned that again in my last story.
As the "Party of Principle" they must keep high standards. This year in Denver, they lowered them more in a presidential hopeful than we ever dreamed of before and now continue to lower them. Barr seems to keep busy performing his near constant stream of political wardrobe malfunctions, embarrassing the party and recklessly driving away members.
I cannot contend more strongly that we are now paying the price for both our severe lack of standards and complete absence of accountability from those we have chosen to hold our values most important and share them with people throughout the world.
Libertarians aren't asking for someone perfect, but we should never settle for being led by someone that never meant to adopt the ideals of freedom and liberty, in the first place.
He's had three years to do more than "talk the talk". I also believe that I was very much on the ball about that in my story too.
I do so very much appreciate yours and all replies to this series. I'm not even asking people not to vote for him and never have done so. I won't ask any people ever to vote against an LP candiate for president, even a phony one. I love the Libertarian Movement that much.
That's part of my claim to belief in the party and my point. I'm only stating why I personally won't cast my ballot for Barr.
Every man must follow his own conscience. I will not fault you, good sir for doing what you feel is right no matter what your misgivings about my intentions.
Dan Steward wants to save the Libertarian Party. Please feel free to etch that in the hardest of granite.
Bob Barr, in my opinion, appears to wish a front row view to it's eventual collapse. I hope that this clears some things up for you.
If you still do not understand my position, then I kindly invite you to view my other stories in the series, at your leisure.
With Liberty,
Dan Steward
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Seems more like Dan Steward is just back stabbing the democratically selected candidate of the Libertarian Party. Seems to me Dan Steward thinks very highly of himself that he Dan Steward should have more say in who the Libertarian Candidate should be then the rest of the Libertarian Convention. Seems to me that since, Dan Steward did not get his way he is just going to hang around and throw stones. All in all I am not impressed with Dan Steward.
If there is anything positive that you have to contribute then it is time to stop whining about the lp presidential candidate and to start supporting your regional and local candidates.
Dan, I thank you kindly for your response, and it took great decency to do so. Still, I disagree with quite a bit of what you have to say.
First, you say you are not out to destroy the LP. If you aren't, then I cannot comprehend why you would write this spiteful hit peice on Barr. Clearly you want your Libertarian allies (who I'm sure most will vote for Barr) not to vote for him. Perhaps you were a fan of Ruwart, or Phillies (hell, maybe even Burns), and you are just aggravated Barr made the nomination. I was part of the Gravel campaign (though I do not speakf or them of course), and I too, was disapointed that my candidate of choice did not make the nomination. But I realized that Barr was a good candidate, and I wanted to continue my support of the Libertarian party, and I signed on with Barr. It is a shame you cannot see that, and it is a shame that you can't see that, that Barr is genuinely sorry for his past veiws, and that his current veiws are strictly Libertarian. You claim that you hope your party does well in the polls. Then why not support Barr? I doubt we could have done so well with any other nominee, and polling at 6% is very, very good. Because of Barr's very possible "spoiler" status, people are now more aware of the Libertarian party and small government policies in general. If Barr increases his numbers slightly come election time (or even if he finsihes with 3%), he will legitimize the Libertarian party and allow the nominee in 2012 to acheive atleast a similiar level of success. We can recall Badnarik (though I'm only 17, so I can't personally recall in retrospect), and he pulled a dismal .3%. Sure, he was a great nominee. And had a clean past, and truly Libertarian principels. But in that election cycle no one was aware of the Libertarian party, and Bob Barr is changing that. I strongly beleive that any one of the 10 candidates running (maybe with the exception of Imperato) would have been a great nominee. That's one of the reasons I love the LP, because there's a big tent, and there were many great people running.
Now if by intolerance you're talking about Barr, Barr is very tolerant. He just happens to be one of the more Conservative leaning Libertarians. And what's wrong with that? I thought we were an accepting party, that has a big tent, with room for everyone, as long as they are in favor of small government and freedom. Barr has a more Conservative veiw of some social issues (and I disagree with his more Conservative veiws on gay marraige and abortion), but they are still in support of a free nation, and they are still strictly, strictly Libertarian. You must be tolerant of people in the party who don't completely agree with you. But you must choose a candidate who agrees with you the most. Are McCain and Obama better? I don't think so. I think Barr is great socially, just different than my personal veiws.
You also claim that we made a serious mistake since we are the "party of principle". Though I agree we are the party of principle, I don't beleive we made a mistake. I again cite to your veiw of tolerance, and with tolerance, comes forgiveness. Can we not forgive Barr? I sincerely beleive that his change his genuine, and I don't see why it wouldn't be. What cause would a Conservative Republican have to switch parties and run for president either then they want to campaign for Libertarian causes and that their change is genuine? Some of you speak of Barr as if he is the devil, which is me, is insane. He is not the devil, he, in my opinion, is a good Libertarian, and was a maverik towards his last years in the Republican party. In 2003 (maybe early '04, but I think '03), he broke the party line and spoke out against the patriot (he also added the sunset clause to it, fearing that it could get out of control). He pissed off a lot of Republicans, but he did it because he was principled, and he still is today. I don't see how you can't see that. You say we are lowering our standards, but to have a former congressman to me is pretty impressive. We must forgive, and show the outside world that we are accepting. Bob Barr is indeed a man of principle, and a man of Libertarian principle. It just took him a while to find his way, but once he did, he risked his legitimacy and respect in the Republican party to follow the Libertarian path.
You also claim that we must follow our conscience. Voting for Barr is voting for your consience if you're Libertarian. Because he is a true Libertarian and again, sacrficing his prestige within the Republican party truly shows that.
You also wish that Bob Barr wants our party to collapse. That statement, to me, has no merit, and I don't see why, for any reason, that Barr would wish that. He wants it to succeed, and that's why he switched his affiliation to the Libertarian party and decided to run for their nomination in May. I will read your other posts, but I feel your opinion on Barr is far too negative and that you could still be bitter over your preferred candidate not making the nomination. I for one, have moved on, and I suggest you and others sharing your sentiment do so as well.
No, Dan, the writer didn't ask whether you wanted to see the LP destroyed because you lack faith in Bob Barr. I think he asked that because you've joined the online chorus of voices campaigning against the LP national ticket, some of whom would obviously like to see that.
Honesty about Barr is called a "hit piece". Odd that.
Here we have a man who wants a taxpayer bailout for the failed housing corporations. That is now the new libertarianism. He tried to use the courts to force his way into a church forum as a speaker, when he wasn't invited. Apparently that is what libertarianism is about these days. He is advertising his presence at a rally of racists and bigots, the Minutemen. This is the new standard for liberty!
I ran for office on the LP ticket several times. I have held party office. I collected thousands of ballot access signatures and donated untold amounts of money. I spent countless hours promoting the LP. NO MORE. Bob Barr and the conservatives took over and I don't want to be associated with the LP anymore.
Unlike this author I actually think this proves the LP is a failure and should be put to rest. It has proven to me that political campaigns are a black hole that suck in everything in the movement and destroys them. Political parties are useless. So now I dedicate myself to education instead. And now, with Barr promoting his conservatives values and falsely calling them libertarian, and with the LP helping him do so, I can only wish they would disappear. They are distorting, to the public, what libertarianism is about.
Mr. Barr's conservative values are NOT libertarian. Mr. Barr is not libertarian. And, in spite of its name, I can only conclude that the Libertarian Party is no longer libertarian. Therefore, I can only hope for its permanent demise as quickly as possible.
Posted By: Boyd W. Smith
Date: 2008-08-19 09:07:45
"Here we have a man who wants a taxpayer bailout for the failed housing corporations.” by him.That statement is a blatant lie. The poster has posted something that is provably untrue."Both the House and President George W. Bush have surrendered in the battle to protect America’s taxpayers from yet another expensive and unnecessary bailout,” says Bob Barr, the Libertarian Party candidate for president. “The $300 billion measure yesterday approved by the House and endorsed by the White House won’t just pay off improvident borrowers and lenders. It will create yet another piggy-bank for activist groups at public expense. Now it is up to the Senate to say no, though that appears unlikely, given the size of the House majority and President Bush’s promise to sign the bill,” notes Barr.Proof, that him either doesn’t care to learn the truth or has no respect for the truth. Either way, he is not worthy of attention any longer.BWS
Here we have a man who WILL compromise his principles in favor of political expediency. The evidence is in these pages and there's plenty of it. Here we have a man who constantly alienates his party base by conducting himself as though he has never heard of Murray Rothbard, Ayn Rand, Luwdig Von Mises, Ballve, DeSoto, Burks, Paine, Jefferson, the list is long and distinguished. Ron Paul is a card-carrying Republican and even HE stands closer to the Libertarian heart than Bob Barr!
Libertarian: One who upholds the principle of Liberty, especially Individual Liberty of thought and action - Webster's New International Dictionary.
Next time you hear or see something from Bob Barr that catches your attention in a less than comforting way, ask yourself if that definition applies to what you saw or heard, then blame yourself for standing for it!
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