Romney chooses Ryan

[hacksawfg]

But it won't grow. America has rejected them. It isn't a lack of funding or media attention. The vast majority of Americans think they are on the lunatic fringe.

Don't get me wrong. I like most of what they stand for. But you have to take the blinders off and realize most of the ideas just don't sell and they aren't going to any time soon.

Yep, most Americans think their ideas are fringe:

Gary Johnson Wins (If People Vote On The Issues) « de oppresso liber

 

[IndyDave1776]

The libertarian party needs to grow. You can force its grown by electing a figurehead at the top. Even if Johnson is elected this cycle, he will have no support, and will have to govern as a dictator. I"m pretty sure thats not what we want.

If you want a Libertarian president, you have to have more Libertarians in offices across the nation. The notion of simply putting him at the helm and hoping for the best will not work.

Grow it, don't force it.

If Johnson were elected, he would be able to do a great deal of good even with the most recalcitrant congress. Most of our immediate problems are such that they can be counteracted within the executive branch. Most regulations were started with a law passed by congress decades ago and left in the hands of the executive branch, with the present problem being either making up more regulations all the time or failing to enforce laws that desperately need enforcement and are not enforced.

I will grant you that repealing such things as the PATRIOT act, the Hughes Amendment (or the whole lot of gun control laws for that matter) and cutting spending below incoming revenue are going to be uphill battles, but then again, another presidential prerogative is to simply refuse to cut the check when it comes time to spend money we don't have.

Overall, it will be a fight but far from a hopeless/helpless situation. A Johnson victory would also send a message to the congressweasels about how they are going to act if they do not wish to become unemployed--perhaps strong enough to overcome their partisan positions..

 

[theweakerbrother]

The question staked is this: If Johnson won and enacted the executive orders to return power to the people, would he return power to the people? Does he have any interest in being Caesar? Do the people in power know already act as if they are?

 

[hacksawfg]

You know what, let the man speak at the debates, then see who he pulls votes from. Right now, liberals are happy. They've got their guy in the White House. They're not looking for something new because they don't have to. Everybody says Johnson will pull votes from Romney, but that's because right now the majority of the people who are having trouble making up their mind or are looking for a change are only presented with Romney and Obama as choices. Lets see what happens when a SOCIALLY LIBERAL, fiscally conservative, free market advocate gets thrown in the mix (assuming of course they actually ask him questions at the debates).

 

[Lex Concord]

You know what, let the man speak at the debates, then see who he pulls votes from.

I think that would strike the fear of G_d into both of them. If Americans were allowed to see a real alternative both Rs & Ds could have some problems ahead.

 

[Expat]

You know what, let the man speak at the debates, then see who he pulls votes from. Right now, liberals are happy. They've got their guy in the White House. They're not looking for something new because they don't have to. Everybody says Johnson will pull votes from Romney, but that's because right now the majority of the people who are having trouble making up their mind or are looking for a change are only presented with Romney and Obama as choices. Lets see what happens when a SOCIALLY LIBERAL, fiscally conservative, free market advocate gets thrown in the mix (assuming of course they actually ask him questions at the debates).

You have to allow every other little party camdidate as well then. None of them ever draw over one per cent of the vote so they all would feel entitled. Then you end up with the same dumb debates as in the primaries with a bunch of guys standing around waiting for their thirty seconds to answer their questions. Libertarian positions tend to need more explaining than that.

 

[Yup!]

But it won't grow. America has rejected them. It isn't a lack of funding or media attention. The vast majority of Americans think they are on the lunatic fringe.

Don't get me wrong. I like most of what they stand for. But you have to take the blinders off and realize most of the ideas just don't sell and they aren't going to any time soon.

Guilty as Charged!

Yep, most Americans think their ideas are fringe:

Gary Johnson Wins (If People Vote On The Issues) « de oppresso liber

It's not that his issues are out there, its that his thinking that he can do all of them is unrealistic. He will not have the support base to pull it off.

 

[Lex Concord]

You have to allow every other little party camdidate as well then. None of them ever draw over one per cent of the vote so they all would feel entitled. Then you end up with the same dumb debates as in the primaries with a bunch of guys standing around waiting for their thirty seconds to answer their questions. Libertarian positions tend to need more explaining than that.

You're right; we need to continue to limit the ideas presented in the presidential race. And G_d forbid the electorate might have to think about a candidate's position - there might be FOOTBALL on TV within a few days!

 

[IndyDave1776]

You have to allow every other little party camdidate as well then. None of them ever draw over one per cent of the vote so they all would feel entitled. Then you end up with the same dumb debates as in the primaries with a bunch of guys standing around waiting for their thirty seconds to answer their questions. Libertarian positions tend to need more explaining than that.

You gave me a great idea! I just sent the Johnson campaign a suggestion to host a debate excluding Obama and Romney along with a donation. My thought is that it would be a good way to get a message out and clarified without it being a 2-way beauty contest that serves to obfuscate rather than clarify issues and have an intelligent discussion.

 

[hacksawfg]

http://www.rgj.com/article/20120811...didate-Johnson-answers-question-Gary-who-Reno

The Libertarian Patriot: Blackout CNN For Gary Johnson

Maybe there is hope after all though:

Gary Johnson Could Appear in Presidential Debates - Washington Whispers (usnews.com)

 

[Bapak2ja]

I found this on Facebook and had to share it. It speaks powerfully to the futility of our current political situation in that both major parties are committed to giving free food, free housing, free medicine, free phones, free education, etc. to everyone who will vote for them.


The $50 Lesson

Recently, while I was working in the flower beds in the front yard, my neighbors stopped to chat as they returned home from walking their dog. During our friendly conversation, I asked their little girl what she wanted to be when she grows up. She said she wanted to be President some day. Both of her parents, liberal Democrats, were standing there, so I asked her, "If you were President what would be the first thing you would do?" She replied... "I'd give food and houses to all the homeless people." Her parents beamed with pride! "Wow...what a worthy goal!" I said. "But you don't have to wait until you're President to do that!" I told her. "What do you mean?" she replied. So I told her, "You can come over to my house and mow the lawn, pull weeds, and trim my hedge, and I'll pay you $50. Then you can go over to the grocery store where the homeless guy hangs out and give him the $50 to use toward food and a new house." She thought that over for a few seconds, then she looked me straight in the eye and asked, "Why doesn't the homeless guy come over and do the work, and you can just pay him the $50?" I said, "Welcome to the Republican Party." Her parents aren't speaking to me anymore.

Again, I assert we need a new movement that will defend the Constitution. Voting for either of the major parties just continues the current descent into the oligarchy of Washington power brokers.

 

[buckstopshere]

You have to allow every other little party camdidate as well then. None of them ever draw over one per cent of the vote so they all would feel entitled. Then you end up with the same dumb debates as in the primaries with a bunch of guys standing around waiting for their thirty seconds to answer their questions. Libertarian positions tend to need more explaining than that.

I think it would be fair to say that if you're on the ballot in every state, you're into the debates.

It's a fair point you raise.

 

[Yup!]

I think it would be fair to say that if you're on the ballot in every state, you're into the debates.

It's a fair point you raise.

Fair Enough.

 

[Prometheus]

You know what, let the man speak at the debates, then see who he pulls votes from. Right now, liberals are happy. They've got their guy in the White House. They're not looking for something new because they don't have to. Everybody says Johnson will pull votes from Romney, but that's because right now the majority of the people who are having trouble making up their mind or are looking for a change are only presented with Romney and Obama as choices. Lets see what happens when a SOCIALLY LIBERAL, fiscally conservative, free market advocate gets thrown in the mix (assuming of course they actually ask him questions at the debates).

I agree. Without Johnson, it's going to be 90 minutes of each one calling each other names. No substance, no plan, just inane blathering and pandering. The train continues off the track either way.

 

[rambone]

I have a feeling that if Lucifer himself was nominated, Republicans would still find ways to support and defend him.

 

[rambone]

I want to know why more liberals don't support Johnson.

It wouldn't suprise me one bit if half these guys pretending to be 3rd party voters are really Obama interns trying to get us to vote 3rd party and ensure another 4 for the current administration.

The libs and progressives would love a 3rd party, because that means a divided conservative opponent and a faster path to RULING the country rather than GOVERNING.

I have had conversations with liberal Democrats who are sympathetic to Gary Johnson, with the understanding that Obama has directly broken his promises. I've been told that Obama is the lesser of 2 evils. They say that a vote for Johnson is actually a vote for Romney.

The deception is strong on both sides of the Left-Right paradigm. Whether you support Obama or Romney... the Establishment has you voting exactly the way they want you to.

 

[buckstopshere]

I have a feeling that if Lucifer himself was nominated, Republicans would still find ways to support and defend him.

Outstanding!

 

[Yup!]

I have a feeling that if Lucifer himself was nominated, Republicans would still find ways to support and defend him.

No, we tried to vote for McCain.

 

[rambone]

Also the Romney = Obama is short sighted and ignorant. There are many key differences between the two. Clearly Romney is not what we would like him to be but at least he loves this country. At least he is a capitalist. He will not be fanning the flames of class and race warfare.

It is actually damaging to Capitalism to continue to propagate the lie that Romney is a Capitalist. He supports bailouts, state-run industries, and economic stimulus. He thinks that spending cuts cause depressions.

And class warfare? How do you think Federal Minimum Wage came about? Romney wants it to be raised at the same rate of inflation.

Painting him as a "Capitalist" makes Capitalism look horrible. It helps the anti-capitalists.

Just accept that 2 Corporatists are representing the 2 major parties.

 

[Lex Concord]

I have a feeling that if Lucifer himself was nominated, Republicans would still find ways to support and defend him.

Democrats would do the same. Some contend they already have.