Question?

What are the main differences between a Libertarian and a Republican? This is not a joke, I just have never heard that much about this party. Imagine that.

It seems that most who are Libertarian choose Bush instead of AlGore. Is Ralph Nader the Libertarian candidate?

Help an uninformed citizen. (Here is your chance to talk for your party.)

OCF-

In general, Libertarians are oriented towards individual rights and responsibility. They are willing to take personal responsibility for the choices they make and do not want the government making those choices for them.

For example, most Libertarians would not prevent you from smoking dope, but would punish the crap out of you if you got stoned and caused a car wreck. Most Libertarians wonder exactly what National Security Issues were at risk in Bosnia. Most Libertarians would oppose the government limiting abortion, even though they might be personally against it. Most Libertarians want less government intrusion in every aspect of life, both social and economic arenas.

Libertarians tend to hold to the Constitution, period. You will find that most are states rights advocates who want the smallest Federal government possible.

Since the Constitution provides the foundation for the Libertarian viewpoint, they tend to be more conservative than liberal, but this should not be confused with Republican Vs Democrat.

xoxo~
gaz
providing the Reader’s Digest version.<BR>

Elvis.... http://www.ChiefsPlanet.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

Gore...better looking daughters and with the choices we have that is a viable reason!

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joe

"The word "genius" isn't applicable in football. A genius is a guy like Norman Einstein."
-Joe Theisman, NFL football quarterback and sports analyst

Ralph Nader is the green party.

Actually I am much more of a Libertarian than a republican. The Libertarians believe in a MUCH smaller goverment and much less legislation. Everyone being held accountable for their own actions. No stupid laws that try and legislate what your morals should be.( The main difference ). The only laws would those that infringe on others rights. It's a great party actually.

Gaz-
I ask this purely out of curiosity and in no way to question your decision in this highly unscientific staw poll. As a Libertarian, doesn't it gall you to have to make a lesser of evils choice, when the legitimacy and future of the Libertarian party could hinge on a good showing on Nov. 7th? Were I to become a Libertarian and care passionately about the monopoly of a corrupt two party system ruining the future of the country, I'd be hard pressed not to stick with my principles and vote for my candidate, even if it was only symbolic. Thoughts?
-Durt

[This message has been edited by Durtman (edited 10-05-2000).]

Durtman-

It sticks in my craw something fierce.

To be honest, the Libertarian party is more of a philosophy than an actual party. We will not win the Presidency. We will not control Congress. We will not eliminate the despised two-party system that is crushing this society, IMO.

Like it or not, the two-party system is so entrenched that we may never be rid of it. A Libertarian candidate has zero chance of becoming President.

So I am faced with a choice:
1. Be dogmatic and vote Libertarian despite the sure knowledge that my man CANNOT win.
2. Be pragmatic and vote for the Republican or Democrat who is closest to my perspective.

I choose pragmatism, but I do not like it.

xoxo~
gaz
just this side of depressed about the whole mess.<BR>

Gaz-
Perhaps the Libertarian Party should become a special interest group instead of a political party. Then perhaps you'd see more of the philosophy realized than offering symbolic Presidential candidates. Democrats and Republicans respond well to 'donations'. I'll pass the hat.
-Durt
I'm off to the links - you kids play nice.

[This message has been edited by Durtman (edited 10-05-2000).]

Riddle me this...How is it that life long politicians, IE Gore and Clinton, that have never been paid more than $154,000 dollars per year end up being millionaires many times over when leaving office. hhmmmm

George W. Bush.

I do not believe in Socialism.

I do not believe that the State is more important than the individual. I do not believe that the State is smarter than I, nor do I believe it knows what is best for me. I do not believe that you empower people to greatness by making them dependent on you (through fear, intimidation, or economics). I do not believe in world government (unless it's ours).

I believe politicians are elected to make hard choices about which programs are a high enough priority to fund, not easy choices about how much more revenue can we raise (or debt can we withstand) to fund every program we want.

A vote for Al Gore is a vote for the above.

Luz
i do not joke about politics...

I don't vote along party lines, but for the better candidate. I wanted Bush in '92, and Clinton in '96 over Dole. In my eyes, the better candidate is clearly Gore. He's a very smart man, and yet I don't agree with everything he says and does, I'd much rather have him leading our country than Braindead Bush.

Gore it is.

Problem with our voting system is that 50% of the voting power in this country only pays a small percentage of the taxes. The actual people that pay the burden of the taxes in this country are misrepresented at the polls. Those 50% want candidates that will give them more because it will be paid for by others. The Dems thrive on this and use scare tactics to make these people think they will lose their government benefits if a Republican is elected. Bigger government, more taxes, and the people that pay the burden are not fairly represented at the polls. Doesn't seem right.

The Republican party isn't perfect either but it is closer to what I believe in. My vote goes to Bush.

Dan

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Busch Light is my nickname for GW, so yeah, my vote is for GWB.

DAKC,

Someone posted samples from ALGORE, W college transcripts the other day.

Check them out...Bush WAY outperformed GORE...AS I recall, Bush got an MBA and Gore flunked out of Law school.

who is the numbskull?

Durtman-

Good idea. That may be the only viable strategy for the Libertarian party, since they are not going to get their candidate elected. The problem is that Libertarians are probably too cheap to donate money to a mainstream candidate...

Once more, pragmatism rears its ugly head.

xoxo~
gaz
mired in the two-party system.<BR>

Another quick update....

Bush in the lead with 15 votes

Gore in second with 7 votes

Nader on the ballot with 1 vote.

So far the votes are 2:1 in favor of the "dumby".

Hmm, could the media be wrong ?

By the way, thanks all for the help on the Libertarian front. Next question, what is a Green Party?

Is it anything like Green Peace?





[This message has been edited by Oregon Chief Fan (edited 10-05-2000).]