How Much Help Can Barr Count On From The Revolution?

By Kleinheider Posted on May 26, 2008 at 1:13 pm

Jonathan Martin is skeptical about Libertarian Presidential candidate Bob Barr’s ability to catch fire without the help of Ron Paul:

And in my conversation with Paul last month, he showed little enthusiasm for Barr.

Without Paul’s passionate legions, Barr would have a difficult time attracting grass-roots and financial support.

In other words, if Paul stays on the sidelines and does not get behind Barr, the Libertarian nominee could be as much of a non-factor this year as in every other recent presidential cycle.

Sadcox wonders, whether Paul endorses or not, whether Barr can get his hands on Paul’s all important mailing list.

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Tags: Bob Barr, Libertarian Party, Mary Ruwart, Mike Gravel, Ron Paul, The Revolution  

Right Libertarianism Wins The Day

By Kleinheider Posted on at 12:39 am

Former GOP Congressman Bob Barr has won the nomination of the Libertarian Party for President. From his hometown paper:

It took six ballots and nearly five hours of voting at the Libertarian National Convention before the former four-term congressman defeated Texas business consultant Mary Ruwart for the party’s bid.

Barr, who until 2006 was a Republican, took 54 percent of the vote after Las Vegas odds-maker Wayne Allyn Root dropped out following the fifth ballot and endorsed Barr. Delegates subsequently selected Root to be Barr’s running mate.

“Y’all party today,” Barr told the more than 600 delegates at the Sheraton Hotel. “I hope we celebrate, because I’m sure we’ll all leave here with the strongest ticket in the history of the Libertarian Party.”

Barr’s name recognition and his history as a conventional conservative Republican will put him in a strong position to play spoiler in this year’s election.

Most interesting about Libertarian politics, however, is the parallel political spectrum it holds within its confines. Just as there is a mainstream political spectrum of left, right and center, so too are there similar divides among leftists, centrists and rightists in the Libertarian universe.

The contrasts between the right wing libertarians of Bob Barr and the left wing libertarianism of Steve Kubby and Mike Gravel are just as distinct (if not more so) than those between mainstream politicians.

It seems ironic that a true independent voter with libertarian leanings, leanings many independent voters possess, would find it just as hard placing themselves on the libertarian spectrum as they likely do a more traditional spectrum.

SEE ALSO:
Joe Lance
Barr’s Victory Speech
Brendan Loy
The Libertarian Party Of Tennessee
Jonathan Wright (II)
Bear Creek Ledger
Sadcox
Sharon Cobb
The Other McCain
Jesse Walker
David Weigel (II)
Anthony Gregory
Daniel Larison

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Tags: Bob Barr, Libertarian Party, Mary Ruwart, Mike Gravel  

The Libertarian Nod

By Kleinheider Posted on May 18, 2008 at 1:44 pm

Jon Wright, a left-libertarian currently identifying as a Democrat, shares his thoughts on the wide open Libertarian nomination for President between the right-wing Bob Barr, libertarian purists like Mary Ruwart and a left-libertarian like Mike Gravel:

As for what I want to happen? I’m actually torn. The part of me that wants to see the LP take bold strides towards a left-libertarianism that I can really get behind clearly favors Gravel. The part of me that wants to see the LP at least try to save its own soul wants to see it go to Ruwart as above. The part of me that thinks it’s too late for that wants them to go ahead and give it to Barr — effectively destroying the party — but I’m not the only libertarian radical who thinks that might be a good thing. Go out in a blaze of glory and help us elect Obama. Though I do hate to see the term libertarian itself besmirched with the “true conservative” meme — it already is.

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Tags: Bob Barr, Libertarian, Mary Ruwart, Mike Gravel