***Our first Instalanche! Please take a while to look around. We have been discussing Islam, the purge talk that Glenn has been discussing, libertarians and war, Washington’s farewell address, Music and much more. You can find the categories on the the right of the main page. We have only been up a month, so it won’t take long to poke around.***
***If you visited xrlq’s site you were introduced to Mona, my take can be found here.***
In Houston the Libertarian Party has a shot at getting someone elected to replace Tom Delay. Should the outside world of libertarians act like the net roots with Lamont and adopt him? I’ll update this once I know more about him, but for now start here. If you know something of him leave comments and links. I would love a good discussion on this.
**Update: I should have also said small government conservatives as well as libertarians.
Michael left a link for Bob Smithers website. Chris over at Inactivist is discussing this as well.
Here is a rundown on his positions from his blog entry, “Why I am Running.”
Foreign Policy: Standard libertarian isolationist fare.
Welfare: not sure, but it looks like he would certainly reduce it if not eliminate it.
Secondary education: Not sure, but he isn’t happy. I assume federal spending would be cut.
The FDA: Sounds like it has got to go.
Health Care: The government is the problem. Not sure what that would mean, but I can imagine he would vote a lot like Ron Paul on this issue.
Taxes: Wants the Fair Tax Plan. Clearly he wants reduced spending and therefore eventually a smaller tax bite.
The Drug War: The federal government would have no role, so as a federal issue it would be dead. It would be sent to the states to do as they wish.
Primary education: Wants choice, I assume some form of voucher or similar program.
Eminent Domain: Opponent of Kelo
Jacob Greer has a post on this.
***Update: Okay, I have been thinking about it. I think we should. I can be persuaded otherwise, and I wish all of you visiting for the first time tonight would chime in, because I want to think this through. Despite my disagreements on foreign policy, which I discuss here, here, here, here, here and here I can’t see supporting a Democrat, and the Republicans have me so pissed off that I can’t go that way. Supporting third party candidates who will help move us in a better direction in other ways makes sense to me. That way the Republicans can know we are disaffected, but the Democrats won’t think it is approval either. It sends a message, so how do we help?
Comments are still open on all posts, feedback, even from rather old posts, is always appreciated.
***Update: Tyler Cowen noticed Bob Smithers, and also an article by Michael Lind declaring libertarianism dead.
After reviewing his campaign website, he does seem more grounded than most LP candidates. However, he provides information of a small number of views and conspicuously absent is any mention of national defense (with the exception of a vague swipe at the Patiot Act).
He might be worth backing.
Yep, a Ron Paul clone would definitely not be a bad thing (even though I’m not in 100% agreement with the distinguished gentleman from Texas).
Congratulations Lance, Reynolds just linked you.
yours/
peter.
I’m not so sure about the Fair Tax plan. I’m not sure that I understand it entirely, but it does not seem capable of working very well, if at all.
Do you have any thoughts on that, Lance? Is it financially feasible?
I am not sure. You can go to QandO and search. You’ll find a whole lot on it from Dale. He thinks it won’t work unless it is at a substantially lower rate than is now proposed.
I’m totally stoked about this.
I live in the district. I will be voting for Smither. It looks like, however, that Lampson will take it, all the chatter around my parts suggest this and conservatives are disenchanted – so turnout is king. But if the damned Republicans would just step aside with their idiotic write-in candidates that nobody’s ever heard of and endorse Smither, the Libertarians have a shot.
I have my reservations. The conservatives around here are extremely socially conservative. A recent State ConAmend banning Gay marriage passed with the Fort Bend County vote being in the neighborhood of 90%.
Here is the link for the Fort Bend County Libertarians. Give money, I will.
Cheers.
And God speed to Bob Smither.
Pogue says money, that is a start. Over at Chris’s post at Inactivist someone suggested:
Hmmm…. I think Pogue should get that together for us. We can post it on various sites.
The best thing to do is buy the Fair Tax book.
The rate suggested is based on the number of people who currently pay taxes and the current tax bill (current at the time of writing).
The tax burden should substantially decrease as you include those US citizens who do not pay taxes (for whatever reasons) as well as illegals and tourists.
Further, only new items will be taxed. You can control your tax burden by purchasing used cars, used houses, etc.
I don’t know about you, but calculating all the taxes I pay in a year, it is substantially more than what is suggested as a starting place in the Fair Tax book (23% I believe). When you start adding state/fed payroll tax, sales tax, property tax, ad valorem tax, gas tax, tobacco tax, alcohol tax, death tax (where applicable), luxury taxes (where applicable), the cost hire an accountant to help you pay our tax, etc., etc., the numbers really add up.
Bottom line, the government is stealing our money by force and we can do nothing about it. With the fair tax, you can, in the least, vote with your wallet. Spend when you are pleased with the government’s actions and withhold when you’ve had enough.
My problem with drug dealers, pimps, hookers, illegals, etc., is that they pay no taxes. Start paying into the system, brother, and stop living off of my dollar for your housing, food and medical care. If you want the lifestyle ou live, fine – pay your share. Your tax dollars can go with mine to the emergency rooms who treat the vicitms of your trade. Why should I have to subsidize your mess alone?
Mostly, I feel that the Fair Tax is the first step in the direction of limited government, government controlled by the people. He who controls the money controls the power.
We are inching closer to snatching that power from the government. Let us not hem hand haw over % points. We’ll only be taxed to death if we allow ourselves to be taxed to death. Once Americans begin to realize what their government costs them, they’ll cut back. Problem now is, no one knows whet they pay. ASk around, Ask people what they paid in Federal Income taxes last year. I bet most people will respond by saying they paid nothing, they got a refund. That’s the problem.
From there we open up the public school system to the free market (as colleges and universities are) and we end this blood letting of money to solve a problem that keeps getting worse. And then, maybe, we can get a decent education to the poor white rural kids and the poor black urban kids and we can point this country back in a direction where people are judged by their character and not by their identity group.
But then again, I’m just an anti-establishment, indivdualist crank.
^billy
I assume Billy’s comment was directed at you Michael.
Yes, to Michael. Sorry.
Really, read the book. The Fair Tax isn’t about poltical persuasion…it’s about the people controlling the flow of money to the government.
It’s a libertarian’s wet dream (assuming that taxes are an unavoidable reality).
I also live in the district and will be voting for Smither. A Republican write-in effort has no chance whatsoever under the current circumstances. Being a third party candidate with limited funding and little name recognition certainly makes Smither a longshot, but given that this is a solidly conservative district, the “Goldwater Republican” image he’s trying to fashion for himself could sell well with Republicans who absolutely don’t want Nick Lampson to be elected.
As for the Fair Tax, I think Smither’s support for it could be described as, “the current system is awful and this is the best alternative I’ve seen yet.” Personally, I find it too flawed to support; I can’t support any proposal unless I think it is highly probable to be better than what we currently have and I can see many reasons why it may not be. For a detailed and scathing critique of the Fair Tax, check this out: http://www.mises.org/story/1814
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Yes,
We should definitely support Smithers. It is about time that the Republicans had their feet put to the fire. The way to do that is to make them consider libertarians, so that they will actually live up to some of their small government rhetoric. Don’t worry about Smither’s foreign policy position. It’s not like this one freshman congressman would have any real effect on foreign policy.
I would vote for a communist who wanted to fight the Islamic fascists.
BTW I was scty/treas of our local Libertarian club for 3 years.
I vote mostly Republican these days except for theocons.
Really quickly, I found this email address for
Gary Gillen, the Fort Bend republican party chair:
gary@garygillen.com
Contacting the who’s who in the 22nd district is not a bad idea. As with most places, the powers that be and the deep pocket contributors are often the same people.
Here is the link for the FEC’s list of contributors to the Fort Bend County Republicans. It seems to me that around here the most influential people are the attorneys (of course), engineering firms, and builders. They seem to be pulling most of the strings around here.
If one were so inclined, one could make a list of addresses and emails(if possible).
However, I believe that the best way to elect a libertarian here is to contribute to the local LP chapter. I know it’s not a very exciting thing to do, but it seems that they would have the best resources and enlist motivated personnel to spread the message.
If you were to look at the money raised by Smither as of June 30, 2006 (a paltry $2,486) it is hard to imagine Smither having the capability of getting his message out.
There has been a lot of p*ssing and moaning lately about what is and who are the real libertarians in the libertarian’s corner of the blogoshpere. I can tell who won’t be a libertarian – the next congressman representing the people of Texas 22nd district. That is of course if Smither can’t get recognized.
Blogger’s can take a breather from squeezing their mouse and write a check.
It doesn’t have to be much. Even pocket change will help… just look again at the money he’s raised. Imagine. For betting even only ten bucks, our dividends – if we win – will pay in spades.
And that concludes the best sales pitch I’ve ever undertaken. Which might explain why I’m not a salesman.
Other interesting reading on the subject:
Smither’s campaign website.
Smither’s blog.
FortBendNow – a local online publication.
Cheers.
Pogue,
I knew you would come through with some links.
Donating money! How old fashioned. Still I agree. However, I think in order for Smithers to have a chance it can’t just depend on recruiting libertarians, who are likely to campaign rather poorly, a long time problem plaguing the party. We need to get Republicans on board as well. Most Democrats (unless they are voting Republican due to the war) are unlikely to pass up the chance to elect one of their own. So we have to get a good portion of the disaffected Republican small government base on board.
Matt,
It is good to see you here. I can’t say I would vote communist, but I understand where you are coming from. Still, when the outcome is likely to be a Democrat otherwise, thus making the foreign policy argument moot, wouldn’t it make sense to help move the Congress, and the Republicans most critically, towards smaller government?
Chris,
Thanks for stopping by and for the link. I’ll take what we have gathered and do a new post with it all in one place.
Finally I am looking for some ideas and resources on how to help the campaign in a systematic way. The left wing net roots made a real impact in CT. What did they do that we might copy? I don’t mean the dishonest rhetoric or ridiculous race baiting and name calling, but actual grass roots things that those of us who squeeze a mouse can accomplish. I watched the ugly (though very amusing) spectacle from afar, so in practical terms I am not sure what they actually did besides jabber away on the internet. I assume it was focused well thought out jabber at minimum. I would like to see people blogging about this, send me trackbacks and I’ll aggregate them. Let us see if the hive can work.
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