The Liberal Case for Bob Barr and the Libertarian Party

Barack Obama is going to win the presidency. While the end of the current era of Republican mismanagement may be good news in many respects, this is no cause for complacency for anyone concerned about American liberty and America's place in the world. Senator Obama, despite his eloquent call for reform, has demonstrated that he, like other politicians, is ever ready to trim his sails to gain a few votes. A vote for Bob Barr and the Libertarian Party would be the best way to tell President-elect Obama that the American people are serious about real change in Washington.

Sen. Obama's rhetoric is uplifting and positive, but the Senator who showed genuine foresight and courage in opposing the Iraq war spent most of the primary season edging away from his initial tough stand. Will he order the troops to exit Iraq? Will he bring them all home, or simply shift them from Iraq to another foreign country?

Similarly, it would be hard for Sen. Obama not to be an improvement over the Bush administration on civil liberties. However, here, too, Sen. Obama has demonstrated his willingness to trim under pressure.

President George W. Bush violated the law when he ignored both the Constitution and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Congress should have held him and his appointees accountable for their law-breaking. Moreover, telephone companies that aided and abetted executive branch law-breaking should have been left liable in the courts.

Yet, Sen. Obama folded, backing a "compromise" that gave the administration most everything that it wanted. No individualized warrants or evidence of law-breaking is required to authorize government spying on U.S. citizens' phone calls and emails. No administration officials paid the slightest cost for engaging in illegal conduct. No private firm suffered the slightest inconvenience for helping the government violate their customers' constitutional rights. This was the moment for Sen. Obama to prove that he possessed a true dedication to civil liberties, and he failed.

Of course, we all hope that, as president, he will feel freer to stand up for American liberties. But there also will be voices advising him to use the executive powers so freely expanded by his predecessor. Will he be strong enough to resist this Siren's Song? No one knows, but one thing is known: If freed from the limiting forces of public awareness and involvement, President Obama would follow a long line of presidents who talk of enhanced individual liberty, but practice a policy of increased government power.

In other words, the best way to encourage Sen. Obama, if he is elected president, to follow the straight and narrow is to actively and clearly demonstrate that we, the American people, are concerned both about our civil liberties and his commitment to protect them. The way to do that is to vote for Bob Barr and the Libertarian Party.

Only one party has consistently stood up for the Constitution and against expansive executive power: the Libertarian Party. Only one party has consistently demanded a quick and full withdrawal from Iraq: the Libertarian Party. Only one party has demanded that all administration officials, legislators, and bureaucrats be held accountable for violating the law or the Constitution: the Libertarian Party.

Sen. Obama's impending big victory will tempt liberals to relax and celebrate. Yet the time of greatest danger will be the transition, when Sen. Obama will be deciding on who to appoint and what direction to take. The best way to safeguard our liberties is to let him know that his election victory comes with an important "but" -- in the form of a strong showing by Bob Barr and the Libertarian Party, who have placed the protection of American liberties and America's reputation in the world at the core of their campaign.

Comments

[MatoSka]

As long as we go with anything less than a multi-party system, the harder it will be for real change. In New Mexico the one party Democratically controlled state government has continously sought to obstruct ballot access. Election days find missing ballots and voting machines sliding out of the back of tractor trailers. Is this really what democracy looks like?

[guajiro]

What you ought to question is why don't Americans have a FEDERAL RIGHT to a vote? The people ought to vote on adding an amendment to the constitution that guarantees every citizen the RIGHT to a vote. Currently, it is a state's right. With fifty states having fifty different voting machines, with some states so deeply in the red they can't hardly afford a voting machine, with some states not having any laws against awarding to family or friends, is it any wonder the voting in America is all screwed up? Top that with the fact that every time a Democrat has introduced a bill in Congress to standardize the voting method or to look into adding an amendment to give people the right to a vote, the Republicans find a way to block or stop the bill.
http://www.house.gov/jackson/VotingAmendment.htm

[dSquib]

Is Barr hinting that an Obama presidency would be preferable to a McCain one, if marginally, from a libertarian perspective?

[cpro]

Yes, he is. I thought that was the general consensus.

What decisions and positions of McCain over the last 15 years show any respect at all for Civil Liberties and Human Rights?

[Gidster]

Bob, You have some great ideas, I disagree with some of your tax ideas but I do not think they are crazy, just less than realistic.

Your wisdom and viewpoint will be valuable to an Obama administration.
Your leadership and integrity could go a long way to increasing your party's status in our government.

Good luck!

[we0z]

Great diatribe Mr. Barr but as a 56 year old voter I have seen Libertarian candidates offer up what I have rlabeld the "Libertarian Utopia". No taxes is always the sales pitch however no Libertarian candidate has ever offered how they would operate this great country for all of society with no taxation in which to fuel the Utopia.
So until I can be convinced of this feat to fund a utopia without taxation I will have to treat Libertarians as dreamers instead of visonaries.

[hominidx]

Can we replace the Republicans with the Libertarians, let their views be the competing ones and sink the GOP for good?

I've not forgotten the drug warrior years, Mr. Barr.
I agree with Dan Carlin on my view of your conversion - the proof will be in how you compose yourself as de facto head of the LP. Good luck and I hope some of these views get more attention.

[GMSilvia]

I examined it very closely and I have found the Libertarian platform to be the most enlightened, most honest and the only party that exhits absolute equality, the only special interest for Libertarians is the Constitution. If you want less war, less national debt, less nanny state, more liberty, the Libertarian party is the only one to choose. I am voting Bob Barr.

[GregJL]

Yes, by all means, if you want no public schools, no public transportation, no public parks, no museums, no health care, no Social Security, no protection from abusive corporatio­ns...pleas­e by all means go with the Libertarians.

[tajitj]

He has my vote in Texas. McCain thinks more Federal govt will solve all problems. About as far away from a conservative as you can get.
Taking a stand this year. Bush fooled us, McCain is open about his positions of world police and nanny state.

[Bruce Tenenbaum - Huffpost Blogger]

Well, that's a nice argument Mr. Barr but, of course, Senator Obama hasn't been elected yet.

I think it would be a better idea to encourage John McCain supporters to vote for you. After all, it was their party that trampled on the constitution. It is their party that throws the term "liberal" around as if it were a four letter word. It is their candidate who promises to continue the foreign and domestic policies of Mr. Bush.

Also, you probably can find more support within the Republican party and people like Joe The Plumber who object to the federal government providing assistance with programs like Social Security and health care. Personally, I'd be very happy if you got massive support from McCain supporters. Best of luck. At least you are no longer a representative for the evil empire and I salute you for that.

[WhereIsTheTruth]

Mr. Tenenbaum and MattyMac are on to something. In my humble opinion, I don't believe we shall ever see a third party candidate succeed in a presidential election until we see a popular, effective president take office under the Republican or Democrat banner, switch to a third party while in office and successfully win a second term in office under that party. Until such time we will, every four years (for many years), shudder before the specter of righteous spoiler voters that contributed to us being in the mess we've been in for the past eight years.

[ellen31766]

I couldn't disagree more.

[MattyMac]

Bob you rule why didn't you stake out the republican nomination?
If or when obama wins would you take a place in his cabinet if asked?

[Doofus]

Best thing you can do right now is secure Georgia's
electoral votes for Barack Obama. That'd be much
appreciated. Afterwards, perhaps in a year or three,
if you could establish a party platform that appeals
to legitimate moderate Repos & small-government
Demos, you might get some traction. Stay away from
'gold standard' & 'social security' issues. Good luck in
your future endeavors.

[cpro]

I agree, the gold standard is a losing issue that resonates with too few and makes one sound like a crackpot to too many.