Is this the Year for the Libertarian Party?

After living most of my adult/politically aware life in Orange County I have constantly heard people tell me that they were “libertarian leaning Republicans” or they were “really mostly a Libertarian” yet I don’t think I have ever heard anyone tell me that they voted Libertarian. So I am going to ask, is this finally the year that all of us libertarian Republicans come out of the woodwork and say enough is enough and finally show our party how upset we are at them and really vote Libertarian?

If there has ever been a time, it is now. The Libertarian ticket of Bob Barr and Wayne Allyn Root this year is probably the most viable one that the party has ever put together.

Bob Barr for a long time was a Republican’s Republican. We are talking about Bob Barr, the same guy who prosecuted President Clinton back in 1999; Barr was the first member of Congress in either Chamber to call for President Clinton’s resignation after the Lewinsky Scandal broke.

Barr’s running mate is Wayne Allyn Root, a man I am sure most people are not familiar with, but I have done some research and I want to inform all of you out there that he is not the typical Libertarian. Wayne Allyn Root was a long time Republican Party donor; he is a small business owner, a home school father and a published author. He has written many books, one of them called “Millionaire Republican.” He is the classic libertarian Republican that has made the switch from the Republican Party to the Libertarian Party.

As I said earlier, here in Orange County we have always talked a big “Libertarian Republican” game. The Orange County Register even claims that their editorial page is Libertarian-leaning. Now I am calling everyone out to put up or shut up!

The polls here in California have McCain down big to Obama (the latest Zogby poll has McCain down 20 points!).  California has not gone Red since 1988.  The Libertarian candidates are both former Republicans that describe themselves much like most of us here in Orange County describe ourselves. They are not pot-smoking, gun-toting, open-up-the-border, the economy will solve all, political wannabes.

The Barr-Root ticket understands that being too extreme will turn the typical voter off of them. They believe in more freedom, less government intervention and gradual change to ensure that the American people are able to live in a free society. They do not want to abolish the IRS, let all not non-violent drug offenders out of jail and make heroin legal in their first hundred days. Their goal is give us back our freedoms that were guaranteed to us in the Constitution. They are realistic about their chances of winning, but know that they have a realistic shot albeit long one at winning the White House.

To those that would say that a vote for Barr is a vote for Obama. I would counter that since Obama is already going to win California, does it really matter if one more vote gets “stolen” by Bob Barr?

Once again I will ask “who are they to tell us we can’t vote for who we think is best?” Why are we allowing the two-party system to shackle us to the candidate that is the lesser of two evils?

I say it is time to take a stand against the two parties and send a message that we will no longer hold our nose and vote. Ralph Nader was called a spoiler back in 2000 after he ran for President on the Green Party ticket.  But he more than proved his point and helped push forward his agenda.  Al Gore has done more to raise awareness about Global Warming and the Environment, a major Green Party issue, in the eight years since his defeat than he would have had he been elected President.

Going back even farther, H. Ross Perot also helped to push his agenda of fiscal responsibility after losing the 1992 and 1996 elections for President. In 1994 we had the “Contract with America” and in 1998 President Clinton balanced the budget. Those two major events can arguably be attributed to the Democrats and the Republicans trying to get the support of the Perot voters.

We need to be realistic about what is going to happen in November. John McCain is going to lose big in California, but all is not lost for we can send a message to the Republican Party. We can tell them that we will no longer stand for more government.

The Barr-Root ticket is a team that most of us here in Orange County can really get excited about. Our county for a long time called itself the “most Republican County in America.” But what happens when the Republican Party no longer adheres to the values that made most of us Republicans?

I’m talking about the Goldwater Republicans, the Reagan Republicans. Those of us that have stood for lower taxes and less government; today the Republican Party is responsible for the record deficit in this year’s budget, nearly half a trillion dollars.

I find it amazing that President Clinton was able to balance the budget, but President Bush has not. In fact Bush inherited a budget surplus from Clinton – and he will saddle us with a massive debt when he finally leaves office.

It really is sad that when the biggest thing our politicians have done for us lately is compel us to have to use a “hands free” device while driving and talking on our cell phones. I know that I am mixing apples and oranges with the State Legislature passing the cell phone ban and the Federal Government failing to balance the budget, but I just wanted to close with the one issue that is sure to bring out the Libertarian in all of us.

For those that would like to know more about Bob Barr and Wayne Allyn Root visit their website.

Libertarian Vice Presidential Candidate Wayne Allyn Root is going to be at a fundraiser in Rancho Cucamonga this Sunday at 1:30pm. To find out more about his fundraiser please click here. It is $50 to attend as long as you register in advance. There will be light refreshments and appetizers. Everyone will be given the opportunity to meet Mr. Root, hear him speak and ask questions.  You can register online at this link.

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