A Vote For Barr

[Herb Schaffler]

Copyright © 2008 The American Conservative

Leonard Liggio </I>


I plan to vote for Bob Barr, the Libertarian Party presidential candidate. Although the former Georgia congressman has had his differences with Ron Paul—who was the Libertarian nominee 20 years ago—Barr and the LP still represent the closest thing in this election to Paul’s positions.

The current financial crisis requires a clear explanation if there is to be a solution now and for the future. Congressman Paul has articulated its causes: the Federal Reserve’s soft money policies flooded the banks with credit, and they sought ever weaker debtors. The solution is the gold standard, which will limit the power of the Federal Reserve to cheapen the value of money.
Throughout the primary season and afterwards, Ron Paul spoke truth to power on behalf of the American people regarding the emerging financial crisis. Many citizens, especially the young, have listened to his analysis. This response to Paul’s monetary analysis coincides with the results of a recent Rasmussen Reports poll, which found 59 percent of those polled agreed with Ronald Reagan’s statement that government is the problem.
Neither of the presidential candidates of the major parties is in agreement with the majority of the American people. The two candidates have been the products of poor systems of nomination in 2008.
Lately, I wondered if there would be a change. In late September, I was at Reagan National Airport traveling to a Hillsdale College conference when John McCain said he was suspending his campaign due to the crisis. Was it possible that he would support the Republican majority in the House of Representatives by opposing the Bush administration’s bailout plan? Instead of placing himself at the head of these Republicans, he conceded to the administration.
In the presidential contest, the Libertarian Party is the clear choice for opponents of the Paulson plan and the government policies that precipitated the crash. Leonard Liggio is executive vice president of the Atlas Economic Research Foundation and distinguished senior scholar at the Institute for Humane Studies at George Mason University.

[Herb Schaffler]

October 28th, 2008 by Jason Pye
Blake Aued from the Athens Banner-Herald was on hand [LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This No Hillary For President Forum Link. :

Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin, a self-described “hockey mom,” is not qualified to be president, former Georgia Republican congressman Bob Barr said Monday.
“I was a soccer dad,” Barr said, speaking at the University of Georgia. “I don’t think that qualifies me to be president.”
Barr, running for president as a Libertarian, ridiculed the idea that Palin is ready to take over for John McCain if the 72-year-old died.
[...]
Barr picked on Palin relentlessly throughout his talk, but saved some of his ire for President Bush.
Bush presided over perhaps the largest expansion of executive power in American history and believes he has almost unlimited ability to act as commander-in-chief, Barr said. Bush’s theory of presidential power is known as the “unitary executive.”
“Other countries have a less fancy word for it,” Barr said. “It’s called ‘dictatorship.’ “
Congress hasn’t lived up to its duty to oversee and check the president, so prosecutors should investigate whether members of the Bush Administration abused their power by spying on Americans without court orders, Barr said.
“I think there have been some very, very serious violations in the past several years,” he said.
Barr, who is polling at about 2 percent, acknowledged that he virtually has no chance to win while speaking to reporters after his talk, and said he is running to build up and draw attention to the Libertarian Party.
He predicted that Democrat Barack Obama would win Georgia and the presidency.