Libertarians for Ron Paul

“Famously, flagrantly liberal Austin has almost overnight become a crucial redoubt in a campaign to elect as president a libertarian Republican congressman from Lake Jackson.”

“The strength of Ron Paul here is just another surprise in a campaign built almost entirely on the unexpected, delighting the candidate and confounding the experts. From the bursts of online political donations — nearly $11 million contributed by roughly 125,000 small donors — to the donors themselves — disaffected voters from both parties, idealistic political naifs, Constitutionalists (who believe in strict adherence to the Constitution) and anarchists — Paul’s is the Keep Austin Weird campaign of this presidential election cycle.”

Interesting article from the Austin American-Statesman on the local Ron Paul campaign: http://tinyurl.com/ywh8f4

“Following yesterday’s Des Moines Register Republican Debate, the Libertarian Party questions GOP presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee’s commitment to limited government. “Mike Huckabee has a lot of ideas for making America better, and most of them involve the use of the federal government,” says Libertarian Party Executive Director, Shane Cory.”

“…From the economy, to healthcare, to education–all of Huckabee’s solutions to the problems America faces involved using the federal government…”

“Huckabee, a former governor of Arkansas, has recently become a leading contender for the Republican Party’s presidential nomination.  The former Baptist minister has developed the nickname “Tax Hike Mike” because of tax increases during his time as governor of Arkansas, which one writer for the Arkansas Leader said surpassed the tax increases by former Democratic governor Bill Clinton.”

Full release @ http://www.lp.org/media/article_548.shtml 

“If you liked George W. Bush’s brand of big-spending, big-government conservatism, you’ll love Mike Huckabee.”

“Most of the leading Republicans running for president show some support for Bush’s ideology, but no other candidate so completely embodies it.”

“As governor of Arkansas, Huckabee dramatically increased state spending. During his two-term tenure, spending increased by more than 65 percent — at three times the rate of inflation.”

“The number of government workers increased by 20 percent, and the state’s debt services increased by nearly $1 billion. Huckabee financed his spending binge with higher taxes. Under his leadership, the average Arkansan’s tax burden increased 47 percent, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, including increases in the state’s gas, sales, income, and cigarette taxes. He raised taxes on everything from groceries to nursing home beds.”

Michael Tanner of The Cato Institute looks at the Huckster http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,316496,00.html

Shane Cory, Executive Director of The Libertarian Party, explains the resolution by the Libertarian National Committee which commended the Ron Paul campaign:

“Partisanship is why they are corrupt.  The Republican and Democratic parties exist to maintain their own power…that’s about it.”

“We exist for liberty.”

“With integrity in our lives and in our organization, Libertarians have fought with long odds for more than three decades.  We battle Republicans and Democrats who betray our principles of peace and freedom.”“But now, we have a man of principle who is igniting a fire of liberty across the nation and, go figure, he has an “R” next to his name.  So, what do we do?  To some, this appears to be a black-or-white issue with only two options:

Full column @ http://www.lp.org/fp/article_546.shtml 

David Boaz of the Cato Institute looks at the bipartisan front-runners:

“Seeking the presidential nomination of a Democratic Party furious at President Bush’s vast expansion of presidential power, she says that she would “restore the checks and balances and the separation of powers.” But back in 2003, she told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, “I’m a strong believer in executive authority. I wish that, when my husband was President, people in Congress had been more willing to recognize presidential authority.” She encouraged President Clinton to intervene in Haiti and Bosnia and to bomb Serbia, all without congressional authorization.”

“Giuliani seems much less committed to any particular vision of government’s role. Rather, throughout his career Giuliani has displayed an authoritarian streak that is deeply troubling in a potential President who would assume executive powers vastly expanded by President Bush. As U.S. attorney, he pioneered the use of the midday, televised “perp walk” for white-collar defendants who posed no threat to the community. It was a brutal way to treat people who were, after all, innocent until proven guilty.”

Full column @ http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=8837 

In a meeting of the Libertarian National Committee held this weekend in Charleston, South Carolina, former Congressman Bob Barr proposed a resolution urging Congressman Ron Paul to seek the Libertarian Party’s presidential nomination. 
The resolution passed unanimously and is included below:

WHEREAS, the Libertarian Party and Congressman Ron Paul share many common principles for liberty and prosperity in America, and

WHEREAS, Congressman Ron Paul is a member of the Libertarian Party in good standing, and

WHEREAS, Congressman Ron Paul was previously nominated by the delegates of the Libertarian National Convention to serve as the Libertarian Party’s 1988 presidential candidate, and

WHEREAS, Congressman Ron Paul, through the efforts of his current presidential campaign, has ignited a renewed passion for liberty across America, and

WHEREAS, for over 35 years, the members of the Libertarian Party have continually fought for liberty through activism, education and the political process, and

WHEREAS, the Libertarian Party and its members have remained respectful, and in many cases, supportive of Congressman Ron Paul’s campaign seeking the Republican presidential nomination, and

WHEREAS, the Libertarian National Committee encourages competition in the race for the Libertarian Party’s presidential nomination and is appreciative of all candidates who make the commitment to run;

NOW THEREFORE, in the event that Republican primary voters select a candidate other than Congressman Paul in February of 2008, the Libertarian National Committee urges Congressman Ron Paul to seek the presidential nomination of the Libertarian Party to be decided in Denver, Colorado during Memorial Day weekend of 2008.

FURTHERMORE, The Libertarian National Committee congratulates Congressman Paul for his success in spreading a message of peace, prosperity and freedom and also thanks the thousands of activists and supporters across the United States who have made this unprecedented success possible.

RESOLUTION ADOPTED unanimously by vote of the Libertarian National Committee, the 9th day of December 2007 http://www.lp.org/media/article_545.shtml 

Michael Tanner of The Cato Institute has an interesting column on Ron Paul as the choice for voters tired of big government. “If you want to register opposition to the Bush foreign policy, but aren’t willing to support the Democrats’ version of tax-and-spend government, Ron Paul is the perfect vehicle.”

Looking at the Bush record, Mr Tanner points out:

“Bush’s brand of big-government conservatism brought us No Child Left Behind, the Medicare prescription-drug benefit, and a 23-percent increase in domestic discretionary spending. It may well have cost Republicans control of Congress. After all, on election night 2006, 55 percent of voters said that they thought the Republican Party was the party of big government.”

Full column @ http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=8828 

Michael Tanner is author of “Leviathan on the Right” about big government conservatism - available @ www.renbook.com

A diverse group of scholars has issued a statement in support of Ron Paul - excerpts:

“A Paul administration will dramatically reduce the size and scope of the federal government over our lives and liberties. President Paul will work to abolish the Internal Revenue Service, emphasize free trade and diplomacy over confrontation, cease the war on drugs, which has destroyed the lives and liberties of the poor in inner cities, and end our error-ridden system of federal capital punishment. To accomplish these goals, and ensure that those in greatest need do not suffer during the transition, Paul will bring home the troops and abandon our ruinously expensive and futile effort to police the world.”

“Paul is the only presidential candidate with a proven record of defending academic freedom across-the-board. He has stood against efforts by both the political right and left to restrict the free discourse of ideas in higher education. He strongly opposes the use of speech codes to restrict academic freedom. For the same reason, he has spoken out against the so-called Academic Bill of Rights and other proposals that would empower politicians to impose “ideological balance” in the classroom.”

Signers include Joe Cobb, Ken Schoolland, David Henderson, Karen Kwiatkowski and others. Complete statement @ http://hnn.us/articles/45267.html