tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6782398136247274790.post2775518139977358782..comments2008-04-19T18:42:32.941-07:00Comments on Liberty Cocktail: Why would I ever want to vote Libertarian?Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06507129113803243988noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6782398136247274790.post-6342690121370437512007-05-13T18:23:00.000-07:002007-05-13T18:23:00.000-07:00Whether I would even be tempted to vote for a thir...Whether I would even be tempted to vote for a third party candidate depends on exactly how much less evil that lesser of two evils is. In 2000 and 2004, the answer was "A whole hell of a lot." <BR/><BR/>I have not made up my mind about 2008, yet. But in 2004, we were very clearly dealing with a president who was willing to toss the Constitution in the trash wholesale -- remember, the NSA wiretap scandal broke *before* the election -- so as far as I was concerned voting the SOB out was the most important issue going.<BR/><BR/>As far as "nobody in power cares"? Um, not really. The law that made ephedrine only available behind the counter? 156 Democrats (and 14 Republicans) voted against it. <BR/>The Military Commissions Bill, which stripped habeas corpus from detainees in Guatanamo? In the House, 160 Democrats voted against it (along with just 7 Republicans -- 34 Democrats, primarily from Southern states, voted for it). With the exception of Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island, every single one of the 34 Senators who opposed it was a Democrat.<BR/><BR/>From a consumer standpoint, much of the emphasis on pharmaceutical companies is not just because of profits but also because of questionable business practices. Walgreen's may make far too much money off a prescription drug (I don't know, I haven't seen figures, I'm taking your word for it), but they do not offer enticements to doctors to prescribe it for off-label uses nor do they underreport adverse affects, both of which pharmaceutical companies have been known to do in the past.<BR/><BR/>(Yeah, the sex toys thing suck -- and that's a state issue. The increasing intolerance towards non-Chrisitanity is in large part a *media* issue. Just ask Keith Ellison, the freshman Congressman from Detroit who was the subject of much right-wing ire, including Republicans in Congress, when he wanted to take the oath of office (not the official oath, which is done without any books, but the "photo-op" one later) holding a Koran. Much of the outcry was caused by people like Rush Limbaugh or people playing to the media.)<BR/><BR/>The one area I do agree with you is the Supreme Court. The Democrats in Congress did not do enough to keep Alito off the court. Or Roberts. That is a really big failure, which we are going to be paying for a long time. <BR/><BR/>The system is not perfect, and you work with what you got. You may not like the Democratic presidential candidates -- I'm only so-so on them myself. (I really wish Russ Geingold or Barney Frank would run.) They're not progressive enough. But they scare me a hell of a lot less than the Republican candidate.<BR/><BR/>As it stands now, third party candidates have no chance of getting elected to national office, which would make a vote for a third party candidate a protest vote. Under certain circumstances that might be okay (I am more than willing to vote for a third party candidate against Dianne Feinstein in the next Senate election, for example, and probably will) but I do not think the next Presidential election is going to be one of those times.Pat Greenehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13904197278747700037noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6782398136247274790.post-10529590879712734252007-05-13T08:52:00.000-07:002007-05-13T08:52:00.000-07:00Amen! Now, if only Libertarians could come up with...Amen! Now, if only Libertarians could come up with a more rational plan than private fire departments and ending social welfare...dafyddhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00882404668046310010noreply@blogger.com