Bob Barr -- Another Perspective

In replying to a request to join a Bob Barr Meetup Group I asked a gentleman to convince me as far as why I should vote for Bob Barr, and his reply is below:

Christine,

I would love to convince you to support Bob Barr. I was a delegate in Denver, and I would admit that Bob Barr was not my first choice. I have read your blog post against Bob Barr, and I understand why you have reservations about Bob Barr. Please understand that I am by no means the world's biggest Bob Barr fan. I voted for Mary Ruwart on every Ballot.

Having said all that, it is important to consider a few facts. First of all Bob Barr has come a long way since joining the LP. As with most people becoming a Libertarian is a process, and as time goes by people do tend to become more Libertarian. I think this is the case with Bob Barr. On his stance on the Drug War he has been lobbying for the Marijuana Policy Project. At the convention he apologized for his role in passing DOMA. He is becoming more Libertarian than he was when he joined the party. By no means has he arrived to where we would like to see him. I am a extreme or radical Libertarian (part of the Libertarian wing of the Libertarian party if you will). Bob Barr's nomination was simply a matter of math (i.e who was in the room and doing the voting) http://www.lp.org/media/article_588.shtml

Given that I feel Bob Barr can do more to help the party than he can do to harm the party. Honestly most people will not read out platform or even check us out on specific issues. I also know that the platform has changed to allow for broader views. Again I was in the room when this was going on, and often voted against it.

Come November, the people will be selecting electors to vote for President in January. These electors will represent different candidates. These candidates will include John McCain, who I actually heard speak yesterday in Nashville and Hilary Clinton or Barak Obama. Barr is certainly a better choice than McCain, Clinton, or Obama. You can read my comments on that in Today Tennessean http://tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080603/NEWS0201/806030346&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL

Bob Barr actually brings a new level of credibility to the LP. I know he has already been on Network TV several times since his nomination (which other Libertarians could not achieve). Barr is also poling a 6% and has not started campaigning outside the LP yet. Other LP candidates never even made it into national polls.

I support Bob Barr because his views are Libertarian enough, I know he would probably not score 100/100 on the Nolan chart, but then neither would much of the membership of the LP. As I said I am a radical Libertarian and a purist, just take a look at my own campaign site www.getyourcountryback.com to see what I mean.

You should support Bob Barr because he is the most Libertarian among your choices.
You should support Bob Barr because he can attract new members and new donors tot he LP.
You should support Bob Barr because, even if he cannot win the election, he certainly can impact the election. We are at the perfect juncture to promote Libertarian views, and and the Libertarian positions, especially the one being highlighted by Bob Barr have a good chance of impacting the election.

As a candidate I ask you to support Bob Barr because he can help promote other LP candidates. This can lead to an impact in other races.

As the local Chair of the Libertarian Party I also ask you support Bob Barr because I think his candidacy can help make the LP and its local affiliates stronger, bigger, and more effective. All of the PR that comes with a Presidential campaign can really energize local political activities. So I hope you will join us in supporting Bob Barr the 2008 LP Presidential candidate.

Daniel Lewis
Chair Libertarian Party of Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County
www.lpmndc.org
Libertarian Candidate for U.S. Senate
www.getyourcountryback.com

I like the perspective he offers, and God knows I have be dying to vote Libertarian since I read the platform, but I am still hesitant to cast my support for a candidate w/ the track record that Bob Barr has. I would like to know for sure that he has changed his stance, and will stand by the libertarian platform.

Although, as my boyfriend has pointed out, it is very likely that LP had a great deal to do with him losing his job and it would be extremely unlikely for someone to switch to the party that cost you your job unless it was authentic.

Maybe this would be a time for me to "suck it up" and just go for it. As Daniel points out "even if [Bob Barr] cannot win the election, he certainly can impact the election," and we need that right now if nothing else.

If I did decide to cast my vote in Bob Barr's direction, it would be for the Libertarian Party and not directly for the candidate they've chosen. Has it come down to me voting down the party line again? Sounds gross, but we shall see... I'm sure I'll do some more research between now and then.