Comments on: Minority Perspectives on Politics http://toddseavey.com/2008/06/14/minority-perspectives-on-politics/ Conservatism for punks. Tue, 07 Sep 2010 11:03:00 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Dr. Awkward http://toddseavey.com/2008/06/14/minority-perspectives-on-politics/comment-page-1/#comment-15151 Dr. Awkward Wed, 18 Jun 2008 00:03:59 +0000 http://toddseavey.com/2008/06/14/minority-perspectives-on-politics/#comment-15151 <i>“If you consider pro-choice (on abortion only) Jon Stewart more libertarian than pro-life Ron Paul, there is probably something wrong with your definition of libertarianism.”</i> I tend to agree. But there's a significant number of people who are genuinely spooked by Ron Paul's virulent anti-immigration stance and his flirtation with conspiracy theories (e.g., North American Union, etc.) <i>I’m increasingly sympathetic to bolting from the GOP (though the aforementioned Paulistas suggest that the proper course is to stay and fight for reform), but whereas staying home or voting Libertarian sends the GOP the message “not good enough by your own stated standards,” giving Obama a landslide will simply send the GOP the message “be more like the Democrats if you want to win,” and that’s the last thing we need.</i> Sadly, libertarians aren't big enough that they can take over even the quickly disappearing Republican Party. Ron Paul's super-energetic base turned into vote totals of something like 5%-8%. And that was 100% of the committed anti-war Republicans! I'm sorry, but this party has to go. How do we keep Obama from turning into Hugo Chavez? (I would say Robert Mugabe, but some fart-knocker would undoubtedly think I'm being racial. I'm anti-red but pro-Black!) We can encourage him to spend his political capital on things like criminal justice reform. In order to get the money he needs to do the stuff he wants, he's going to have to trim the currently un-progressive expenditures. So: BHO will almost certainly end the Iraq War, thus saving $120 billion per year. Good! Maybe we can push him towards eliminating farm subsidies, the drug war? Maybe we can get him to sell off the 90% of Nevada that's held by the federal government? What if we struck a(n implicit) deal: we'll think of things for you to cut and we won't oppose it when you hike a little spending for poor/disenfranchised inner city minority clients? For instance: privatize the goddamn post-office already and start pilot programs for universal pre-K (not Head Start, goddammit) in the South Bronx or whatever. Eliminate the corn subsidy and subsidize brocolli purchases. i really don't give a f*ck--so long as the deficit gets smaller, free trade is more-or-less protected, and the he doesn't impose crippling taxes or suffocating regulation “If you consider pro-choice (on abortion only) Jon Stewart more libertarian than pro-life Ron Paul, there is probably something wrong with your definition of libertarianism.”

I tend to agree. But there’s a significant number of people who are genuinely spooked by Ron Paul’s virulent anti-immigration stance and his flirtation with conspiracy theories (e.g., North American Union, etc.)

I’m increasingly sympathetic to bolting from the GOP (though the aforementioned Paulistas suggest that the proper course is to stay and fight for reform), but whereas staying home or voting Libertarian sends the GOP the message “not good enough by your own stated standards,” giving Obama a landslide will simply send the GOP the message “be more like the Democrats if you want to win,” and that’s the last thing we need.

Sadly, libertarians aren’t big enough that they can take over even the quickly disappearing Republican Party. Ron Paul’s super-energetic base turned into vote totals of something like 5%-8%. And that was 100% of the committed anti-war Republicans! I’m sorry, but this party has to go.

How do we keep Obama from turning into Hugo Chavez? (I would say Robert Mugabe, but some fart-knocker would undoubtedly think I’m being racial. I’m anti-red but pro-Black!)

We can encourage him to spend his political capital on things like criminal justice reform. In order to get the money he needs to do the stuff he wants, he’s going to have to trim the currently un-progressive expenditures. So: BHO will almost certainly end the Iraq War, thus saving $120 billion per year. Good! Maybe we can push him towards eliminating farm subsidies, the drug war? Maybe we can get him to sell off the 90% of Nevada that’s held by the federal government? What if we struck a(n implicit) deal: we’ll think of things for you to cut and we won’t oppose it when you hike a little spending for poor/disenfranchised inner city minority clients? For instance: privatize the goddamn post-office already and start pilot programs for universal pre-K (not Head Start, goddammit) in the South Bronx or whatever. Eliminate the corn subsidy and subsidize brocolli purchases. i really don’t give a f*ck–so long as the deficit gets smaller, free trade is more-or-less protected, and the he doesn’t impose crippling taxes or suffocating regulation

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