Libertarians Realizing Rand Paul Is Not One of Them

Modbert

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Sep 2, 2008
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Found this article after what Paulie said. Very interesting.

Libertarians Realizing Rand Paul Is Not One of Them SpeakEasy

Rand Paul’s position on the Life at Conception Act. As Ari Armstrong notes on his Free Colorado blog, Paul’s anti-abortion stance, unlike his father’s, goes beyond overturning Roe v. Wade and letting the states decide the issue. The younger Paul, who describes himself as “100% pro life,” says “abortion is taking the life of an innocent human being,” “life begins at conception,” and “it is the duty of our government to protect this life.” Toward that end, he supports “any and all legislation that would end abortion or lead us in the direction of ending abortion,” including “a Human Life Amendment and a Life at Conception Act as federal solutions to the abortion issue.”

Anyway, Rand himself has conceded that he’s no doctrinaire libertarian, according to Time:

Pure libertarians, he says, believe the market should dictate policy on nearly everything from the environment to health care. Paul has lately said he would not leave abortion to the states, he doesn’t believe in legalizing drugs like marijuana and cocaine, he’d support federal drug laws, he’d vote to support Kentucky’s coal interests and he’d be tough on national security.

“They thought all along that they could call me a libertarian and hang that label around my neck like an albatross, but I’m not a libertarian,” Paul says...

And Sullum notes that the LP isn’t pleased that Rand is becoming the poster boy for its ideology as far as the media is concerned.

Libertarian Party Vice Chairman Joshua Koch cites Paul’s support for a federal abortion ban, along with his opposition to gay marriage and his refusal to call for withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, as grounds for running a candidate against him this fall, which he says the party is considering. “We’re not going to let Rand determine what a Libertarian stands for,” Koch, an erstwhile Paul supporter, told The Washington Post. “I’m here to say Rand does not have the Libertarian ideology.”

:eusa_whistle:
 
Abortion is pretty hotly debated within the ranks of the LP.

Anyone who says that party members are of one mind on that or any other issue don't know jack about the LP.

Not just Abortion though. It's also the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that's he not Libertarian on. He also supports the War on Drugs and a federal amendment to ban Abortion on top of that.
 
He's wrong for his reasons in saying Rand isn't a libertarian, but he wasn't wrong in saying that Rand isn't a libertarian.

You don't think his stance on the wars make him not a Libertarian?

The reason the Vice-Chair said what he said was because of the controversy made out of Rand's comments on the Civil Rights Act, where Rand took the libertarian position. Rand's stance on foreign policy is where he gets in trouble with libertarianism.
 
The reason the Vice-Chair said what he said was because of the controversy made out of Rand's comments on the Civil Rights Act, where Rand took the libertarian position. Rand's stance on foreign policy is where he gets in trouble with libertarianism.

And trying to make a federal amendment against abortion. And wanting to keep the War on Drugs going. And yeah...
 
The reason the Vice-Chair said what he said was because of the controversy made out of Rand's comments on the Civil Rights Act, where Rand took the libertarian position. Rand's stance on foreign policy is where he gets in trouble with libertarianism.

And trying to make a federal amendment against abortion. And wanting to keep the War on Drugs going. And yeah...

Right. But as I said, the LP of Kentucky has come out and said they will not be running a candidate against Rand and doesn't endorse the comments made by Koch.
 
Right. But as I said, the LP of Kentucky has come out and said they will not be running a candidate against Rand and doesn't endorse the comments made by Koch.

Like I said before. They don't want to offend Papa Paul. Especially since so many in the LP seem to hold out hope he'll run as one of them in 2012.
 
Right. But as I said, the LP of Kentucky has come out and said they will not be running a candidate against Rand and doesn't endorse the comments made by Koch.

Like I said before. They don't want to offend Papa Paul. Especially since so many in the LP seem to hold out hope he'll run as one of them in 2012.

I doubt the LP cares about "offending" Ron Paul, as they know better than to think he'll ever run as a Libertarian again.
 
I doubt the LP cares about "offending" Ron Paul, as they know better than to think he'll ever run as a Libertarian again.

Either way, shows one of the reasons why I find trouble with the Libertarian Party. Though in my state, the Libertarian Party is run by Republicans who run for office as Republicans.
 
I doubt the LP cares about "offending" Ron Paul, as they know better than to think he'll ever run as a Libertarian again.

Either way, shows one of the reasons why I find trouble with the Libertarian Party. Though in my state, the Libertarian Party is run by Republicans who run for office as Republicans.

I'm not the biggest fan of the Libertarian Party myself.
 
He's wrong for his reasons in saying Rand isn't a libertarian, but he wasn't wrong in saying that Rand isn't a libertarian.

You don't think his stance on the wars make him not a Libertarian?

The reason the Vice-Chair said what he said was because of the controversy made out of Rand's comments on the Civil Rights Act, where Rand took the libertarian position. Rand's stance on foreign policy is where he gets in trouble with libertarianism.

the one place he's correct is on iraq and afghanistan.

but anyone who thinks government should impose itself on a woman's reproductive choice IS NOT A LIBERTARIAN.
 
I doubt the LP cares about "offending" Ron Paul, as they know better than to think he'll ever run as a Libertarian again.

Either way, shows one of the reasons why I find trouble with the Libertarian Party. Though in my state, the Libertarian Party is run by Republicans who run for office as Republicans.

I'm not the biggest fan of the Libertarian Party myself.

how do you think your views differ from the libertarian party?
 
You don't think his stance on the wars make him not a Libertarian?

The reason the Vice-Chair said what he said was because of the controversy made out of Rand's comments on the Civil Rights Act, where Rand took the libertarian position. Rand's stance on foreign policy is where he gets in trouble with libertarianism.

the one place he's correct is on iraq and afghanistan.

but anyone who thinks government should impose itself on a woman's reproductive choice IS NOT A LIBERTARIAN.

That's false, of course. There are pro-choice and pro-life libertarians. It's an issue that divides even libertarians.
 
Either way, shows one of the reasons why I find trouble with the Libertarian Party. Though in my state, the Libertarian Party is run by Republicans who run for office as Republicans.

I'm not the biggest fan of the Libertarian Party myself.

how do you think your views differ from the libertarian party?

I didn't necessarily say that my views differ from the Libertarian Party, though obviously they differ with the Vice-Chair of the Kentucky LP in regards to property rights. The Libertarian Party claims to be the party of principle, but their only principle these days is attempting to win elections. They're willing to sacrifice principle to try to gain acceptance in the mainstream, but yet they still don't win elections so they basically sacrifice their "principles" for nothing.

And I really don't like political parties in general, as I think they trick us into choosing a team rather than focusing on the issues.
 
Found this article after what Paulie said. Very interesting.

Libertarians Realizing Rand Paul Is Not One of Them SpeakEasy

Rand Paul’s position on the Life at Conception Act. As Ari Armstrong notes on his Free Colorado blog, Paul’s anti-abortion stance, unlike his father’s, goes beyond overturning Roe v. Wade and letting the states decide the issue. The younger Paul, who describes himself as “100% pro life,” says “abortion is taking the life of an innocent human being,” “life begins at conception,” and “it is the duty of our government to protect this life.” Toward that end, he supports “any and all legislation that would end abortion or lead us in the direction of ending abortion,” including “a Human Life Amendment and a Life at Conception Act as federal solutions to the abortion issue.”

Anyway, Rand himself has conceded that he’s no doctrinaire libertarian, according to Time:

Pure libertarians, he says, believe the market should dictate policy on nearly everything from the environment to health care. Paul has lately said he would not leave abortion to the states, he doesn’t believe in legalizing drugs like marijuana and cocaine, he’d support federal drug laws, he’d vote to support Kentucky’s coal interests and he’d be tough on national security.

“They thought all along that they could call me a libertarian and hang that label around my neck like an albatross, but I’m not a libertarian,” Paul says...

And Sullum notes that the LP isn’t pleased that Rand is becoming the poster boy for its ideology as far as the media is concerned.

Libertarian Party Vice Chairman Joshua Koch cites Paul’s support for a federal abortion ban, along with his opposition to gay marriage and his refusal to call for withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, as grounds for running a candidate against him this fall, which he says the party is considering. “We’re not going to let Rand determine what a Libertarian stands for,” Koch, an erstwhile Paul supporter, told The Washington Post. “I’m here to say Rand does not have the Libertarian ideology.”

:eusa_whistle:

Thanks for yet another "centrist" thread .......
 

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