Bernie Quigley writes in The Hill:
The most startling statistic to come out this month is the latest Washington Post/ABC poll that shows 43 percent of Americans now consider themselves to be independents.
Much of the celebrity thrill seems to be gone, as Wall Street Journal commentator Fouad Ajami said it would, with the hip new president who gives such charming speeches. Could be that hip is not what you want in a president when the only difference between Cheney’s war in Iraq and Obama’s war in Afghanistan and Bush’s missile defense program and Obama’s is the better cut of the new commander in chief’s suit. On the two main fronts, the economy and the war, majorities oppose, and he has even lost 10 percent of the young’uns since July. Twenty-two-year-olds consider themselves to be immortal. They don’t want health insurance.
Change is about, without question, but Obama himself may only be the harbinger, not the change. We could be approaching not a Kennedy or a Roosevelt or a Lincoln moment, but a Ross Perot moment.
Ross Perot came out of nowhere back in the early 1990s and with a kooky Texas freshness, a crateful of his own cash and a bunch of charts, he took almost 20 percent of the vote in 1992. At one point in the summer he commanded a lead with 39 percent. What the Perot moment indicated was that World War II or Elvis or the Beach Boys or something had freed Americans from their old constraints. But Ronald Reagan really turned the sea. Prior to Reagan you could with accuracy count on good Boston Irish going to the Catholic Church and voting Democrat every time. You could count on New York Jews and Southern Baptists to do the same. But when Reagan took 49 states in 1984, it was all over with that. Americans were free. With 43 percent claiming to be independent today, they apparently still are free.
This week Arianna Huffington, the liberal doyenne, and Ron Paul both appeared on “Morning Joe.” They seemed to like each other and to be in increasing agreement on economic issues. But what was striking was the new legitimacy that Rep. Paul (Texas) has gained since Obama’s bailouts have taken hold. Given the high disapproval ratings on both the economy and the war, it could be said today that the country is moving to Paul’s positions by osmosis. Paul opposed the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He opposed the bailouts. He opposed the entire Keynesian perspective that the Obama administration has adopted lock, stock and barrel. Morning Joe — no radical libertarian — pulled out an old script to read in amazement how the housing crisis had played out exactly as Paul said it would back in 2003. Paul advocates Austrian economics, and as he gathers continuing respect, Austrian economics gains a new authenticity as well.
Sarah Palin and Ron Paul bear kinship. Those who like Paul very often also like Palin. She has said she admired Paul’s independent streak and Paul, like Palin, was considered a pariah when America’s support for Obama was in the 70s and all three networks were head over heels for Obamanomics. But as the sweet and authentic Mary Travis of Peter, Paul and Mary unfortunately passed away this week, I was remembering how the charmed old labor songs that the Weavers used to sing took flight when I was a teenager. Bob Dylan was the pariah then; now he’s everywhere — selling Pepsi and women’s underwear on TV during football games, playing bar mitzvahs. You can’t get rid of the guy.
Such an awakening is ahead again, perhaps, as the old ideas inevitably yield to time. But different times yield to different ideas.
There are maybe subtle hints that the networks seem to be catching on. Charles Gibson, the ABC News anchor, who led the major networks in their idolatrous backing of Obama, is retiring this year. He will be replaced by Diane Sawyer. Comment was that they wanted a woman for the job. But there are certainly lots of other women who could do it. Sawyer goes way back, to Nixon, to Kissinger, to the Time of Tall Men. My instinct was they were making a correction, ditching the lightweights and getting their best people up front for what lies just ahead.
0 responses so far ↓
1 Third Party Revolution // Sep 18, 2009 at 4:32 pm
“Those who like Paul very often also like Palin.”
Not true.
2 Who's Thumbing Who? // Sep 18, 2009 at 4:41 pm
This was at LewRockwell.com today.
Pretty surprising since they tend to emphasize foreign policy heavily and Palin is a hawk.
3 Richard Winger // Sep 18, 2009 at 4:57 pm
If Sarah Palin were really friendly to minor party and independent candidates, she could have spoken out for an inclusive presidential or vice-presidential debate last year. Of course John McCain has sometimes hinted that he is friendly to minor party and independent candidates, and he could have spoken up for inclusive presidential debates also, and he didn’t either. Ironically, the 2008 major contender most friendly to the idea was Hillary Clinton, who said (when asked by Larry Reinsch of Rock the Debates), said in Iowa in 2007 that she would seriously consider the idea if she became the Dem. nominee.
4 Eric Dondero // Sep 18, 2009 at 5:50 pm
Of course Palin has a long extended history with the Libertarian Party going back to her campaigns for Mayor of Wasilla in the 1980s, when two of her top campaign workers were LPers. Then she attended two LP meetings in Anchorage in 2005/06 at the invitation of Rob Clift ALP Sec. And of course, Jason Dowell, LP Chair, endorsed her and campaigned for her in 2006, and in the final days of the election Billy Toien, her LP opponent sent out an email urging all LPers around the State, “Don’t vote for me… Vote for Sarah.”
The Libertarian Party was one of the VERY FIRST groups that Sarah Palin thanked on election night 2006 for her victory, in front of all network TV cameras, all the Anchorage media, and over 1,000 political fans at the downtown Anchorage Egan Center.
Note – the almost complete blackout in the libertarian media of Palin’s ties to the LP. Doesn’t fit the template. So, folks like Richard Winger of Ballot Access News, Welch at Reason, LewRockwell.com, and the Ron Paul sites, just completely ignore the subject and pretend that Palin has not libertarian ties whatsoever.
5 Mik Robertson // Sep 18, 2009 at 5:51 pm
@3 John McCain certainly did nothing to quell the effort to remove Bob Barr from the ballot in Pennsylvania last year, despite my requests. I don’t know if that makes him unfriendly to other candidates or simply a politician.
6 Eric Dondero // Sep 18, 2009 at 5:54 pm
Note also, that Palin was attacked repeatedly in her 2006 GOP primary campaign for note being a “real Republican, but rather a closeted Libertarian.” These came from the Party’s social conservative/Murkowski wing. It stemmed in part from her past remarks in favor of marijuana decriminaliztion. But also from a nasty battle she had with religious conservtive tee tolars in Wasilla many years back.
The social cons tried to push out all taverns and bars out of the Wasilla city limits. Palin said “hell no.”
There was bad blood ever since.
Notice you never hear this talked about by the libertarian media. Doesn’t quite fit the template of Palin as some sort of “religious right conservative.”
7 paulie // Sep 18, 2009 at 5:54 pm
LewRockwell.com was where I found this article linked from today. Forgot to give them an H/T for that.
http://www.lewrockwell.com/spl/ross-perot-moment.html
8 Richard Winger // Sep 18, 2009 at 6:18 pm
The Republican-controlled Alaska legislature made ballot access for minor parties more difficult in 2004. The bill was sponsored by a Republican and signed by a Republican Governor. Sarah Palin wasn’t in the legislature and she wasn’t Governor in 2004, so one can’t blame her for this. But it seems if she had really cared, she might have spoken out against the bill. It jacked up the number of registrations needed for a minor party to be on the ballot by about 30%.
9 libertariangirl // Sep 18, 2009 at 6:22 pm
ED__And of course, Jason Dowell, LP Chair, endorsed her and campaigned for her in 2006, and in the final days of the election Billy Toien, her LP opponent sent out an email urging all LPers around the State, “Don’t vote for me… Vote for Sarah.”
me __ i sincerely hope Billy was never able to run as an LP candidate again , and Dowell should have been removed as Chair immediately.
10 paulie // Sep 18, 2009 at 8:08 pm
http://dailysource.org/palin
doesn’t seem too libertarian to me.
11 Gary // Sep 18, 2009 at 11:00 pm
We need a true middle of the road 3rd party with broad appeal.
Mexico just held their Congressional elections.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_legislative_election,_2009
Because there were multiple parties to choose from the party in 3rd place gained 135 seats while the other two major parties lost seats. If Mexican voters can have choices why not American voters?
12 Citizens For A Better Veterans Home // Sep 19, 2009 at 1:41 am
Fifty choices for Miss America
only two for President …………
Donald Raymond Lake,
I hate Democans and Republicrats!
13 Citizens For A Better Veterans Home // Sep 19, 2009 at 1:42 am
“Those who like Paul very often also like Palin.”
Not true……..
Donald R. Lake
14 Mik Robertson // Sep 19, 2009 at 8:06 am
@11 “If Mexican voters can have choices why not American voters?”
Because the Mexican system is more democratic than the US System.
15 scatterbrain // Sep 19, 2009 at 8:55 am
With all this sudden talk of Ron Paul again, I couldn’t resist drawing a certain little one-panel comic at my new web-blog-comic-thingy at deliriouscomics.blogspot.com
16 Eric Dondero // Sep 19, 2009 at 9:27 am
Hey Libertarin Girl, excuse me for not being more clear in my post. I should’ve been more complete.
Zach Jones who was the Libertarian Party’s Treasurer at the time also endorsed Sarah Palin for Governor, as did their one remaining LP Exec. Comm. member who was fighting in Iraq at the time (by email).
Rob Clift, who is by all accounts “Mr Libertarian Party of Alaska,” as he is the most stable and longstanding member in Anchorage of all, also the Host of the Weekly Libertarian Supper Club meeting at the Denny’s on North Star, also backed Palin. Rob serves as LPA Secretary. In fact, Rob is the very guy who had invited her to speak twice to the LP Supper Club in 2005/06.
And Rob’s wife was an even bigger enthusiastic Palin supporter.
So, you had the entire leadership of the Libertarian Party of Alaska backing her candidacy.
Note – Kohlhaas was estranged from the LP at the time having had a big pissy fit with Dowell.
I should note that there was one single LP member in the leadership who didn’t like Palin, and expressed his strong opposition to her, and the LP endorsing her: Alex “Keane” Crawford.
You all remember Keane, right? He’s the one that made the news last year all over Alaska for having murdered his girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend in a convenience store parking lot.
Last I heard he was in the Penn for 20 to Life.
17 Eric Dondero // Sep 19, 2009 at 9:30 am
Hey Libertarian Girl, perhaps this explains why you haven’t been too successful in politics.
Let’s see now, if I understand you correctly, you’re philosophy of winning elections, is if a mainstream politician reaches out to Libertarians, than you should respond by kicking that mainstream politician in the teeth and calling her all sorts of names.
I get it now. Thank you so much for clearing that up.
18 Tom Blanton // Sep 19, 2009 at 9:47 am
Yeah, that sounds like a plan. When a mainstream GOP politician seeks backing by libertarians, give it to them. That’s a sure-fire way to get LP candidates elected and give libertarians a voice.
It doesn’t seem to work too well for actual Republican voters as their leaders ignore them, but it works for libertarians, right Dondero?
Another tip for success would be to advocate perpetual war against all of Israel’s enemies and then sit back and watch the checks come in from war profiteers. After all, it takes huge amounts of cash to win elections.
19 libertariangirl // Sep 19, 2009 at 9:55 am
I think if you want to personally support another candidate , thats fine . I myself went to several RP events. But being the Chair of a affiliate or a candidate for our party carries special duties.
I stopped short of registering as a Republican to vote for RP in the GOP primary. Why? not because I dont LOVE RP but because im an officer at my county and state LP. Thats means I am beholden to the LP in my actions and words. ecsp so potential LPers dont see an officer taking their party so lightly that they dismiss it for another. I wouldnt take a Party seriously that did that.
incidentally , its why I supported Barr even though I wasnt thrilled.why? because Im an officer with the LP and thats who the delegates nominated and who I campaigned for . this isnt the Debratarian party , or the support-a-republican-cuz they can win party. Its the Libertarian Party.
The chair of an affiliate or the affiliate should NEVER endorse a candidate from another Party thats in the bylaws (supposed to be).
and to be a candidate and tell LPers to vote for your opponent , thats also unforgivable . why even run , just drop out the race and support the other person.
but if you take on the role of being an LP candixate , you owe it to the LP to do the best you can for the LP.
the LP is NOT a supporting role for the Republican party or its candidates.
if theres a really good republican in the race then perhaps not run a candidate at all would be an acceptable road , or support that candidate not in an official LP capacity is also fine ( I did it for Bob Beers ) . Also I did tell folks to vote for Beers , but never on a stage at an LP event , never in an excomm or email blast to LP members and never in a mailing or on our party website.Only , in word of mouth when discussing with people who to vote for . AND NEVER WHEN THERES A LP CANDIDATE IN THE RACE .duh.
20 libertariangirl // Sep 19, 2009 at 10:02 am
I hope , at the very least , there was not an LP candidate in Palins race. that would be even worse.
21 libertariangirl // Sep 19, 2009 at 10:07 am
incidentally , against objections from several LP excomm members , I refused to run against Bob Beers in a State Senate race.
I was the only one in the district able to do it , and most of my team really wanted it.
Me , I know Beers is the most libertarian Republican in my state. despite a few reasons hardcore libertarians didnt like him , I refused to run and trust me folks were pissed.
However , he is awesome is most areas , and i wouldnt have wanted to take even 1 vote from him, even as a paper candidate.
I would never have run and then told people to vote for him . thats stupid.
22 LibertarianBlue // Sep 19, 2009 at 10:14 am
How can one be libertarian and yet endorse the neoconservative/liberal hawk foreign policy?
23 paulie // Sep 19, 2009 at 10:26 am
I hope , at the very least , there was not an LP candidate in Palins race. that would be even worse.
Apparently there was. See comment 4, first paragraph.
24 libertariangirl // Sep 19, 2009 at 10:45 am
short term memory non-existent.
25 paulie // Sep 19, 2009 at 11:55 am
lol
26 libertariangirl // Sep 19, 2009 at 12:51 pm
why does Dondero never respond when someone makes a good counter argument.
27 Mik Robertson // Sep 19, 2009 at 1:50 pm
It is Eric Dondero’s job to get Libertarians to support Republican candidates, not argue with people.
28 David Blake // Sep 20, 2009 at 9:42 pm
I think with Ron Paul’s experience and Palin’s following we will have a good shot at winning this next election as long as we don’t get too excited and start chasing people and throwing snowballs we will have a chance. As a conservative christian right winged European American(White person) I will support this from now until election day with time and money.Where do I sign up?
29 Big Tent Bozo // Sep 20, 2009 at 9:47 pm
lp.org or davidduke.com
Either one should work equally well.
30 AnarchoMcCarthyist // Sep 21, 2009 at 4:43 pm
Nah, we don’t want all those Pat Buchanan/David Duke/Sarah Plain/Ross Perot voters in the Libertarian Party. Let’s keep the party small, pure and anarchist!
31 Ayn R. Key // Sep 22, 2009 at 3:57 pm
Ron Paul is a libertarian. Sarah Palin is an empty suit who spouts the neocon platitudes of the Republican Party leadership in spite of a libertarian leaning heart. Eric Dondero is a neoconservative who calls himself a libertarian in spite of all the ample evidence to the contrary.
32 Who's Thumbing Who? // Sep 22, 2009 at 3:59 pm
http://www.ballot-access.org/2009/09/22/ross-perot-in-the-news-again/
Ross Perot in the News Again
September 22nd, 2009
Dell Incorporated, maker of computers, has offered to buy Perot Systems Corporation for $30 per share. Ross Perot and his family are selling the company that he founded after his first company was bought by General Motors in 1988. See this story. According to other stories, it is estimated that Ross Perot Sr. was already worth $5 billion, and his son Ross Jr. was already worth $2 billion, and the sale will add $1 billion to Perot family wealth.
33 paulie // Sep 22, 2009 at 4:04 pm
@ Ayn R. Key
Please cross/post at NFV…I’ve been too busy here to do anything with it, and I’m about to go on the road again – not sure if I’ll have internet at the next spot.
34 Groucho // Sep 23, 2009 at 10:32 am
Eric Dondero… any citations for the information you’re mentioning. Palin doesnt seem like a person with strong Libertarian leanings but she does she seem like she’s jumping on the bandwagon.
35 John // Oct 14, 2009 at 11:28 pm
Ron Paul is the real deal. Palin doesn’t even have a fundamental understanding of government.
36 JAMES FALLON // Oct 25, 2009 at 12:26 am
Independent candidate JOHN PISTONE will
win the 5th congressional district of Connecticut
Putting progress ahead of party politics!
JOHN PISTONE
REPRESENTING THE PEOPLE.
“” NOT THE PARTY “
37 Don Lake, late at night // Oct 25, 2009 at 1:57 am
Ronald Paul, MD, has had thousands of clients and he claims that not one has ever needed an abortion.
I have had one and only one spouse. One out of one for ‘don’t you dare get pregnant again —– it could kill you!’ Zero out of 15K for Doctor Paul, One out one for me.
Paul as the ‘real deal’ in the real world ?????? I don’t think so ……..
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