You can start with yourself, instead of throwing stones in your glass house.

Root opposite Steele in a debate would be fun in a slapstick, pie-throwing kind of way.

Root opposite Kaine, I don’t know about.

Root isn’t even close to being in Dean’s league. A debate between the two would leave a giant smoking crater under the place where Root’s chair had been placed.

Root says that he wants to be LNC Chairman to give him a portfolio to get on stage opposite the DNC’s Howard Dean and the RNC’s Michael Steele.

George Phillies may not be cut out for that. But Ernest Hancock is … perhaps he’s the radicals answer to Root … Phillies could help steer the LNC as Vice-Chairman.

You can start with yourself, instead of throwing stones in your glass house.

I have repeatedly asked for a “libertarian” rationalization for US wars, and been given nothing but rehashed and easily refuted neocon rationalizations). Obviously after all this time, there is NO “libertarian” rationalization for these wars.

While I completely disagree with them, Starchild and Brian Holtz do ground their interventionism in libertarian principles. I just think they misapply them, but their reasons for war are not the same as the neocons’ reasons for war, even if the end result is the same.

Who the hell asked him to join the LP, exactly?

Eric Dondero Rittberg?

I don’t know, Paulie. Doesn’t the LP maintain a speakers bureau of people who are competent to talk on various issues?

Not to my knowledge. Of course, it’s possible that my knowledge on this is lacking.

In fact, the LP ought to have a “shadow cabinet” of experts willing and able to appear on talk shows, etc. that your media coordinator books.

The party used to have one. Tom Knapp has informally revived the idea (http://shadowcabinet.us), but it hasn’t gained a lot of traction.

Well, somebody is clearly all wet.

Root consistently misstates general libertarian principles as well as Libertarian Party principles. And it isn’t only on the war issue (to be fair, I have repeatedly asked for a “libertarian” rationalization for US wars, and been given nothing but rehashed and easily refuted neocon rationalizations). Obviously after all this time, there is NO “libertarian” rationalization for these wars.

And Root was clearly an embarrassment to the LP on Fox with Juan Williams a few months ago. Root COULD have taken the high road, but idiotically referred to Obama as a racist for standing by the victim of out of control police instead of standing by the rogue cop.

If Root wants to be something other than polarizing, he needs to understand what it means to be Libertarian.

Consistently misstating Libertarian principles in the media and then sending out threatening emails when this isn’t appreciated is, well…polarizing, or maybe just all wet.

PEACE

I think it just might not be Wayne.
It’s the same people yelling at their imaginary enemy every time.

Before Wayne, it was me or someone else.
They polarize themselves.
They are the polarizing ones.

Wayne has been calling himself ‘libertarian’ long before anyone asked him to join the LP.

On TV and in print.

Blaming Wayne for polarization in the LP is like blaming the water for making you wet.

The LP already is polarized and has been since the beginning.

The only people who can unpolarize are those who have chosen to be polarized.

Become the unpolarization you want to see, folks.

I know someone who is very good at this and is willing to do so for free, at least for now. What libertarian experts are we trying to get booked to talk about what?

Irrespective of Mr. Root’s views, I find it strange that his appearances are being laughed out because the talk show or whatever is small potatoes. Hey folks, we need to be heard locally by every small show out there in order to grow the party from the grass roots up. And, don’t forget, small town host today may be nationally syndicated host tomorrow who remembers how gracious the LP guest was who came on when only 500 insomniacs were listening.

Well, of course never.

Fox News would never promote a truly antiwar libertarian. Which is why’s Root’s appearances are so destructive to the LP. Root creates the illusion that libertarianism is merely a variation on neocon Republicanism.

No publicity for the LP would be better than bad publicity, which is what Root is.

George Phillies won’t be getting a lot of earned media as Chair, but he’ll be devoting himself nearly full-time to running the party. Meanwhile, other people better at getting earned media will be free to do so, and Phillies will be able to support their efforts with a well-run and effective national office.

The very things that made Root a more effective candidate than Phillies for President — telegenic and energetic personality, ability to get all sorts of earned media — make him somewhat of a joke as a Chair candidate. Honestly, the more I read about it and think about it, it seems to me as if Root isn’t a serious candidate for Chair. The race is likely to be between Mark Hinkle (for the reformers) and George Phillies (for the radicals and a small segment of die-hard Phillies supporters). I think this was a huge tactical error on Root’s part, and he will come to regret this ill-advised Chair run. A much smarter move would have been to install an ally as Chair (Aaron Starr comes to mind) who would be able to help him out in the next Presidential nomination. The way this is going, Root not only won’t have an ally, he’ll have a sworn enemy running the party machinery when 2012 rolls around. Not a smart move.

A Party that labels itself a “Party of Principle” should be held to the same standard that it advertises. Even though I am not a libertarian I wouldn’t be shocked if I scored higher on a Libertarian Ideology Purity Test than a political snake-oil salesman who promotes himself as a “Reagan Libertarian”.

“Oh by the way, how often do you think George Phillies will be invited on Fox News or other media outlets to preach LP sermon.”

George Phillies will not likely ever be invited on Faux News because he doesn’t suck up to the reactionary Reaganistas and Palinistas who constitute the bulk of its audience.

The only attempted purges in the LP in the last two years have been on the LNC, and they’ve been spearheaded by Root’s handler, Aaron Starr, and his allies.