In a recent interview with NewsMax, Mit Romney continues the Republican Party’s effort to ensure that the oppositional energies of the tea party movement are safely diverted into channels conducive to the reproduction of the ruling Democratic-Republican political establishment. Romney is quoted by CNN stating:
“Hopefully Tea Party candidates will run in respective primaries and they will either win or lose. And if they win, they will go into the general. If they lose, they won’t, and they will get behind the more conservative of the two finalists.” . . . “I’m really pleased that the silent majority is silent no longer,” he said, predicting that the movement “will have have an impact on this election.”
Alexander Snitker, the Libertarian candidate for US Senate in Florida, has responded to the former governor in the form of an open letter:
Mr. Romney,I saw you speak on NewsMax about the tea party movement and tea party candidates who are running outside the Republican Party. I do not think you understand the tea party movement, so allow me to educate you.This movement was started because politicians like you failed the American people. The Republican platform seems to be less about protecting the liberty of individual Americans, and more about regaining power at all costs. Regular Americans are turning to tea parties as an alternative to politicians like you, John McCain, Lindsey Graham and Mike Huckabee. Regular Americans are running for public office as third-party candidates, not because of a lust for power, but because of a sense of duty to preserve liberty for ourselves and our posterity.Your focus of late has been to blame Obama for taking us down the wrong path. He may be taking us more quickly, but both the Republicans and Democrats have blazed the trail.As you pointed out, the bailouts (TARP 1) were started under a Republican president. It was the Republicans that delivered one of the greatest blows to the 4th Amendment in the form of the PATRIOT Act. It was Republicans who spent roughly $700-billion on Medicare expansion.You have dismissed the rise of the true Constitutional conservatives (libertarians) in your party. You imply that libertarians just do as they are told, and show up when summoned. You could not be further from the truth. I believe your attempt to marginalize the tea party movement is an extension of the deep concern you have for its implications.Americans are beginning to vote principle before party. Republicans shoulder much of the blame for our problems, and a growing number of Americans no longer trust the GOP to do the right thing.Your party does have some good candidates that should be supported. In races that the best Constitutional conservative is running as a Republican, the people should vote for that candidate. By the same token, in races where the best Constitutional conservative is running as a third-party candidate, the people should vote for a third party. Voting for the lesser of two evils put us in the position we are in today.Sincerely,Alexander SnitkerLibertarian for U.S. Senate, Florida
14 responses so far ↓
1 C James Madison // Mar 12, 2010 at 12:27 pm
Straight-forward and polite, Mr. Snitker makes a solid rebuttal to Romney’s statement. Kudos!
2 C James Madison // Mar 12, 2010 at 12:30 pm
I have to add that I find it ironic that former Gov. Sarah Palin stated the same idea two weeks ago when she implied that tea-partiers needed to join either the D’s or the R’s and become part of the process. My response: The D’s and R’s have successfully saddled us with a $12.5T debt: why stick with them?
3 LibertarianBlue // Mar 12, 2010 at 1:09 pm
Good response. Kudos
4 Cody Quirk // Mar 12, 2010 at 1:40 pm
I am LDS (Mormon), but there’s NO way I’m supporting Romney in 2012!
5 Straight .......... from Lake // Mar 12, 2010 at 2:13 pm
Cody Quirk // Mar 12, 2010 :
“I am LDS (Mormon), but there’s NO way I’m supporting Romney in 2012!”
I would have guessed other wise, and glad that I am wrong! My respect for you has gone up sooooooooo much!
6 C James Madison // Mar 12, 2010 at 2:45 pm
Cody: best wishes on your campaign. It appears that the IAP understands the need to win from the bottom up. Successful 2010 and 2012 campaigns at these levels will yield re-elctions in 2014 and 2016, followed by victories in higher office in 2018 and 2020. Although that seems like a long time from now, it is closer in time than the Sydney Olympics (2000).
7 JohnAdams // Mar 12, 2010 at 4:02 pm
No, way am I supporting Romney, not after reading this!
http://mittromney2012potus.blogspot.com/
8 NewFederalist // Mar 12, 2010 at 4:43 pm
I hope Romney is the GOP nominee in 2012. Obama will beat him but the Republicans should control at least one house of Congress and gridlock results. In the absence of a viable third party alternative it is the best we can hope for.
9 donlake@ymail.com // Mar 12, 2010 at 4:53 pm
…….. in 2012, Obama [my Yokohoma Momma] will beat him ……….
as in 2008, my emotions are under whelmed!
10 donlake@ymail.com // Mar 12, 2010 at 5:01 pm
For Your Information:
JILL FOR [MASS] GOVERNOR!
Dear friends and supporters,
Our campaign for change is really taking off! In the past week we’ve traveled across the Commonwealth meeting with community groups and concerned citizens who are leading the way to a healthy, just, green future.
I had the honor of talking with two dozen directors of human service organizations who are providing indispensable services to thousands of the Commonwealth’s most vulnerable residents, but are seeing their support cut year after year. We discussed how we can preserve essential programs by redirecting our tax dollars from wasteful, misguided sweetheart deals to programs that truly serve our needs.
Jill talking with one of the seniors whom the Greenfield bus drivers are prohibited from helping onto the bus Jill talking with voters at the rally in support of the Greenfield bus drivers In Boston, I was the only gubernatorial candidate to join students and teachers at a statehouse rally calling for urgently needed state support for our imperiled institutions of higher education.
11 Cody Quirk // Mar 12, 2010 at 7:33 pm
I would have guessed other wise, and glad that I am wrong! My respect for you has gone up sooooooooo much!
=Thanks. As much as I like the idea of a Latter-Day Saint in the Whitehouse; Romney is a poor choice for LDS voters.
12 Cody Quirk // Mar 12, 2010 at 7:37 pm
Thanks C. Madison-
That’s the ONLY way for third parties to succeed in politics; start at the bottom and work your way up to the top. The LP is already mastered that, and now the western state affiliates of the CP are getting there too.
I know my chances of getting elected are poor- Since I found out that a Democrat will be running in my District, yet I’m doing this for Principle and to also promote the IAP.
13 Perot, Perot, Nader, Nader, Nader // Mar 12, 2010 at 8:31 pm
“the ONLY way for third parties to succeed in politics; start at the bottom and work your way up to the top. The LP is already mastered that ……….”
Lake: but primarily having suffered less than other groups, no one but ‘true independents’ [Decline To State] has blossomed and grown!
While West Coast LP is not splintered like California Bible Beaters or Deform Party of California, it is a holding action not expansion!
14 More Perot, Perot, Nader, Nader, Nader // Mar 12, 2010 at 8:50 pm
For Your Information
SUSPECT INDEPENDENT GROUP
March 28th Phon-A-Thon
How did we build this movement over 20 years to have this impact? We built it from the bottom up, brick by brick, conversation by conversation.
Come be part of that this Sunday March 28th in San Francisco at 3:30 pm. We’re calling independent voters to talk to them about the open primary and the independent movement.
Independently yours,
Jason Olson
IndependentVoice.Org
via Donald Raymond Lake
and
Citizens For A Better Veterans Home
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