From the Libertarian Party website:
Click here to hear Krista Kafer, radio host for 710 KNUS in Denver, Colorado, counter her co-host Steve Kelly as she explains why she left the GOP for the Libertarian Party.
Her announcement was also covered on Colorado Public Radio.
Kafer is a columnist for the Denver Post and writes policy statements for think tanks such as the Heritage Foundation and the Goldwater Institute.
“I don’t want to be associated with him. He does not have the same ideology. Flip flops. Very nasty. Insane rantings ” I won’t rule out nuking Europe”. Wants to expand nuclear proliferation. Holds up nat enquirer and info wars as real news. Thin skin and knee jerk reaction. Every white supremacist endorse him.”
Ironically, according to some of the “purist” Libertarians who are otherwise completely no compromise none of the time, and can’t bear deviation from their platform on even one or two issues, that same Donald Trump is less bad than the other Republicans and Democrats, and maybe even worth supporting. The cognitive dissonance is just mind boggling to behold.
Yes, keep making that suggestion every time anyone new shows up. You’ll grow your party and your comment community by leaps and bounds that way.
Another plant/troll/bullshitter?
I am just a regular bread and butter republican, since 1992. I grew to love conservatism as I increased in knowledge. I want our govt to practice the constitution, and restrict itself to what it is supposed to do. You know, a change to current entitlements, lower taxes and less regulations. Getting rid of many govt departments etc.
And when the tea party started I was happy & hopeful. Then watched the leaders attack us, as well as dems and media. It seemed like they didn’t like conservatives. And then it got worse.
Here was ted Cruz. Constitutionalist. Fought for our rights and sovereignty and won. Great flat tax plan . get rid of regulations. Change social sec and medicare for younger people and keep it for those on it or soon to be. Shrink govt. And the RNC did not back him. And horror of horrors- Donald trump, the presumptive nominee.
I don’t want to be associated with him. He does not have the same ideology. Flip flops. Very nasty. Insane rantings ” I won’t rule out nuking Europe”. Wants to expand nuclear proliferation. Holds up nat enquirer and info wars as real news. Thin skin and knee jerk reaction. Every white supremacist endorse him.
So, I am looking for a new home. I read your platform. Agree with most, uncomfortable with some. I like Petersen on pro life and not forcing people to work against their conscience.
So I donated to him.
If RNC actually makes trump nominee I will vote for who ever you elect. And I do like the unbound delegates your party has, not bound.
Will I pay dues and become a full fledge member? I don’t know, this is new to me and feels strange. Will I be here long term? Again I don’t know. But I do agree with the voices that say make the most use of big name pundits to highlight your party and make it grow!
I am sure at least for this election your votes will increase by never trumps. After all, your on ballot in 39 states, and will be in another 10. Plus you are fighting to get on Maine’s.
Suggestion: take great advantage of disenfranchised RNC, and DNC this year.
AMc: media exposure and misunderstanding of the ideology.
me: Well, that’s not giving much credit to prominent left-leaners, is it?
I’d say that they understand perfectly well that Ls want to shrink ALL government, and they don’t agree. Left-leaners in the current context WANT an activist government.
Consider the possibility that it is you who do not understand them.
AMccarrick
If Democrats or progressives/liberals go third party why wouldn’t they go with the Green Party or the Socialist Party? Bread and butter economic issues are the real bottom line on how by far the most people vote so it seems highly unlikely that they would vote Libertarian when they agree with Libertarians even less than with Republicans on economic issues. Granted, a few people consider other issues more important, like marijuana or gay marriage or abortion, but there too the Greens and Socialists are more in line with leftists who want to step outside the two party system. Luckily for the Libertarians, there are a lot of Republicans and Conservatives who are socially liberal but consider the Democrats to be the greater evil, as well as some who are willing to overlook their differences with Libertarians at certain times so as to send a message to the Republican Party to be more serious about cutting taxes, spending and regulation. These are the people the Libertarians need to focus on, and forget trying to convert people who would never go with them even if and when they do ever break with the two party system.
Robert… media exposure and misunderstanding of the ideology. Republicans wrongly believe it’s a conservative ideology (it’s not) and many Democrats believe the same.
I hate to sound negative, but one has got to wonder about some of these Republicans.
Just going by my own anecdotal evidence, which is pretty good considering that i have spoken to thousands of people from all over the country, both in person and online, and i have not spoken to anyone who said that they got into the Libertarian Party or movement because of Bob Barr or Wayne Root.
AMc, sure, it’d be great if left-leaners > Ls. Other than Mike Gravel, I can’t think of any prominent examples.
Why is that?
This doesn’t really help things at all…. This feeds the “oh, they’re just Republicans under another name” crap. I almost feel this is calculated to push left-leaning individuals AWAY from the party when they’re really the ones we need.
Dave,
Who did Bob Barr or Wayne Root recruit into the LP from the Republican Party that stuck around?
I am asking is Andy’s statement factually correct?
Andy, would it be possible for you to be any more negative then your above remarks>
Last week a saw a dog lift his leg and pee on my right rear tire. A few minutes late I
saw a second dog come along and also peed on my right rear tire. As I sat there,
another dog came trotting down the sidewalk.
I didn’t hesitate, I ran out chased the third dog away and then parked my car in the
garage.
Krista Kafer is also an Instructor of Communication at Colorado Christian University School of Humanities and Sciences.
“Gene Berkman
May 15, 2016 at 18:08
Some of these defections will be temporary.”
Like Bob Barr and Wayne Root?
“But we should use the increased visibility this trend gives us to recruit other more long term Libertarians as well.”
Barr and Root did not recruit many if any new libertarians from what I’ve seen.
Some of these defections will be temporary. Some might decide they don’t agree with significant Libertarian policy stands. Others will give up on the LP if it does not make an electoral breakthrough.
But we should use the increased visibility this trend gives us to recruit other more long term Libertarians as well.
I have got to wonder how many of these defections are for real.
She writes policy papers for the Heritage Foundation and she’s a radio talk show host??? Strange, but I’ll take it.