GE

Chris: “From a Libertarian stand point there is not difference between the Ds and the Rs. Ds can get elected, Rs can get elected. Ls? not so much.”

boyreporter: “That is by design. So-called Libertarians really don’t want to win elections, because then they would have to do the heavy lifting of governing and being held accountable…”

Correction for the cub reporter: the “by design” doesn’t refer to the Libertarian Party, or the Constitution Party, or the Green Party. The state’s election laws “by design” set a high bar of entry into the elections process. “By design” both Rs and Ds want to keep it that way.

Flashback: about 8 years ago I happened to join a number of concerned citizens that had an appointment with Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor (D). These were mostly independents and minor party folk who were part of the Voter Choice Coalition to advocate modest changes in the state’s election law. The coalition had gotten enough support in the House to bring the bill to a vote on the floor, in large part due the tireless efforts of Green Party of Georgia Executive Director Hugh Esco. Taylor asked that each person tell him why he or she thought he should support the bill. He heard everything from the facts regarding how bad our laws were compared to the norm across the nation to appeals to fairness and democracy. When they were done, he responded in a very matter-of-fact tone that none of they told him what he needed to hear to get his support. He then told them his responsibility to ensure the Democratic Party’s success in Georgia and if that legislation didn’t favor the the Democrats and help keep them in power then they were wasting his time. He then excused them from his office.

When reflecting on that ill-fated meeting it made sense. The Democrats set this in motion over a century ago to keep the Republicans off the ballot. Why should they do anything to further dilute their power in the state government?

When the Republicans took over in Atlanta, the coalition thought they would have a better chance with the GOP leadership. They soon realized that the Republicans would likewise do nothing to potentially dilute their power by making it easier for Libertarians and Constitutionalists to get on the ballot. At that point the coalition realized that a legislative remedy was impossible and disbanded.

Chris — this is why Libertarians have a hard time getting elected in Georgia. Period. That is why anyone thinking about getting involved in minor party or independent party politics in this state should consider about moving to another state or plan for their efforts to take as long as the Republicans here in Georgia!

If the state law was changed today such that minor party candidates and independents were on a level playing field with the major party candidates then I can assure you that there would be Libertarians, Greens, and Constitutionalists qualifying this month. And if the 2001 special election for House District 17 is any indication (the Constitution Party candidate missed the runoff by seven votes in a race against two Republicans – and that was a result of the state GOP pumping money into the race to promote their candidates) then minor party victories would be not far off in the future.

GE

Never forget, the Democrats will never get us there. The Republicans may not based on the last 8 years, but we are struggling for the same goal.

Maybe I’m missing something, but are you insinuating that in the 2nd most influential political party in the nation…the one that has been around since the mid 1800s, that having roughly one dozen representatives that value individual liberty is something to brag about?

The LP has been around since the 1970s and has only about one dozen less liberty-oriented representatives than your broken party.

7 politicians in the …GOP. How many does LP have?

We had Democrats running government, and for a few years now, we have had RINOs running government. What we haven’t had is conservatives running government.

A conservative Georgia government would identify budget items that are not required by the state Constitution, and target them for elimination or rapid phase-out.

A conservative Georgia government would target criminal laws to be effective, listen to law enforcement, and ensure those laws are within the limits of the US Constitution.

A conservative Georgia government would work to remove PC influences from how the state is governed, and remember who government is here for. For example, there is no anthropogenic global warming, so not one single penny of our taxes shoudl be spent on anything related to that hoax.

A conservative Georgia government would protect individual religious practice from State interference (especially government schools).

A conservative Georgia government would reduce taxes as they reduce spending, and simplify them so government doesn’t tax everything under the sun.

A conservative Georgia government would end any state and local taxes on business, since any tax on business is a pass-through to the public while fooling the public into thinking “we’re going to stick to those wealthy businesses”. It’s like they are picking your pocket with one hand while they are distracting you with the other hand.

A conservative Georgia government would be able to make a convincing case to the (reasonable) public that government is not the answer to your problems – you are and government needs to make sure they are out of your way.

7 Politicians. And half of them only believe in economic liberty.

You sure showed me. Praise be to your HolyGOP™.

And then there is Chip Rogers, Jill Chambers, Steve Davis, David Shafer, Tom Colburn, Jeff Flake, Ron Paul…..

Funny thing about a party with electable candidates. Some turn out good, some turn out bad. At least R’s turn out.

They finally did it.

That bill extends the conservation use exemption to corps and removes the 2000 acre cap.

That bill is a tax increase for every home-owning Georgian who doesn’t have more than 200 acres not already in conservation use.

Taxing 95% of Georgians more to give an exemption to less than 5% is TAX REFORM?????

Amazing.

Of course, they can duck responsibility by “giving the people” the choice.

Republicans are electable, but why in the hell would you want to elect one. Here’s what you get by voting Republican:

Sonny Perdue
George W. Bush
109th Congress
Glenn Richardson
Patriot Act
Warrantless Wiretapping
Record Spending
New Entitlements
Expansion of Government
Higher Taxes
Incompetence

So yes, congratulations, your buddies are “electable”.

That is by design. So-called Libertarians really don’t want to win elections, because then they would have to do the heavy lifting of governing and being held accountable. By holding extreme positions along with valid ones, they in effect opt out, as they have zero possibility of being elected to much of anything (ok, here’s your cue to remind me of the occasional meaningless victory). They still want to be considered savvy, concerned, politically involved folks even as they merely sit in the bleachers and yell insults and throw beer cans at the real teams (both sides) on the playing field.