A recent debate over at We Op-Ed prompted me and the Monkey to reinvigorate our “Who Should I Vote For?” (sic) series and take a look at Bob Barr and the Libertarian Party as possible choices in this year’s Presidential Election.

But first, a note of disclosure. I used to identify myself as a Libertarian, but have since leaned Democratic mostly because of my belief that the free market hasn’t been the best protector of the environment thus far. The current “greenwashing” of America may be evidence of that beginning to change, however, and after reviewing the Libertarian Platform in preparation for writing this blog post, I may end up drifting back towards that party in the coming years, provided some good candidates step up.

True Democracy?

This election year, despite the claims of many, is basically like every other. We will be presented with two main choices, neither of whom adequately lives up to all of our expectations. These two choices will occupy 99% of the airtime, blogosphere, and printed media, promulgating the collective illusion that they are the only two viable choices we voters actually have, when in reality there are a multitude of “third party” candidates available to us come November 4th. (Even that moniker – “third party” is skewed towards the status quo, as there are more than three major parties in the country to consider).

If we realized that more options were available to us we would realize that we hold even more power over the major Parties’ candidates. For example, if Obama were truly worried about his Democratic base migrating over to the Green Party, he would be reluctant to present himself as more centrist. Likewise, if McCain were actually concerned about losing conservatives to the Libertarian Party, he might loosen up his hawkish stance on Iraq or his support of President Bush’s countless repudiations of our civil liberties.

How to Abolish The Two Party System

The most simple and effective way to abolish the current disfunctional, corrupt, and anti-democratic system is for powerful, charismatic, qualified candidates to step forward in each of the “major” third parties like the Green Party, the Libertarian Party, or the Constitution Party, or as Independents. But the unfortunate reality is these parties don’t attract charismatic candidates and will never gain much ground against the big two until they do.

One of my fundamental mantras of politics is that people like to vote for people they like. That’s why John Kerry lost in 2004 and why McCain will most assuredly lose in 2008. Americans have an image of the President in their minds when they cast the ballot. They want someone who lines up with their values, for sure, but ultimately they want someone they can be proud of, someone they can look up to, someone they will want to follow.

Bob Barr, this year’s Libertarian candidate, won’t garner more than 4% of the popular vote. He may siphon some votes from McCain, perhaps by design, but clearly he doesn’t stand a chance in hell in being marginally competitive.

Which begs the question: what is a third party candidate’s intention when he or she enters the race? Is it to actually win? Is it to play spoiler? Or is it to simply get one’s platform noticed and respected? Perhaps the last two strategies are effective on the fringes of the political landscape, but wouldn’t it be interesting if the first strategy (to actually win) were a distinct possibility? How would that shape the race of the major candidates? How would that empower voters to know that it is they who hold the keys to the political machine, not big money and the Old Boy system.

My theory is that Barr is on the stage to create some press for himself. He is hardly a prototypical Libertarian and that he won his Party’s support at the Libertarian Convention says very little about the integrity of the Party itself, that they would nominate a person with his voting record. So without further ado, let’s learn a little more about former Republican Representative Bob Barr.

Bob Barr’s Early Life

(Note: I obtained most of Barr’s biographical information from Wikipedia.)

It’s interesting to note that Barr spent his childhood travelling around the world as the son of a West Pointer, spending boyhood time in Pakistan, Malaysia, and Iran (of course no one’s accusing him of secretly being a Muslim). He was a briefly a member of the Young Democrats, rallying against the Vietnam War. It wasn’t long before he came to his senses and switched sides, joining the Young Republicans and the Republican Party, where he remained until the year 2004.

Bob Barr’s Congressional Career

Barr’s Congressional record is hardly the pedigree of a Libertarian. He entered the House in 1994, along with 72 other Republicans as one of Newt Gingrich’s foot soldiers in the “Republican Revolution.” While in Congress he voted for and supported the following policies and positions:

1) The War on Drugs. Not only was he a big supporter of spending billions to fight against illegal drugs, he was also a vociferous opponent of Medical Marijuana laws, even authoring an eponymous Amendment, which among other things prohibited future laws that might lessen penalties for Marijuana related offeneses. Verdict: As Libertarians believe strongly that individuals should be able to make their own choices as long as they do not endanger others or the property of others, they do not support criminalizing substances like marijuana. Un-Libertarian.

2) Same Sex Marriage. Barr co-authored the Defense of Marriage Act, which prohibits the Federal Government from recognizing same sex marriages. Verdict: Again, Libertarians do not support the Federal Government interfering with the rights and privacy of individuals, provided those individuals are not harming others or the property of others. Un-Libertarian.

3) Religious Freedom. He proposed that the Pentagon ban the practice of Wicca, a pagan religion, in the military. Verdict: Again, Un-Libertarian.

4) Clinton Impeachment. For all intents and purposes we have Bob Barr to thank for the Clinton Impeachment. Verdict: Although it is established that Clinton lied and demonstrated qualities unbecoming a President, it seems that a true Libertarian most likely wouldn’t support prosecuting a public official over a personal breach of conduct, unrelated to the duties of his office. Most likely Un-libertarian.

5) The Patriot Act. Voted for it. Verdict: Un-Libertarian.

Bob Barr’s Presidential Candidacy

Since Barr left the Republican Party for the Libertarians, he has since publicly regretted voting for the Patriot Act, has turned 180 degress re: his view of medical marijuana and drug laws, and has apologized for supporting the Defense of Marriage Act. He’s even lobbied in favor of medical marijuana laws and the ACLU. Now, the Monkey and I understand the change of heart, but how’s that for a flip-flop?

It’s also important to note that Mr. Barr favors repealing the 16th Amendment and abolishing the Federal Income Tax. Perhaps due to his former Republican ties, he’s done a decent job of acquiring free television airtime, making the rounds on various talkshows, but generating little more than sideshow interest.

Final Analysis: Even “Third Parties” Are Corrupt

I think this profile of Candidate Barr shows that it seems as though the Libertarians nominated Mr. Barr mostly due to his moderate political fame as opposed to his Libertarian street cred. Perhaps they felt that putting forth a nominee with legitimate political experience (albeit mostly mainstream GOP) might further substantiate the relevancy of the Libertarian Party.

From the Candidate’s perspective, it seems as though this mostly irrelevant bid for the Presidency isn’t much more than a publicity stunt. Now that it is cool to bash Bush and the Republican “brand,” Mr. Barr might be able to capitalize on his inevitably failed candidacy with a book deal or radio show when all is said and done.

So Who Should Vote for Bob Barr?

If you’re a hard-core Libertarian, you’re probably disappointed to see Mr. Barr, with his flimsy LP credentials, at the top of the ticket. But some other groups might have someone to vote for in Mr. Barr:

• If you’re a Libertarian-leaning Independent, he might be the man for you, bucking the two-party system with a platform that certainly offers a clear alternative to either McCain or Obama.
• If you’re a disaffected Republican, you might like Mr. Barr’s GOP background and basically conservative viewpoints.
• If you liked Ron Paul, Barr gives you somebody you can actually vote for on Election Day.
• And if you’re a progressive Constitutionalist, you might also have a thing for Bob, due to his party’s respect for the rights of individuals

Due to his lack of viability, Bob Barr’s candidacy likely won’t do much to tip the election either way. Sure, he might steal some votes from McCain, but Nader and the Greens will likely take a few from Obama to even things out. Me and the Monkey – we’d like to see a charismatic Libertarian step forward at some point and enliven the brand. But perhaps that expectation is oxymoronic, because the “best” Libertarian most likely wouldn’t touch a Government job with a ten-foot pole. How could a card-carrying Libertarian justify drawing a tax-payer funded salary if they don’t believe in Government collecting taxes in the first place?

Nonetheless, check out their principles in their platform – pretty interesting and tangible ideas. In my view, the Libertarian philosophy is very close to how I imagine the Founding Fathers viewed the role of Government: small, unobstrusive, and keeping the peace.

RELATED POSTS:
Who Should I Vote For?
Who Should I Vote For? Part II: John McCain
Who Should I Vote For? Part III: Not Mitt Romney!