Comments on: If A Tree Falls … http://tcextra.com/terrycowgill/2008/03/26/if-a-tree-falls/ What's Going On Here? Mon, 08 Sep 2008 16:50:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: Terry http://tcextra.com/terrycowgill/2008/03/26/if-a-tree-falls/#comment-242331 Terry Thu, 27 Mar 2008 22:25:15 +0000 http://tcextra.com/terrycowgill/2008/03/26/if-a-tree-falls/#comment-242331 Jim, Looks like Gravel fits in with the Dems about as well as Ron Paul did with the GOP -- square pegs, both. I think you just made a good case for a big-tent Libertarian party that could be viable nationally. There's only one problem: election laws make it difficult for third parties to gain ballot access and also the access to capital afforded by big-party machinery. That, of course, is because elections laws are written by Republicans and Democrats to discourage those who are not ... Republicans and Democrats. What a lousy system! Jim,

Looks like Gravel fits in with the Dems about as well as Ron Paul did with the GOP — square pegs, both.

I think you just made a good case for a big-tent Libertarian party that could be viable nationally.

There’s only one problem: election laws make it difficult for third parties to gain ballot access and also the access to capital afforded by big-party machinery.

That, of course, is because elections laws are written by Republicans and Democrats to discourage those who are not … Republicans and Democrats. What a lousy system!

]]> By: Jim http://tcextra.com/terrycowgill/2008/03/26/if-a-tree-falls/#comment-242298 Jim Thu, 27 Mar 2008 22:02:46 +0000 http://tcextra.com/terrycowgill/2008/03/26/if-a-tree-falls/#comment-242298 Gravel is actually not a bad fit for the libertarians. He's ideologically much closer to the Georgists and left libertarians than the Randians or the von Mises school, but not so much that he couldn't get along with the latter pretty well. His direct democracy initiative, anti-interventionist stance, opposition to the war on drugs and single tax proposal make him right at home with them, across the libertarian spectrum. On single payer health care, he's very narrowly socialist. Vouchers for that are similar to the Georgist's social welfare plan: the citizen's dividend. As for free markets, most libertarians are strongly opposed to corporate welfare of any kind, including limited liability for torts. I'm not sure where Gravel stands on that. His issues page doesn't cover it. But given his other positions, especially his loathing of the military industrial complex, I think he'd be able to at least talk to the market anarchist faction. He's been treated shabbily by the Democrats. The Libertarian Party <a href="http://www.lp.org/media/article_573.shtml" rel="nofollow">seems happy to have him</a>. So good for him and good for them too. Gravel is actually not a bad fit for the libertarians. He’s ideologically much closer to the Georgists and left libertarians than the Randians or the von Mises school, but not so much that he couldn’t get along with the latter pretty well. His direct democracy initiative, anti-interventionist stance, opposition to the war on drugs and single tax proposal make him right at home with them, across the libertarian spectrum. On single payer health care, he’s very narrowly socialist. Vouchers for that are similar to the Georgist’s social welfare plan: the citizen’s dividend.

As for free markets, most libertarians are strongly opposed to corporate welfare of any kind, including limited liability for torts. I’m not sure where Gravel stands on that. His issues page doesn’t cover it. But given his other positions, especially his loathing of the military industrial complex, I think he’d be able to at least talk to the market anarchist faction.

He’s been treated shabbily by the Democrats. The Libertarian Party seems happy to have him. So good for him and good for them too.

]]> By: Terry http://tcextra.com/terrycowgill/2008/03/26/if-a-tree-falls/#comment-241472 Terry Thu, 27 Mar 2008 03:17:21 +0000 http://tcextra.com/terrycowgill/2008/03/26/if-a-tree-falls/#comment-241472 Hmm ... why do you resort to name calling and insults? Perhaps you could explain to me how single-payer healthcare and public funding of political campaigns are consistent with Libertarian principles. I like some of Gravel's positions but many of them could hardly be described as Libertarian. Hmm … why do you resort to name calling and insults?

Perhaps you could explain to me how single-payer healthcare and public funding of political campaigns are consistent with Libertarian principles. I like some of Gravel’s positions but many of them could hardly be described as Libertarian.

]]> By: Joseph Marzullo http://tcextra.com/terrycowgill/2008/03/26/if-a-tree-falls/#comment-241443 Joseph Marzullo Thu, 27 Mar 2008 02:26:48 +0000 http://tcextra.com/terrycowgill/2008/03/26/if-a-tree-falls/#comment-241443 Your socialism doesn't work. here's a big difference between free enterprise and corporatism that is perpetrated by favorable government regulations. I suggest you do more research. You're a fool. Your socialism doesn’t work. here’s a big difference between free enterprise and corporatism that is perpetrated by favorable government regulations.

I suggest you do more research. You’re a fool.

]]> By: Terry http://tcextra.com/terrycowgill/2008/03/26/if-a-tree-falls/#comment-241009 Terry Wed, 26 Mar 2008 19:17:46 +0000 http://tcextra.com/terrycowgill/2008/03/26/if-a-tree-falls/#comment-241009 Dick's latest blunder that I can recall was that Hill would lose both Ohio and Texas. In 2004, Dean was going to get the nomination. I think it's just Fox doing the enabling, or have you seen him elsewhere? Dick’s latest blunder that I can recall was that Hill would lose both Ohio and Texas. In 2004, Dean was going to get the nomination. I think it’s just Fox doing the enabling, or have you seen him elsewhere?

]]> By: Jake http://tcextra.com/terrycowgill/2008/03/26/if-a-tree-falls/#comment-240987 Jake Wed, 26 Mar 2008 18:49:52 +0000 http://tcextra.com/terrycowgill/2008/03/26/if-a-tree-falls/#comment-240987 Dick Morris freely admits he's a scum bag (seen him do it several times). So that's not news. The real crime is how often he's been wrong in his predictions on this campaign. After being so right so often back in 2004, I'm not sure he's gotten anything right in this cycle. But he keeps pumping it out like he's an authority. And a certain cable news channel keeps putting him on the air. A couple of enablers, it seems. Dick Morris freely admits he’s a scum bag (seen him do it several times). So that’s not news. The real crime is how often he’s been wrong in his predictions on this campaign. After being so right so often back in 2004, I’m not sure he’s gotten anything right in this cycle. But he keeps pumping it out like he’s an authority. And a certain cable news channel keeps putting him on the air. A couple of enablers, it seems.

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