Following Senator John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign, and the support of the massive bailouts by Republican members of Congress, the Libertarian Party says it has replaced the GOP as the party of free market advocates.
“The Republican Party no longer represents advocates of capitalism and the free market,” says Libertarian Party Director of Communications Andrew Davis. “The GOP’s mindless support of regulatory economic policy indicates it no longer has any philosophical or pragmatic opposition to government intervention in the marketplace. This abandonment of free market principles makes the Republican Party no more opposed to big government than their Democratic counterparts.”
The Libertarian Party points to Senator John McCain’s lack of opposition to the use of government in solving America’s economic woes. “This was the perfect opportunity to explain to America that government was the problem, and it was not the solution,” says Davis. “However, Senator McCain fervently believed that government had an important regulatory role in the economy, in what appears to be a growing sentiment among ‘conservatives’ in the Republican Party.”
Davis says there are still Republicans and Democrats who truly believe in the principles of capitalism, but says these Congressmen “have been so marginalized by the Party elite in the name of political expediency that they have become a silenced minority.”
The Libertarian Party’s platform states the only proper role of government in the economic realm is to protect property rights, adjudicate disputes, and provide a legal framework in which voluntary trade is protected. It further states that all efforts by government to redistribute wealth, or to control or manage trade, are improper in a free society.
The Libertarian Party blames the current financial crisis in part on government regulations and programs that distorted the housing market and removed the incentives of financial firms to make responsible lending decisions.
“If Americans want a political party that believes in the true meaning of a free market, they must look to the Libertarian Party,” Davis concludes. “The Libertarian Party is the only voice for capitalism in politics today.”
Conservatives in the GOP are absolutely NOT infavor of government intervention of any kind in the economy. Every true conservative I know is fuming about it. That’s where I believe you are misidentifying Republican conservatives.
Where you are correct is that the “moderate-liberal” big dogs in charge have suppressed the conservatives into a powerless–not silent–minority. They were never happy with the McCain nomination, but they couldn’t stop it. Many of them were prepared to stay home November 4th until Sarah Palin came along. That was my plan.
I have been posting opinions all year that Republicans need to lose a few rounds so that the elistist leadership will be defeated out of office. The conservatives don’t have the power to get rid of them on their own. This may be the only opportunity available for the true conservatives to rise to the top.
Compare it, if you will, to the notion that the big three auto makers should be allowed to go into chapter 11 rather than being bailed out. They need to get rid of the current management and reorganize. The Republican Party is no different.
Whether or not the Libertarians can step in and fill the void in such a way as to bring the GOP conservatives over to you remains to be demonstrated. You must show yourselves as an effective, prolific, and genuine alternative to retake power and vanquish Democrats in a substantial way from Washington, D.C. If you can do that, I believe the country may be ready to come over to you once and for all.
[...] 27, 2008 by mistercrayfish Libertarians replace GOP as party of freedom “The Republican Party no longer represents advocates of capitalism and the free market,” says [...]