LibertarianLegend said:
lotstodo said:
Johnson's stand on personal liberty is far different from either of the other two candidates. His record on small government across the board is way better than either Barry or Mittens. It isn't even a contest, but that isn't the contest that will decide the future of our government. He simply isn't going to win, influence the platform of any party or institution that holds any power in Washington, or influence popular thought in the nation about civil liberties. The contest that will count will be between Romney and Obama. I would do just as well voting for myself, a man with whom I fully agree, as voting for Johnson. The result on November 6 would be exactly the same. I've tilted at a few windmills in my day, but this is one that I'll ride by in favor of attacking the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, the entity I view as the most immediate enemy of the welfare and liberty of the people.
There is a difference because Johnson is on the ballot in 47 states and actually has enough to win, why don't we try, and shift our attention from Bush 3.0 to someone that'd actually do very well in office and do what the people of our country want??? Why would we want to kiss up to the GOP bullies for the 4th time? We should support Johnson like you're supporting Romney such as getting bumper stickers and putting out yard signs and spreading the word, it would make a HUGE difference. Which do you want? The big black bully taking our liberties away, a multi-billionaire taking liberties away, or someone that's for liberty and has the best economic policy?
I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you. What I "want" is of absolutely no consequence here because what I "want" is not achievable at this point in time. It just isn't. Johnson cannot win, period, end quote. That is a pipe dream. I have statistically the very same chance as Johnson even though I am not on any ballot and he is. I'm old enough that my wants don't hurt me. Now what I "need" is for Obama to leave the Office of President of the United States. I need that desperately. We all do. Obama with more flexibility scares the spit out of me and as a Libertarian, it should you too. I will do the absolute best thing I can possibly do to achieve that need. I will not play the lottery here, I will bet with the house because that is how I will get Barack Obama out of Washington. They say that politics make strange bed fellows for a reason. Sometimes adults have to do things they don't necessarily like to move forward even if that move is not the great leap they wish for. Forward is better than backward even if it is baby steps. Right now baby steps are all that is reasonably achievable.
I sincerely hope that your generation is able to succeed where we failed. I hope that by 2040 there is a strong and vibrant Libertarian party. The unfortunate truth is that there isn't in 2012. Our choices are between Barack Obama, Mitt Romney, or tilting at windmills. If you so choose, tilt away. I certainly can't fault you for it. We all did it. We all admire passion.
In the meantime I would recommend that every young person, no matter their political leanings, study some of the writings on Realpolitik. Henry Kissenger was a master at the art of splitting dogma from policy and achieving what was necessary if not what was the most desirable. His diplomacy with China over Vietnam and later his trade talks with them and Hong Kong were textbook examples, and as a matter of fact he literally wrote the textbook which I believe everyone should read. If nothing else it will help you seperate the want from the need in your own mind. In everything, don't settle for the Wiki version. Learn from the original source even if that means picking up a book or two, or listening to the people who were actually there. There is a lot of misinformation out there along with a lot of opinion masquerading as fact. The internet age is both a blessing and a curse in that you have instant access to suspect information on every subject in the universe.