Mr. IMPEACHMENT himself has left the GOP!!! Bob Barr is now a Libertarian!!!

[in_cog_ni_to]

Ex-Rep. Barr Quits GOP for Libertarians
By BEN EVANS, Associated Press Writer


Former Rep. Bob Barr, R-Ga, testifies before the House ...
WASHINGTON - A former Georgia congressman who helped spark President Clinton's impeachment has quit the Republican Party to become a Libertarian, saying he is disillusioned with the GOP on issues such as spending and privacy.

Bob Barr, who served eight years as a Republican congressman before losing his seat in 2002, announced Friday that he is now a "proud, card-carrying Libertarian." And he encouraged others to join him.

"It's something that's been bothering me for quite some time, the direction in which the party has been going more and more toward big government and disregard toward privacy and civil liberties," said Barr, 58, a lawyer and consultant living in Atlanta. "In terms of where the country needs to be going to get back to our constitutional roots ... I've come to the conclusion that the only way to do that is to work with a party that practices what it preaches, and that is the Libertarian Party."

Barr said he has no plans to run for office. In his new role as the Libertarian Party's regional representative for the South, he will help promote the party's message and recruit candidates, he said.

Barr helped manage the House Republicans' impeachment case before the Senate in 1999.

http://www.comcast.net/news/politics/index.jsp?cat=POLITICS&fn=/2006/12/15/542902.html

[sam sarrha]

1. i dont see how that is much an inprovement.. stupid to Bat Shit Crazy..!!

[in_cog_ni_to]

3. It's NOT an improvement...Libertarians are even WORSE than repukes, IMCPO; however

one less repuke to help the party! This is a good thing for us. Another one bites the dust!

[Warren DeMontague]

18. How are libertarians WORSE than republicans? Seems to me, they're half right.

Sure, they're half wrong- wrong on fiscal policy regarding necessary government/community infrastructure (but not the drug war or the military industrial complex) and wrong on the idea that "freedom" means freedom for corporations to screw the environment... But guess what? The Fiscal agenda and corporate coddling of the GOP couldn't be any worse, and to boot, they're theocratic fascists when it comes to personal, individual freedom.

At least the Libertarians have their heads on straight when it comes to the rights of consenting adults to make their own damn decisions about their bodies, their sex lives, their reproductive systems, etc.

I can't for the life of me fathom how you could think the Libertarians are worse than the Republicans, unless you agree with the GOP that we need more God-centered Daddy State authoritarianism dictating the terms of people's personal lives.

[liberaldemocrat7]

21. Looneytarians

Republican: gunman with a gun in each of his hands ready to shoot you.

Libertarian: A Republican who dropped one of his guns ready to shoot you.


A Republican:a former libertarian who wants to get elected to some significant office and has to pander to more idiots than libertarians do.

[Warren DeMontague]

22. Okay, that's a non-answer if I've ever seen one.

As I stated above, the GOP's agenda when it comes to corporations, the environment, and pulling a Grover Norquist on the decent, safety-net aspects of government are identical to the libertarian agenda. However, unlike the libertarians, the GOP also wants to institute a Christ-based theocracy, criminalize abortion and birth control, and piss our tax dollars away on idiotic wars based on clear, obvious lies.

The Libertarians, for all their faults, at least have come out for personal freedom, respect for the constitution, and the right of consenting adults to make their own damn decisions about their own lives and bodies.

It'd be nice if someone could actually discuss this rationally and intelligently instead of dropping insightful, content-filled posts about how they think all Libertarians are big poopy-heads. Just imagine.

[liberaldemocrat7]

26. You stand up for libertarians. I won't.

I suppose the Libertarian acts less mentally ill than the Republican then.


The Libertarian doesn't want government to help the poor and middle class but wants to eff as many women and smoke as much pot as they can afford

and

the Republican also doesn't want the government to help the poor and the middle class but doesn't want people to have any fun chasing women nor smoking pot.


Both appear trash to me. Well I will say something nice about both Republicans and libertarians. They love their family and friends.

[Warren DeMontague]

27. Well, that's something.

However, this idea that Libertarians are worse than republicans.. I'd like to see a concrete policy example of how that's true.

And I agree with the Libertarians, if consenting adults want to screw or smoke pot, I can't for the fucking life of me fathom why it should be any of the government's business, or why my tax dollars should be employed to stop it. I actually think that if the government would stop pissing away $40 Billion a year (not including costs of incarceration) on a drug war aimed primarily at pot, you could fund a lot MORE help for the poor and middle class. Even moreso if it was legal, regulated, and taxed as liquor is.

If that's "standing up for the Libertarians", I guess I just did that. So sue me.

[tblue37]

28. As a Libertarian spokesman

Barr will help publicize the moral bankruptcy of the Republican Party. He will help make it easier for others toleave the party. Many are Republicans because they hate big government, and the Republican Party has benefited from their numbers.

By dividing the small-government Republicans from the social conservative/religious right wing and the fascist wing of the Republcian Party, such defections help break up the powerful coalition that has helped put Republicans into power.

[katsy]

2. I think it's great news.

And I support barr's decision totally.

Dems in every state should gather signatures for the libertarians.

Anything to splinter the repubics.

Turnabout is fair play.

:evilgrin:


Edited to add: This is someone who really will pull support the pukes. Yea!

[Jackpine Radical]

4. We got the Greens

They got the Libbies. I'm with Katsy. We really oughtta help the Libbies in any way we can, as a means of fracturing the Right.

Anyway, I actually find myself agreeing with the Libbies on a number of issues related to personal freedom--e.g. drug policy, civil rights in general. That said, I think they're nuts on the environment, so-called free-market economics & a bunch of other things, mostly having to do with the imagined rights of the individual (& corporation) to crap where he wants & screw over whoever gets in his way.

[Warren DeMontague]

23. Like I said above: The (Big L) Libertarians are half right. Where they get it wrong

is in the economic arena and the idea that corporate "persons" need MORE rights, not fewer.

Personally, like many here I consider myself a small l left-libertarian or social libertarian, NOT to be confused with the big L Libertarian party. But some folks invariably here go absolutely fucking bananas every time they hear the "l" word, in any context. :shrug:

Although Bob Barr was an ass re: Impeachment, it's certainly worth looking at his specific reasons for leaving the GOP- civil liberties, etc.

I find it hard to argue with them.

[eallen]

32. Actually, some libertarians oppose incorporation entirely.

They see it as an unfair limitation on liability. While I understand that argument, I think it underestimates the importance of investment markets to a healthy economy.

Like most liberals, I disagree with libertarians with regard to public infrastructure and social programs. But I agree with you that liberals and libertarians should join hands in the important area of civil liberty.

:hippie:

[Moloch]

5. LOL

I really enjoyed seeing him on 'Borat.'

[SharonRB]

6. May the Libertarians become to the Republican party

what the Greens are to the Democratic party and may they screw up their elections like Nader and his ilk have screwed up ours.

[mikeytherat]

7. Wonder what he's about to be indicted for.

I believe the old maxim goes like this:

What is a "Civil Libertarian?" A "Conservative" who's been indicted.

mikey_the_rat

[tulsakatz]

8. Wow!!!

I know he had disagreements with the GOP and some of Bush's surveillance programs but I never thought I'd see him leave!!

[Cleita]

9. The GOP is dead. The Bushlers have killed it.

Watch a jump to the Libertarian Party by a lot of these fossils.

[Synnical]

10. Ah, the Repukes are splitting?

Good News for us!

[TygrBright]

11. Excellent! He's right where he belongs, and that's a good thing...

...for all concerned.

approvingly,
Bright

[Ignacio Upton]

12. Run Bob Run!

If he can take off just 1%-2% of the popular vote we'll be able to avoid another four years of the Republican.

[wicket]

13. I'd laugh my ass off if he ran

That would be great!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[ShrewdLiberal]

14. Hahaha...

"It's something that's been bothering me for quite some time, the direction in which the party has been going more and more toward big government and disregard toward privacy and civil liberties," said Barr...

This coming from a guy who investigated Clinton's sex life so he could impeach him. You got to be kidding me!

[Blue_Tires]

17. +1

he is still a piece of shit

[tinfoilinfor2005]

15. Oh No No No No No!!

I have watched all the zombie movies, and THIS IS ONE OF THE HEAD ZOMBIES... Nail up the boards, secure the buildings with bricks, get out the garlic...DO NOT LET YOUR GUARD DOWN!!!!!!

:scared: :scared: :scared: :scared: :scared: :scared:

[Bozita]

16. I've read of Barr described as the "far rightwing of the ACLU"

But here's how the ACLU describes the union:

http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/15182prs20021125.html

ACLU Announces Collaboration With Rep. Bob Barr; Says Conservative Congressman Will Consult on Privacy Issues
(11/25/2002)


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

WASHINGTON - In a surprise announcement that comes on the heels of news that the outgoing Majority Leader, Richard Armey (R-TX), is considering consulting for the American Civil Liberties Union, the group said today that it also plans to hire conservative firebrand Bob Barr (R-GA) to work on informational and data privacy issues.

"Rep. Barr and the ACLU disagree on many other issues, but we have no doubt that a strange bedfellows collaboration between us will yield great things for informational and data privacy rights," said Laura W. Murphy, Director of the ACLU's Washington Legislative Office.

ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero said that Barr's agreement to work with the ACLU "demonstrates how deeply concerns about personal privacy cut across partisan lines." He noted that the ACLU has "no permanent friendsand no permanent enemies, just permanent values."

"We look forward to working with Congressman Barr in our fight to protect data and information privacy," Romero said.

more...

[Warren DeMontague]

19. Good for him. He's been right on a few things.

He was right when he teamed up with the ACLU. I'm glad people are seeing the GOP for what it is- not the party of "freedom", by any definition, but the party that not only wants to piss all your money away on dumb wars and no-bid contracts to their crony buddies, they want to do it while sticking Pat Robertson's intrusive theocratic boot into your bedroom, your entertainment choices, and your reproductive decisions.

[Blue-Jay]

20. I, for one, would love for the "real conservatives" to retake the GOP.

At least you can talk to them. The warmongers, religious freaks, corporations, and profiteers have ruined the Republican party of old (not that it was very good to begin with).

[Warren DeMontague]

24. I'd also like the real liberals to retake our party.

I think on issues like individual freedom, the "real" liberals and "real" conservatives actually have a lot in common.

[Blue-Jay]

25. True, dat.

[Bjorn Against]

29. I am a former Libertarian, and in those days I hated Bob Barr

The guy is NOT for stronger civil liberties. I don't know if any of you remember when DC had a vote to legalize medical marijuana. Well here is a reminder of what happened.

Congress Considers Lifting Ban On D.C. Medical Marijuana Vote

July 22, 1999 - Washington, DC, USA

A Congressional House Committee voted this week to remove a federal provision barring the D.C. Board of Elections from counting the results of last November's medical marijuana initiative.

"This is thrilling; it's a triumph for democracy," said ACT-UP's Wayne Turner, who coordinated the initiative. "This is an issue of creating access for people who are dying of serious illnesses."

Exit polls indicate that nearly 70 percent of District voters approved Initiative 57, which legalizes the possession and cultivation of medical marijuana under a doctor's supervision. However, District officials withheld the vote results because an amendment by Rep. Bob Barr (R-Ga.) to D.C.'s 1999 Appropriation Act prohibits them from spending funds on any measure that reduces marijuana penalties. City election officials estimated it will cost about $1.30 to push a computer button to tabulate the results electronically.

"Congress, and Bob Barr specifically, have held democracy hostage for eight months," NORML Executive Director R. Keith Stroup, Esq. said. "By voting to lift this tyrannical restriction, the House Appropriations Committee has stood up for the rights of D.C.'s voters and the seriously ill."

http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=4022

So yes Bob Barr wanted to block a vote which would help many sick people, and save a lot of money in medical costs because supposedly it would be a huge waste of taxpayers money to spend ONE DOLLAR AND THIRTY CENTS to count the votes.

There is no nice way to say it, the guy hates democracy.

[The Backlash Cometh]

30. Libertarians are must predators disquising themselves as proponents

of civil liberties. Like that Cartman guy in South Park, they just want to do what they want to do. It isn't freedom. It's modern day piracy.

[Canuckistanian]

31. We need to hire him as an impeachment consultant

He made it look so easy. He took Clinton's minor personal transgression and made it into a national outrage.

[UrbScotty]

33. I wish I could've found this story earlier so I could recommend it (nt)

[TwilightZone]

34. So, NOW he decides to develop a conscience?

A little late there, pal.