"Pandering" to the Libertarians - Part 1
Today marks the 3 year anniversary of the Free State Project picking New Hampshire in a 10 state vote. 3 years later, and it's interesting to see how the changes are starting to happen, and even pick up speed as more people move and get involved, working for increased freedoms in many ways.
Gandhi is quoted as saying: "First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win." I think it's never so clear cut as all that, with each of all 4 steps mixed in as you make progress, with small wins in the mix along the way. Over the next few weeks, leading up to the election, I'll be looking at this progess.
For example: What already declared Democratic Presidential Candidate has made inquiries about speaking at the New Hampshire Libertarian convention? Not just that, but with serious talk about courting the Libertarian Presidential nomination for 2008. (By traditional courtesy, these sort of guests are often pledged one delegate to the National convention, for at least the first balloting) He's talking about the Fair Tax, which is a big hint for those paying attention.
Another example: Republican Senator Clegg accusing Democratic Senator Burling of trying to "keep the facts hidden" and pander to libertarians. Of course, that accusation simply ignores all of the issues that Clegg and 'libertarians' agreed on this year, 56% of the time according to the NHLA Report Card. I'm sure Clegg was otherwise glad for support from libertarians on some of his issues, such as stopping the smoking ban, where the NHLAers (mostly non-smokers themselves) stood tall against massive outside pressure and money in favor of it.
As for Burling himself, he's in a sticky place: He's running against Rosalie Babiarz (wife of John, LPNH chairman) this year. She's reversing the roles on him, as she's a working class Republican versus his silver spoon Democrat. Yet, he's also speaking at the LPNH convention, along with Representative Neal Kurk, on the topic of Real ID, an issue that the liberty activists have shown strong leadership in forging a coalition spanning across the spectrum both to the left and right.
I'd like to see you do more commentary on the way the Monitor is spinning for both Income/Sales tax and fronting for Lynch. (See the article in the 10/25/2006 online edition which claims everyone likes Lynch.) Anyone who reads the Yankee Institute Study or the Vermont "A River Divides It" study can see that NH is an oasis in a sea of economic disaster, thanks to the combined higher taxes of those states. One tax does not ever remove another.
Not everyone likes Lynch. He has ads that lie about Benson's surplus and did the 'mambo' about it even when questioned on NH PTV.
Why has he not pulled these ads?
There is nothing bad one can say about Coburn, so Lynch also had to take a comment out of context in an attack ad against Coburn.
He also vetoed legislation setting back our right to know laws and voter fraud. Of course. It's the Democrats perpetrating the fraud!
Also Coburn whipped his ass in the debate, showing that Lynch does not have a good grasp of the issues, but that was never reported.
Please tell the Monitor to stop spinning for Lynch -- they are losing credibility more and more.