Blue Collar Muse

Wayne Allyn Root, the Libertarian Party candidate for VP spoke to us for the second year in a row at the Conservative Leadership Conference 2008 in Las Vegas, last week.  As always he was an entertaining speaker and the debate between Wayne and Saul Anuzis, GOP chair for Michigan, was lively, entertaining and more than a bit sporty!

I also had a later opportunity to speak one-on-one with Wayne for about 45 minutes.  It was not an interview. It was  just two concerned American activists getting to know one another. The more he spoke, the more respect I felt for what he and Bob Barr were not only feeling but what they were up against.

Wayne’s roots are deeply Conservative and GOP.  Like many, he feels the GOP is no longer the best vehicle for advancing Conservative ideals and values.  But he remains open to dialogue and relationship with all who choose to remain Republican while contending for the Party.  These are my impressions of the man from my conversation with him.  They should not be taken as an authoritative statement of what Wayne believes or what he will do.

I am pleased to pass on to my readers this press release announcing Wayne’s new book.  Titled “The Conscience of a Libertarian”, it’s due out Spring 2009 from John Wiley & Sons, Inc.  If Wayne turns out to be the breath of fresh air for the LP that I believe he has the potential to be, this book will be a must for every Conservative activist, Libertarian or otherwise.  Put it on your reading list.

Blue

Libertarian Party Vice Presidential Nominee Root Announces Major Publishing Deal

September 30th-Las Vegas, Nevada– Libertarian Party Vice Presidential Nominee Wayne Allyn Root announced today a major publishing deal for his new book tentatively titled “The Conscience of a Libertarian.” It is modeled after Root’s hero Barry Goldwater and Goldwater’s all-time best-selling conservative book “The Conscience of a Conservative.” Root’s book will be released in Spring, 2009 by global publishing powerhouse John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Wiley is one of the oldest and most successful publishers in the world- founded in 1807 during the Presidency of Thomas Jefferson. Wiley has 5000 employees across the globe, with annual revenues in excess of $1.7 Billion, and is best known for book series and trade brands such as For Dummies, Frommer’s, Webster’s New World, CliffNotes, Betty Crocker and J.K. Lasser.

Root’s resume is a throwback to our Founding Fathers. He is the quintessential “ANTI-Politician.” He is a second generation American;  S.O.B. (son of a butcher) from humble beginnings; small businessman (and son and grandson of small businessmen); and home-school father of 4 young children. Wayne has never worked for or with any state or federal government. He has never collected a check from government (other than a student loan which he paid back in full). In an age of Beltway Insiders, Wayne is a complete Washington D.C. outsider.

Root is also a proud Nevadan. Nevada is a state known for independence, self-reliance, personal responsibility, rugged individualism, more freedom for the individual, smaller government, and low taxes. Nevada has no state income taxes, no business income taxes, no inheritance taxes, and property taxes limited by law. Root believes the big difference between Las Vegas and Washington, D.C. is that in Vegas, the people gamble with their own money.

Root said of his new book, “The Conscience of a Libertarian will honor the ideals of freedom and limited government as communicated by great political leaders such as Thomas Jefferson, Barry Goldwater, Ronald Reagan and, most recently, Dr. Ron Paul. My views are simple- the government that governs least, governs best. I believe the constitution is clear- power does not belong to the government, or the politicians, or the career bureaucrats, or corporate interests, or lobbyists. It belongs to the American people. The day that I take office, I vow to dramatically cut government; to dramatically lower taxes; to dramatically increase freedom; to fight to make my own political office obsolete; to make government so small, you won’t even notice it’s missing; and, most importantly, to give power back to the people- where it belongs.”

Root said of his political future, “I want to thank great patriots and freedom-fighters like Libertarian Presidential candidate Bob Barr and Republican Presidential candidate Dr. Ron Paul for reinvigorating the modern- day Libertarian freedom movement. I would do anything, make any sacrifice, to move the freedom agenda forward. The media has called me “Ron Paul on steroids!” A quarter of a century from now, I’ll still be younger than Ron Paul is today. That’s a very good thing- the freedom movement can benefit from the unique combination of energy, passion and youthful enthusiasm that I bring to the table.”

Root added, “In recent weeks, as the Libertarian Vice Presidential candidate, I have been a guest on hundreds of TV and radio shows throughout America, Canada and the UK. That was a small start of a long journey to lead this Libertarian freedom movement to victory. Starting in April 2009, with the release of The Conscience of a Libertarian, I expect to travel the globe to spread the Libertarian message of smaller government, lower taxes, dramatically reduced spending, and more freedom.

I want to thank my publisher, John Wiley & Sons, for giving me this opportunity. The Conscience of a Libertarian will present a timely message. With the mortgage and credit crisis; the Wall Street investment banking disaster; and the controversial government bailout of corporate America; now more than ever, a free-market message needs to be heard. Someone must be the voice of taxpayers.
I hope to be that voice.”

Popularity: 20% [?]

In 218 BC, Hannibal took on Rome with cutting edge tech, including elephants.

Today, “elephants” are large, slow moving, easy, tempting targets.

Why, then, try to salvage the GOP?

The GOP and G.W.Bush claim to be Conservative. But the gap between GOP and Liberals is narrowing considerably.

Record deficits, increasing Government employment, Government bailouts resulting from bad Government policies without any Government hearings during a Lame Duck administration are NOT Conservative.

These things appall Conservatives but both McCain and Obama approve of recent Government bailouts. How is this change or maverick?

McCain promised no more bailouts not all that long ago.  But he’s supporting AIG, carmakers and more?  Big Gov vs Bigger Govt is not a good choice.

Doing bad things like the other guys - just slower and not as egregiously! This is a lousy platform for GOP candidates.

There are other options.  And it’s me, Bob Barr!  I will not be apart of the Bizarro world tactics and policies of GOP in Washington.

In Superman’s Bizarro world, everything was opposites.  Up was down, in was out - weird!  But this is the policy of the GOP today.

For instance, buying up bad mortgages with taxpayer dollars is what got us in trouble in the first place. Why do it again?

We need MORE regulation?  The most regulated arena of the Economy IS investments.  That failed and we need MORE regulation to fix it?

Strip away the self congratulatory rhetoric and we find, increased spending, more regulation, less transparency from the GOP.

But at the end of the day, if GOP is elected, it will be a victory of the status quo.  Turning to the guys who broke it and trusting them to fix themselves.

If we don’t stop it this election cycle, we may not have another chance to fix it.

Regarding Obama SCOTUS picks as reason to reject Barr and vote for McCain BB asks what about other great GOP picks like Souter?

Plus, McCain bills self as a maverick, outside the fold.  After McCain-Feingold would JM appoint Justices to overturn his signature legislation?

Perot got huge numbers of votes but not a single electoral vote. He still moved the GOP to the Right.

Much of the later legislative successes of the Right depended on Perot’s influence on the process by running even without winning.

Participation in campaign debates is not about message and voter information. Even inclusion of Perot was more about control of race, not information.

Popularity: 42% [?]