Bob Barr - Evolution of a Conservative

13. August 2008 by Greg Kelver.

Some libertarian purity checkers have been pitching online hissy fits about Libertarian Party presidential candidate Bob Barr

 http://www.bobbarr2008.com/ 

 They correctly rip some of the seriously wrong votes that Barr made during his tenure as a Capital “R” Republican congressman a few years ago.  But they fail to give Barr credit for how far and how fast he has traveled up the Libertarian Freeway.  People can and do change - I believe that  Bob Barr has and will continue to do so in the future.

One of my favorite organizations, Gun Owners of America, knows both the Old Republican Barr and the New Libertarian Barr very well - and they obviously like the New Libertarian a lot more than they do the Old Republican.  For any thinking voter who understands that the 2nd Amendment is not about hunting but is an individual right that  secures all other rights, GOA’s assessment of Bob Barr is a very interesting read

http://gunowners.org/pres08/barr.htm 

2nd Amendment Voters may be equally interested in how GOA sizes up Republican candidate McCain.

 http://gunowners.org/pres08/mccain.htm

Personally, I think I have a fair understanding of how Barr has moved on from ”Conservative” to ”Libertarian” since I have been on a similar journey myself - although at a much slower pace.  In 1980, I proudly cast (aka wasted) my very first presidental vote on Democrat Jimmy Carter.   By 1984, I had grown a bit wiser and put my one vote toward Republican Reagan. In 1988, I again spent my one vote on a Republican candidate who asked me to “read his lips”. But thanks to a School Board run in 1990,  some local Republicans helped to make a thinking Independent out of me and I cast my first principled vote for a Libertarian candidate in 1992 - although I did appreciate much of the message that Ross Perot was delivering.  Since 1992, I have never wasted my vote on an Old Party Presidential candidate, nor will I again anytime soon in the future.

 Along my journey, I have been helped by some pretty terrific friends in who have taught me to better understand and appreciate libertarianism and why genuine liberty is the only real solution for the major problems we are facing.  Many of my libertarian friends might have been described as “Liberal Democrat” in their previous political life.  A few were even double parked in the Socialist camp.  But unlike “conservatives” who can’t seem to get past hating “liberals”, I highly value and appreciate the viewpoints of my libertarian friends, regardless of whether they came from the liberal or conservative camp.  Libertarianism seems to be the place where principled hard right and principled hard left ideas converge to form a very large common center of agreement with individual liberty as the foundation base.  And while we still may sharply disagree on some political issues, we fully respect and appreciate the simple fact that we have the fundamental right to do exactly that.  That freedom that the founders originally established for us is what makes this a truly great country.

Bob Barr certainly has taken a hard turn at full speed on the Libertarian Freeway.   And because of Barr’s and Ron Paul’s spirited efforts to run presidential point in  the battle to restore Liberty for America, many younger, smarter libertarians will engage in this fight much quicker.  After having a chance to chat with a couple of very bright young Libertarian law students from Valpo last week, it is genuinely exciting to see these young people are getting the libertarian message a whole lot quicker than their Boomer parents have.  The bright young Libertarian candidate in Marshall County is single handedly shaking up local government in his own backyard.  These future stars are enthused.  They are energetic. And they fully understand that Libertarianism, not Socialism or Republicratism, represents the bright shining light that can be the very best of America’s future. 

 BTW, for informed voters who may want to hear the message firsthand and unfiltered, Bob Barr will be in Chicago this Friday evening http://lpinscr.blogspot.com/2008/08/bob-barr-in-chicago-friday.html

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