Congressman Backs Libertarian Presidential Candidate in Campaign First

[brooklynite]

Source: The New York Times

Representative Scott Rigell of Virginia says he plans to vote for the Libertarian Party’s presidential ticket, becoming the first member of Congress to express support for Gary Johnson’s third-party campaign.

In an interview on Friday, Mr. Rigell, a Republican, said he had settled on Mr. Johnson, the former governor of New Mexico, as the best option available.

“I’ve always said I will not vote for Donald Trump and I will not vote for Hillary Clinton,” Mr. Rigell said. “I’m going to vote for the Libertarian candidate.”

Mr. Rigell is the second Republican member of Congress this week to back a candidate other than Mr. Trump in the presidential race; the other, Representative Richard Hanna of New York, endorsed Mrs. Clinton. Both Mr. Rigell and Mr. Hanna are retiring from Congress at the end of their current terms.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/07/us/politics/gary-johnson-libertarian-scott-rigell.html?smid=tw-nytimes&smtyp=cur&referer=&_r=0

[emulatorloo]

1. Translation: I will help elect Clinton while saving face with my constituents.

[tonyt53]

2. Libertarians are just teabaggers that belong to a party.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

3. Wrong. Teabaggers are NOT socially liberal. That's the *liber* part of libertarian.

Fiscally conservative, socially liberal.

[William Seger]

5. "fiscally conservative" = "I don't want to pay taxes" (n/t)

[sofa king]

6. Right on.

If they're fiscal conservatives, they are invited to prove it by submitting an actual functional budget in Congress, which is their job.

They can't. Their supposed "fiscally conservative" policies are totally unworkable crap, tax cuts for the rich on the backs of the needy, and pork-barrel handouts to top leadership. Their bullshit is so simple-minded that in 2009 they produced a 19-page glossy handout with no real numbers in it.

Edit: Nevertheless, I couldn't be happier to see a parting of the ways between stupid and evil in American politics. If we can split them, those who are neither have an actual chance to get something done.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

4. Teabaggers are fiscally conservative and socially conservative.

Hence authoritarian: big government interfering with personal rights and liberties. Plus if there is support for corporations operating hand in glove with government then it is fascist.

They only think they are for rights and freedoms because they support one right (2nd amendment) and they think by supporting white male privilege they are supporting rights (because nobody else counts).