Ex-Rep. Barr Quits GOP for Libertarians

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/12/15/D8M1ILB00.html

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.

[Erika]

1. Where was his privacy concern about entrapment of Clinton?

Yes, the GOP has turned even too far right wing for him.

[Toots]

6. IMO the Libertarians are more right wing than the GOP

They should be called anarchists though for they want no government at all other than military..

[krkaufman]

9. To extend your qualification... Libertarians want government ...

... so long as it protects their property. Barring any opposing forces, I would expect Libertarians would eventually demand the liberty to own slaves.

[Joe Bacon]

11. Some do.

I remember dealing with these wackos back in the 70s where they said that they saw nothing wrong with repealing the 13th Amendment. When they said people voluntarily chose to be in abusive relationships and that was OK, well, that's when I tossed those fools into the trashcan.

[onehandle]

2. Good. Many Republicans don't understand that they should be Libertarians.

He's popular among them.

Take them with you and weaken the GOP.

[hippiechick]

13. Post of the day!

:applause: THAT'S the way to think !!! :applause:

[Lone_Star_Dem]

3. I noticed a rise in the Libertarian vote here in our last election

It would appear they may pose a problem for the republicans in future elections is this were to continue. How sad it would be if their voters fragmented in such a way. :D

[Ken Burch]

4. Has anybody told him that the Libertarians SUPPORT gay rights?

I pity the poor Libertarian fool who has to break that news to the Barrman.

[pokercat999]

10. And the legalization of all drugs including cocaine and

heroin. My understanding is they are for virtually unlimited individual rights. My problem is they are for unlimited corporation rights also as they treat corps as individuals.

[Paladin]

5. ....thus raising the IQ level of both the GOP and Libertarians.

n/t

[UTUSN]

7. Six of one, half-dozen of th'other n/t

[High Plains]

8. It's fun to bash libertarians, but...

some of their issues and positions seem to resonate on this board:

They want to end the war on drugs.

They oppose foreign military adventures.

They oppose government intrusions on privacy.

They support equal rights for gay people.

Which is not to say that libertarians, especially capital-L Libertarians (party members), don't also hold a lot of not-so-progressive positions, especially when it comes to the freedom of capital.

I consider myself a left libertarian. I'm for personal liberties, but not so much for unfettered capitalism, or, as I sometimes put it, I'm not a libertarian, just a libertine. I don't go in for the reflexive libertarian bashing that any thread mentioning them seems to arouse. I think Democrats should be co-opting some of these issues.

As for Bob Barr, he was an adamant drug warrior when he was in Congress, but good on most other civil liberties issues. Then he joined the ACLU, and now he joins the Libertarians. Good. Fracture the GOP a bit.

[hippiechick]

14. Yep!

n/t

[noonwitch]

12. I could see this coming when he joined up with the ACLU

Maybe he'll lead a major movement away from the GOP.

[yurbud]

15. kick

[Love Bug]

16. Has anyone told him Libertarians support religious freedom?

Considering how Barr tried to get the military to ban religious freedom for Wiccans back in 99, I have to wonder if he realizes Libertarians allow for such things.