Bailout angst provides a push for Libertarian (Presidential Candidate Bob) Barr

[TechBear_Seattle]

Bailout angst provides a push for Libertarian Barr

WASHINGTON - Private markets fail, politicians from both parties jump to their rescue, and taxpayers get stuck with the bill. Libertarian candidate Bob Barr couldn't have scripted a better story line to argue that Republicans and Democrats are interchangeable — with a helpless addiction to spending.

Can Barr capitalize on it during the closing weeks of the presidential campaign? Republican strategists fear any gains he makes could come at the expense of their ticket because Barr's economic views are closer to those of GOP nominee John McCain than to Democrat Barack Obama.

Polls so far aren't registering a shift to the Libertarian candidate in spite of widespread outrage over the $700 billion rescue package. The former GOP congressman from Georgia is languishing with about the same 1 percent share of support he's had for months.

But Barr is sharpening his attacks on McCain, hoping that fiscal conservatives frustrated over McCain's support for the bailout will join his anti-government campaign. Barr says traffic on his Web site is spiking, donations are picking up and the campaign is getting angry calls from Republicans who feel betrayed.

The article continues at http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081009/ap_on_el_pr/barr_bailout

[central scrutinizer]

1. so the answer to lax regulation is no regulation of anything?

yeah, that makes a lot of sense.