Liberty MavenRon Paul, uh I mean Bob Barr Preaches Non-interventionism
June 8th, 2008 10:23 pm | by Marc Gallagher | Published in Bob Barr, Foreign Policy, Liberty, Maven Commentary, Politics, Ron Paul | 12 Responses
In a recent press release from the Bob Barr campaign he takes America to task for still having 29,000 troops stationed in South Korea. Some have complained that Barr does not support the same kind of noninterventionism as Ron Paul. Barr hasn’t explicitly stated that he wants to bring home all U.S. troops from the 130+ countries like Ron Paul has. That much I admit, and perhaps it is a good thing he hasn’t. I see this as Bob Barr again framing Ron Paul’s non-interventionist rhetoric in a more palatable way to the masses. He comes about as close as one can get though without saying “130 countries”. He also mentions bringing troops home from Europe and Japan.
The purists among us will scoff at Barr for this certainly, but if people on the fence are going to jump on the good ship liberty this is how it is accomplished.
South Korea has been sending money and food to the government in Pyongyang. “That is a very strange way to treat a supposed enemy,” he notes. Today the U.S. military is badly stretched by the continuing occupation of Iraq. Surely “Washington can bring home troops stationed in not only South Korea, but also Europe and Japan,” he adds.
We must completely revamp U.S. foreign policy, returning to the noninterventionist strategy of the nation’s Founders. The interests of the American people, rather than of wealthy allies, should become the new lodestar of U.S. policy.
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June 9th, 2008 at 5:50 am (#)
Dear Marc,
I must commend you on your tenacity. However, perhaps your readership, like me, will find your unjustifiable tenacity to be equally unpalatable.
Barr is the one on the fence. He’s just playing at politics! There is nothing palatable about how much taxpayer’s fork out [$$] for U.S. military overseas, especailly when nothing is being done to protect our boarders.
You said, “He [Barr] comes about as close as one can get without saying [our military is in] 130 contries.” This just represents his [Barr's] superficial rhetoric. Don’t just come close…just tell us the truth!!!
Barr does not represent “the good ship of liberty.” If he did, he wouldn’t need to sugar coat, just as in his failed attempts to sugar coat…
. His vote for the Patriot Act
. His finanical support for Republicans Candidates running against Libertarian Candidates
. Strong support of the War on Drugs
Etc. Etc. Etc. Etc. Etc.
Enjoy!!!
Donna
June 9th, 2008 at 9:27 am (#)
Donna,
You act as if I’m the only one making these comparisons when it is a commonly discussed topic on Ron Paul Forums, blogs, and other news sources.
The fact is, Bob Barr is running his campaign touting the liberty message. That is good enough for not only me but many other Ron Paul supporters as well.
Trying to discredit him for his votes of over 5 years ago is holding him up to a standard of perfection few can live up to. There are now 5 candidates for President. John McCain, Barack Obama, Bob Barr, Ralph Nader, and Chuck Baldwin. McCain and Obama are fighting for first place. Barr and Nader are fighting for 3rd place, and Chuck Baldwin will come in 5th (or lower).
None of them are perfect. Bob Barr is as the closest to Ron Paul on the issues out of the candidates who will be able to spread the message to new voters. This is not conjecture or wishful thinking on my part, it is fact. Since Bob Barr won the Libertarian nomination he has been on Glenn Beck’s radio show for 30 minutes, Glenn Beck’s TV show for an hour, ABC News, CNN, FOX Business News, FOX News Channel, The Colbert Report, and he’s going to be on Bloomberg TV tonight for a 30 minute interview. This is more exposure to the liberty message than any candidate outside of Ron Paul could ever wish for. And he’s just getting started.
When a candidate calls for bringing U.S. troops home from South Korea, Europe and Japan all you can say is but but he voted for the Patriot Act(which has been explained many times) or he used to be a drug warrior (Marijuana Policy Project supports him), etc, etc. etc..
Do you want to keep troops in South Korea, Europe, and Japan? Do you think McCain or Obama will bring them home? They are saying the opposite.
The simple fact is, Bob Barr is spreading Ron Paul’s message to new people. It’s unfortunate that the purist/radicals refuse to accept it. If they did then the liberty message could spread to even more people.
What part of “it’s the message, not the man” don’t you understand?
Enjoy,
Marc
June 9th, 2008 at 12:01 pm (#)
I’m with you Marc. I think some purist/radical libertarians like radical libertarian rhetoric because that’s how they got press in the past. They say something “extreme” like, “Lets close down all US bases in 130+ countries!” While I agree with that statement, it scares a lot of people. TV talk show hosts will only invite those radical libertarians on their show for “shock factor”. They invite them on their show so they can clown them and pick on them. Then the masses don’t take them seriously. That has been the status quo for the Libertarian Party for over 30 years.
Bob Barr is taking a different approach that appears to be working. He is using a rhetorical style that triangulates with neo-libertarianism, light non-intervention, and Paleolibertarianism.
Neo-libertarianism is combination of libertarian and neo-conservative thought. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neolibertarianism
Paleolibertarianism is non-intervention and anarchy-capitalism. It’s more in line with Ron Paul and Lew Rockwell’s point of view.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paleolibertarianism
Neo-Libertarian rhetoric is effective for Bob Barr because neo-conservativism is already mainstream in the Republican Party. Bob Barr knows he needs the “Ron Paul Revolution” because they are the most effective libertarian grassroots movement currently; so Bob Barr has to integrate Paleo-libertarianism with neo-conservativism. Bob Barr knows that he cannot close down all foreign US Military bases with the snap of a finger. And the masses that listen to him talk on TV know this as well. Therefore, light non-interventionalism is more effective. That is as close to the “Ron Paul message” as Bob Barr can get without being out casted, censored, and locked out of debates.
A lot of Americans don’t know what libertarianism is; let alone know the difference between neo-libertarianism and paleo-libertarianism. Libertarian philosophy is a huge spectrum of ideologies; a broad spectrum that a lot of Americans are unfamiliar with. Therefore, radical/purist libertarians achieve little because there are too out of touch with mainstream thinking that they end up marginalizing themselves with their overly idealistic and abstract thinking.
June 9th, 2008 at 4:05 pm (#)
Marc,
The MAN is the MESSAGE!!
You obviously don’t understand either!!…
I hope you can continue to
Enjoy!
Donna
June 9th, 2008 at 5:04 pm (#)
Donna,
Ron Paul disagrees with you.
Enjoy,
Marc
June 9th, 2008 at 6:34 pm (#)
Marc,
You really do need to stop speaking for Ron Paul…Neither you or your friend Barr can hold a candle…
Donna
June 9th, 2008 at 7:00 pm (#)
Donna,
May I refer you to Ron Paul himself:
Beginning at 5:34 in the below linked video message to supporters Ron Paul says the following:
“I don’t mind playing a key role in the revolution, but it has to be more than a Ron Paul revolution. I have always claimed that this whole effort was much bigger than one individual.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rk_vVaZxTno
and
Beginning at 5:00 in the below clip Ron Paul says the following:
“Our message is what has been so important to us. Our message is winning. I’ve often said it’s not just about me, it’s about our message.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryMliyeIDp4
Enjoy,
Marc
June 9th, 2008 at 7:49 pm (#)
Marc,
Since you don’t seem to understand here’s a link for you to consider looking into…
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/06/will_bob_barr_and_the_libertar.html
Here’s an excerpt from “Real Clear Politics”
“Four days after Barr was nominated, I was reading through the LP’s Website and came acrss this gem under 2002 in “Our History”: “The Incumbent Killer” strategy was used to control elections the LP could not yet win. It led to the defeat of Republican Congressman Bob Barr and Democratic Senator Max Cleland”
“Leaving aside the party’s dubious and delusional suggestion that it defeated those two Members of Congress, as well as three gubernatorial candidates and another U.S. Senator, isn’t there something strange about the party nominating for president the same person that its Website is bragging about defeating just six years earlier?
“The LP nominated Barr on the 6th ballot, concluding, apparently, that his political experience and name recognition would give the party the visiblity and credibility that supporters crave”.
“Talk about a total misread of Barr and of politics”.
Read on if you dare…
Enjoy, but I don’t think you will!
Donna
June 9th, 2008 at 8:09 pm (#)
Donna,
I read that awhile ago and it’s interesting you are now using Republican/Right wing blog sources to try to make your point. I didn’t read anywhere in there that said Ron Paul never said that it was more about the message than the man.
Then again I guess since you can’t refute the actual words of Dr. Paul you must change the subject matter entirely and resort to pointing to an article that has an obvious bias against the LP and its candidate. I think “The Other McCain” summed up Rothenberg’s article very well:
“It’s still five months to Election Day, and any “expert” who would quantify his predictions in such clear-cut declarative sentences at this point is a fool. Barr begins his campaign polling at 6%, which is a lot more than half-a-million votes.
BTW, some “expert” this guy is. He writes that “Barr . . . announced in December that he was leaving the GOP for the Libertarians” — uh, no, Stu: Barr joined the LP in 2006.”
From: http://rsmccain.blogspot.com/2008/06/stu-rothenberg-for-record.html
The actual point being though… it truly is about the message and not the man. Just ask Ron Paul.
Enjoy,
Marc
June 9th, 2008 at 8:23 pm (#)
Marc,
If I change the subject…you sure like to play with words.
I will repeat:
The man (his actions and in Barr’s case his Congressional voting record)) is the the Message.
June 9th, 2008 at 8:31 pm (#)
Donna,
Barr has renounced his voting record on the votes you are so spiteful towards. You agree with me though on his actions like testifying against the Patriot Act, wishing for abolishing the Fed, preaching a non-interventionist foreign policy. So here are a few links for you…
Here is a link to join a Bob Barr meetup group in your area:
http://bobbarr.meetup.com/
Join and learn more about him and his Ron Paul inspired message of liberty.
Also, if you’d like to donate to his campaign in the name of spreading liberty here is a link for that:
https://www.bobbarr2008.com/donate/
Enjoy,
Marc
June 9th, 2008 at 8:47 pm (#)
Marc,
Just because Barr NOW renounces his voting record, after his voting record affected our civil liberties, we are suppose to BELIEVE him?
Unlike you, I’m not about to throw the baby out with the bath water…
But go ahead, you can waste your money and your vote…
Have fun…Donna