What party were you before you became a Libertarian?

I get SOOOOOO sick of hearing how if we vote for Badnarik we will cost Kerry the election and how most of us would vote Democrat, that I had to post this

For all my Libertarian Friends out there...

What party did you Identfy with before you became a Libertarian?
Lets put those nasty rumers to rest

I wasnt in any party but tended to side more with the Republicans till they started becoming the American Taliban.....Just kidding

So if I voted at all, which I doubt, it would have probably been Republican

I was a member of YAF (Young Americans for Freedom) in high school and supported Barry Goldwater when he ran for President. However, I was only 19 years old, which meant I couldn't vote for him when he ran against LBJ.

My first election was in 1966 when I got to vote for Governor of Maryland, a guy named Spiro T. Agnew. I voted for Nixon/Agnew in 1968, various Republican congresscritters in 1970, and wrote in my boss' name in 1972, because I thought Nixon was a crook. I voted for Ford in 1976, and, when I moved to Arizona the next year, met Ed Clark and have voted for Libertarians almost exclusively since then.

However, last year I re-registered Republican, since the Republican primary in Mesa is the de facto general election and I now have a say in picking the most free-market, free-choice person I can.

But I have voted Libertarian for the last six presidential elections and will make it seven via absentee ballot (since I'll be out of the country) next month.

Amuk :
I voted Badnarik on the ATS vote, but not being American I guess my answer might not mean much, but as a Canadian I would relate my self to the NDP (National Democratic Party) more or less I don�t belong to any political parties I have an aversion to putting my name on lists. I pick Badnarik because he seem more open to what really is happing in the United States today,( becoming a group of �police States�) he seem more on the side of Joe and Jane Sixpack.

I always considered myself an Independent. This is my first time eligible to vote, so I have never voted along any party lines. As I educated myself more and more about politics, and reading such books as 1984 I became increasingly skeptical of both major parties. I see what Democrats can become and can bring to this nation and it is fairly disheartening. I am more inline with Republican ideals although they most certainly do not do what they say for the most part.

I had similar views of the Libertarian party before I knew about them like the idea of personal responsibility, decreasing the size of the federal government, and abandoning all drug laws. When I read their platform, it was the first time I found a party that actually agreed with me as opposed to me having to agree with another party.

Up until recently, I would've identified myself as a republican. I grew up in a very gung-ho republican family, and have always had a disliking for democrats. But it's obvious to me that republicans are no better, especially of late. They don't act much of what they speak at all, and the party, like the democrats, are more interested in doing whatever necessary to get more votes and such. I think both parties are corrupt and they irritate me to no end. I'm only 20 now, so I feel like God has blessed me by waking me up in regards to politics early in my life. I never want to be part of either of the "big two."

As my mood would indicate I was fairly republican...although I have voted for the occasional fiscal conservative democrat.....occasionally because that is the only way they come. �.really, I don�t see how a democrat could be attracted to the libertarian party�most of it�s ideals seem a little non-consistent with the liberal agenda. And were there is agreement it is from quite a different underlying philosophy. Do any self proclaimed libertarians think the party is closer to democrats?

Well....I'll break the chain here...I was a registered Democrat several months ago and had planned on voting for Kerry - then I thought things out a little better and realized I sided more on the Badnarik side, although still not on everything....Pro-choice, pro-death sentence, pro-gun law, anti-drug war, blah blah....

Well, my ex and I joined the Libertarian Party at the same time and we were both VERY active in it. But she was just the opposite of me; an anti-war protestor during the war (when I was in the service), a volunteer for McGovern, etc.

She was initially attracted to the LP by their personal choice stance, and i for their anti-tax stance.

But the more we worked for the Party and the more we educated ourselves, we realized that the LP is in favor for ALL KINDS of freedoms, not just "cherry-picking" like the left-wing fascists ("liberals") and right-wing fascists ("conservatives") seem to do.

That was my point for starting this thread to lay to rest all that "a vote for Badnarik is a vote for Bush" crap.

So far it is mostly Republicans or like myself none of the above.

Enron you kinda intrest me in that you are the only person I know that has went from Democrat to Libertarian, thats quite a leap since the two could hardly be further apart. But on the other hand we do support a lot of things that the Dems claim to support like Equal rights, pro choice, etc; but it seems to me that we are MUCH closer to what the Republicans claim, lower taxes, no gun control, etc.

Notice I said CLAIM on both parties, because I dont think EITHER party really supports most of what they claim they do.

Originally posted by Amuk
Enron you kinda intrest me in that you are the only person I know that has went from Democrat to Libertarian, thats quite a leap since the two could hardly be further apart. But on the other hand we do support a lot of things that the Dems claim to support like Equal rights, pro choice, etc; but it seems to me that we are MUCH closer to what the Republicans claim, lower taxes, no gun control, etc.

Notice I said CLAIM on both parties, because I dont think EITHER party really supports most of what they claim they do.

Exactly...and to be honest, they really havn't in the past few years...I almost would expect to see an official break in the two parties before a true third party stepped in - liberal dems, right wing republicans, etc...

When one speaks of traditional party values, I think of history books...b/c that's where it's all going...just like the constitution is a living document, so are the party platforms and personal opinions of candidates..."we the people" need that special party that clearly supports our unique essential beliefs without deterring our vote by supporting too adverse of issues....



[edit on 10/14/2004 by EnronOutrunHomerun]

I was conservative in my beliefs before finding the libertarian party.. I used to be liberal before that...

Mainly of course because I was more concerned about civil rights and freedoms before fiscal issues...

Then I learned about the economy, social security, health care, ect ect, all the issues that adults face when they grow up.

And it concerned me... I still wasn't satisfied with the republican plan for those issues, so when I learned about the libertarian platform on fiscal issues, I was satisfied...

It boils down to youdoing what you want with YOUR MONEY... SIMPLE...

God why can't politician's ever get this right??
Instead they do more harm then good when they add much red tape to an issue that doesn't even need to be red taped???

All these problems with ssn taxes health care education ect is a result of government mismanagement, regulations, and making rule books alot bigger then they have to be...

Apparantly we're all monkey's who work for them thus needing them to do away with our money because monkey's don't know how to manage....

I'm sick of being treated like some mindless person who needs to be taken care of, i'm sick of being not trusted i'm sick of being stolen from i'm sick of being regulated and everything in my life...

I understand the need for some rules, but many a times government over steps it's boundaries and not always for the good like they claim it is....

I got a beer cooler holder the other day that reads

"politician's are like diapers, they need to be changed often and for the same reason"

oh how true... And it's not funny.

Yep, another ex-Republican here. After following Harry Browne in the last election I finally realized that Republicans didn't do what they claim they do: cut spending and limit government.

However, I don't think if it were for a Libertarian candidate I'd even vote in this election.

Originally posted by TrueLies

"politician's are like diapers, they need to be changed often and for the same reason"

One could change that to be lawyers as well.... I like it!

I used to describe myself as just "right-wing." I have always valued my freedom and had a problem with gov. authority. Even at 14, I had major issues with big government. Dont know where they came from, my dad is a Terminator type rep. and my mom was a dem. back then. When I found the LP doing a web search (checking up the Weaver family) I just about had a heart attack, everything they were discribing was how I was thinking.

If I had to choose tween Dumb and Dumber, I think I would vote for Bush.
I cant get behind either of them, so I would have to decide based on the kinda stupid crap alot of the sheep use to decide. Basicly, I would vote for Bush cause Kerry is a pu$$y

[edit on 15-10-2004 by cavscout]

I would be voting republican if I was voting Libertarian.

I'm only 18 this year so I haven't had a chance to vote any way yet, but I have been actively interested in politics for at least 4 years now and I have been studying the histories of political parties for just as long. It seems to me that the Democrats and Republicans have now become melded into one party that is fighting for political sustenance. That fact is clear from the extent that they try to prevent third party interaction in debates and how media owners prevent third party coverage on media outlets. I would consider myself a moderate, leaning almost left on social issues, but right on economic issues. The LP platform is something I read over and say, "Yes that's for me" while the other parties don't seem to have any real life. That's why I'm libertarian! (I guess I wouldn't have voted if I wasn't libertarian)

seems like all but one were either Republicans or non-voters.

So would someone explain to me HOW the Libertarians are taking votes from poor little Kerry?

Seems to me the Democrats should be backing us the way the Republicans are backing Nader. Backing us would pretty much split the Republicans.

Well as you can probably tell from my added little title for the campaign forum..... I'm basically a conservative. Even though I never registered with a political party until just going Libertarian, I mainly voted Republican except for the select few times that a third party was viable.
I am now so sick of waiting for the rest of the country to wake up from the stench of the two major parties that I have decided to do some waking myself. I know Badnarik can't possibly win this election. I also know that voting for Badnarik (in some states)will risk Kerry getting into office.
MY vote for Badnarik will not be an issue since I know that Connecticut will be handing the electoral votes to Kerry no matter what I vote for. I can at least add to Badnarik's popular vote numbers and increase his chance of acheiving the 5% threshold.
edit: spelling and whatnot

[edit on 15-10-2004 by Fry2]

Republican

The reason people say that it'll take a vote away from Kerry, is that they don't know much about the Libertarians.

We do NOT like Nader boys and girls. I did always like the guys who said that O'Reilly wasn't biased by knocking Badnarik off the "acceptable words" because he is having Nader on.

Well no #. Nader is a spoiler for the Dems, Badnarik is a spoiler for Bush.


By the way, I voted for Bush last election... Yech, I feel so dirty.



[edit on 15-10-2004 by KrazyJethro]

So now that's it's been established that the overwhelming majority, with me excluded...lol, were Republicans prior to becoming Libertarians...the question in mind........

Would you have voted for Bush?!