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Forums - Politics - Republicans Sign Brief in Support of Gay Marriage

Adinnieken on 26 February 2013
badgenome said:
Adinnieken said:

Neither Paul nor Amash are Republican, they are Libertarian's.

They are both.

No, they aren't.  Even Amash has admitted he's Libertarian in interviews with the Michigan press.  Both are aligned under the Tea Party Republicans because there's is money in the Republican party.  There isn't money in the Libertarian Party. 

The Libertarians all during the 80's and 90's were a complete joke.  The had such a small showing in national elections, and few ever won at the state or local level.  The fact that the Libertarians have risen so far shows how much in decline the Republican party truly is.



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spaceguy on 26 February 2013

About time, However I'm loving the civil war going on. I hope the Tea Baggers get handled.



NintendoPie on 26 February 2013

Good job, Republicans. Keep trying hard and you'll get places, not only on VGC!



badgenome on 26 February 2013
Adinnieken said:

No, they aren't.  Even Amash has admitted he's Libertarian in interviews with the Michigan press.  Both are aligned under the Tea Party Republicans because there's is money in the Republican party.  There isn't money in the Libertarian Party. 

The Libertarians all during the 80's and 90's were a complete joke.  The had such a small showing in national elections, and few ever won at the state or local level.  The fact that the Libertarians have risen so far shows how much in decline the Republican party truly is.

"Republican" only refers to being a member of the Republican political party, which they both are, while libertarianism is an ideology. Those are not mutually exclusive things.

They are simply Republicans who put their ideology ahead of party loyalty. Or, alternatively, small "L" libertarians who are members of the Republican party.



Adinnieken on 27 February 2013
badgenome said:
Adinnieken said:

No, they aren't.  Even Amash has admitted he's Libertarian in interviews with the Michigan press.  Both are aligned under the Tea Party Republicans because there's is money in the Republican party.  There isn't money in the Libertarian Party. 

The Libertarians all during the 80's and 90's were a complete joke.  The had such a small showing in national elections, and few ever won at the state or local level.  The fact that the Libertarians have risen so far shows how much in decline the Republican party truly is.

"Republican" only refers to being a member of the Republican political party, which they both are, while libertarianism is an ideology. Those are not mutually exclusive things.

They are simply Republicans who put their ideology ahead of party loyalty. Or, alternatively, small "L" libertarians who are members of the Republican party.

They're Republicans because they rode the Tea Party wave that impacted the Republican party, but they are Libertarians.  They are not small "L" Libertarians, they are Libertarians running as Republicans.



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Screamapillar on 27 February 2013
mrstickball said:
badgenome said:
mrstickball said:
If the Republicans would drop the social crap, and try to limit the size/growth of government, they would easily start besting the Democrats in federal elections. Why they pander to the religious right, I have no idea. Its not like that group is suddenly going to go Democrat any time soon.

This assumes that Republicans are genuinely in favor of limiting government, and that there are more votes for them pandering to libertarians than to social conservatives. I'm not at all sure that either of those is the case.


I think that there are a few republicans that genuinely want to reduce/limit the size of government. However, they usually get ostrasized by the mainstream GOP. I have no doubt that guys such as Rand Paul and Justin Amash are genuine. However, they seem to be outside of the mainstream (unfortunately).

Well, as is written in most GOP mission statements, a small, limited federal governemnt is the back-bone of the party platform.  So, I don't see how anyone could possibly consider themselves a Republican if they don't want a small, limited federal government.  That would be like a Democrat wanting to ban federal funding to Planned Parenthood.  Completely antithetical to the basis of the party.

I do agree that a lot of Republicans forget that they're supposed to be in favor of a limited government.  Such as most of what the Republican did in D.C. during Bush's terms.  But that was more a reaction to being in power and wanting to make it seem like they were doing something than intentionally being the opposite of limited-government.



The Screamapillar is easily identified by its constant screaming—it even screams in its sleep. The Screamapillar is the favorite food of everything, is sexually attracted to fire, and needs constant reassurance or it will die.

Screamapillar on 27 February 2013
Adinnieken said:
badgenome said:
Adinnieken said:

Neither Paul nor Amash are Republican, they are Libertarian's.

They are both.

No, they aren't.  Even Amash has admitted he's Libertarian in interviews with the Michigan press.  Both are aligned under the Tea Party Republicans because there's is money in the Republican party.  There isn't money in the Libertarian Party. 

The Libertarians all during the 80's and 90's were a complete joke.  The had such a small showing in national elections, and few ever won at the state or local level.  The fact that the Libertarians have risen so far shows how much in decline the Republican party truly is.

You're both right.  Paul, Amash, and others are Libertarians at heart but they align themselves with the Republican Party because strictly speaking the Republican Party is very partial to the Libertarian platform.  Small, Constitutional, limited government, low taxes, pro Second-Amendment, etc.   Ronald Reagan said it best: "I believe the very heart and soul of conservatism is libertarianism".   Conservatism is the base of Republican platform, Libertarianism is the basis of Conservatism, so there you go.



The Screamapillar is easily identified by its constant screaming—it even screams in its sleep. The Screamapillar is the favorite food of everything, is sexually attracted to fire, and needs constant reassurance or it will die.

richardhutnik on 27 February 2013
mrstickball said:
If the Republicans would drop the social crap, and try to limit the size/growth of government, they would easily start besting the Democrats in federal elections. Why they pander to the religious right, I have no idea. Its not like that group is suddenly going to go Democrat any time soon.

You have a primary system that gets the social conservatives coming out to vote for.  Drop the stand on social issues, and the end result is that you don't get sufficient turnout.  Their primary system is going to produce individuals who can't win.  They pander to the religious right, because it helped them win elections.



richardhutnik on 27 February 2013
Adinnieken said:
badgenome said:
Adinnieken said:

Neither Paul nor Amash are Republican, they are Libertarian's.

They are both.

No, they aren't.  Even Amash has admitted he's Libertarian in interviews with the Michigan press.  Both are aligned under the Tea Party Republicans because there's is money in the Republican party.  There isn't money in the Libertarian Party. 

The Libertarians all during the 80's and 90's were a complete joke.  The had such a small showing in national elections, and few ever won at the state or local level.  The fact that the Libertarians have risen so far shows how much in decline the Republican party truly is.

It is hard to win offices in organizations you believe should be shrunk down to next to nothing.  People don't elect you based on what you won't do, but what you will do.



Screamapillar on 27 February 2013
richardhutnik said:
Adinnieken said:
badgenome said:
Adinnieken said:

Neither Paul nor Amash are Republican, they are Libertarian's.

They are both.

No, they aren't.  Even Amash has admitted he's Libertarian in interviews with the Michigan press.  Both are aligned under the Tea Party Republicans because there's is money in the Republican party.  There isn't money in the Libertarian Party. 

The Libertarians all during the 80's and 90's were a complete joke.  The had such a small showing in national elections, and few ever won at the state or local level.  The fact that the Libertarians have risen so far shows how much in decline the Republican party truly is.

It is hard to win offices in organizations you believe should be shrunk down to next to nothing.  People don't elect you based on what you won't do, but what you will do.

I'd say cutting whole departments and programs counts as doing something.  Surely just because you're getting rid of something instead of creating or adding to something, it still counts as doing something, not not doing something.



The Screamapillar is easily identified by its constant screaming—it even screams in its sleep. The Screamapillar is the favorite food of everything, is sexually attracted to fire, and needs constant reassurance or it will die.