Central Planning out of DC - a disaster

H/t Tim Daniel, Left Coast Rebel

Blackwell agrees with Rand Paul: I would have voted for 9 out of 10 provisions of the '64 Civil Rights Act

"Libertarian Politics Live" the official blog talk radio show for Libertarian Republican had two impressive guests on Thursday night's show.

Andre Traversa together with Co-Host "Right Guy" Jim Lagnese at the Switchboard hosted "Bob" Emmett Tyrrell, decades-long Editor & Publisher of the distinguished American Spectator magazine. Right off the bat, Tyrell made a bit of news by referring to himself as a fellow "libertarian."

"Make no mistake about it. Libertarian-Conservatism is winning..." -- Tyrrell (12:30 minutes in)

Tyrell went on to talk about his new book "After the Hangover," a 40-year history of the conservative movement. He also took David Frum to task for his NeoConservatism and recent criticisms of Rush Limbaugh.

Tyrell: Canadian Prime Minister Harper a "libertarian"

Tyrrell made a bit of news of a more international flavor, at one point talking of his longstandin friendship with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. He called him a solid "conservative," and then went on to say he's a "libertarian." (11 minutes in.)

The second guest for a 15-minute segment was former Ohio Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell. The Secretary was on to defend Rand Paul from his uniquely conservative African-American perspective. He said that he knew Ron Paul personally and called the younger Paul a "stand up guy."

Blackwell stated categorically that if he would have been a congressman in 1964 he would have voted for the Civil Rights Act, but would have worked to repeal the one provision impeding on the rights of business owners to decide for themselves.

"The Bus owners weren't the problem; the government was the problem"

To hear the entire show please click on Radio button above.

LR FOLLOW-UP

From Eric Dondero:

Updates on two very important news stories we've been following feverishly here at Libertarian Republican:

Firstly, looks like it's all crashing down around SC political trouble-maker Will Folks. RedState has the goods. Seems he was on someone's payroll after all. This last-minute attack on libertarian-leaning Republican and frontrunner for SC Gov. Nikki Haley has failed.

From Erick Erickson, RedState:

The consultant who last year was telling people about Will Folks’ story worked or works for Andre Bauer. Bauer himself admitted this week he has known about the rumor for a year... another blogger notes this: “Bauer seems to have cut some kind of deal with blogger Bill Folks.”

Three days before the Palin endorsement, Folks is singing the Bauer campaign’s praises.

Sadly, Lt. Gov. Bauer is a libertarian-leaning Republican, and one whose candidacy had been looked upon positively by Libertarian Republican.

As if there's not enough irony in this whole sordid tale, it now appears that there's a strong likelyhood that both libertarian-leaning Republicans Nikki Haley and Andre Bauer will face each other in the run-off. From Josh Painter at Texans for Palin:

South Carolina voters don't appear to be buying claims made by blogger and political operative Will Folks that he had an affair with state Rep. Nikki Haley. A new InsiderAdvantage/Statehouse Report poll shows Haley, who has the endorsement of Sarah Palin, with a 10.6 percent lead over Andre Bauer, in the GOP primary race for governor. Just before Folks' made his allegations earlier this week, a poll showed that Haley had jumped into the lead by nearly 10 points, so, despite the negative press coverage, her lead has actually grown.

Results of the poll show Haley ahead with 31.3 percent, followed by Bauer in second place at 20.7 percent. Gresham Barrett had 14.1 percent, and Henry McMaster 13.8 percent.

Secondly, some poll numbers have been released since the Rand Paul civil rights law flap hit last week. Seems Paul is holding steady in the Kentucky Senate race with a 3% lead over Democrat Ken Conway.

The poll was conducted by far leftwing Daily Kos. So, a 3% lead, can be viewed as decent considering all that has gone on this past week.

Amazingly, others on the far left are trying to conjure up another "Rand Paul scandal." Seems he made some comments on a foreign television interview a while back, and said he believes children born to illegal immigrants should not be given automatic citizenship status; that they should earn it. Presumably that could mean a stint in the military, or passing a citizenship/history test, or maybe paying a small fine.

But the bombastic headline at CNN reads: TRENDING: Paul says No citizenship for Children of Illegal Immigrants.

From Eric Dondero:

Leftists may shreik. But Libertarians, un-ashamed capitalists to the core, will be holding their Bi-Annual National Convention in St. Louis this weekend, at the luxorious downtown Renassiance Grand Hotel. Part of the Marriot chain, the hotel is described as both "distinctive and stylish."

About 600 to 800 delegates are expected to attend. Platform planks will be decided upon. Party administration business will be taken care of.

At main issue is the race for all-important Party Chair. Among the candidates include: author of "Republican Millionaire," Sports Oddsmaker and frequent Fox News guest Wayne Allyn Root of Las Vegas, longtime California Libertarian and former candidate for statewide office Mark Hinkle, and former Libertarian Party of Massachusetts Chairman George Phillies.

Speakers confirmed include former Republican Congressman Bob Barr of Georgia, and 2004 Liberarian Presidential candidate Michael Badnarik.

For more information visit the official convention website: GatewaytoLiberty.com, hosted of course, by the Libertarian Party of Missouri.

Note - the LP of Missouri is regarded as one of the most successful Libertarian affiliates in the Nation. Over 20 Libertarian Party members currently hold public office in the State, including one small town Mayor, and two members of the Springfield (pop. 80,000) City Council.

Readers:

We've got a little something special planned for Sunday; something a bit out of the ordinary, and out-of-format.

It will be fun. It will be up later Sunday afternoon or evening.

We request your full participation. And absolutely alert your friends and political associates. We need them to participate, as well.

Hint: a certain southern state for whatever reason, has been all over YouTube recently, of a political nature. Seems every Republican running for office is trying to outdo the other.

You'll get to decide who is the best of the lot.

Eric - The Management

John Stossel on Fox Business News

Let the private sector handle the clean-up; Not! the government. BP will do it better than government.

(Brief commercial at beginning)

Likely Voters familiar w/candidates - Libt. Snitker 12%, Democrat Meek 4.5%

From Eric Dondero:

Have Democrats sunk so far as to obtain "Minor Party" status in Florida?

New polling data released by Telsel, Inc. out of St. Augustine suggests that Libertarian candidate for US Senate Alex Snitker could actually come out ahead of Democrat Kendrick Meek in the four-way race. Snitker has been running a suprisingly agressive "Ron Paul style" insurgency campaign.

The polling data also suggest libertarian/Tea Party Republican Marco Rubio in a tight race with moderate Republican-turned-Independent Gov. Charlie Crist.

From Telsel, Inc. (via Snitker site):

The question asked was, “If the election were held today, which Senate candidate would you vote for?” The survey listed the candidates in the order in which they will appear on the ballot. The results were rounded to nearest half percentage point.

Candidate All Respondents, Likely Voters
Marco Rubio (R) 32.0%, 33.5%
Kendrick Meek (D) 9.0%, 9.5%
Alexander Snitker (L) 2.5%, 2.5%
Charlie Crist (NPA) 40.0%, 40.0%
Undecided 16.5%, 14.5%

Respondents were asked if they were familiar with each of the above candidates. Among respondents who said that they were familiar with Snitker, the results changed dramatically:

Candidate All Respondents, Likely Voters
Marco Rubio (R) 30.0%, 31.0%
Kendrick Meek (D) 4.0%, 4.5%
Alexander Snitker (L) 11.0%, 12.0%
Charlie Crist (NPA) 38.5%, 36.0%
Undecided 16.5%, 16.5%

(Note - Telsel interviewed 505 respondents, 447 said they are likely to vote in the November)

The liberal-leaning Miami Herald while downplaying Snitker's numbers over Democrat Meek as "hardly worth noting," calls the Crist - Rubio numbers "interesting figures."

Meanwhile, the partisan Democrat website SwingStateProject denigrates Snitker's chances of winning, but finds the polling data "extraordinary."

Meek has been plagued by continuous ethics questions. Notes the liberal-leaning alternative newspaper Creative Loafing out of Tampa:

Meek, his staff, and family have questionable ties to a Miami developer of ill repute...

A 4th place finish for the Democrat Party in Florida could prove to be an embarrassing footnote on Election night 2010. This would especially be the case if the outcome comes close to what this new polling suggests: Democrat Meek finishes behind a Libertarian/Tea Party Republican, a fiscal conservative Republican/Independent and a hardline Libertarian Party member.

Palin-backed Susana Martinez now well-ahead

by Eric Dondero

Doug Turner, a young entrepreneur from Albuquerque has been the Libertarian Republican favorite in the race for New Mexico Governor. He has the endorsement of the Republican Liberty Caucus. He was featured on Libertarian Republican early on.

However, two new polls show him significantly behind the pack. Way out ahead of the 5-(wo)man pack is Susana Martinez.

From Dialing Services LLC (via Hedgehog):

GOVERNOR – NEW MEXICO – GOP PRIMARY (Dialing Services LLC)
Susana Martinez 41%
Allen Weh 30%
Doug Turner 9%
Pete Domenici Jr. 8%
Janice Arnold-Jones 4%

From SurveyUSA (via Hedgehog):

GOVERNOR – NEW MEXICO – GOP PRIMARY (Survey USA)
Susana Martinez 43%
Allen Weh 33%
Doug Turner 8%
Pete Domenici Jr. 8%
Janice Arnold-Jones 3%

Martinez best positioned to defeat Dems

Perhaps most important, Martinez is the one Republican who finishes ahead of expected Democrat nominee Diane Denish, a well-known and popular Dem elected official in the State.

From JoeMonahsNewMexico blogspot:

With two independent polls--including ours--now showing that Susana Martinez is threatening to rout Allen Weh in next Tuesday's GOP Guv primary, attention is turning fast to the main event--the face-off between Dem Diane Denish and probable nominee Martinez. And thanks to SurveyUSA we're already being titillated. A hypothetical match-up between the two women has Susana trumping Di 49% to 43%.

Martinez, Ana County Prosecutor, is described as a "stalwart conservative." She's running on Border Security First.

Two weeks ago, she picked up the endorsement of Sarah Palin.

From Josh Painter at Texas Broadside qouting New Mexico Politics blog:

Susana Martinez, who was endorsed by Sarah Palin May 15, has skyrocketed to a double-digit lead in the New Mexico Republican primary race for governor...

Clearly, this race has broken open since the ABQ Journal poll released May 16 showed Weh leading Martinez 31 to 30. Looking back, the same day that poll so favorable to Martinez was released, former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin flew to ABQ to endorse the DA. The next day the Martinez camp came with an ad accusing Weh of being soft on amnesty for illegal immigrants. This was a one-two punch, plus one, that sent the wealthy businessman reeling, and this poll shows he is still staggering around the ring.

New Mexico Independent described Palin's endorsement as a "lightning strike" for her campaign.

Martinez's stance on economics is fully in line with libertarian principles. From her campaign website:

Higher taxes and excessive regulations force jobs out of New Mexico.

My primary goal will be to make certain businesses in New Mexico continue to operate in the state, while attracting others to set up shop here.

I believe we need to create new jobs in New Mexico by lowering taxes and making our state more competitive... This means I will reform the tax and regulatory system by cutting red tape and making it easier to create jobs in New Mexico than it is in neighboring states...

While working in my family’s small business, I learned a key lesson: the private citizen – not the government – assumes risk and creates opportunity.

She may not be the first choice for New Mexico Governor of the GOP's libertarian wing. But Susana Martinez appears to be a candidate that libertarians could rally behind if she secures the nomination.

6 months in office and already a stunning success

by Eric Dondero

Americans have expressed time and time again that they want a politician who actually does what he says, and means what he says. That's Chris Christie.
WCBS TV via Drudge:

"We're very confident we've been able to close the additional budget gap in (fiscal year) 2010 and in (fiscal year) 2011 we're going to be able to solve that problem without any new taxes at all and without any real significant cuts," Christie said.

"We're not raising taxes, Marcia. That's it. It's not happening," Christie said.

Reporter Marcia Kramer gives some background:

Skipping the "fiscalese," what happened was the budget freeze imposed by Gov. Christie when he took office generated more savings than expected, enough to cover much of the lost tax money.

Kramer declares in the intro: "Remember Christie's budget freeze... looks like it worked."

So, what's keeping other governors from copying the Christie model? We already know Democrats like David Paterson of NY, Pat Quinn of Illinois, Ted Stickland of Ohio, Deval Patrick of Massachusetts, et.al. are wedded to big government policies and tied to the hip of the Teachers Unions and SEIU which prevents any meaninful reforms. But what's the excuse of Republicans like Arnold Schwarzenegger, and even Georgia's Sonny Purdue?

Future Republican governors take note: Chris Christie is now the model for excellence in governing. He has set the standard. Follow it!

Tea Partier & "conservative Republican with a very strong Libertarian bent"

In north central New Jersey lies the county of Hunterdon. Clinton Township has a population of 2,600. And one of the town's elected councilman is a self-described "libertarian."

From the Hunterdon Review, May 27:

Spencer Peck, a 38-year resident of the township is completing a one-year unexpired term on council. He is now a candidate for election to a full three-year term. He, and his wife of 46years, Elizabeth, have six children, all of whom attended township schools.

He said he is “a conservative Republican with a very strong Libertarian bent.”

Peck was the Hunterdon County representative on the 1999 New Jersey Commemorative Quarter Commission, and he “proposed the design and motto for our state quarter.”

This year he organized the Hunterdon County Tea Party Express bus to Washington, D.C.

Among his accomplishments while in office according to Peck:

* supported our local school budget while simultaneously returning $250,000 for direct tax payer relief.”

* “protecting the autonomy of the sewer authority and their accumulated $1.5 million in cash reserves

* modification of the sign ordinance to provide a 30-day exemption for churches and other community based non profits

* voter approval of all bonded debt

The top two vote-getters will win seats on the council.