MOVEMENT NEWS

George Phillies, longtime former Chairman of the Libertarian Party of Massachusetts and Libertarian National Committee member, not normally a fan of the Republican Party, commented favorably on the GOP. The comments came in reaction to an article published at Tucker Carlson's Daily Caller, "Libertarian Party sees resurgence as number of congressional candidates jumps by 35 percent over 2008" June 16:

Although good management and fundraising certainly play a role in party growth, today’s zeitgeist could help make a Libertarian boom out of the two-party bust.

For the 2010 election, 171 candidates for U.S. Congress are running with an “L” beside their names, up from 127 in 2008 and 114 in 2006. At all levels of public office, the party counts 716 candidates running as Libertarians this year, compared to 593 in 2008, and 596 in 2006.

No Libertarian Party candidates are on the ballot in Massachusetts. This despite the MA LP having run numerous candidates in the past, most recently the high profile and somewhat novelty candidacy of uniquely named Joe Kennedy for US Senate special election last February.

Instead, Bay State Libertarians may be shifting to the GOP for 2010. From Phillies (via IPR):

This [Libertarian boom] phenomenon is also seen elsewhere. For example, in Massachusetts the number of Republican Congressional candidates in their primaries has gone through the ceiling. In recent years, they have typically had five for the state’s ten Congressional Districts. This year, there are five Republican Congressional candidates in my Congressional District alone, and every District except Capuano’s (D, north of Boston) has at least one Republican running.

From Eric Dondero:

A balding Mid-west Governor, and a more-than-husky outspoken East Coast chief of state are described as "sexy" proponents of the free market philosophy - tongue in cheek - in the latest column by Michael Gerson at WaPo "Mitch Daniels: A paradox for our times":

Daniels became a highly successful Indiana governor, combining a motorcycle-driving, pork-tenderloin-eating populism with courageous budget cutting, a solid record of job creation and a reputation for competence. If responsibility and austerity are now sexy, Daniels and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie are centerfolds.

When asked his political influences, Daniels cites Charles Murray, the author of "What It Means to Be a Libertarian." Daniels speaks of taxation as a form of coercion that can be justified only by narrow and necessary public purposes. But unlike, say, libertarian Kentucky Senate candidate Rand Paul, Daniels has actually run a state, forcing him to define government's necessary purposes in a more realistic manner.

Here’s the long and short of this “comprehensive energy plan” they want to pass: For 40 years, no President has “found” a solution getting us off of oil. The Free Market has no desire because most believe oil isn’t near its peak point. SO the Democrats want to put ENORMOUS tax increases on all carbon [...]

Republicans vote near unanimous for Repeal

From Eric Dondero:

Every single Republican in the US House, with the exceptions of Rep. Joseph Cao of Louisiana and Rep. Zach Wamp of Tenn. who missed the vote, voted "Yea" for repeal of the individual mandate in Obama's Health Care bill. The vote was 187-230.

From Politico:

Republicans wanted to get Democrats on the record once again saying they back a law that requires uninsured Americans to purchase health insurance.

The procedural motion never really had a shot at passing, but that wasn't the Republicans' point. The vote was 187-230, with 21 Democrats voting to roll back the individual mandate.

The amendment was sponsored by Republican Rep. Dave Camp of Michigan.

AntzinPantz blog comments:

Of course, it was defeated.

But it left the republicans with a handy list of names to campaign against.

Though, "conservatives and libertarian voters" will turn out anyway

From Eric Dondero:

Initiatives and referendum for repeal of ObamaCare will be on the ballot in a number of states this Fall, including Missouri, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Arizona and Florida. The initiatives are seen as a way to help boost turn-out on the Right. But some on the Right, don't see it as entirely necessary. Conservatives and libertarians are already fired up.

From The Hill "Republicans put health reform on ballot in push to turn out conservatives":

“We don’t care who gets it done,” [repeal] said ALEC health task force director Christie Herrera, “just as long as they get it done.”

Herrera said she doesn’t think Republicans need the ballot measures to bring out the vote.

“I think you’re going to see huge turnout among conservatives and libertarian voters,” she said, “just because there’s huge residual anger against the health reform law.”