With news of the 2008 presidential election continuing to break on a daily basis, I have decided on my vote for November.
It appears the “major” players are set. The Republicans are going with John McCain (despite the protests of right-wing yackers Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and the like) and the Democrats are all but certain to line up with Barrack Obama (yes, Hillary is still fighting, but it seems the battle was actually lost some time back).
I can actually tell you positive things about both McCain and Obama. First, McCain is a true American hero. There can be no debating that one. As I have said before, I would shake his hand and say, “Thank you” if given the opportunity. Anyone who has gone through what he has deserves as much. Without a doubt, he would be an improvement over the president we’ve had for the past two terms (who quite frankly may be judged by historians as the worst we’ve ever had.)
Obama would be a historic president for obvious reasons. It would be great for our country to take the step to elect an African-American president. It would say a great deal about us as a nation. Obama has been able to capture the hearts of millions of voters and has literally pulled off one of the greatest political upset by winning the Democratic nomination over Hillary Clinton. (He had no realistic chance of doing so when this whole process began many months ago.)
However, despite what both have to offer I feel I must go in a different direction if certain things line up. Georgia’s own Bob Barr is currently seeking the nomination of the Libertarian Party. There was a time when I could have never seen myself voting for Barr. However, that’s how much our current president has changed the political landscape.
Our current president, for several years now, has launched an all-out assault on civil liberties. His main weapon in this war has been the disgraceful Patriot Act. In addition, the president has suspended Habeas Corpus, which means you and I can be arrested and held indefinitely without ever being charged or granted a court hearing, all rights guaranteed by the Constitution. You see, when you become a dictator as our current president has, then civil liberties must go.
That’s why people like Barr decided enough was enough. For years Barr was as loyal a Republican as you would find. However, Barr believed that Republicans should stick with limited government, not an ever-expanding one where citizens’ civil liberties are taken away one by one.
Eventually, reaching his breaking point, Barr said, “Enough is enough.” He officially left the Republican Party and joined the Libertarian Party, which has always stood tall for civil liberties. Barr can also continue to fight for issues he’s always stood for like lower taxes, rights for law abiding citizens not have their second amendment rights violated and for the role of government to be smaller, not larger.
The countdown continues to the day our current dictator — I mean president — leaves the Oval Office. For Americans who value freedom, it won’t be a day too soon.
It’s been said the Libertarian philosophy is a mixture of the Republican and Democratic mindset. With Barr seeking the party’s presidential nomination, it says that it’s not just liberals who value freedom, but conservatives as well.
If Barr can bring people from both sides of the aisle together maybe a needed third party revolution can finally begin. It’s something our country desperately needs. We can’t continue to give away our civil liberties at this rate.
Chris Bridges is a reporter for The Banks County News. Contact him at 706-367-2745 or e-mail comments to chris@mainstreetnews.com.
