This last weekend, Cynthia Tucker of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, apparently told Chris Matthews something he doesn't know. In the similarly titled segment, Tucker indicated that Bob Barr would be a potential spoiler for John McCain in the upcoming election. While it's interesting to note that even Barr doesn't consider himself a shoe in for the LP nomination, there are those willing to pile on this aspect of McCain's upcoming loss. 
Joseph Bell sets out the anemic case for this blame in a recent op-ed. According to Bell's own admission;
"He voted for Clinton/Gore in 1992. Abandoning the convictions that he had held and defended through adolescence and into adulthood was not easy. Sincere soul-searching and a commitment to distinguish fact from fiction compelled him to accept that liberal ideology was bankrupt."
No if he could only realize how bankrupt the country is based on false conservatism.
I suppose its a sign of success that so many would blame the LP for sticking with it after all these years. Are we not entitled to our own candidates and supporters without the back handed cruelty of dismissal that those so eager to identify with the status quo suffer from ? After all, when a voter decides to abandon the either/or common electoral choices, it is for many reasons.
In the LP, when we look at the damage and chaos that the Red & Blue have caused in matters of war, civil liberties, financial markets and sensibilities, it hard for us to understand why anyone would continue on as a battered voter. The Libertarian Party has never sent a young man or woman off to war, never imposed a tax and has never falsely accused or imprisoned any individual. Yet we are the ones demonized as supporters of drugs, prostitution and pornography. Freedom often has the price of personal responsibility and well being. We can't promise to be everywhere and help everyone. It's just not possible. Recognizing this is very realistic.
Perhaps if Mr. Bell had further revelation and thoughts on his journey to awareness he might not be so tight with the other side of the aisle that he has so readily embraced. Perhaps he could see that applying liberal or conservative to a donkey or an elephant is quite absurd.
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