The book gets harder to read not withstanding high local temperatures, a myriad of social events and a rare self-employed sick day. The platitudes, silly anecdotes and contrived conclusions really start to stack up and repeat . . . 
Chapter 2: The Libertarian Model
It's simply this, according to my reading of Root; basically his father helped form the Conservative Party in New York and they elected the first independent Senator from the state. So if you think it can't be done, well it can. With all the hecks and darns I'm surprised that by golly wasn't included in this chapter. The horrible head of 'socially tolerant' reveals itself here. Trying using that on a worldly lesbian some time. They freak . . . kinda like I did after seeing hijacked spelled highjacked on page 24.
The sad part is how, practically speaking, out of touch Root has become about the Conservatives in New York now. A good or real politician should know the landscape before painting it. I spent some time in those circles from the mid eighties to mid nineties and it ain't pretty anymore. They've basically been fused to the Republican hip and won't let go. They burnt me with a little old lady in Poughkeepsie playing mule last time out . . . but that's another story. One wonders what a Columbia degree in political science amounted to in 1983. Did it require Columbia to adopt the history repeats itself platitude ? (p.23)
The last two paragraphs of this chapter are meant to somehow roust the rabble into some call for revolutionary electoral arms. No question the liberal press doesn't even have this on their radar like they did Obama. A shame really. We need a good rabble rousing . . . there is no model a real superficial sense of history and nothing to suggest Root fathoms the party beyond anything but himself. Credit due: At least he doesn't blame and bash the anarchists for thirty five years of failure.
Chapter 3: My Libertarian Awakening
Picture a young man running near a train station at night during a fog, leaving all his peers and fellow students behind . . . finally stopping and grinning that it would a few minutes for them to catch up. When the spindly Australian finally does and asks what's the matter, no amount of hashish talk just back from Christiana could adequately explain why this American declares himself steadfastly anarchist and not Republican or Democrat as the late eighties scheme demands the next day in class. . . Well it's far easier for Root.
Ignoring the fact that the previous chapter was spent marveling at the third party possibility of the Conservatives, suddenly the GOP is the beloved benefactor of Root's efforts and sympathies over the years. Really, you think McCain would have pulled it off if he had declared the stimulus bad ? Um, Wayne it's about the war buddy. Sorry to say. But of course back to Obama bashing. The self declared anti-Obama after all. He's a " far-left socialist who will expand government beyond . . . " fill in favorite liberal icon from McGovern to Kerry. Again, the bright side is that he's had an awakening and soon millions will follow also. Because you see, there's no difference between . . . yep alright.
"I've always been a leader, not a follower. I will continue to vote for, support and contribute to any candidate from any party with Libertarian ideals and principles." Curious statement this on page 38 at the end of the chapter. Back in early February my campaign manager sent an inquiry to Wayne about a donation and got this reply:
Rich - I am asked by every candidate in USA...LP and many GOP...to contribute. I spent $50,000 of my own money on my own LP Prez and VP campaigns. I set a rule and I stick to it...I do not contribute to individual candidates. I give my very valuable time and celebrity name to raise money for LP candidates- just as I offered to do for Eric in NY. Thats giving alot.
While I certainly would have taken the fundraiser offer in an earlier email exchange, his availability was on March 26, the final weekend before the special election on Monday. We needed cash at that moment to pay for signatures in the dead of winter. Rich and I both laughed it off and said, "oh well, we'll just have to ignore Wayne in the future." There you go, some real politico in the review. A troublesome aspect to this is that when friend and ally Lou Jasikoff did the donation rounds for us at the LSLA conference later on in the month in Charleston, while my fellow Libertarians were coughing up what they could for the effort, Root must have reluctantly broke his own rule (as state in the email, not the book) and guilty coughed up a fifty dollar check in front of the whole national party. I have no animus towards Wayne in this regard and will certainly return the donation favor when his committee is official. If I'm flush I'll even double it . . .
Recognizing the hazards of the third party choice in US electoral sequences is important. Root capitalizes liberatraian when describing his future support to any party with these supposed ideals. Not really knowing the ideals himself, it will be very easy for him to claim that smaller gubmint types qualify. I wonder if a bigger party were to suddenly develop under the aegis of the tea party uprisings, whether or not Root would simply abandon the LP ship for a better personal ride without ever blinking an eye because his principles and ideals are unchanged. Loyalty, length of service and reliability are certainly qualities I want in my fellow Libertarians. It's not clear how this awakening ever takes hold for Root. You will certainly never get this libertarian to call Bill Maher, Glenn Beck or Dennis Miller 'L'ibertarians (pg.37).
Chapter 4: Democrats and Republicans
If there are two parties which have contributed to the bulk of the problems in America it's surely the Dems and GOP. While one takes credit for the advances of social equity through public policy, the other will certainly decry the effort as unjust entitlement begotten by the enemy of capitalism, FDR himself. If one is perceived weak in matters of foreign policy surely an unjust and undeclared war will follow. These might have been interesting points in this type of effort to beat up the two heavies, but almost mention besides a quote from Jefferson follows. At least he feels bold enough to use hell in his descriptors on this one (p.40). But it's just the dumb and dumber thing again. Great in front of small mid-west crowds for Liberty or maybe a Cavuto appearance.
" After all, it was George W. Bush who opened the door for the election of President Barack Obama with obscene government spending and the greatest expansion of government in modern political history (p.41)." No mention of the ungodly war ever follows from this. Jump right to the bailouts by Bush and the eager following of Obama, which will be worse of course. He does start to get into the disparity between rich and poor in terms of the general electorate, but fails to integrate the notion of the middle class adequately into it. That's key for any mainstream politician.
Root does acknowledge that States rights is not a catchall for fair or decent policy. This thankful admission comes lest we think him utterly gullible in his extended diatribe. " State governments can and often are just as intolerable, onerous, close-minded and mean spirited as the federal government.(p.44)" The problem for Root is that he thinks this is the spot for change and reform, whereas the commonly acknowledged leaps in civilization are often placed in recognition of the Feds. Not that I agree, but Brown v. Board and Civil Rights are commonly referenced by Democratic political opponents when conservatives and Republicans are at each others proverbial throats. As far as I'm concerned, seatbelt laws, cell phone, transfat and smoking laws all started in good old New York . . . no solace there.
Credit due: The final paragraph of the chapter spells out very clearly that giving government more power is always bad. hard to argue with, but hardly with the conviction or the power of far more talented critics of the state.
Chapter 5: Battered Voter Syndrome
One of the favorite Libertarian produced campaign commercials is entitled Battered Voter Syndrome. I'm betting Wayne picked up on this somehow during what must have been dozens if not hundreds of conversations he had during his presidential bid. It's a cute gimmick without taking any policy or idea chances. Sort of like Wayne's glowing review of Sarah Palin when he himself was a presumed opponent of the latter on the ticket . . .
Credit due: Root admits that his hero Reagan 'oversaw a dramatic expansion of government'. Never mind the whole Iran-contra incident, it's back to the Department of Educamacation . . . this where some 'rooted' understanding of history would benefit the would be 2012 nominee. Citing the instance of the promise "Read my lips, no new taxes" by GHWB as another battering moment, it might do Root as an author, not a motivational speaker, to research some facts about that instance. According to David W. Moore, author of The Superpollsters (p.362-363), he summarizes senior Bushes actual actions and approaches to this situation as reasonable in terms of the polls, and the budget reality. Faced with the choice between draconian budget cuts via automatic Gramm-Rudman mechanisms, a compromise deal on spending and some not so destructive taxation had to be reached with Democrats to appease both sides politically. Most voters were in favor of this according to Moore and it was only the super rabid conservatives that made it go bad for senior . . . instead Root slides away with a quick pithy proof of his strained pitch here.
" The media blamed President George W. Bush for $4 per gallon gas, even though his policies had no direct effect on the price of oil (p.51)" Ouch. Wayne, really ? Ugh. If Libertarians point to one thing as the cause of higher gasoline prices, it's the invasion of Iraq. Once again that Root what make such a blanket statement reveals a rather disturbing simplistic understanding of policy and economy. Instead its right back to anti_obama-ism and how he'll re-submit his windfall profits thing, admitetdly this is probably true.
The rest of the chapter deteriorates into bashing radical environmentalists and and entitlement addicts (p.53). In the end it's Libertarians like Wayne who will recue the American voter. "We offer an honest, fair and loyal relationship with your government(p.54)." Even if that were possible, odds are even the nobles Libs would start skimming off the top . . .
Too tired to really edit this piece, so here ya go; as is, first draft.
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