Bob Barr on GOP drilling protest
August 8th, 2008 by Jason PyeOver at Reason, Dave Weigel has posted Bob’s thoughts on the protest in the House over oil drilling (also being referred to as the “#dontgo” movement):
My reaction to that is the same as my reaction to President Bush’s repeal of the 1991 executive order that his father signed, that made it even more difficult than pre-existing legislation to engage in offshore drilling. I commend the president. Where has he been for seven and a half years? I commend the House Republicans for finally standing up and doing something, but where have they been for the last seven and a half years? Are they serious about this or has this been an action taken to gain some headlines in advance of the Democratic and Republican conventions. The timing is, to be honest, a little suspect. But all of that being said, it’s good that they’re finally doing something. But to do something that will improve their standing in the polls before the election, I expect that will take more than standing on the House floor making speeches with the power turned off. It would take a lot more than that to create an agenda that will win them votes.
In case you are wondering, Bob’s full position on energy can be found here. On drilling, Bob says, “Congress should allow the exploration and production of America’s abundant domestic resources, including oil in the Outer Continental Shelf and Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and alternative sources such as shale oil.”
August 8th, 2008 at 4:01 pm
Barr is making more and more sense every passing day. It’s sad that he seems to be the only sane person running for president, aside from Chuck Baldwin.
Once again, they seriously need to include Bob Barr in the debates. Period. I hope the mainstream media and the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) do not prove me right about their agenda and stark bias.
August 8th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
I truly would love to see a libertarian in office but the one issue that holds me back is how to rectify this against environmental policy. Specifically in our national parks and coastlines where real damage could be done to the environment and to other states and countries.
I certainly do not support opening up more rights to oil with the industry subsidized as it is today.
August 8th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
Rep, Barr, please go to Washington and call on Speaker Pelosi to come back from vacation and vote up or down.
August 8th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
On a loosely-related note… further down the page over at Reason Hit & Run was a link to a Pew Research Center Poll showing 56% of voters believe there should be a third major political party in the United States.
August 8th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
With Obama on vacation and the news from the Olympics, political reporters would probably like some news other than John Edwards.
Why not invite them on a conference call this coming week. I think the campaign could strike a serious chord with them.
Bob has positions that would - and are - resonating with the American people. The press could blow this wide open and have an even more historic election to cover!
August 8th, 2008 at 10:31 pm
You guys want a libertarian in the debates? Go to Zogby and sign up for internet polling. We can get Bob Barr a very high percentage in the polls if every libertarian signed up. Then maybe that would translate into more attention and a chance to debate these do nothing, say nothing Republicrat candidates.
http://interactive.zogby.com/pollregistration/registration/index.cfm?refsite=news
August 9th, 2008 at 5:44 am
Tom Matzzie
There is a nonprofit organization, Accountable America lead by Tom Matzzie who is alleged to of sent out 10,000 threatening letters to Republican Donors, who give money to Conservative causes.
Under threats of legal harassment, governmental persecution, intimidation of harassing them by sending left wing groups to dig into their lives, possible blocking of employment opportunities, and many others illegal practices if they give any donations to any Conservative Groups or causes.
I fear these threats more then you can imagine since these same left wings groups will effectively if Barack Obama wins have all three branches of the legislative body. The threats of governmental persecution are very real and remind me of Hitler’s Nazi party or also known as the Society Socialist (SS).
Read Full Article: http://ameriborn.com/blog/?p=211
August 9th, 2008 at 9:57 am
Mark,
I signed up for Zogby some time ago but I have not received anything asking for my opinion so far, or even a confirmation e-mail. I guess I just have to keep waiting?
August 9th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
The N. said: “Barr is making more and more sense every passing day. It’s sad that he seems to be the only sane person running for president, aside from Chuck Baldwin.”
Agreed, but Barr calls our troops in Iraq “occupiers” not liberators, which they are…. I guess its no worse than McCain being on board with the carbon credit scam…
August 9th, 2008 at 5:12 pm
As a long-time libertarian activist as well s a former newspaper editor, I hate to be a pessimist, but Bob Barr won’t get much media coverage. Let’s look at reality.
The media have used the following excuses for not covering third-party candidates in the past:
1) They don’t show up in the polls.
2) They don’t “have any experience.”
3) They aren’t newsworthy
Funny that this year, Barr is showing up in the polls, but he doesn’t get coverage. Both Barr and Cynthia McKinney have more experience than Barack Obama and have won more elections than Obama. And both Both and Mckinney’s candidates are unusual — two former congressmen from Georgia running as third-party candidates.
The media are out of excuses. There are only three plausible explanations for their refusal to not cover Barr this year:
1) Despite their criticism of money in politics, the media will only cover candidates with money. In other words, they are hypocrites.
2) Many reporters have alcohol problems. (This was drilled into my head in journalism school.) They may not be able to function in reality.
3) Or, reporters cannot think beyond one and two candidates. To quote veteran reporter Gregg Hoffmann: “One need only look at the independent candidacy of H Ross Perot in 1992 to see an example of the two-value orientation of the news media. Journalists did not really know how to cover a three-person race.”
August 10th, 2008 at 6:35 pm
Adam, I noticed that as well. I signed up for Zogby quite a while ago, but I have received nothing.