Because for some reason Russ Verney's return email doesn't work

I got the standard daily fundraising email from the Barr campaign today, in which Russ Verney first whined about the judge keeping Bob Barr out of last night's joint appearance by Barack Obama and John McCain, and then (naturally) got around to asking me for more money.

Supposedly to get Barr into the big Presidential debates, but let's get down to cases:

Call me a bit grumpy over the matter, but I think it's time that we break that winning streak by getting Bob Barr into the national debates.

I don't think that I stand alone on this issue.

As a matter of fact, I know that I'm not alone. You agree with me and that's a good start, but a report that I read late Friday night led me to believe that we can do a bit better.

According to the polling firm, Zogby International, a MAJORITY of Americans want Bob Barr included in the national debates!

The poll showed that 55% of likely voters want Bob Barr included in the debates. Of the respondents, 69% of independents felt that Bob Barr deserves a place in the debate, while 52% of Democrats and even 50% of Republicans agreed.

You, me, and a majority of Americans want Bob Barr taking the stage next month with John McCain and Barack Obama.

You, me, and a majority of Americans . . . that's not too bad now is it?

Steve we can make this happen.

I need your aggressive support from now until Election Day.

I need your contributions - as much as you can give.

I need you to spread the word far-and-wide about our candidate.

Finally, our nation - and especially the national media - needs to witness an avalanche of support made possible by a dedicated group of Americans who truly love liberty and will fight to get it back.

Steve we will make this happen.

Only a few short weeks remain until the Commission on Presidential Debates begins their "selection process" for candidates.

Donate, Spread the Word, Make Noise. Do not wait for orders from headquarters.

I appreciate your support.

So here's my reply to Russ:

Dear Russ,

You probably need to purge your email list, since I publicly dropped support of your candidate weeks ago.

Why?

Because Bob Barr's PAC donated thousands of dollars to Republican candidates who had Libertarian opponents, while he was a member of the Libertarian National Committee.

Because Bob Barr's position on the DOMA is that it's OK for the States to deprive American citizens of their rights based on sexual orientation.

Because Bob Barr hasn't shown the slightest concern for down-ticket Libertarian candidates.

Because the Barr campaign's approach to ballot access has been one of the least effective in recent memory.

Because Bob Barr's financial reports are riddled with air conditioning systems and payments to consultants who just happen to be family, friends, and former LP employees...

Russ, the fact of the matter is that your candidate hasn't met the necessary standard for my financial or personal support, and has become an embarrassment to many Libertarians nationwide.

And as for the little matter of orders from headquarters, just the fact that you'd include that phrase in a fundraising email to Libertarians suggests that you don't have the slightest clue about the ideology your candidate supposedly represents.

Sorry, Russ: no sale.

Sadly,

Steve Newton, Publisher
Delaware Libertarian

A Libertarian Martin Luther King Jr. Day post

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More of This, Please

Or perhaps I should say, "Less of this one, please." Or how about just, "None of them. Ever again. Please....For the Love of God." Sunshine State Poll: Grayson In Trouble The latest Sunshine State/VSS poll shows controversial Democratic incumbent Alan Grayson trailing former state Senator Dan Webster by seven points, 43 percent to 36 percent. A majority of respondents -- 51 percent -- disapprove of the job that Grayson is doing. Independents have an unfavorable view of him as well, by a 36/47 margin. Grayson has ignored the conventional wisdom that a freshman should be a quiet member who carefully tends to the home fires. The latest controversy involves his " Taliban Dan " advertisement, where he explicitly compares his opponent to the Taliban, and shows a clip of Webster paraphrasing Ephesians 5:22 -- "wives, submit to your husbands." An unedited version of the clip shows that Webster was actually suggesting that husba...

A reply to Salon's R. J. Eskrow, and his 11 stupid questions about Libertarians

Posts here have been in short supply as I have been living life and trying to get a campaign off the ground. But "11 questions to see if Libertarians are hypocrites" by R. J. Eskrow, picked up at Salon , was just so freaking lame that I spent half an hour answering them. In the end (but I'll leave it to your judgment), it is not that Libertarians or Libertarian theory looks hypocritical, but that the best that can be said for Mr. Eskrow is that he doesn't have the faintest clue what he's talking about. That's ok, because even ill-informed attacks by people like this make an important point: Libertarian ideas (as opposed to Conservative ideas, which are completely different) are making a comeback as the dynamic counterpoint to "politics as usual," and so every hack you can imagine must be dragged out to refute them. Ergo: Mr. Eskrow's 11 questions, with answers: 1. Are unions, political parties, elections, and ...

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