The Political Spectrum in 1 Lesson

Let’s straighten out some terms. Libertarians do not have some conservative views and some liberal views. It’s the other way around.
To explain:
The political spectrum is not left-right, liberal-conservative, Democrat-Republican. The political spectrum runs from complete government control on one end to total individual freedom on the other. So it’s: Control……….Freedom.
On the far Control end are the hard-core totalitarians. The really nasty guys who would cut out your tongue if you criticize the government at all. A bit in from there are the fascists, socialists and communists, who might allow you some freedoms just because it’s too hard to control everything.
On the far Freedom end are the radical anarchists who don’t want any government and believe in a dog-eat-dog world where you can do anything you can get away with. A nudge towards the middle from there are the Libertarians, who do believe in the need for some order in society, but basically think you should be able to do what you want as long as you aren’t hurting anyone against their will.
Mixed around in the middle are the liberals and conservatives who can’t figure out quite which freedoms should be okay and which things should be controlled, so they kind of bounce back and forth without a really rational, coherent, cohesive philosophy. Basically, personal opinion of what should and shouldn’t be allowed holds sway with both groups.
Therefore, it’s not that Libertarians have some liberal and some conservative views; it’s that liberals and conservatives have some Libertarian and some Totalitarian views.
I hope we won’t have any more confusion on the matter.

Endorsements

A quick list of candidates I support.

U.S. Representative, District 1: Angelia O’Dell, Independent, Tulsa.

U.S. Representative, District 5: Me.

Lieutenant Governor: Richard Prawdzienski, Independent, Edmond.

Oklahoma House, District 44: Robert T. Murphy, Democrat, Norman.

Oklahoma House, District 61: Stephen Skacall, Independent, Goodwell.

Oklahoma House, District 88: Dominique DaMon Block, Sr., Oklahoma City.

I, the Apostle

Michael McNutt starts his Daily Oklahoman article on yesterday’s candidate forum at OCU in Edmond like this:

“The setting for Thursday’s forum for the 5^th Congressional District candidates resembled a painting of the Last Supper after Judas Iscariot split.

“Twelve men – 11 candidates with a moderator in the middle – sat behind a long table with a white tablecloth looking out at a crowd of about 125 who attended the event at Oklahoma Christian University .”

This being the case – and assuming Mr. McNutt is referring to the famous Leonardo Da Vinci version of the scene – that puts me (2^nd from right as you look at the painting and the accompanying photo in the Oklahoman) in the same seat as Jude the Apostle, variously called Jude Thaddeus, Judas Thaddaeus, Lebbaeus, or Jude of James. He’s sometimes referred to as Jude, brother of Jesus, but that connection is pretty tenuous.

Obviously, any connection between me and Jude the Apostle is pretty tenuous, too. Except that, in the Roman Catholic Church, Jude is the patron saint of desperate cases and lost causes.

Ouch..

Candidate Forum in Edmond

The Edmond Chamber of Commerce’s 5^th District Congressional Candidate Forum was today. Seven Republicans, 2 Democrats, a Republo-Independent, and me, your humble Independent / Libertarian.

It was interesting to hear Democrat Tom Guild actually talk like a Democrat amid the sea of Republicans. But mostly it was a lot of people saying a lot of the same stuff, trying to claim the conservative high ground.

My biggest contribution was to draw attention to the copies of the “World’s Smallest Political Quiz” (www.TheAdvocates.org) that fellow Libertarian and Lieutenant Governor candidate Richard Prawdzienski had passed out. So people could see for themselves where they are on the political spectrum.

There were 3 questions for each of us. My answer to the one about the economy rambled and was pretty much just Libertarian boilerplate. Gave myself a “C” on that.

My answer about immigration was better, but I didn’t remember to emphasize that as a practical matter, rounding up 12 to 15 million illegals and sending them back was out of the questions. Not unless we are prepared to become a police state.

The third question was about how would I interact with Edmond public and private leaders if elected. So I demonstrated how, by going down into the audience and asking our mayor, Patrice Douglas, what her concerns were. Then asking a private citizen about his concerns. Then asking a state representative – also running for Congress – the same question.

Republican Rick Flanigan – a good guy – jokingly called it a “skit”. I had to correct him later; it wasn’t a “skit”, it was a “shameless stunt” designed to help people remember me.

All in all, it was worth the time spent. I’m looking forward to after the primaries and/or run-offs, thought, when there will be just 4 of us on the stage and we can do a little more eye-to-eye debate.

Beginning soon.