Fast forward to 1980 and I became a supporter of Ed Clark, the LP's standard bearer for president. Considering that the Republicans had a charismatic candidate who espoused ideals similar to those of the LP, I was not disappointed when Clark garnered nearly a million votes. I viewed that as a solid base upon which the party could build.
Alas! That was not to be. Little did I anticipate that would be the high water mark for the LP in national politics. Not even Ron Paul, in his 1988 campaign, was able to approach Clark's 1980 result.
Consequently, when the 2008 presidential campaign began in earnest in 2007, I was resigned to expect another confirmation that the LP is, and always will be, politically irrelevant.
Then, something funny happened on the way to the forum. Much to my astonishment, hundreds of Paul meet-up groups sprang up overnight, millions of dollars were raised, and Paul was receiving media attention which dwarfed anything obtained by any past LP candidate, including Paul's own 1988 candidacy. Moreover, Paul obtained vote percentages well into the double digits in a number of Republican primaries, and thousands flocked to Ron Paul rallies throughout the country.
Obviously, something significant was going on here. Ron Paul's campaign for peace, freedom, and prosperity was resonating with a segment of voters that I thought had long since become extinct. But once McCain became the presumptive nominee, I again resigned myself to another disappointing showing for the LP.
Then former Rep. Bob Barr announced, three weeks before the LP's national convention in Denver, that he would seek the LP's nomination.
Barr's candidacy was met with a great deal of skepticism, and some outright antagonism from the so-called purists in the party. In response to the skeptics, I argued that those who knew Barr best were the ones most likely to support him — enthusiastically. How else to explain the near unanimous support for Barr from his home state of Georgia, whose delegates unwaveringly supported him, through six ballots, by a margin of 33 to 2?
Barr earned this overwhelming support by demonstrating over the past four years that his commitment to libertarian principles is genuine. For the past several years the former supporter of the War on Drugs has been a passionate advocate of medical marijuana. He has used his clout, contacts, and influence to further that cause on Capitol Hill. This has not gone unnoticed by the Marijuana Policy Project, whose president, Rob Kampia, provided Barr with one of the seconding speeches when his name was put into nomination.
Barr has also provided much needed financial support for the Georgia LP. At the party's 2007 state convention, its executive director was fretting over how the party was going to cover the costs of the event. He need not have worried; Barr presented him with a $1,000 donation at the convention's closing banquet to help defray the costs. Following the banquet, members were invited to shoot the breeze with Barr at a local pub, where Barr picked up the tab for single-malt scotches and the finest cigars this side of Havana.
Barr's involvement is not confined to major events like the aforementioned state convention. He frequently makes unannounced appearances at more mundane gatherings such as monthly county affiliate meetings and breakfasts. He is consistently accessible, despite the fact that his support for local and state party organizations has no doubt caused him to receive considerable flak from his Republican former colleagues.
As I pointed out in a letter I distributed to delegates at the national convention, "we all had to come to libertarianism from somewhere" and the fact that Barr once held positions antagonistic to libertarianism does not, and should not, disqualify him for the nomination.
Barr has attributes that no other LP candidate has ever provided in significant measure: credibility, experience, and that certain intangible quality which I would describe as being "presidential." He has the potential to capture the Ron Paul voters.
Millions of Americans are disenchanted with politics as usual, and with both major parties' shallow calls for change without substance. Barr represents a breath of fresh air which can attract untold numbers to the libertarian fold. A new chapter in American politics may be about to unfold, with the LP, and liberty itself, finally having a place at the table.
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