I don't use three exclamation marks lightly, but I've just read the greatest news! Larry Elder has changed his voter registration to "Republican."
"So, after much soul-searching, on Friday, May 9, 2003, I filed to change my voter registration to the Republican Party. Not because I find the party pure -- indeed, many Republicans like Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., George Voinovich, R-Ohio, and Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, talk the talk but fail to walk the walk. Yet, because of my Republican friends such as Congressman David Dreier, R-Calif., writer-director-producer Lionel Chetwynd, and many others, I have a greater understanding of the day-to-day difficulty of moving intransigent Democrats, and some Republicans, in the right direction. I can exercise greater effectiveness cajoling, pushing and advocating on the inside, than nagging as an independent from the outside."
Larry Elder's "Ten Things You Can't Say In America" is an incredible book and his columns are always sagacity-packed. Libertarians are needed in the GOP, not only for their votes and resources -- but also for their ideas. I am hoping for a little-l renaissance in big-R land. Larry Elder is a great start!
The Weekly Standard had a list of at least three Senatorial races that seemed to go Democratic because of a Libertarian candidate. I am skeptical of this type of electoral math. But if it is true, you can hardly think that Libertarians' beliefs were served by sending Maria Cantwell and Debbie Stabenow to the US Senate.
This will be my new crusade: bring recalcitrant Libertarians into the GOP. Maybe I'll start with JohnGalt...
UPDATE: There is a good discussion on this topic at samizdata.net.
Posted by jk at May 15, 2003 10:45 AMNo need to start with JohnGalt. I am a registered Republican already and have NEVER been a Libertarian.
JohnGalt attended the inauguration of President George W. Bush in January of 2000, (largely in celebration of the departure of "Sick/Slick Willie" Clinton).
Posted by: johngalt at May 16, 2003 08:50 AMI am most happily corrected! I remember being jealous of your attending the Inauguration. I bought some coffee mugs off of the website (JohnGalt went to the Inauguration and all I got were these lousy latte cups!)
Okay, I will move on to the drummer in Berkeley Square. He votes "R" but he caucuses "L." I am on a mission from God.
Posted by: jk at May 16, 2003 09:43 AM