Playing online poker, texas hold 'em.
In three out of four consecutive hands, I drew 2, 7 unsuited.
For those of you who don't know, that's the worst possible hand.
Friday, August 18, 2006
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Foot in the door for Libertarians?
Perhaps not may people know this, but there is, and has been for some time, a libertarian in the House of Representatives today. His name is Ron Paul (TX-14).
Sadly, I cannot use a capital "l" in "libertarian", for Rep. Paul is officially a Republican. But don't let that fool you; Paul has close ties with the Libertarian Party, including a nomination for President in 1988.
Nevertheless, the Libertarian position is significantly weakened by Rep. Paul's status as a Republican. In the fiercely partisan America of 2006, fellow Republicans may see him as just another vote, while Democrats may dismiss him as a heretic (in addition to the "R" next to his name, Paul is staunchly "pro-life"). Even when he advances a libertarian agenda, he does little to legitimize the Libertarian party or its supporters.
Fortunately, there's something a-brewing on the horizon. In case you haven't followed the aftermath of Rep. Tom DeLay's (R-TX-22) resignation, it has been decided in court that the Republican Party cannot field another candidate on the 2006 ballot because of DeLay's primary victory. So Republicans find themselves in a tough spot, and they really only have two options at this point.
The first is to mount an aggressive campaign for a write-in candidate. Generally, such campaigns do not work, but because DeLay's district is 65% Republican, it certainly would not be impossible.
The second is to get behind the only other candidate on the ballot: Libertarian Bob Smither. Though this option may betray some Republican ideals, Smither likely has a better shot at the seat than any write-in candidate. This is extremely important when one considers the Democrats' not-too-bad chances of winning a House majority -- especially since Smither has pledged to caucus with the Republicans.
It is interesting to note that Mr. DeLay's predecessor in the 22nd district is none other than the aforementioned Ron Paul, perhaps indicating a libertarian-friendly populace.
Anyway, I'm no expert, but this is far more than a ray of hope for American libertarians. It's a real opening, and if Republican leaders make the right choice and support Smither, I believe he will win. And a victory for Bob Smither is a victory for everyone*.
*except the Democratic Party
Sadly, I cannot use a capital "l" in "libertarian", for Rep. Paul is officially a Republican. But don't let that fool you; Paul has close ties with the Libertarian Party, including a nomination for President in 1988.
Nevertheless, the Libertarian position is significantly weakened by Rep. Paul's status as a Republican. In the fiercely partisan America of 2006, fellow Republicans may see him as just another vote, while Democrats may dismiss him as a heretic (in addition to the "R" next to his name, Paul is staunchly "pro-life"). Even when he advances a libertarian agenda, he does little to legitimize the Libertarian party or its supporters.
Fortunately, there's something a-brewing on the horizon. In case you haven't followed the aftermath of Rep. Tom DeLay's (R-TX-22) resignation, it has been decided in court that the Republican Party cannot field another candidate on the 2006 ballot because of DeLay's primary victory. So Republicans find themselves in a tough spot, and they really only have two options at this point.
The first is to mount an aggressive campaign for a write-in candidate. Generally, such campaigns do not work, but because DeLay's district is 65% Republican, it certainly would not be impossible.
The second is to get behind the only other candidate on the ballot: Libertarian Bob Smither. Though this option may betray some Republican ideals, Smither likely has a better shot at the seat than any write-in candidate. This is extremely important when one considers the Democrats' not-too-bad chances of winning a House majority -- especially since Smither has pledged to caucus with the Republicans.
It is interesting to note that Mr. DeLay's predecessor in the 22nd district is none other than the aforementioned Ron Paul, perhaps indicating a libertarian-friendly populace.
Anyway, I'm no expert, but this is far more than a ray of hope for American libertarians. It's a real opening, and if Republican leaders make the right choice and support Smither, I believe he will win. And a victory for Bob Smither is a victory for everyone*.
*except the Democratic Party
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