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New Libertarian Nominee Gary Johnson Slams Republicans For Gay Staffer Flap

Discussion in 'Current Events, World News, & LGBT News' started by Dan82, May 6, 2012.

  1. Dan82

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    http://www.buzzfeed.com/rosiegray/new-libertarian-nominee-gary-johnson-slams-republi


     
  2. sguyc

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    I think these kind of stances and policies are the future of the repbulican party. Yes I realize he was forced to run for the libertarian party, but times are changing.
     
  3. Mogget

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    Oh yeah, ten-twenty years from now it'll be hilarious to watch the GOP claim that they've always supported LGBT rights.
     
  4. Pret Allez

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    This must be a shift for the libertarian part then, because I know that it has basically not been positive on any LGBT issues at all. I mean, just look at Bob Barr and his state's rights cop out.


    Ya, no crap. The historical revisionism with them is pretty strong. Among my favorites is "democrats opposed civil rights." Never mind the whole political realignment thing where all the people who were racial bigots and did vote democrat started to vote republican...
     
  5. Dan82

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    With the exertion of their opposition to anti-discrimination laws they’ve always been positive as a party (their first platform 1972 called for the repeal of sodomy laws). They have occasionally nominated more conservative candidates like Barr and Ron Paul in 1988. I don’t think there’s been a major change in the national party.
     
  6. Danielle

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    I would strongly argue that Southern Democrats were the main opponents to the civil right era.
     
  7. Mogget

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    That's Pret's point. The GOP and Democrats essentially began to swap positions on racial matters when LBJ pushed for the civil rights act, and solidified the swap with Reagan's southern strategy.
     
  8. Pret Allez

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    Mogget gets me here. I would also strongly argue that Southern Democrats were the main opponents to the civils rights movement, because they were. The main fallacy committed by no small number of conservatives today is that the philosophies of modern democrats is the same as the pre-civil rights Southern Democrats you speak of. That's what I was alluding to when I said historical revisionism.


    The problem I have with what American libertarians I have read is that although they claim to favor freedom of association, they don't actually apply that to same-gender couples. Instead they hide behind federalism (as they have on many social justice issues). Basically, there seems to be a belief from many libertarians that LGBT rights actually amount to government intrusion into people's lives rather than the opposite--protecting queer rights against the intrusions of everyone else. I'm sorry, I just find that failure of consistency disappointing, and no different than paleo-conservatism.
     
    #8 Pret Allez, May 8, 2012
    Last edited: May 8, 2012
  9. WanderingSoul

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    Gary Johnson is basically where the Republican Party will be in 20-30 years, when they quit all the "social conservatism" nonsense. Aside from being harsh toward the poor, Libertarians have a lot going for them.

    I think there is a difference between Libertarians who hide behind federalism and those who actually take courageous stands. Ron Paul, for example, constantly harps on marriage equality being a "state's rights issue", which would put gay couples living in conservative states at a disadvantage. Perhaps due to his age, he also seems awkward talking about gay issues and people in general. By comparison, Gary Johnson is on record supporting full marriage equality and has sympathized with the discrimination and prejudice faced by gay individuals and couples. That is true libertarianism...supporting individual freedom and civil rights everywhere, without letting state borders and geography get in the way.
     
    #9 WanderingSoul, May 8, 2012
    Last edited: May 8, 2012