Political Discussions

Ron Paul or Bob Barr?

Posted by psychosolodiver • 10/27/08 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: bob barr, California, ron paul

I just found out today, that Ron Paul is an official write-in candidate here in California.

I have been supporting Barr since Paul dropped his bid for the Republican nomination, but now I'm thinking about voting for Paul since Barr sort of makes me sick, but less sick than voting for Obama or McCain.

Barr is on the ballot, but I'll have to write in Paul.

What should I do?

User Comments

10/27/08

loverofjazz

if ron paul is your guy you should write him in. he seems to be a lot closer to libertarian principles than bob barr, though i'm not anything remotely close to an expert on that subject.
i plan on voting for the green party this year.

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10/27/08

clioandme

I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the concept of "official write-in candidate."

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10/28/08

xmarks

Barr is running as part of an official party. Therefore, if he gets 5+% the libertarians will have an easier time of running in 2012.

[reply]
1. 10/28/08
  
  loverofjazz
  
  you're absolutely right.
  but since barr's libertarian cred is sort of questionable where exactly does that leave the party?
  i think it might send a good message to the libertarians about nominating someone true to their principles if ron paul were the one to get the five percent instead of the party itself.
2. 10/28/08
  
  xmarks
  
  could be. I don't know what happens if an independent gets 5%. Do they get the same shot at public financing the next time around?
3. 10/29/08
  
  loverofjazz
  
  i think 5% is the threshold that a party needs to qualify for matching federal funding.
10/28/08

Hoeno

Barr just doesn't fill the shoes of Ron Paul for Libertarian values to me. Because of the war, I will not throw my vote away to make a statement during this election and I'm taking my libertarian-leaning self and voting for the very libertarian-opposite, Obama. These interventionist policies that Bush and McCain gravitate toward have totally lost me on the modern incarnation of the republican party majority. BUT, if I were choosing between Barr and Paul in the hopes of making a statement, there's no question that it'd be a vote for Paul from me.

~JD

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10/29/08

psychosolodiver

Ron Paul it is! Here in California Obama will surely win. Therefore, I can vote for whomever I want and Ron Paul is the man!

Thanks for your responses!

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