Bob Barr quits GOP, joins LP

[KBCraig]

Barr was often stereotyped as a harsh neocon because he helped run the Clinton impeachment, but he's actually been pro-privacy, pro-gun rights, and pro-free speech.

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/12/15/D8M1ILB00.html

Ex-Rep. Barr Quits GOP for Libertarians
Dec 15 6:06 PM US/Eastern
   
By BEN EVANS
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON

A former Georgia congressman who helped spark President Clinton's impeachment has quit the Republican Party to become a Libertarian, saying he is disillusioned with the GOP on issues such as spending and privacy.

Bob Barr, who served eight years as a Republican congressman before losing his seat in 2002, announced Friday that he is now a "proud, card-carrying Libertarian." And he encouraged others to join him.

"It's something that's been bothering me for quite some time, the direction in which the party has been going more and more toward big government and disregard toward privacy and civil liberties," said Barr, 58, a lawyer and consultant living in Atlanta. "In terms of where the country needs to be going to get back to our constitutional roots ... I've come to the conclusion that the only way to do that is to work with a party that practices what it preaches, and that is the Libertarian Party."

Barr said he has no plans to run for office. In his new role as the Libertarian Party's regional representative for the South, he will help promote the party's message and recruit candidates, he said.

Barr helped manage the House Republicans' impeachment case before the Senate in 1999.

[Dreepa]

http://www.reason.com/news/show/28960.html

[Caleb]

I actually kind of like Bob Barr.  He's definitely a better "ex-congressman" than he was a congressman.  He's been very strong in fighting the Patriot Act.

[Dreepa]

I actually kind of like Bob Barr.  He's definitely a better "ex-congressman" than he was a congressman.  He's been very strong in fighting the Patriot Act.

You mean the Patriot Act that he voted for?
Did he read it (yeah I mean the whole thing) before he voted for it?

[Tom Sawyer]

I actually kind of like Bob Barr.  He's definitely a better "ex-congressman" than he was a congressman.  He's been very strong in fighting the Patriot Act.

You mean the Patriot Act that he voted for?
Did he read it (yeah I mean the whole thing) before you voted for it?

Did he vote for the Patriot Act? Wasn't he out of office by then?

[Dreepa]

I actually kind of like Bob Barr.  He's definitely a better "ex-congressman" than he was a congressman.  He's been very strong in fighting the Patriot Act.

You mean the Patriot Act that he voted for?
Did he read it (yeah I mean the whole thing) before you voted for it?

Did he vote for the Patriot Act? Wasn't he out of office by then?

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2001/roll398.xml

[Tom Sawyer]

Wow, too bad.

He was an outspoken critic of the NSA.

[Caleb]

That's why I say that he's a far better ex-congressman than a Congressman.  I think he had a falling-out with Bush over the Patriot act.  Bush engineered his defeat, and since then he's gone more and more Libertarian.

[Rocketman]

Barr was also one of the most voracious drug warriors in the entire Congress.  I can't imagine he's changed his ways -- the guy was a true believer.  Any explanation for how a rabid prohibitionist can become an LP big wig? 

???  ???  ???

[aries]

rocketman - we can overlook such minor flaws... we can call him 85% pro-liberty

[KBCraig]

Any explanation for how a rabid prohibitionist can become an LP big wig? 

???  ???  ???

He hasn't become a bigwig in the LP. He's just joined the party.

Just like everyone else, we'll work with him where we agree and fight him where we don't. I welcome his help on the areas where we agree. I believe he's anti-RealID, for instance.

Kevin

[Michael Fisher]

http://www.clairewolfe.com/wolfesblog/00002342.html

"I USUALLY MANAGE TO IGNORE LIBERTARIAN PARTY NEWS. But Bob Barr invited to join the LP national committee??? That's like electing George W. Bush to the board of directors of the ACLU..."

[error]

Bob Barr came around a bit since 2001 and opposes parts of the Patriot Act. He was a vocal supporter of the SAFE Act of 2005, which would have gotten rid of most of the 4th amendment violations in the law. I suspect on the original 2001 vote, he was bamboozled just like every other member of Congress, but few will ever admit that...
http://www.bobbarr.org/default.asp?pt=newsdescr&RI=627

Barr tells Radley Balko that the Patriot Act was rushed through without sufficient time for proper hearings:
http://www.theagitator.com/archives/019015.php

I suspect, reading some of his stuff, that Bob Barr may yet come around on the War on Drugs.

The point here, though, is that I don't mind at all an "85% pro-liberty" person in the LP, so long as he stays out of the way on the other 15%. If more people could get past this, "He doesn't support my one pet issue!!!", as long as he isn't undermining it either, the LP could actually take off.

[Otosan]

From my understanding that the LP helped in Barr's defeat over his drug stand.

Our TNLPVP has asked  Barr if is stance on Drugs had changed, and Barr replied he is coming around.

[error]

Barr's big concern, from his writings, has always been the crime and violence that comes along with drug dealing.

When he understands, like most reasonable people do, that that crime and violence is caused by the War on Drugs, and could not exist without it, he'll come around.