The Libertarian 'party' is lost

The people running the national part of the Libertarian Party (or LP as some know them) have completely lost it. When I was young, it was still popular to talk about voting for Mad's ne'er do well, Alfred E. Neuman (it may still be a popular topic for all I know). I don't see how the nomination of Michael Badnarik can be seen as anything other than a joke of a similar nature.

The modern Democratic and Republican parties are both corrupt and answer to a quilt of monied interests and fringe elements. It may well turn out that we're in a place and time where all parties must be corrupt in order to compete (without money, you don't get to buy a real voice). That said, party transitions take time. It's happened before, but needs to build from the bottom up. It won't happen at the top unless there is a significant ground swell or an established player steps across the lines; given the money angle, it probably can't happen unless a grass roots movement makes it so. We've also seen major parties reinvent themselves without needing to go through the pain of a Whig to Republican type change; but I'm not holding my breath.

So why bother?

While I don't believe Jim Gray has any kind of real chance, I feel pretty good about spending my vote on him after finally making up my mind about it last weekend.

I don't have significant issues with Barbara Boxer (like I do with Dianne Feinstein, but that's another story for another time) but I just don't think Boxer or Bill Jones have any idea how to represent the interests of this immense and dynamic state. Neither seems to possess the ability to think outside the narrow constraints of party memoranda, nor do they seem capable of grasping nuanced (or not) technology shifts unless a well paid lobbyist shows up to lead them through it and dump some money into their campaigns.

I was quite surprised to learn of the Long Beach Press Telegram endorsement for Judge Jim Gray, which led to my finding a Reason interview from a couple years ago called Battlefield Conversions. I'd actually read this a while back, but had forgotten all about it.

Which leads back to the Libertarians. How desperate must they be to pick a presidential candidate so obviously lacking in qualifications?

I wonder how the hell did Badnarik end up supplanting the always available Harry Browne? Badnarik ran (and failed, twice) as a U.S. House Rep for Austin, Texas (a reasonable place to foment political change), but has no other political experience (does Executive Vice-President of his IU dorm count?) nor has he contributed any relevant policy positions, written any columns or published any books. How the hell does being a long time middle manager in the nuclear power industry translate into the ability to shepherd the largest government on earth through the problems we see ahead? This kind of candidate makes the Libertarians look foolish (or worse).

I guess this annoys the hell out of me because they've finally put a rational, intelligent and qualified candidate on the ballot for a national position and then they turn the rest of the ballot into a bunch of Neuman's. I can only imagine how Judge Gray feels.