Clark Kent
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10-29-2008 08:21 AM
Bob spoke at Duke University yesterday about the assault on civil liberties by President Bush and congressional leaders from both parties:
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Bob spoke at Duke University yesterday about the assault on civil liberties by President Bush and congressional leaders from both parties:
“A wasted vote is a vote for the Democrats or the Republicans because, regardless of the Republican or Democratic candidate being elected, nothing will change,” Barr said at the outset of his speech.
Although Democratic Sen. Barack Obama and Republican Sen. John McCain have received most of the attention this political season, Barr said the two major party candidates have failed to address the proper roles of government.
“It is the job of the president to protect our liberty,” Barr said, criticizing both the Republican and Democratic parties for abusing the executive power.
He faulted the two parties and their respective presidential candidates for supporting new amendments to the Federal Intelligence Surveillance Act, noting that it unjustly stripped American citizens of their privacy. Philosopher and novelist Ayn Rand correctly identified the right of privacy as foundational to civilization, he added.
The recent FISA amendments have been criticized for permitting the warrantless domestic wiretapping program of President George W. Bush’s administration.
“Both of the two major parties have an institutional interest in not diminishing the power of the president,” Barr said.
He also condemned the federal bailouts as an improper governmental intervention, and added that the politicians who constructed the recent congressional bailout of financial institutions had been “very clever” in construing the language of the legislation.
“The $700 billion was a floor, not a ceiling,” Barr said. “They have already put at risk some $2 trillion of our money.”
Some attendees shared Barr’s frustrations with representation from the Democratic and Republican parties.
“In this election, I’m supporting Barr because I’m dissatisfied with McCain and Obama,” said sophomore Chris Edelman. “I don’t think Obama’s competent enough to be president, and I don’t trust McCain’s decision-making ability…. I have supported Ron Paul, and Barr’s the closest thing to Ron Paul.”
Barr concluded the first portion of the event by outlining the problems third parties face in gaining representation on ballots and in debates.
He explained that the Commission on Presidential Debates unfairly excludes third parties because it is entirely run by Republicans and Democrats. Barr said the debates were useless because the candidates fail to answer the questions.
He elicited laughter from the audience when he said that he respected Republican vice presidential candidate Gov. Sarah Palin for admitting that she would not answer some debate questions.
[ ]
Munger, who was responsible for promoting the speech, acknowledged that more advertising likely would have drawn a larger crowd. He noted, however, that he only spent his own money-not the department’s-on publicity for the event because he felt it would be a conflict of interest for him to use department funds toward a candidate he personally endorsed.
Gwillim Law, a Chapel Hill resident, said he read about the event in The (Raleigh) News & Observer.
“I’m conservative, and I don’t feel like there is a good choice in this election,” he said. “But I liked a lot of what I heard tonight.”
Many thanks to Michael Munger for organizing the event. Please visit his campaign website, and if you live in North Carolina, ask how you can help his campaign.Although Democratic Sen. Barack Obama and Republican Sen. John McCain have received most of the attention this political season, Barr said the two major party candidates have failed to address the proper roles of government.
“It is the job of the president to protect our liberty,” Barr said, criticizing both the Republican and Democratic parties for abusing the executive power.
He faulted the two parties and their respective presidential candidates for supporting new amendments to the Federal Intelligence Surveillance Act, noting that it unjustly stripped American citizens of their privacy. Philosopher and novelist Ayn Rand correctly identified the right of privacy as foundational to civilization, he added.
The recent FISA amendments have been criticized for permitting the warrantless domestic wiretapping program of President George W. Bush’s administration.
“Both of the two major parties have an institutional interest in not diminishing the power of the president,” Barr said.
He also condemned the federal bailouts as an improper governmental intervention, and added that the politicians who constructed the recent congressional bailout of financial institutions had been “very clever” in construing the language of the legislation.
“The $700 billion was a floor, not a ceiling,” Barr said. “They have already put at risk some $2 trillion of our money.”
Some attendees shared Barr’s frustrations with representation from the Democratic and Republican parties.
“In this election, I’m supporting Barr because I’m dissatisfied with McCain and Obama,” said sophomore Chris Edelman. “I don’t think Obama’s competent enough to be president, and I don’t trust McCain’s decision-making ability…. I have supported Ron Paul, and Barr’s the closest thing to Ron Paul.”
Barr concluded the first portion of the event by outlining the problems third parties face in gaining representation on ballots and in debates.
He explained that the Commission on Presidential Debates unfairly excludes third parties because it is entirely run by Republicans and Democrats. Barr said the debates were useless because the candidates fail to answer the questions.
He elicited laughter from the audience when he said that he respected Republican vice presidential candidate Gov. Sarah Palin for admitting that she would not answer some debate questions.
[ ]
Munger, who was responsible for promoting the speech, acknowledged that more advertising likely would have drawn a larger crowd. He noted, however, that he only spent his own money-not the department’s-on publicity for the event because he felt it would be a conflict of interest for him to use department funds toward a candidate he personally endorsed.
Gwillim Law, a Chapel Hill resident, said he read about the event in The (Raleigh) News & Observer.
“I’m conservative, and I don’t feel like there is a good choice in this election,” he said. “But I liked a lot of what I heard tonight.”
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