I'm catching up on reading. Have you ever noticed how hard it is to write your own Substack and still keep up with everyone else?
Anyway, I really like Vivek, but he's still caught in something of a bubble or minces his words. The reason TikTok is being banned *now* (they've been talking a ban for a few years now, but they couldn't get enough agreement)--and I'll speak plainly--is because the Israel lobby is terrified that it is influencing the younger generation with "pro-Palestine propaganda," which is to say "the other side of the story." And that finally brought everyone together in a warm and fuzzy "bipartisan" moment.
Why is this fact important? Because it illustrates the root cause of all our problems: the inability to consistently hold a principle. Both parties are to some degree or other involved in identity politics and willing to make exceptions for X group.
The Libertarian conventions have typically been free for all's, to act out in all kinds of lewd & lascivious ways. It's hard to take them seriously. They often remind me of Idiocracy. Personally, I think of them as the other side of the coin from progressive's.
"Russell is tired of Republicans who talk like Ron Paul but govern like John McCain."
I'll take a politician who talks like Ron Paul over what we have now.
I have no idea who the hell he's talking about saying that they already exist.
I saw someone post that quote on twitter and guffawed.
"but explained that the direction of the party is still yet to be determined — and this is an opportunity to guide that movement. Smith explained the libertarian reluctance to believe that, citing Trump’s recent comments about Ukraine aid and consideration of Marco Rubio for VP."
Here's a great example of why the LNP are born losers. When invited to participate in democracy, Smith thinks it's a better idea to just take his ball and go home.
"Oh but Trump didn't do what we want."
No shit. Nobody is going to do what you want, because nobody takes you seriously.
If you want to negotiate, you need to have power. Ramaswamy gets this, clearly the LNP does not.
Anyways.. last point
"nobody’s going into hospitals and ODing on fentanyl."
Wrong, asshole. This is exceedingly common.
Overworked burnt out nurses put a fentanyl patch on someone without removing the old one.
It's as simple as that, and it definitely happens.
It's shocking to me that Libertarians are still hard line on this position after we have seen the disasters that have happened in Portland, Portugal, and other places.
Knock knock, hello, YOU WILL NEVER GET PEOPLE TO AGREE TO LEGALIZE FENTANYL, YOU ABSOLUTE DOOFUS!!! HELLO? IS ANYONE HOME?
Anyways, Ramaswamy is smart and his position of dismantling government agencies is obviously lifted straight from Ron Paul, who, over a decade ago ran on a platform of just getting rid of a bunch of different federal agencies. This isn't new stuff.
Anywho, that's my 2 cents. Thanks for the coverage, I definitely appreciate it.
It's great to have a non crazy person there to do some on the ground reporting lol.
To play devil's advocate here, the GOP ALWAYS promises they will swing more libertarian if we just hold our noses and vote for them in THE MOST IMPORTANT ELECTION EVER (every election), but then they ignore us if they win.
How many times should libertarians trust Lucy is going to hold the football before we consider she might be lying?
Thank you for all the coverage of this. I too am a registered Libertarian, though throughout my life I've wavered on how "purist" my beliefs are, given the realities of corporate corruption primarily. However, I always start from the position of "as little government as possible" and find it interesting when I find people on both the left and right that I agree with on most issues still tend to have a "that should be illegal!" streak when it comes to some things. People like to paint Libertarians as having an overidealized worldview, but trusting the government to enforce anything with nuance is basically the definition of wishful thinking.
..."Ramaswamy claimed the Republican party is at a crossroads"...when the heck hasn't it been? It has lacked any true leadership for decades and has been continuously infiltrated by RINOs and democrats and other "unsavory beings" who are only in it to rape the country.
A president Trump, Ramaswamy, RFK or anyone else not a stone cold democrat is never going to work because the supporting cast is DOA. Meaning that fighting the DC Swamp is no longer viable because in its entirety, it is totally corrupt beyond anything we thought possible. All sides of the DC Swamp are nothing more than a good-old-boys-club and they hate outsiders who might threaten their cushy existence.
Maybe we can drain the Swamp? How does that work when 99% of it is beyond saving? It needs to be filled in and plowed over with a nature habitat replacing it. What politico can be trusted when the heat is turned up? Can you find a handful? Over 480 of these citizen saviors have not spoken out against surrendering our sovereignty to a thugocracy like WHO. That tell you anything?
Sorry, but another political politician promising wads of goodies and massive alterations is not going to cut it anymore. We have moved well too far "stage left" and the fact that we have only proves that what was incorporated over 200 years ago was not strong enough to prevent another "Romanesque" end times environment.
No politician can save corruption because they are all part of the government and government by its very nature only survives on massive corruption, propaganda and lies. Can you imagine any politician living in a world based on unbounded truth and integrity? As we elect these clowns, we the people demand that we are always presented with the truth about EVERYTHING. No way that will ever happen.
"Next up was a libertarian-centric debate between Hayek and Mises. I will spare you this."
Wouldn't that require a seance or at least a oh yeah-board or however it's spelled?
As for cheating: it is only so if the other guys are better at it than you are. That is a truism in politics and economics and business and sports, even in kindregartens can you see this mindset that if "the wrong kid" thinks up a smart way to exploit the rules (the actual real rules, not the ones imposed by authority) the self-declared alpha-kid will cry foul and call "wrong kid" a cheat.
He is too smart, has too much money that he made through actual hard work, too scary for the Washington Crowd. Vivek and Tulsey would be the ticket. The common sense party!
I see Vivek as more of a "placeholder" than any kind of viable political candidate; he says things that make certain groups cheer, and others cringe, but somehow none that step up and back him unilaterally. Perhaps he's being used to ID the political parties that would maybe be against actual libertarian ideals. "Little twerp"?? You are looking in the wrong direction; maybe think - who is being thrust onto the republican party for DJT to consider for vp or other positions when he wins.
Thank you for doing these live blogs/recaps. They're a lot of what makes this more than just another "I have an opinion" outpost. There's little chance I'd watch all of even one of these events, but it's good to know about them.
That little twerp is going to be the future of the Republican Party?
Now, tell me. How many votes are represented by the galegions of Federal employees? If one party was talking about eliminating your job, who would you vote for? Who would your spouse and parents and children vote for?
Yes. Keep on losing, all the way down the road. Me, I'm fine with them losing until they stop trying to deny personal autonomy to women. But I want the Democrats to lose too. What a conundrum.
Guess Russell, hasn't been paying attention to Trump's ideas about any type of war? Doesnt he understand WHY Liz Chaney hates DJT so much? Not sure how/why he thinks Trump is in favor of proxy wars???
WASHINGTON, April 18 (Reuters) - Donald Trump said on Thursday the survival of Ukraine is important to the United States, a shift in tone days before the Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives is due to vote on a $61 billion aid package.
The former president did not endorse the package, and he dedicated most of his post on his Truth Social platform to complaining that America's European allies are not spending enough to support Ukraine. Some hard-right Republicans interpreted the post as a signal that he opposes the current aid package, though Trump did not say that explicitly.
--------
This is one of those scenarios where Trump trying to please everybody is not pleasing anybody.
He's also said he would have never let it get to this point and based on how he handled other foreign issues, would not have pushed Putin to this point.
IMO, Putin trusted (as much as he is capable of doing so) Trump to keep his word. They seemed to have a mutual understanding.
I think Trump would want an accounting of where any money is being spent (as he tried to do before and got impeached). He will want it stopped and negotiated quickly. He's said that before and I think he meant it.
I like Vivek a lot - EXCEPT he IS Big Pharma. He made his fortune creating drugs, and he needs to acknowledge the vast harm that continues to affect Americans who are taking endless amounts of toxic drugs. ESPECIALLY the damn Covid jabs!
Here’s a novel idea. Why doesn’t the Republican Party stand behind a Republican form of government? The democratic system we live in today is a foreign corporation that does not rule the land but only rules over its voluntary citizens
I'm catching up on reading. Have you ever noticed how hard it is to write your own Substack and still keep up with everyone else?
Anyway, I really like Vivek, but he's still caught in something of a bubble or minces his words. The reason TikTok is being banned *now* (they've been talking a ban for a few years now, but they couldn't get enough agreement)--and I'll speak plainly--is because the Israel lobby is terrified that it is influencing the younger generation with "pro-Palestine propaganda," which is to say "the other side of the story." And that finally brought everyone together in a warm and fuzzy "bipartisan" moment.
Why is this fact important? Because it illustrates the root cause of all our problems: the inability to consistently hold a principle. Both parties are to some degree or other involved in identity politics and willing to make exceptions for X group.
The Libertarian conventions have typically been free for all's, to act out in all kinds of lewd & lascivious ways. It's hard to take them seriously. They often remind me of Idiocracy. Personally, I think of them as the other side of the coin from progressive's.
lol you're going to love the first part of tonight's post....
Appreciate the recap.
Just reinforces that we need less talk and to be taking substantive action. Rome is burning around us and we're rearranging deck chairs.
"Russell is tired of Republicans who talk like Ron Paul but govern like John McCain."
I'll take a politician who talks like Ron Paul over what we have now.
I have no idea who the hell he's talking about saying that they already exist.
I saw someone post that quote on twitter and guffawed.
"but explained that the direction of the party is still yet to be determined — and this is an opportunity to guide that movement. Smith explained the libertarian reluctance to believe that, citing Trump’s recent comments about Ukraine aid and consideration of Marco Rubio for VP."
Here's a great example of why the LNP are born losers. When invited to participate in democracy, Smith thinks it's a better idea to just take his ball and go home.
"Oh but Trump didn't do what we want."
No shit. Nobody is going to do what you want, because nobody takes you seriously.
If you want to negotiate, you need to have power. Ramaswamy gets this, clearly the LNP does not.
Anyways.. last point
"nobody’s going into hospitals and ODing on fentanyl."
Wrong, asshole. This is exceedingly common.
Overworked burnt out nurses put a fentanyl patch on someone without removing the old one.
It's as simple as that, and it definitely happens.
It's shocking to me that Libertarians are still hard line on this position after we have seen the disasters that have happened in Portland, Portugal, and other places.
Knock knock, hello, YOU WILL NEVER GET PEOPLE TO AGREE TO LEGALIZE FENTANYL, YOU ABSOLUTE DOOFUS!!! HELLO? IS ANYONE HOME?
Anyways, Ramaswamy is smart and his position of dismantling government agencies is obviously lifted straight from Ron Paul, who, over a decade ago ran on a platform of just getting rid of a bunch of different federal agencies. This isn't new stuff.
Anywho, that's my 2 cents. Thanks for the coverage, I definitely appreciate it.
It's great to have a non crazy person there to do some on the ground reporting lol.
To play devil's advocate here, the GOP ALWAYS promises they will swing more libertarian if we just hold our noses and vote for them in THE MOST IMPORTANT ELECTION EVER (every election), but then they ignore us if they win.
How many times should libertarians trust Lucy is going to hold the football before we consider she might be lying?
I'd like...if Substack would get it's game in gear.
Image comes to mind...Biden shuffling toward Lucy, face-plants on football...oh, more likely, on Lucy come to think of it.
In the meantime...while the GOP continues to waffle about, the alternative is...?
Thank you for all the coverage of this. I too am a registered Libertarian, though throughout my life I've wavered on how "purist" my beliefs are, given the realities of corporate corruption primarily. However, I always start from the position of "as little government as possible" and find it interesting when I find people on both the left and right that I agree with on most issues still tend to have a "that should be illegal!" streak when it comes to some things. People like to paint Libertarians as having an overidealized worldview, but trusting the government to enforce anything with nuance is basically the definition of wishful thinking.
..."Ramaswamy claimed the Republican party is at a crossroads"...when the heck hasn't it been? It has lacked any true leadership for decades and has been continuously infiltrated by RINOs and democrats and other "unsavory beings" who are only in it to rape the country.
A president Trump, Ramaswamy, RFK or anyone else not a stone cold democrat is never going to work because the supporting cast is DOA. Meaning that fighting the DC Swamp is no longer viable because in its entirety, it is totally corrupt beyond anything we thought possible. All sides of the DC Swamp are nothing more than a good-old-boys-club and they hate outsiders who might threaten their cushy existence.
Maybe we can drain the Swamp? How does that work when 99% of it is beyond saving? It needs to be filled in and plowed over with a nature habitat replacing it. What politico can be trusted when the heat is turned up? Can you find a handful? Over 480 of these citizen saviors have not spoken out against surrendering our sovereignty to a thugocracy like WHO. That tell you anything?
Sorry, but another political politician promising wads of goodies and massive alterations is not going to cut it anymore. We have moved well too far "stage left" and the fact that we have only proves that what was incorporated over 200 years ago was not strong enough to prevent another "Romanesque" end times environment.
No politician can save corruption because they are all part of the government and government by its very nature only survives on massive corruption, propaganda and lies. Can you imagine any politician living in a world based on unbounded truth and integrity? As we elect these clowns, we the people demand that we are always presented with the truth about EVERYTHING. No way that will ever happen.
Can't thank you enough for all these synopsis...no time or real 8nclination to watch attend or listen so thank you.
"Next up was a libertarian-centric debate between Hayek and Mises. I will spare you this."
Wouldn't that require a seance or at least a oh yeah-board or however it's spelled?
As for cheating: it is only so if the other guys are better at it than you are. That is a truism in politics and economics and business and sports, even in kindregartens can you see this mindset that if "the wrong kid" thinks up a smart way to exploit the rules (the actual real rules, not the ones imposed by authority) the self-declared alpha-kid will cry foul and call "wrong kid" a cheat.
I think Ramaswamy knows this.
Pity we can’t have President Vivek!
He is too smart, has too much money that he made through actual hard work, too scary for the Washington Crowd. Vivek and Tulsey would be the ticket. The common sense party!
It may be a sin, but I am very envious of you attending this event. I should have saved my pennies better to buy a ticket.
I am sitting at home watching online.
It honestly didn't even occur to me that I should go until it was way too late for me to make it happen. (Plus, expenses. :/)
Edit: Bonus points for the use of envious instead of jealous, though!
I see Vivek as more of a "placeholder" than any kind of viable political candidate; he says things that make certain groups cheer, and others cringe, but somehow none that step up and back him unilaterally. Perhaps he's being used to ID the political parties that would maybe be against actual libertarian ideals. "Little twerp"?? You are looking in the wrong direction; maybe think - who is being thrust onto the republican party for DJT to consider for vp or other positions when he wins.
I suppose his future depends on what happens in the next year and what position (if any) he holds under Trump.
Thank you for doing these live blogs/recaps. They're a lot of what makes this more than just another "I have an opinion" outpost. There's little chance I'd watch all of even one of these events, but it's good to know about them.
I figured nobody else would be writing about them today ;)
👍(“likes” on comments no Bueno) - hence 👍
Likes work for me. Did you try cleaning the cache and reloading your browser?
No -lol
Odd Bc I’ve read others reporting this same issue. Thank you, tho!
May I add - it worked twice earlier then, nada?
That little twerp is going to be the future of the Republican Party?
Now, tell me. How many votes are represented by the galegions of Federal employees? If one party was talking about eliminating your job, who would you vote for? Who would your spouse and parents and children vote for?
Yes. Keep on losing, all the way down the road. Me, I'm fine with them losing until they stop trying to deny personal autonomy to women. But I want the Democrats to lose too. What a conundrum.
Not to mention the elections are run by government -- increasingly through a government-run mail system.
Did these guys bypass elementary school and go straight into politics?
@SCA- was just saying this tonight! School ground mentality.
Well, everything I needed to know I learned in Kindergarten....
It was a great place until they woke it.
Guess Russell, hasn't been paying attention to Trump's ideas about any type of war? Doesnt he understand WHY Liz Chaney hates DJT so much? Not sure how/why he thinks Trump is in favor of proxy wars???
https://www.reuters.com/world/donald-trump-says-ukraines-survival-is-important-us-2024-04-18/
WASHINGTON, April 18 (Reuters) - Donald Trump said on Thursday the survival of Ukraine is important to the United States, a shift in tone days before the Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives is due to vote on a $61 billion aid package.
The former president did not endorse the package, and he dedicated most of his post on his Truth Social platform to complaining that America's European allies are not spending enough to support Ukraine. Some hard-right Republicans interpreted the post as a signal that he opposes the current aid package, though Trump did not say that explicitly.
--------
This is one of those scenarios where Trump trying to please everybody is not pleasing anybody.
He's also said he would have never let it get to this point and based on how he handled other foreign issues, would not have pushed Putin to this point.
IMO, Putin trusted (as much as he is capable of doing so) Trump to keep his word. They seemed to have a mutual understanding.
I think Trump would want an accounting of where any money is being spent (as he tried to do before and got impeached). He will want it stopped and negotiated quickly. He's said that before and I think he meant it.
👍
I like Vivek a lot - EXCEPT he IS Big Pharma. He made his fortune creating drugs, and he needs to acknowledge the vast harm that continues to affect Americans who are taking endless amounts of toxic drugs. ESPECIALLY the damn Covid jabs!
Here’s a novel idea. Why doesn’t the Republican Party stand behind a Republican form of government? The democratic system we live in today is a foreign corporation that does not rule the land but only rules over its voluntary citizens
"I know we've let you down in the past, but vote for us and we promise we'll do it next time!"