Who has changed their political party for this election?

[zxcvbob]

Hasn't the Libertarian party pretty much been taken over by the legalize marihuana activists (1937 spelling) to the point where that's really the only plank in their platform?

[TommyGunn]

I've recently  begun to feel I should change my political registration since some people who I thought were on my side have begun suggesting that Repubs should vote for Hillary rather than  Trump.

[Firethorn]

Hasn't the Libertarian party pretty much been taken over by the legalize marihuana activists (1937 spelling) to the point where that's really the only plank in their platform?

It's certainly the most well known plank outside of the party, and I won't disagree that you have a lot who joined for that sole reason, but the rest of the information is still out there.

But right now it's something of a success story to bring up, even if sometimes it's a 'look, the earth didn't fall down because of legalizing pot!'

[Ron]

Aren't Libertarians still the party of unrestricted open borders?

As I remember it:

Libertarians generally don't see any problems with letting in millions of unskilled, barely educated, third worlders. Cheap labor is always good.

Libertarians think it is a good idea to let in as many foreign skilled workers as we can especially if they are willing to work at lower wages than USA citizens. Cheap labor is always good.

Libertarians are globalists at heart and chafe at the concept that national self interest might trump international global markets.

The idea that replacing the jobs of the native population with cheaper foreigners might not be in our best national interest doesn't interest them. All that matters is cheaper labor for multinational corporations.


 

[dogmush]

Aren't Libertarians still the party of unrestricted open borders?

As I remember it:

Libertarians generally don't see any problems with letting in millions of unskilled, barely educated, third worlders. Cheap labor is always good.

Libertarians think it is a good idea to let in as many foreign skilled workers as we can especially if they are willing to work at lower wages than USA citizens. Cheap labor is always good.

Libertarians are globalists at heart and chafe at the concept that national self interest might trump international global markets.

The idea that replacing the jobs of the native population with cheaper foreigners might not be in our best national interest doesn't interest them. All that matters is cheaper labor for multinational corporations.


 

How is that functionally different then the Democrats or Republicans?

[Firethorn]

How is that functionally different then the Democrats or Republicans?

They'd be here legally, and thus a touch harder to take advantage of? 

Aren't Libertarians still the party of unrestricted open borders?

The fundamentalist, big "L" Libertarians do indeed believe in this.  I support a few controls, but not the vast mess we have now.  The important point I have is that we can't have unlimited immigration until we dismantle the welfare state.

Libertarians generally don't see any problems with letting in millions of unskilled, barely educated, third worlders. Cheap labor is always good.

They'd have to get here on their own.  But yeah, it's one of the points.  More moderate types would have it be a bit like free trade agreements - the other side has to have matching policies and such.

Libertarians are globalists at heart and chafe at the concept that national self interest might trump international global markets.

To be fair, most economists are this way. Comparative advantages and all that mean that the more and more diverse markets you hook together, the better off everybody is.

That being said, you still have to be on guard against shenanigans.

The idea that replacing the jobs of the native population with cheaper foreigners might not be in our best national interest doesn't interest them. All that matters is cheaper labor for multinational corporations.

Multinational corporations can get the cheaper labor just by doing the stuff in the cheap nation.  An open border policy means that 'every' business, down to the sole proprietorship, can 'benefit' from the cheap(ish) labor.

[Ron]

How is that functionally different then the Democrats or Republicans?

...and that's why we have Trump as the Republican nominee.

The base has sent him as the peoples interlocutor to the GOPe; to have a little talk about borders and jobs.

Whether Trump is serious about the border and jobs is yet to be seen. Nobody really doubts that his message has mass appeal. If he makes it to the election and Hillary is his opponent I'm convinced he wins. If he could even get anything done on the border and jobs front as President is also yet to be seen.

 

[MikeB]

I'm with those who can't see how Trump is really any less "conservative" than McCain, Romney, Bush(any of the three), Dole, etc.

I would have preferred Rand Paul or Cruz. While I'm not a fan of his particularly, I have no issue whatsoever selecting Trump over Hillary. I would say the same about Graham or Jeb for that matter, I rather have Trump than those two frauds. Anyone that can't see a distinction between Trump and Hillary is just fooling themselves.

[HeroHog]

Welcome to the party!

One thing to be aware of is that the libertarian party is not purely 'conservative' by any means, tending to view itself as a third path.  Unlike what you hear in much of the media; it draws in people from the left as well as from the right.

Oh, I'm quite aware! I'm still going to vote as a consertive independent but at least now the D & R bunch know the L's are picking up more steam and maybe it's time for a cranial-rectialotimy.

[Hawkmoon]

Jobs? Did someone mention jobs?

Just yesterday I read that the administration claims the economy added a whopping 160,000 jobs in April. There are 94,044,000 Americans who are NOT IN the labor force. That means 94 million people not working who are NOT included in the 5% unemployment statistic the administration likes to claim.

And, meanwhile, we have more than 25 million foreign workers here who do have jobs. (And I don't think that figure includes the illegal aliens who are working under the table.)

Yes, I'd say we have a problem, and open borders is not going to fix that. On the other hand, a couple of days ago I stumbled across something from New Zealand. It was a list of job specialties they need. It was a very short list, and none of my skills would even remotely, approximately qualify. If your skills aren't on the list, you can't emigrate to New Zealand. Last I knew, Australia was the same.

Why doesn't the U.S. recognize that we NEED to do that so we can put Americans back to work in the United States of America?

[Firethorn]

Why doesn't the U.S. recognize that we NEED to do that so we can put Americans back to work in the United States of America?

Look up the hack that is H1B visas some time.

Business claims that it can't find a US worker that meets it's needs, so it hires them for cheap from India.  Despite having fired the US crew that used to work there after forcing them to train their cheap Indian replacements.

In principle, I'm for open borders.  But it's like free trade:  The other countries have to do the same, and can't be abusing the system.

[Balog]

Jobs? Did someone mention jobs?

Just yesterday I read that the administration claims the economy added a whopping 160,000 jobs in April. There are 94,044,000 Americans who are NOT IN the labor force. That means 94 million people not working who are NOT included in the 5% unemployment statistic the administration likes to claim.

And, meanwhile, we have more than 25 million foreign workers here who do have jobs.

Yes, I'd say we have a problem, and open borders is not going to fix that. On the other hand, a couple of days ago I stumbled across something from New Zealand. It was a list of job specialties they need. It was a very short list, and none of my skills would even remotely, approximately qualify. If your skills aren't on the list, you can't emigrate to New Zealand. Last I knew, Australia was the same.

Why doesn't the U.S. recognize that we NEED to do that so we can put Americans back to work in the United States of America?

My skills are on that list. 

Just remember, all economists agree that "free trade" is massively beneficial to the socio-economic class that economists belong to.

I love the guys who simultaneously believe that "free trade" is wonderfully good for the country and that Trump is being buoyed along by the tens of millions of people whose lives and communities have been destroyed by free trade.

That being said, judging on the "deeds not words" scale, Trump will be  as bad as or worse on immigration, trade, and pretty much everything else than Hillary let alone any of the other Repubs.

[Hawkmoon]

Look up the hack that is H1B visas some time.

Business claims that it can't find a US worker that meets it's needs, so it hires them for cheap from India.  Despite having fired the US crew that used to work there after forcing them to train their cheap Indian replacements.

Yeah. I know.

Disney ...

[Ron]

Did some trail work on the local single track mb trails this morning. The Trail Boss running todays crew is a hardcore Bernie supporter. Him and I argue on fb occasionally over political stuff.

He told me this morning he will never vote for Hillary and if she ends up on the ticket he is voting for Trump 

He hates the establishment with a white hot hatred.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

Tell him to look at johnson

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

[zxcvbob]

Tell him to look at johnson

That's kind of rude.  Oh wait, you mean Gary Johnson!  Nevermind.