Weigel: Live and In 3-D

David Weigel | November 13, 2008

If you're in the D.C. area tonight, I'm appearing on an America's Future Foundation panel on the subject "Now What? An Election Postmortem."

With president-elect Barack Obama stepping into the White House, with expanded Democratic majorities in Congress, with public sentiment moving against free markets in the midst of the economic crisis, and with Virgina voters supporting a Democratic presidential candidate for the first time since 1964--now what? What does this mean for freedom and the free market principles that conservatives and libertarians fight for? Will this be the opportunity for the Republican Party to rebuild and come back to their roots of a smaller government? What lessons can be learned from this election and how do conservatives and libertarians move forward?

I'm stepping in for Evans-Novak reporter Tim Carney, so my remarks will be mostly exit poll and other data-driven with some suggestions of what libertarians in the GOP should do. The answer, obviously, is to ban gay marriage everywhere and ask Democrats hard questions then upload the responses to YouTube. Also, to run Sarah Palin for president every four years.

Comments

Fluffy|11.13.08 @ 2:12PM|#

Wow, Lonewacko makes it into the text of a post.

lefiti|11.13.08 @ 2:12PM|#

suggestions of what libertarians in the GOP should do.

Plastic surgery?

BDB|11.13.08 @ 2:22PM|#

The suggestions on the "Rebuild the Party" site are hilarious.

Half are obvious jokes, the other half are DOCTORONPAUL.

|11.13.08 @ 2:25PM|#

Come on, Dave, you're just giving LonePsycho legitimacy. Although that was some delicious mockery, he's crazy enough to believe you just validated his worldview and methods.

Lefiti|11.13.08 @ 2:27PM|#

Woe is us! Free-market principles will be violated and we will be enslaved like the hapless French. Ah, Freedom! So fleeting! To be free, to be free! How I dread the freedom-crushing universal health care that our commisars will force on us! Freedom is slipping away. Soon we'll all be wearing berets and and relying on the All-Powerful State! We must resist! Shout it from the roof tops. Government is the problem, not the solution!

BDB|11.13.08 @ 2:27PM|#

I have a feeling the dumbass of who you speak will show up on the thread soon, TAO.

BDB|11.13.08 @ 2:28PM|#

Lefiti, why are you so obnoxious and content-free?

|11.13.08 @ 2:31PM|#

I actually know nothing, nip, nada, about this thing called the "free market"; I can, however, fit 3 turd, a jar of vaseline, and a box of pencils in my mouth.

Lefiti|11.13.08 @ 2:32PM|#

Content free!! You freedom-hating commie!

BDB|11.13.08 @ 2:33PM|#

"Lefiti | November 13, 2008, 2:32pm | #
Content free!! You freedom-hating commie!"

Huh?

Fluffy|11.13.08 @ 2:33PM|#

Leftiti apparently thinks the bailout is going really well, and wants to see more action along similar lines.

BDB|11.13.08 @ 2:37PM|#

If Lefiti was a real leftist and not a troll, he/she/it would be against the bail out as most liberals were.

Lefiti|11.13.08 @ 2:39PM|#

Fluffy

You cut me to the quick. I don't want anything to interfere with the natural workings of the Market. Just look what government intervention has wreaked in Spain, France, and Germany. The poor enslaved souls in those state-dominated societies walk with their heads down, dranging their chained feet painfully along. That's not for the freedom loving Americans! No Bailout!

Citizen Nothing|11.13.08 @ 2:46PM|#

Limerick form, Lefiti. Don't make me filter you. (A nice solid Dirt Devil HEPA upside the head should do.)

|11.13.08 @ 2:52PM|#

Dave Weigel,

You caused me to link to lonewhacko's site. That is irresponsible at best. It is more reasonably categorized as malicious mischief.

I demand recompense.

projecthappy|11.13.08 @ 3:06PM|#

BDB:
Most liberals against the bailout?
You pay any attention?
It was republicans who stopped it from passing the first time (for dumb reasons), I didn't hear many liberals voices condemning it. Frank, Pelosi, Dodd, Reid....

Kolohe|11.13.08 @ 3:18PM|#

The answer, obviously, is ...

Isn't your boss Jesse Walker? Doesn't Walker always go around saying (correctly) 'don't feed the troll'? Weird.

Kaiser|11.13.08 @ 3:20PM|#

Most liberals against the bailout?
You pay any attention?
It was republicans who stopped it from passing the first time (for dumb reasons), I didn't hear many liberals voices condemning it. Frank, Pelosi, Dodd, Reid....

Actually since Democrats had the majority they could have passed it without a single Republican vote. Pelosi let a lot of them off the hook though because they were up for reelection and something like 90% of voters new how stupid the bailout was. So they didn't want to lose any of those votes by doing something stupid...and voting for the bailout.

Kaiser|11.13.08 @ 3:21PM|#

...wow


new = knew


my bad

Nobody|11.13.08 @ 3:33PM|#

Lefiti, why are you so obnoxious and content-free?

They respond to trolls and pine over H&R's decline. Effect, meet Cause.

24AheadDotCom|11.13.08 @ 3:42PM|#

Dave Weigel:

Thanks for the link. And, thanks also for being you.

For instance, by trying to pretend that my nearly two year effort to get people to hold politicians accountable is equivalent to banning gay marriage.

And, it's certainly odd how a movement that claims to have such a deep support for the Constitution keeps trying to dissuade people from exercising their 1st Amendment rights to hold politicians accountable, something that's also a duty and a necessity due to the corruption of the MSM.

|11.13.08 @ 3:59PM|#

keeps trying to dissuade people from exercising their 1st Amendment rights

I would also dissuade the Klan from exercising its form of dumbassery.

I support your right to be an idiot. I support my right to tell you to quit being an idiot.

Citizen Nothing|11.13.08 @ 4:18PM|#

So is 24Ahead Lonewacko?
And if so, when did he get his shift key fixed?

|11.13.08 @ 4:38PM|#

Just look what government intervention has wreaked in Spain, France, and Germany.

GDP growth that consistently trails the US?

24AheadDotCom|11.13.08 @ 4:40PM|#

I comment on this here, including a nifty graphic showing something that would have caused a hack like Weigel to faint.

Citizen Nothing|11.13.08 @ 4:49PM|#

24A! You monster!
What HAVE you done with LoneWacko and his ShiftKey?!!

GG|11.13.08 @ 4:59PM|#

Joining us for this panel is Reihan Salam, author of "Grand New Party: How Republicans Can Win the Working Class and Save the American Dream"

Blech.

The answer, obviously, is to ... ask Democrats hard questions then upload the responses to YouTube.

You have to admit, the Joe the Plumber incident was a pretty good argument for the madman's method.

TTFN! Off to self-flagellate!

voxpo|11.13.08 @ 5:44PM|#

Conservatives fight for freedom?

24AheadDotCom|11.13.08 @ 6:10PM|#

The question that JTP asked was in no way comparable to the type of questions I want asked. I think the non-corrupt part of why my support for holding politicians accountable meets resistance is because some people don't understand what a real question is.

I've never seen it, but doesn't CourtTV show lawyers asking a series of questions designed to show that a witness is lying or similar? Perhaps Weigel should switch off Oprah and watch that instead.

GG|11.13.08 @ 7:36PM|#

The question that JTP asked was in no way comparable to the type of questions I want asked.

I see. Well, off to make burritos! Olé!

Leftitti|11.13.08 @ 8:23PM|#

Thanks for the warning, Dave.