[609] in libertarians
Re: Harry Browne for President
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Paul D. Eccles)
Tue Feb 7 19:07:15 1995
From: "Paul D. Eccles" <pde@sd.inri.com>
To: libertarians@MIT.EDU
Date: Tue, 7 Feb 95 16:02:30 PST
> I have a lot of respect for Harry Browne -- his great book, "How I Found
> Freedom in an Unfree World," was among the first few libertarian books I
> read, along with Rand and Rothbard. But I don't think I'll be voting for
> him.
>
> Senator Phil Gramm (R-Tex.) is the candidate that has me truly excited.
> The current Time predicts that probably "the real contest as the battle
> progresses" to be the G.O.P. nominee will be between Gramm and Bob Dole
> (whom Gingrich has described as a "tax collector for the welfare state").
> Gramm is anti-tax, anti-regulation, anti-gun-control, and pro-property
> rights. During the health care debate last year he was one of the first
> Republicans to question the whole notion of universal care. Instead, he
> introduced the Cato Institute's free-market plan into the Senate.
>
> Gramm may not be a perfect libertarian on all issues (e.g., I don't think
> he's ever criticized the drug war), but from the looks of it, neither is
> Browne. For example, his idea for a flat income tax of 10% isn't all that
> much different from House Majority Leader Dick Armey's call for a flat
> income tax of 13%. (or is it 18%? He's been on "This Week with David
> Brinkely and other places promoting it though). So why not support the
> candidate with a chance of winning, and of truly changing the debate?
>
> ----------
> Derek Rose rosed@world.std.com
You assume that Graham will get the nomination. I don't see any conflict
with you supporting Graham for the nomination for the GOP and Browne for the
LP. This hedges your bet if Graham does not get nominated.
Watch Graham when the campaign heats up. We'll see if changes his tune based
on poll results.
Paul Eccles
