2008 Woodie Awards
Mike Gravel: Libertarian
Shayna Murphy, Collegian columnist
Issue date: 5/13/08 Section: Editorial / Opinion
While the party aims to hedge the hegemony of the two-party system, its more radical tenets - abolishing welfare and giving everyone access to guns - tends to make most folks a little nervous.
But still, that hasn't stopped libertarianism from haunting the current system like the ghost of political conscience past.
And during this election cycle, things have been different. A handful of individuals have been on hand to battle for the candidacy of the party, including Gravel, and including the widely popular Ron Paul.
Because of this, it's tough to say where Gravel stands. Even by Libertarian standards, he enters the race overshadowed, the aura of celebrity surrounding Ron Paul too impregnable at this point to be breached easily by an obscure outsider.
This doesn't mean that all hope is lost, especially since Paul isn't even an official candidate of the Libertarian party yet. But it does mean that Gravel faces an uphill trek if his hopes of wrestling away the nomination are to bear success.
Beyond Gravel, a larger question looms over this seemingly nonchalant example of party-hopping. We have to ask ourselves, what kind of precedent does it set when politicians jump ship to another ideology mid-election season?
Coming from Gravel, it may seem harmless - forgettable campaign trail fodder, even, until a politician less innocuous than he tries a similar move.
For instance, trailing Obama in popular polls and in delegates, what would happen if Hillary began campaigning as a Libertarian? Obama fans may rejoice, but then they'd gulp. Hillary, take two?
Party-hopping is easier to swallow coming from an obscure source. After all, what hope does an obscure source have of stealing the election? But the horrors such a reversal could reap would be plenty if played out in the wrong hands.
As we head into a summer filled with convention anxieties and general nomination woes, there's too much to potentially worry about as it is without factoring in the fear that the candidates we disregard now will return to the race, ad nauseam, until they win the election.
But still, that hasn't stopped libertarianism from haunting the current system like the ghost of political conscience past.
And during this election cycle, things have been different. A handful of individuals have been on hand to battle for the candidacy of the party, including Gravel, and including the widely popular Ron Paul.
Because of this, it's tough to say where Gravel stands. Even by Libertarian standards, he enters the race overshadowed, the aura of celebrity surrounding Ron Paul too impregnable at this point to be breached easily by an obscure outsider.
This doesn't mean that all hope is lost, especially since Paul isn't even an official candidate of the Libertarian party yet. But it does mean that Gravel faces an uphill trek if his hopes of wrestling away the nomination are to bear success.
Beyond Gravel, a larger question looms over this seemingly nonchalant example of party-hopping. We have to ask ourselves, what kind of precedent does it set when politicians jump ship to another ideology mid-election season?
Coming from Gravel, it may seem harmless - forgettable campaign trail fodder, even, until a politician less innocuous than he tries a similar move.
For instance, trailing Obama in popular polls and in delegates, what would happen if Hillary began campaigning as a Libertarian? Obama fans may rejoice, but then they'd gulp. Hillary, take two?
Party-hopping is easier to swallow coming from an obscure source. After all, what hope does an obscure source have of stealing the election? But the horrors such a reversal could reap would be plenty if played out in the wrong hands.
As we head into a summer filled with convention anxieties and general nomination woes, there's too much to potentially worry about as it is without factoring in the fear that the candidates we disregard now will return to the race, ad nauseam, until they win the election.
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 7
jpritikin
Joshua Pritikin
posted 5/13/08 @ 1:38 AM EST
You argue that Mike Gravel shouldn't challenge "popular" candidates. If only it were that simple! Who made candidates such a Clinton and Obama popular? Well, there were campaign contributions and that money turned into advertising. (Continued…)
Conspiracy Theroist
posted 5/14/08 @ 1:05 AM EST
First, you claim the Libertarian Party is about state and individual rights over federal power, which is true. Then, you say that this compliments Gravel's National Initiative For Democracy when the NI4D is all about federal government. (Continued…)
Ben of '03
posted 5/14/08 @ 1:30 PM EST
I don't think we can assume that Ron Paul will seek the Libertarian nomination. However, Bob Barr has announced and he is certainly the favorite to win at this point. (Continued…)
Joshua Pritikin
posted 5/14/08 @ 11:51 PM EST
Maybe you didn't realize that Gravel is also the author of NI4D. During Gravel's tenure as a senator, he decided that senators (& and other congress critters) face a practically irresistible temptation toward corruption. (Continued…)
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