Over the past 9 years, I find the basically progressive vibe in Chapel Hill refreshing. I spent most of my life in an ultra-conservative suburb of Richmond, VA that considered Ronald Reagan a little bit of a lefty. However, the lack of an opposition in the OC is becoming a bit of problem. We have to fight amongst ourselves to even get our blood pressure up. At least Jesse Helms would complain about us from time to time, but sadly Elizabeth Dole is no "Senator No. "
This cannot go on forever. Someone has to step up and make ridiculous complaints about our high standard of living, basically harmonious relationships between the races, excellent school system and Free Public Transportation. My biggest problems with the Town are that there aren't enough right turn lanes and the sidewalks need to be extended in places.
Enter the Libertarians
While I don't agree with Cam Hill's statement about Republicans, I cannot see how anyone could look at this County and Town and all that it offers and complain too much. I read the Letter to the Editor equating watering your lawn with being a Republican by a claimed Republican. I am pretty sure that person is mistaken and a little daft. Democrats water their lawns too. I wish it was outlawed, but in spite of the last 7 years this is still a free country.
So, I nominate the Libertarians as the official opposition for Chapel Hill. Conservative Republicans can have Cary - why they want it, I have no idea.
I don't want the PJ. O'Rourke closet Libertarian (that would be like saying you didn't inhale). A good Libertarian opposition might win a Council Seat every now and then and be a great source of entertainment. We could have debates about legalizing marijuana and a ridiculously high tax rate (any tax rate to the only admitted Libertarian I know is too high) with the same person.
Chapel Hill deserves an interesting opposition party. If Atlas Shrugs, who will hold up Chapel Hill?
The author of this post is a Registered Democrat.
Issues:
Comments
Green Party
Closet Third-Party baiting?
I'm not fooled ;-). I know what you're really hoping for is a way to fracture the upstart reactionary impulses coming from a couple ofquarters locally! It's not unlike hoping Ron Paul can draw away enough of the Republican vote to do to them what some of the Nader votes did to Dems (esp. in Florida) in 2000.
On the other hand, I have had the unsettling experience of actually agreeing with a Libertarian friend on some privacy issues, and we agreed we were each so far out on the right and left extremes that we were meeting each other coming the other way.
Coherent Green Parties and Unsettling Experiences
Ruby and Priscilla,
I agree with you both. I think a coherent, aligned Green Party would be interesting and might get some traction in Chapel Hill. I came too late to town to know that one existed here at one point. I can assure that in the county in Virginia I am from, you are lefty if you believe in Lethal Injection over the Electric Chair.
Perhaps the Libertarians and the Greens could rise up together as opposites. :)
As for agreeing with Libertarians, there is nothing wrong with it in small doses. I prefer the consistent, if sometimes simplistic view of "Enlightened Self-Interest" refreshing in a world where P.J. O'Rourke can be in the same party as Pat Robertson and not throw up.
It is precisely the ultra Laizez-Faire (I know the spelling is wrong), do your own thing and leave me alone vibe that I like. I honestly think that Libertarians like your friend are not as ultra-right as they think.
If you believe in a women's right to chose, the right to bear arms, abolition of the income tax, self-determination and legalized marijuana, you are pretty much neither right or left, but since Anarchist has a bad rap, so you have to call yourself something.
Cheers and Thanks for commenting. I am really happy that a forum like this exists. It's nice to other people are asking some of the same questions I am.
Libertarians are here
We would love to be the opposition in OC. I personally have run for office 3 times. The problem is, that the democRAT controlled legeslature has set the bar very high (Higher than every other state except Oklahoma) so that we have to waste our resources to stay on the ballot every election. If the democRAT party was truely democratic, then we wouldn't have this problem. Now that's something to laugh about.
Will Shooter, chair, Orange County Libertarian Party.
Glad you are here but...
I take issue with the RAT highlight in the Democratic Party (I am old school). I doubt that you would find a much sympathy from the Republicans either. A two-party system is designed to keep everyone else out.
It comes down to the idea that we can make change by lobbing verbal grenades over the barricades or prevailing upon reasonable people in both parties to look at their options differently.
As a Southerner and Virginian, I am quite aware of the history of the Democratic Party and the Party machine's hold on politics. No doubt it is an uphill climb, but if the Libertarian Party would reach out to moderates who consider themselves members of the Democratic Party, it might have more success.
Libertarians cannot keep thinking they are true Republicans. That train left the station with rise of Ralph Reed and G.W. Bush.
As someone who reports Religious Freedom and the Second Amendment, I would be a natural Libertarian, but... I still consider myself a Moderate Democrat.
---Freedom is not just another word