My quick thoughts on this presidental election season...

At the beginning of this election season, I started out supporting former Senator and U.S. Marine, (all around badass), Jim Web (D-VA) for President.  When he dropped out, I supported Rand Paul (R-KY).  After Senator Paul dropped out, I supported, and voted for in the Tennessee GOP Primary, Gov. John Kasich (R-OH).  In the general election, I was one of the more than 4 million Americans who voted for Gov. Gary Johnson (L-NM). 

With all of that being said, my wife and I just returned from attending Donald Trump's inauguration.  He's MY President.  He's OUR President.

I will support him when I agree with him.  I will respectfully oppose him when I don't, while offering alternatives (as opposed to yelling political sound bites loudly or damaging people's property), and like a good Episcopalian, I will pray for him...seriously, it's part of every Sunday Rite, regardless of who is in office.

-ADY "A Regular Guy On The Issues"

FYI - From Dave Nalle and the RLC.




-ADY "A Regular Guy On The Issues"

Rand Paul Wins RLC Straw Poll  

NASHUA, NH - Rand Paul was the most preferred presidential candidate of the Republican contenders as voted by nearly 800 activists attending the Republican Liberty Caucus National Convention, held in New Hampshire, home of the first in the nation presidential primary.

The straw poll was conducted using an alternative voting method called “approval voting,” which allows voters to approve of one or more of the current Republican presidential candidates. This method of voting allows voters to indicate the candidate or candidates that they would support if the election were held today. As a preference poll this may produce results where more than one candidate receives over 50% approval.

Rand Paul was the preference of 57.1% of the convention’s attendees. Ted Cruz came in second with a 51.2% preferred rating. No other candidate received more than 17.9%.

While this does not represent the RLC’s final endorsement, it does indicate a strong preference of the attendees for these candidates. The RLC’s official endorsement process requires two-thirds of its state chapters to approve a candidate. The RLC officially endorsed Ron Paul for President in 2012.

“The large turnout for this event and the enthusiastic participation of attendees in this poll shows the rising tide of Liberty in the Republican Party,” said Matt Nye, National Chairman of the Republican Liberty Caucus. “Liberty Republicans have clearly identified these two candidates as the best in a crowded field. They are an inspiration to Republicans around the country and we look forward to a great crop of candidates at every level, ready to go to Washington and restore limited government and a respect for individual liberty.”

National frontrunner Donald Trump received 6.9% approval in the poll. Ben Carson received 17.9% and Carly Fiorina received 10.1%.

“New Hampshire is the jumping off point for the nomination campaign and with this choice the people have clearly chosen liberty,” said Aaron Day, Chairman of the Republican Liberty Caucus of New Hampshire. “We look forward to seeing a lot more of both Rand Paul and Ted Cruz in the next few months and I’m confident that our state candidates will do well with one of them at the top of the ticket.”

The full results of the poll are:

Candidate Votes Percent

Rand Paul 445 57.1%
Ted Cruz 399 51.2%
Ben Carson 139 17.9%
Carly Fiorina 79 10.1%
Marco Rubio 75 9.6%
Donald Trump 54 6.9%
Bobby Jindal 51 6.6%
Rick Santorum 27 3.5%
Mike Huckabee 25 3.2%
John Kasich 17 2.2%
Chris Christie 14 1.8%
Gil Fulbright 12 1.5%
Jeb Bush 9 1.2%
George Pataki 6 0.8%
Lindsey Graham 4 0.5%
Vermin Supreme 3 0.4%
Jim Gilmore 3 0.4%
Mark Everson 2 0.3%

Andrew Jennings of the Center for Election Science, a non-profit group which conducted the poll, observed that “Approval voting is a better way to run elections because it doesn’t force voters to abandon their ideal candidate to vote for a compromise—they can vote for both. In a general election it would prevent spoilers and let all candidates see their true level of support. In crowded elections like the current Republican primary, it would stop the vote splitting which is distorting the race and would allow us to see how the voters really feel about each candidate.”

Unlike a “first past the post” traditional straw poll where participants vote for only ONE candidate, using an alternative “approval voting” system we allowed activists to more clearly express the preference and favorites for the Republican nomination.

Both the Paul and Cruz camps actively encouraged local supporters to participate in the straw poll. This gave them an opportunity to both test and show their organizational strength and level of committed activist willing to come out and vote.

FYI - From the Matt Nye and the RLC.


-ADY "A Regular Guy On The Issues"

Republican Liberty Caucus Announces Wayne Allyn Root as Chairman of National Campaign Committee and Advisory Board

        

The National Board of the Republican Liberty Caucus (RLC) has voted to name Wayne Allyn Root as Chairman of its National Campaign Committee, as well as Chairman of the RLC Advisory Board. Root, now back to his lifelong Republican roots, was the Libertarian Vice Presidential nominee in 2008, as well as an elected Board member of the Libertarian National Committee, and Chairman of the Libertarian National Campaign Committee.

One of America’s most vocal critics of the Obama administration, Root is a frequent radio and TV guest, political commentator, syndicated political columnist, and the author of the national bestselling books, “The Ultimate Obama Survival Guide” and “The Murder of the Middle Class.”

"We are very excited to have Wayne on board," said Matt Nye, RLC National Chairman. "Wayne is an extremely talented, charismatic and dynamic media personality; he's an outspoken advocate for liberty, but he is particularly fierce on economic freedom and the U.S. Constitution."

At the time Root joined the Libertarian Presidential ticket in 2008, the Bob Barr-Wayne Root presidential ticket was the 2nd most successful vote-getter in the party's history. Root says that experience showed him just how heavily the scales are tilted in favor of the two-party system.

"As the Libertarian Party’s vice presidential nominee, I called myself a 'REAGAN libertarian,' in honor of my heroes Ronald Reagan and his mentor Barry Goldwater," Root said. "I will forever be a libertarian leaning Republican-conservative, and I am grateful for my start in national politics with the Libertarian Party."

Root says the grassroots uprising in 2010 and 2014 has given him hope the Republican Party can be returned to its roots.

"Given the popularity of the Tea Party message it makes sense to work within the Republican Party to return the GOP to the ideology of Ronald Reagan, Barry Goldwater and Jack Kemp," Root said. "That is exactly the mission of the Republican Liberty Caucus, and I’m here to inject a dose of world-class energy and enthusiasm!"

RLC Chairman Matt Nye agrees, but says the Republicans apparently didn’t get the memo. He hopes high profile individuals like Root joining with grassroots organizations like the RLC will help them see the light.

"In spite of the clear message the grassroots sent with massive, record-setting landslides in both the 2010 and 2014 elections, GOP party leadership doesn't appear to have gotten the message," Nye said. "Republicans were given a clear mandate to stop Obama's agenda, but they've done nothing of substance to do so."

Root agrees. "We're stuck with leadership in both houses that is either spineless, incompetent or sympathetic to the president's big government agenda; that, or the GOP’s leaders have simply been bought off by lawyers, lobbyists, big corporate donations and the famous DC culture of corruption," Root said. "This is simply unacceptable. We are watching the greatest country, and the greatest middle class, in world history being systematically destroyed, and that is something I cannot stand by idly and watch."

In his best-selling books Root blames the partnership of big government, big media and big corporations.

"Republicans must stand firm, cut spending and debt, balance the budget, repeal Obamacare, audit and reform the Fed, re-establish the Gold Standard and roll back out-of control federal agencies like the EPA, IRS, and the NSA program spying on US citizens," Root said. "Most of all, Republican leaders must stand up and fight for capitalism and American Exceptionalism.”

Root says Republicans must offer a clear alternative.

"The GOP controls Congress, and Congress controls spending," Root said. "It's time the GOP withdraws from this president's agenda that is destroying capitalism, small business and America. If they can’t do that, then Americans have no reason to vote Republican."

Nye concurs.

"With Wayne's help, we at the RLC intend to hold their feet to the fire,” he said.

Root’s web site is www.ROOTforAmerica.com. His new business book, entitled “The Power of RELENTLESS!”  will be out August 10th. You can follow Wayne on Twitter here. 

    

About Matt Nye

Matt Nye is an innovative entrepreneur and political activist with 24 years of diversified experience in technology, telecommunications, finance, marketing and communications. Nye currently works as Regional Director for Verteks Consulting, a leading provider of voice and data networks for enterprise and government clients in Florida. In addition to his work at Verteks Consulting, Nye has taken on a number of leadership roles in local and national political organizations. He is the Founder and Immediate Past Chair of the Republican Liberty Caucus of Central East Florida (RLC), the Organizer of the Brevard Tea Parties and the National Chairman of the Republican Liberty Caucus. As the Organizer of the Brevard Tea Party Nye is a frequently sought expert for local media on subjects like taxes, regulation, waste, fraud, abuse and transparency. In his capacity as National Chairman of the RLC he is frequently interviewed on issues pertaining to national party politics and the role the liberty movement plays in today's political landscape.

Ron Paul full "In Depth" interview C-SPAN 8/3/14 *HQ*

#LiveFree


-ADY"A Regular Guy On The Issues"

Abby Martin's Interview With Ben Swann: The GOP In Crisis!

FYI - From RT's Breaking The Set with Abby Martin and Ben Swann.






Some good food for thought for the GOP.  The Republican Party will not be successful on the national level again unless they become more socially tolerant.  They must embrace their libertarian wing.






#LiveFree






#LibertarianRepublican






#ProgressiveLibertarian

Gov. Jon Huntsman Speaking About The Future of The GOP And America.

FYI - From Gov. Jon Huntsman/The Reagan Foundation and Youtube.com.

#LiveFree

-ADY "A Regular Guy On The Issues"

Gov. Gary Johnson On 3rd Party Candidates & Why the GOP Will Never Regain The Presidency.

FYI - Gov. Johnson's recent interview with Sagar Jethani/PolicyMic.com.

-ADY "A Regular Guy On The Issues"

Gary Johnson: "It's A Stacked Deck" Against Third Party Candidates

         

On Thursday, PolicyMic writer Sagar Jethani spoke with former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson, who ran as the Libertarian Party's 2012 presidential candidate. Johnson shared his observations about the rise of the GOP's libertarian wing, the role of safety nets in a limited government, and the ability of third parties to compete in national elections.

Sagar Jethani (SJ): Since the November elections, there has been a marked interest in the libertarian wing of the Republican party represented by figures like Rand Paul and Justin Amash. What's your take on this?

Gary Johnson (GJ): Republicans lost because of their social agenda — because of their views on marriage equality, on a woman's right to choose, on immigration, and on drug policy. It was fear of that agenda which made the difference in the election. So now some Republicans are going to call themselves libertarians. They'll say they're socially conservative, but that they won't use government to make policy in those areas.

SJ: What's the overlap between libertarianism and the Republican approach to government?

GJ: I used to run as a Republican, and the words I used as a Republican didn't suddenly change when I ran as the Libertarian Party nominee. The majority of Republicans do not actually have a social agenda. They are fiscally responsible, and socially accepting. Really, most of us just don't give a damn. We don't care how other people live their lives as long as long as your life doesn't adversely affect mine. That's when government does have a role.

SJ: If you had chosen to remain in the Republican primary race, where would you have broken ranks with the other candidates?

GJ: I would have been different from every other candidate on the question: would you support a budget plan that involved 10% tax increases to 90% spending cuts? Every Republican answered no. You're talking about the biggest issue facing the country. I would have said "Absolutely, yes! Pass that legislation!"

SJ: I remember thinking their answer was really intended for Grover Norquist, not the viewers at home.

GJ: (Laughs) Exactly! You're the president of the United States and you're given an opportunity to actually address the biggest issue facing this country and you're going to say no because of a dime's worth of tax increases?

SJ: Some members of the GOP's libertarian wing support limited government until you tap an issue on their moral agenda. Rand Paul has supported a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage. That wouldn't fly with libertarians.

GJ: That's right. Some libertarians may be socially conservative, but they're the last people in the world who are going to want to make a decision for a woman about her pregnancy, for example. I do believe that marriage equality is constitutionally guaranteed, hence the role of the federal government protecting it as opposed to leaving it up to states.

SJ: Justin Amash has joined Rand Paul in arguing that the issue of same-sex marriage should be left up to states. You don't agree?

GJ: I get a little frustrated with social conservatives because they punt on the social issues by leaving it up to the states. Libertarians do not want to punt on those issues, and that is a stumbling block for Republicans. There is a federal role in our lives inherent in the Constitution.

SJ: Another point of difference is the Republican propensity for military intervention.

GJ: And now John McCain is trying to raise everyone's blood pressure about the need for military intervention in Syria. That has my blood boiling. Let's stop with the military intervention. And you know who's driving that? It's Republicans, and McCain is the head of that spear.

SJ: Last year the website iSideWith reported that when people completed its online survey to identify which candidate best represented their views, the vast majority of them discovered they supported libertarian principles. If the actual election results had been based solely on where people stand on the issues, you would be in the White House right now.

GJ: That's right.

SJ: Why is it that the idea of limited government, an idea which resonates with so many Americans, captures so few of their votes?

GJ: Because you don't know there's somebody out there talking about these issues. Toward the end of my campaign, I read somewhere that I got 1/1000th of the media coverage of Obama and Romney. I think it was actually worse than that. It's about getting heard. I wasn't heard.

SJ: How much of that is because of money?

GJ: You know, I got my degree in political science, and I built a list of what it would take to get elected. At the top of that list was money.

SJ: You received just under 1% of the popular vote in last year's presidential election. Will we eventually see a third-party president, or has the two-party system so captured our electoral process that the best a third-party candidate can do is raise issues and help frame the debate?

GJ: Prior to the election last year, I would have said yes, third parties definitely have a chance. But I was really disappointed in the showing. The only way a third party has a chance of winning is to have enough money to actually be heard. Take Michael Bloomberg with his net worth of $30 billion. If he wants to spend a billion to trumpet whatever he wants to say, he's going to have an opportunity to be heard and get elected. Do I have an opportunity to get elected? Well, somehow I have to have $50 million to leverage that going forward. Is that going to happen?

SJ: It comes back to money?

GJ: It comes back to money.

SJ: But imagine that a third party candidate actually wins the popular vote. So what? The Electoral College actually chooses the president. And the people who sit in the Electoral College are put there by Democrats and Republicans. The very nature of the electoral process favors the two incumbent parties.

GJ: Exactly. It's a stacked deck.

SJ: How much does the stacking depend on who is allowed to participate in the debates?

GJ: Look at the Commission on Presidential Debates: it's entirely made up of Republicans and Democrats. None of them have any interest whatsoever in seeing a third party onstage.

SJ: Who do you think should be included in the presidential debates?

GJ: I think a very fair requirement would be: are you on enough state ballots to win the election? Using that approach, four people would have qualified to be in the national debate in the last election: [Green party candidate] Jill Stein, myself, Obama and Romney.

SJ: I'd like to talk about the libertarian approach to safety nets. Since the New Deal, people expect that instead of simply providing basic protections, government should also shield them from economic harm. Are we able to significantly reduce safety nets at a time when so many Americans depend on them?

GJ: I don't know if it's possible, but I absolutely believe that unless we balance the federal budget and cut entitlement programs to the tune of 30 percent then we will find ourselves with no safety nets at all. That's the eventual outcome. Now, is that a sexy message? One that resonates with people who are currently depending on these programs?

SJ: That's a tough sell.

GJ: Absolutely. And how are you able to deliver that message so that everyone understands that this is really necessary?

SJ: So the goal is actually the preservation of safety nets for those who need them — and that preservation is threatened by our lack of fiscal discipline?

GJ: You said it. I think the federal government should get out of health care delivery completely. Instead, issue block grants to states — a fixed amount of money — and leave it to the states to establish how to deliver health care to those truly in need.

SJ: And you would fund this with a consumption tax.

GJ: I support eliminating income tax, corporate tax, and abolishing the IRS. Replace it all with one federal consumption tax, something that market economists have embraced as the way to reform taxes. Social Security would then be paid for out of a national consumption tax instead of a payroll deduction with an employer match.

SJ: Wouldn't replacing income and corporate taxes with a consumption tax disproportionately hit lower-income Americans who typically spend more of their income?

GJ: It is regressive. But here's how the FairTax deals with this: issue everybody in the country a $200 per month rebate check. So everybody in the country gets $2400 a year which allows us to pay the unavoidable part of consumption tax for food, clothing, and energy. That's how it avoids being regressive.

SJ: Taylor Peck, one of the founders of iSideWith, observed that while young people may lean Republican on fiscal discipline, they ultimately broke for Democrats in the last cycle because of their social views and aversion to military intervention.

GJ: I completely agree. And if Republicans don't get it, they're not going to regain the presidency.

Picture Credit: Washington Times