A Stitch in Haste

He wants you to think so:

Mr. Allen says he has "a libertarian sense." He describes himself as more in sync with Thomas Jefferson and Ronald Reagan than with George Bush. "I'm one who dislikes limits. I don't like restrictions. I like freedom. I like liberty. Unless you're harming someone else, you leave people free."

Let's check the record:

--Supports federal subsidies for tobacco farmers.

--Supports the flag-desecration amendment.

--Supports (albeit quietly) the Federal Marriage Amendment.

--Supports the war on drug users.

--Denounces "activist judges."

--Supports government subsidization of nanotechnology.

--Supports relaxing wiretapping rules.

That's a mighty high price to pay to get a repeal of the estate tax, which is the only unequivocally libertarian position he's taken, at least that I can find.

There are far worse candidates that the Republicans can put forward in 2008 than George Allen. But can they please not debase and defame the word "libertarian" in the process?

(Sources: Official George Allen website, On The Issues.)

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Speaking of "libertarian Republicans," did you know that there actually never was such a thing? No, instead there was only the "elitist Rockefeller business wing" --

Still, most conservatives felt that after the victory of Ronald Reagan and the Republican Revolution of 1994 their point was made and the country-clubbers would know their place. They were wrong. The Rockefeller wing is now attempting to reassert its control over the party and is openly hostile toward the Reagan populists who created the Republican majority in the first place.

We should be so lucky.

One thing's for sure, though: Nelson Rockefeller was no libertarian. Whether any Republican ever was, or can be now, is open to debate.

A few days ago I asked whether Senator George Allen (R-VA) is a libertarian.

Well, given that libertarians tend not to collect nooses as a hobby, I'm going to pencil in "no, he isn't" on the answer sheet.

I would be astounded if, given this damning New Republic exposé, he remains a viable presidential aspirant for long.

Nooses?

UPDATE: The issue is gaining traction. It's important to remember that Allen cannot dismiss these allegations as mere happenstance, the way Robert Byrd tried to rehabilitate himself. Allen was not the child of racists and did not grow up in the racist South. He consciously sought out an environment that was more amenable to his "Dixie fetish."

Will somebody please wake me up when the rest of the country wakes up and realizes what a complete tarbrain Virginia Senator George Allen is?

Mr. Allen, a Republican running for re-election to the Senate, was singling out S.R. Sidarth, a 20-year-old volunteer for Mr. Allen's Democratic challenger, James Webb. Mr. Sidarth's mission was to trail Mr. Allen and videotape his speeches, in the hope they would yield grist for the Webb campaign.

But it was Mr. Allen who supplied grist for his rival with his use of the term "macaca," a genus that includes numerous species of monkeys found in Asia.

Mr. Allen said Monday that he meant no insult, that he was sorry if he hurt anyone's feelings and that he did not know what "macaca" meant...

You might recall that Allen is under the false impression that he is running for President in 2008.

So which would be worse in a potential presidential candidate — using a word that you know is a racial epithet in other parts of the world (and lying about it after the fact), or using a word without knowing its meaning in the first place?

We report, you decide.

As for Sidarth, perhaps Allen could invite him to his office for a personal and private apology. While Sidarth is there, Allen could show him his noose collection.

Tarbrain.

More thoughts at Pam's House Blend.