A Viable Libertarian Candidate

Former U.S. Rep. and Clinton gadfly, Bob Barr, threw his hat in the ring today for the 2008 presidential race.  Barr intends to seek, and is favored to win, the Libertarian nomination. 

Barr, 59, quit the Republican Party two years ago, saying he had grown disillusioned with its failure to shrink government and its willingness to scale back civil liberties in fighting terrorism. He has been particularly critical of President Bush over the war in Iraq and says the administration is ignoring constitutional protections on due process and privacy.

Hmmm, imagine that!

By "viable," I don't mean that he can win.  He can't.  But, given the fact that many libertarian leaning Republicans feel similarly disillusioned by the G.O.P., Barr could mobilize enough voters to take at least one state, like New Hampshire, with its traditionally libertarian bent.  Just as likely, Barr could make enough of an impact somewhere like Florida or Wisconsin to influence the outcome in that state on election night.

Just as importantly, Barr might be able to haul in enough votes for the Libertarian Party to get a seat at the table during the debates. 

I probably won't vote for him (unless Hillary manages to pull off the nomination), but I think that the more viable parties we have the better.  America's political spectrum is disappointingly duochromatic.  Whether it is a Libertarian, a Socialist, a Green or a Fascist-Anarchist, another voice is always healthy.