Some philosophical libertarians, myself included, have proposed a hostile takeover of the National Republican Party based on the proposition that current neocon leaders have squandered the franchise and Presidential candidate Ron Paul is the only hope to restore its significance in the American political arena.We envision a spike in Republican registration based on the popularity of Ron Paul among non-Republicans. This can send a signal to old-school Republican party functionaries that support for Paul can translate into party strength and help raise Paul into viability in the electoral process. In the event that this does not occur, Republican Party membership should return to its former levels; if not lower -- much lower.
The concept of special interest group taking over an existing institution is not unprecedented.
You may have heard of the Free State Project. Their motto is “Liberty in Our Lifetime.” Libertarians took over the state of New Hampshire with the Free State Project, where scores of libertarians from across the country moved to New Hampshire and began voting for a more liberty-oriented government.
Evangelicals took over the Republican Party and began electing Presidents, Congressmen, and Governors who promised to tailor public policy to be more in line with their own Christian religious precepts. (Never mind the separation of church and state.)
Both Republicans and Democrats jockey every election season to take over Congress and enact legislation that the each might find more agreeable to their constituency. (Although, actually de-funding the war has eluded the Democrats.)
Right here in this town, Progressives took over the city of Asheville as the “Freak Capital of the South” and began to challenge old money, old ideas and old lifestyles.
Now, with the emergence of the Ron Paul boomlet – no, with the emergence of the Ron Paul Revolution – we think that the opportunity is clear and the time is right for freedom-loving progressives, libertarians and classic liberals to charge the ramparts and take over the Republican Party, force the neo-cons into the farthest possible margins, and infuse new life into an old party with the bloodline of authentic patriots.The neo-cons and theo-cons have mismanaged the affairs of the corporation in their charge. They have weakened the body-politic of a once-healthy party and have forfeited any legitimate claims on future stewardship of a major public policy-making institution. In doing so, they have turned back the “clock of progress” for all Americans.
We propose a change. We think the time is now. We think it is time to turn the clock radically forward.
We call on all Ron Paul supporters to join the Republican Party, swell the ranks of their membership, and communicate our newfound delight that a major political party has given voice and opportunity to a genuine, freedom-loving, anti-war presidential candidate.
To learn more, go to RepublicanTakeover.org. And, as always . . .
LOCAL RADIO APPEARANCE
"Take A Stand with Matt Mittan" WWNC 570-AM, August 14, 2007. Operation Republican Takeover: Matt discusses partisanship, political reform, and a Republican party takeover with current and former Libertarian party members Carl Milsted, Bernard Carman, Tim Peck. Hour 2 | Hour 3
FURTHER READING
"The Antiwar, Anti-Abortion, Anti-Drug-Enforcement-Administration, Anti-Medicare Candidacy of Dr. Ron Paul" By Christopher Caldwell, New York Times Magazine, July 22, 2007.
"County GOP sees influx of Paul backers" By Sam Taylor, Bellingham Herald, December 16, 2007.
