Hi all,

I attended (as did about a dozen registered Libertarians) the PA Leadership Conference this past weekend (March 31st-April 1st) in Harrisburg. The conference is sponsored by many conservative lobbying groups. However, the conference is really the conservative (mainly religious conservative) wing of the R party.  The LP had a booth there. The keynote speaker was Joe Scarborough. Rick Santorum made an appearance as well, obviously to garner support and solidify his base.

This is the first time that I have ever attended a conservative or for that matter a policy-driven conference. I must say that I rather enjoyed myself. I frankly do not like politics and I found the whole thing amusing. However, I did get all emotional and actually fired-up at times, much like a sporting event. In fact, I would even say that I got charged. It was fun.

But, I never really lost myself or got so caught up in it  as to change my party registration. In fact, it just made me realize all the more why I am a Libertarian.

Case in point: Santorum

Santorum is the classic example of someone who calls himself a conservative but who really isn't. Santorum, in my opinion, is nothing more than a Priest in sheeps clothing. Allow me to explain. You see, while he may go on and on about how small government, lower taxes, etc. is right at the top of his agenda, he usually concludes his speeches with how the Federal government needs to get involved with helping single mothers and poor people so that way their kids won't rob you, do drugs, or get knocked up at age 14.

No doubt he is a good Christain man and all that. I am not denying his intentions. In fact, he should chair a non-profit board because he really does have a big heart. In fact, in that capacity, I would voluntarily give him money to help poor people.

But in my opinion, as an elected official, he views himself as an elite who is legally authorized to regiment the rest of us. You can't debate with him—he's not concerned with reasons, arguments, evidence, history or the like. All he cares about is his worldview, and that includes a federal government that participates in social engineering via Christian values. And if those values happen to cost the rest of us a lot of money, too bad.  He honestly believes that the government should supplement the work of the church and other non-profit organizations. Is that written somewhere in the Constitution? I don't think so.

What is funny about this is that many religious conservatives love him for that. And there were many in the audience who appluaded him when he mentioned how he was going to do this or do that on behalf of helping others ( no different that the liberals, just that Santorum happens to believe in God). However, there were many in the room who didn't care for his speech. And I could tell that many in the room have had enough of this neo-con/Christian agenda via Bush and others. Even Scarborough went after Bush on "No Child Left Behind".

Despite Santorum's socialist Christian views (he would probably chide me for saying that because he is so knee-deep in it that he can't see it). I think he is actually someone that you could trust. At least he says what is on his mind and you know where he stands.

Now, as for Joe Scarborough. Well, he was there to make fun of everyone and give us all a good belly laugh, which, I thought he did.

But he said something that I think really speaks volumes when it comes to neo-con foriegn policy. He actually made fun of the suicide bombers as if they were somehow so dumb because they don't have you know all the military weaponry that we do and that how stupid are we (USA) for not staying the course and taking these people out. Well, what can I say other than Joe needs to go to boot camp and learn that the first golden rule of military combat is never underestimate your enemy. Always respect them, even as you are killing them. Once you get a cocky attitude is precisely the moment your enemy puts a cap in your ass. That's all I have to say about that. But I think you get my point. The neo-con agenda is chock-full of this kind of cockiness and it is totally without grace or dignity. It is, in my opinion, one of the reason's many in the audience, though they did applaud and laugh, also had this look on their face like, what are you talking about?!

I guess what I am getting at by saying all this, is that we have nothing to fear from the Rs or the Ds. They are both bankrupt. They have no new ideas. They are in it for their own game. They think they know or understand the future, but they are stuck in the past and are frankly at this point charicatures of themselves. Their own people know this. I talked to many of them who are so disgusted with their party leadership. The only reason why a viable third party hasn't broken in is because the power elite won't allow it, which we all know is unconstitutional, but the power elite operates outside the constitution because there is no higher authority to bring them down. It happens in most prosperous civilizations. And it is happening here.

But I am proud to know the difference between principle and bullshit. I joined the Libertarian Party precisely because it is our time, it is our moment (that was a joke, I was actually quoting Pat Toomey who spoke at the Saturday luncheon).

I have gone on way too long here, but I hope others who attended the event will post. The LPPA should be proud of itself and its opportunity to reach out to disenfranchised Pennsylvanians who sincerely want change.

Doug Keegan