Third Party & Independents: Archives

David,
That link tells us very little about the man, and there are no links to his speeches or transcripts provided. Maybe you could give a description of his ideas on the competing factions within the Republican Party?

Adrienne,

Check out

http://www.globalizationinstitute.org/academicadvisorycouncil/ashford.php

Adrienne,

Thought there was more. Interesting but not completely satisfying.
Sorry

Adrienne and David,

If you are interested I found an 11 page pdf file of an article writen by Mr. Ashford in 1997 about Tony Blair’s move to privatize UK Health and Welfare.

This is where the file is located,

http://www.libertarian.co.uk/lapubs/polin/polindex.htm

And this is the title,

136. Dr. Nigel Ashford, New Labour’s Hidden Agenda: Tony Blair’s Plan to Privatise UK Health and Welfare, 1997,

Look for this title about 1/4 of the way down the location page article #136.

Hope this helps you out.

Rocky,
“Hope this helps you out.”

Thanks Rocky, that pdf was interesting. However, it didn’t really convey Ashfords own ideas to me. It only examined what he believed Blair was going to do with UK health and welfare. All I could glean from it was a general sense that he’s a libertarian/free market supporter.

Adrienne, I didn’t take notes, and can’t find a transcript. So this is by best recollection.

He outlined the varying principles of the Rep. Party on 3 continuums asking students where on each they find themselves to help them in their decisions as to which kind of Republican to support.

Security:
Police Cop which increases threats toward the homeland, or Border and Immigration control.

Liberty:
Smaller government equals greater liberty. Bigger government equals social agenda establishment and policing.

Economics:
Elymosenary system vs. Government Aid. Is it compassionate to subsidize corporation’s efforts overseas and deny subsidies to impoverished citizens at home? Corporate subsidy and international trade levelling mechanisms vs. free enterprise and non-regulation.

These are the best that I can remember. He touted names representing the differing principled camps such as Bush and Buchannan on foreign policy. I don’t remember the rest. If and when I can find more links to his perspectives, I may do an update article. This idea that there is a realist/pragmatic arm of the Republican Party emerging may spell a drastic change in Republican politics over the next few election cycles as they message I expect will have wide ranging public appeal, while excluding the more extreme minority views in the party.

David:
That’s sounds like great news — and I’d like very much to hear more about that kind of development! Much as people here may like to assume otherwise about me, I’ve never minded listening to the views of most garden-variety Republican’s — it’s the Neocon’s who I consider to be very dangerous for this country.

Adrienne,

“it’s the Neocon’s who I consider to be very dangerous for this country.”

You mean the Neoconmen don’t ya?

Well, Rocky and Adrienne, as much as I identified with Ashford’s presentation before C-Span, I found this article, Dismantling the Welfare State: Why and How written by him in 1993, in which he makes huge mistakes in understanding and logic in addressing welfare states. Some of his errors are glaring.

He posits that teen pregnancy, destructive automobile joy riding, and other immoral behavior are the result of Welfare, failing to recognize that these behaviors are far more a result of poverty and lack of education.

Or check out this passage:

2) Against Freedom of Choice
The universality principle means that the service is provided free for all regardless of need. One of its goals is to abolish or drive out alternatives, such as private schools and private health, by providing the service free or highly subsidised. The fact that in such a situation, there still exists any private sectors at all is a tribute to the state’s other failings.

A goal of welfare is to drive out private alternatives? Absurd. The goal of welfare is provide a helping hand until one is back on one’s feet. His libertarian argument here not only tries to negate welfare, but, by the same argument denies to validity of charity and charitable organizations. Without welfare or charity, his arguments lead to the logical conclusion that folks down on their luck should just die and get out of the way.

I was impressed with his insights into the dynamic and multi-faceted makeup of the Republican party, but, his Libertarian dogmatic positions leave a lot to be desired in reasoning and intellect. He is however becoming a player in Republican politics representing the more libertarian wing of the party, so, I will continue to follow his perspectives.

I’ve never minded listening to the views of most garden-variety Republican’s

Me too. I’m impressed with sensible Republicans like Christine Todd Whitman, John McCain, and even Bob Dole when he wasn’t pandering to the far right. I don’t agree with them on many points, but I can respect them. They aren’t raving wackos.

David,

“He posits that teen pregnancy, destructive automobile joy riding, and other immoral behavior are the result of Welfare, failing to recognize that these behaviors are far more a result of poverty and lack of education.”

I would say that these things had more to do with being a teenager than poverty or welfare or lack of education.

David:
“I was impressed with his insights into the dynamic and multi-faceted makeup of the Republican party,”

And yet, if his logic seems shaky with other topics, it might be here as well?

“but, his Libertarian dogmatic positions leave a lot to be desired in reasoning and intellect.”

I personally abhor a great deal of the Libertarian ideology — and I feel the Neocon’s have quite a lot in common with them.

Rocky:
“You mean the Neoconmen don’t ya?”

One could definitely put it that way, yes indeed.

“I’m impressed with sensible Republicans like Christine Todd Whitman, John McCain, and even Bob Dole when he wasn’t pandering to the far right. I don’t agree with them on many points, but I can respect them. They aren’t raving wackos.”

I agree. Although of those three, Dole is my least favorite — he seems very intelligent, but for a reason I can’t pin down exactly, I’ve always sensed that there is a mean streak in that man. And I don’t like getting that feeling about any politician, be they on the right or left.

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