rssAnti-War Libertarian Activist Running for Congress
Friday, May 01, 2009 at 12:23 pm
- 8 Comments
Adam Kokesh, a libertarian Marine Corps veteran who became a fairly prominent anti-Iraq War activist, is running for Congress as an independent in New Mexico’s 3rd Congressional District.
After leaving the Marine Corps, I joined the monumental fight to end the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan, bring our troops home to defend America, and restore a Constitutional foreign policy. Having won the public to our side, it is time we take the fight to the capitol, to the real enemies of the Constitution. Posturing against war while voting to fund it is unacceptable! Tragically, we still have a government that behaves like it owns us, rather than serves us… We need rallying points to keep our movement invigorated and growing, and if a run for Congress from my home town of Santa Fe can serve as one, I will gladly step up.
The 3rd district is safe Democratic turf — President Obama carried it by 23 points over Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) while new Rep. Ben Lujan (D) carried the open seat by 27 points. But it has a history of big third party votes, and an anti-war independent candidate won 13 percent of the vote in 2008. Kokesh has enough of a national following (he has spoken at many Ron Paul events) to attract some attention, but unless he raises a lot of money, this might be the latest example of the Democratic base moving on from Iraq War politics and supporting a Democrat despite the slow progress in ending the war.
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8 Comments
Comment posted May 1, 2009 @ 11:27 am
FANTASTIC VIDEOS!! INSPIRATIONAL!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmsJe1S0z8w
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbOp_9VfR6o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdUoq0ihC2U
Comment posted May 1, 2009 @ 11:43 am
David,
Thanks for the notice, but your cynicism is disturbing as always! Of course your facts being off might be a factor as well. I have not declared that I will run as an independent and I'm only in the exploratory phase. The 27 point margin you speak of was Lujan's win with 56%, the rest split between a Republican who raised less than $150,000 and an independent. Finally, what do you call slow progress in ending the war? Are you still hung over from a little Obama Kool-Aid? There has been no drawdown in Iraq yet, just talk of plans that are slower than what Bush was talking about, a surge in Afghanistan, and now that war is leaking into Pakistan! The democratic base here in Santa Fe is solidly anti-war and Lujan has voted with the Dems 98.9% of the time. Dems in Congress could have ended the war in January '07 but have shamelessly voted to fund it ever since. People in Santa Fe know better. Lujan could be vulnerable in the primary. And that's not even getting into the dissatisfaction with the corporate bailouts!
Yours in liberty,
Adam Kokesh
kokeshforcongress.com
Comment posted May 1, 2009 @ 12:13 pm
I wrote about Kokesh stunt back in September; the post is entitled If only Ron Paul supporters had a brain.
Pingback posted May 1, 2009 @ 1:28 pm
[...] http://washingtonindependent.com/41482/anti-war-libertarian-activist-running-for-congressAdam Kokesh, a libertarian Marine Corps veteran who became a fairly prominent anti-Iraq War activist, is running for Congress as an independent in New Mexico’s 3rd Congressional District. After leaving the Marine Corps, … [...]
Comment posted May 1, 2009 @ 4:26 pm
Thanks for including the adjective “anti-war” in front of libertarian. Too many media types assume that libertarian = anti-war. And nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, the libertarian movement was founded by hardcore anti-Communists like Barry Goldwater, Miltion Friedman and Ayn Rand who supported the Military. It was only in the 1970s that the libertarian movement, mostly the Libertarian Party was taken over by extremist leftists with an anti-war agenda, like Murray Rothbard and Justin Raimondo.
Today, the Pro-Defense wing of the libertarian movement is thriving, and works to align with other anti-Islamo-Fascists. on the Right.
Eric Dondero, Publisher
Libertarian Republican
Pingback posted May 3, 2009 @ 2:50 pm
[...] bookmarks tagged running The Washington Independent » Anti-War Libertarian… saved by 3 others Therapix bookmarked on 05/03/09 | [...]
Comment posted May 18, 2009 @ 3:15 pm
Mr.Dondero,
There are many “Pro-Defense” liberty-minded individuals who are adamantly opposed to our current foreign policy decisions, including the continuation of troop deployment in the Middle East theater. The 'long war' is not for the defense of our country, this tired “meme” needs to die a quick and deserved death. Indeed, I hold the opinion that our entanglement in the affairs of other nations is detrimental to our security, safety, and our liberties.
War (military action) does not necessarily equate to “defense”.
In liberty,
David Mabry
United States Citizen
libertarian Republican and former delagate
Comment posted May 18, 2009 @ 10:15 pm
Mr.Dondero,
There are many “Pro-Defense” liberty-minded individuals who are adamantly opposed to our current foreign policy decisions, including the continuation of troop deployment in the Middle East theater. The 'long war' is not for the defense of our country, this tired “meme” needs to die a quick and deserved death. Indeed, I hold the opinion that our entanglement in the affairs of other nations is detrimental to our security, safety, and our liberties.
War (military action) does not necessarily equate to “defense”.
In liberty,
David Mabry
United States Citizen
libertarian Republican and former delagate
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