Poker Perambulation

There is a new twist in the UIGEA mishmash. Greg ‘Fossilman’ Raymer is seriously considering becoming a Vice Presidential candidate in the next election on the Libertarian ticket.

He was interviewed by Ryan McLane at Casino City Times and is actually considering throwing his hat in the ring. The Libertarian party is the country’s 3^rd largest party. To make the appropriate disclosure: it has garnered my vote in the last two elections. Certainly a protest vote and one that is the opposite of most of the fringe parties out there.

My weekend blog talked about self-determination and that is what the Libertarian party is all about. Its most controversial platform item is legalizing drugs. Not just pot either. That is a pretty hard idea for many to swallow/puff/mainline. The idea is simple. People have the right to decide their future – good and bad. Should they succeed, my fellow smokers will share the sidewalk with a more diverse group.

One of the problems the Libertarians encounter is coverage by the media. Greg would provide a useful addition in that respect as a celebrity.

The Libertarians have a pretty wild idea of the way things should run. It is a hard concept for many to stomach. We tend toward the status quo. The last group with such wild ideas showed up a couple of hundred years ago. We refer to them as our Founding Fathers. The Declaration of Independence is pretty much a basis for Libertarian thoughts. The Constitution continues in promoting those concepts. The Bill of Rights is also right on. So, thinking about if from another angle, makes it a bit more mainstream.

It is silly to even think of a V.P. Greg Raymer. But, his help might put a few people in the congress someday that’d rattle the thought processes of those folks. They’d be an interesting minority view in that area. It is often said that a President becomes out-of-touch with the populace and reality. Well, having communicated with my politicians – who are in both parties – I can tell you they are just as out-of-touch. I have been amazed by the shallow thinking that comes across in their response to my views. It is actually insulting to get a response that indicates I am one of the village idiots they must put up with to make the world safe for truth, justice and the American way.

Poker players defeated the sponsor of the bill, Jim Leach [R, IA-02] — this is documented by post election polling. So, keep in mind that a new voice coming from your district might make for some interesting Washington theater. And, it would put the incumbents on further notice that the old ways are not working as well.

“I think a Libertarian candidate would do a better job of running the country than any of the Republicans or Democrats we’ve seen,” Raymer said. “It’s inherently better when a candidate believes in the philosophy of being able to do what you deem is right, as long as you don’t hurt anyone else in the process.”

“Personal morals are great and it’s good for a person to have them,” Raymer said. “But when you apply your morality to me, we’re talking fascism.”

Raymer said famed Las Vegas sports-handicapper Wayne Allyn Root is one person being considered for the top spot. Root has a Web site devoted to his bid for the Libertarian nomination called www.millionairerepublican.com.

There are a lot of poker players out there. They live at the table under truly Libertarian principles. Is it a reach to extend that concept to the ballot box?

ADDENDUM:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iau-ejqk8MM&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.millionairerepublican.com%2Fhome%2Findex.php#0.09511224465108259

This entry was posted on Monday, May 28th, 2007 at 2:35 am and is filed under poker legislation. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.