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Barr Buzz Getting Louder

Word is former Georgia Congressman and ex-Republican Bob Barr might be closer to announcing a bid for President. Many Americans might only remember Barr as the sanctimonious Southern impeachment manager of nearly a decade ago. But libertarian conservatives know him to be one of the only Republican members of congress who didn’t acquire amnesia of […]

Word is former Georgia Congressman and ex-Republican Bob Barr might be closer to announcing a bid for President.

bob barr

Many Americans might only remember Barr as the sanctimonious Southern impeachment manager of nearly a decade ago. But libertarian conservatives know him to be one of the only Republican members of congress who didn’t acquire amnesia of his federalist principles after 9/11, and was and has been a passionate critic of the Patriot Act, overreaching government authority and excessive security measures spawned by successive Republican majorities and President George W. Bush over the last six years.

While the Republican establishment was dismissing libertarian conservatives in their ranks like illegitimate children, Barr was teaming up with the likes of the American Civil Liberties Union to help scale back the Patriot Act when it was up for renewal. He publicly balked at the Pentagon’s “Total Information Awareness” project and the creation of the Department of Homeland Security. He even reversed his position on the War on Drugs and became a spokesman for the Marijuana Policy Project. Unlike GOP pols who whined on cue at election time about the hubris of the party and the lack of adherence to conservative ideals, Barr went so far as to quit the party in 2006 to become a Libertarian.

For those who want to cast a principle-over-politics vote this fall, a Barr bid would be welcome news. Plus, all those devotees of Ron Paul are just itching to get back out on the trail.

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