Eric Dondero was once one of Ron Paul's aides, until Paul fired him in 2001. Since then Dondero has called for the destruction of the Libertarian Party, run a bootless race for the LP VP nomination in 2004, and generally tried to portray neoconservatism and libertarianism as identical. (In reality they're polar opposites.)
Recently Dondero has been trying to get Libertarians to support either Wayne Allen Root for the LP nomination or Rudy Giuliani for the GOP nomination for President. In a recent response thread on Third Party Watch, Dondero claims that the website OnTheIssues.org supports his belief that Giuliani is a moderate libertarian.
I decided to test that assertion by using the site's issues-based candidate-matching quiz. If you'd like to take it yourself, here it is. I used standard LP party line positions for answers, with "No Opinion" used both where the LP has no plank or stated position or where the LP is internally split on the issue.
ABORTION - no opinion
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION - strongly against
GAY RIGHTS - strongly for
“FAMILY VALUES” TAUGHT IN SCHOOLS - strongly against
DEATH PENALTY - no opinion
“THREE STRIKES” LAWS - no opinion
GUN RIGHTS - strongly support
FEDERAL FUNDING FOR HEALTHCARE - strongly oppose
PRIVATIZE SOCIAL SECURITY - strongly support
SCHOOL VOUCHERS - weakly support
ALTERNATIVE FUELS - strongly oppose
DRUG WAR - strongly oppose
FAITH BASED INITIATIVES - strongly oppose
LOWER TAXES ON THE RICH - strongly support
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT AMNESTY - no opinion (party split)
FREE TRADE - strongly support
BUILD UP ARMED FORCES - strongly oppose
CAMPAIGN FINANCE LIMITS -strongly oppose
REPEAL USA-PATRIOT ACT - strongly support
REPLACE US TROOPS WITH UN PEACEKEEPERS IN IRAQ - strongly support (no ‘out now, out completely, out forever’ option)
Vote matching results:
RON PAUL 48%
SAM BROWNBACK 35%
DUNCAN HUNTER 33%
BILL RICHARDSON 33%
TOM TANCREDO 33%
DENNIS KUCINICH - 30%
MIKE GRAVEL - 30%
RUDY GIULIANI - 25%
Furthermore, ontheissues.org splits those results into economic and social. Brownback, Hunter and Tancredo match 0% on social issues; Paul, only 25%, which still leaves him a better social-liberty match than any other Republican candidate. As a general rule Republicans share virtually no social issues with Libertarians, and not many economic issues; Democrats share a few social issues, but virtually no economic issues. We disagree more than we agree.
What does this mean? What we should have already known: none of the Democrat or Republican candidates, Paul included, represents libertarians.
There's no basis for hope in either of the duopoly parties that any leader will arise who consistently believes in smaller government and greater freedom. Even Ron Paul, who agrees with libertarians on many issues, is anti-libertarian on quite a few- particularly on issues of religion and personal conscience. Add to that other issues of trust, honesty and possible bigotry presented here before, and the case against Ron Paul- and against the Democratic and Republican parties as a whole- becomes even stronger.
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