http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...enatedmoderates

http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0831/p11s01-uspo.html

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...63&sid=96378801

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/presid...r_within_party/

http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/index.ssf?/b...31522151230.xml

The Republicans have opened their convention with Republicans who are not exactly representative of those who control the party. For all the talk of the "Big Tent" of the GOP you won't hear Buchanan or DeLay speak during the convention. The Gary Bauer's are not going to have a prominent--read visible-- role during the convention as the Republicans reach for the Independent vote and try to minimize the impact of the Far right of their party.
Yet for all the McCain/Guliani/Arnold presence they are window dressing and the Delays are the guiding force of the party.
Moderate and the rare socially liberal Republicans have become hen's teeth in this party.

If the 'conservatives" continue to dominate the GOP and the lack of fiscal responsibility by the Bush Administration could this be a boon for the Libertarians and could they draw away the disaffected and marginalized members of the GOP?

If the 'conservatives" continue to dominate the GOP and the lack of fiscal responsibility by the Bush Administration could this be a boon for the Libertarians and could they draw away the disaffected and marginalized members of the GOP?

I think the premise of your question has already happened. I'm not exactly a spokesman for the Libertarian Party, and I'm not currently a party member, due to some of the planks of the party platform. But I have, in conversation, seemed to sway many of my staunch right wing friends and colleagues toward Libertarian ideals.

But the fact remains, in my experience, that the people I talk to who fall into the above situation, realize that a Libertarian candidate will not be elected anytime soon, regardless if the Lib party changes it's foreign and border policy planks. They will continue to vote for Bush because he falls more to the side of the political spectrum they reside in. And I can't say that I blame them. I'm speaking only from my experience, but all of the Libertarians (big L and small l) lean right not left, so I'm not expecting a big shift away from the GOP.

Only third Party is Nader ( read non-electable) . Bush represents the rich - Kerry is for the poor. Bush gets funds from corporations mainly - Kerry gets funds from tort lawyers and his Ketchup Id guess. Id vote for Arnold if he was on ballot hehe.