Libertarians: DC Dems and GOP "Socialists"

For all the the Republican grandstanding about the American Recovery And Reinvestment Act, the awkward truth is that Pres. Bush's Emergency Economic Stabilization Act (better known as the bank bail-out) came first. Now even Senate Budget Committee Member Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, is talking about nationalizing the banks. Which is all red meat for the Libertarian Party of Texas, which has made strong track record of beating up on the GOP for not really being conservatives.

So this morning LPT Chair Pat Dixon sent out a missive beating the old war drum that the GOP and the Democrats are all really just "working together to create a bigger, more socialist government."

Worst of all, he says, "As entitlement spending rises over the next decade, we will become even more French." Er, not to be too picky about it, but considering the massive influence of the French Enlightenment on the founding political philosophy of the USA, that horse may already have bolted. Or, to put it another way, Alexis de Tocqueville wasn't exactly born in Cleveland.

Full press release after the jump.

Texas Libertarians have a response to today's cover story of Newsweek magazine: We aren't all Socialists. "Finally, a major media outlet, Newsweek, has acknowledged the truth," said Texas Libertarian Chair Patrick Dixon, "Both Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill are working together to create a bigger, more socialist government that resembles Europe. But we aren't all socialists, the Libertarian Party offers a better solution for the American economy."

According to Newsweek: "In 2010 U.S. spending is expected to be 39.9 percent of GDP, compared with 47.1 percent in the euro zone – a gap of less than 8 points. As entitlement spending rises over the next decade, we will become even more French."

"Libertarians know that free market capitalism has created a better world," noted Dixon. "Just look at the Asian tigers: Taiwan, Hong Kong; and the new democracies of Poland, the Czech Republic, and Georgia. They are all prospering in their economic freedom and lifting their people from poverty."

Newsweek: "The U.S. government has already-under a conservative Republican administration-effectively nationalized the banking and mortgage industries. That seems a stronger sign of socialism than $50 million for art" (in the Obama bill).

"Don't believe the Republican dog and pony show from last week," declared LPT Executive Director Robert Butler. "They acted upset, and perhaps some were, but when they were in charge they nationalized our banking and mortgage industry with their unsuccessful bailout of Wall Street."

"Every dollar the US government borrows, is a dollar less for those who want to build a home or business," said Butler.