Does anyone know if Karen Kwiatkowski is a serious candidate for President?

[libertylover]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_Kwiatkowski 


Karen U. Kwiatkowski is a retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel whose assignments included duties as a Pentagon desk officer and in a variety of roles for the National Security Agency. Since retiring, she has become a noted critic of the U.S. government's involvement in Iraq. Kwiatkowski is primarily known for her insider essays that denounce a corrupting political influence on the course of military intelligence leading up to the invasion of Iraq in 2003. She has said that she was the anonymous source used by Seymour Hersh and Warren Strobel in their respective exposés of pre-war intelligence. The Republican-controlled Senate Select Committee on Intelligence dismissed her allegations as baseless in its report on pre-war intelligence.

http://www.libertarianpeacenik.com/articles/karen1.htm
This group seems to be promoting her as a possible candidate but is it like the recruit Ruward group where the potential candidate hasn't expressed any interest in running?

[Gay_Libertarian]

She hasn't declared her intentions yet.

George Phillies was claiming for a while that she was willing to run as VP with him as the presidential nomination, but this later changed, fuelling speculation she was going to launch her own presidential nomination drive.

[libertylover]

She seems extremely impressive as a candidate if she should choose to run.

[Gay_Libertarian]

She certainly has military and foreign policy cred.

I think we need a dark-horse candidate, or at least someone who isn't a perennial party regular or celeb trying to trade off the LP as a publicity stunt.

[FreeDawg]

I've read many of her articles on LRC and I love and agree with nearly everything she writes.  I would support her in a Presidential run.

[Gay_Libertarian]

Bruce Guthrie in Washington is running a fantastic campaign too.  They'd make a great tag team, regardless of which office each chooses to run for.

[AlexLibman]

Her Wikipedia Article says she's "entered the race for the Libertarian Party's 2008 vice-presidential nomination".  Hope she makes it to the VP debates, but the odds are slim...   

IMHO, people should pay their dues in local electoral politics before running nationwide.  No matter what your qualifications are, the experience of actually being elected and holding an office is invaluable.  More importantly, overcrowding the nomination race of a small party beyond 4-6 people just means more preaching to the choir and less unity behind whoever will actually run.  LP would get more respect by actually winning a race, and getting a few people elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, than by finishing third (vs 4th or 5th) nationwide.  Once we get the first few congressmen in there, established ones like Ron Paul might switch parties.

[libertylover]

I like her better for President.  Wouldn't it be an interesting race if only women were running for President in 2008.    What would the, "He Man Woman Haters," club members do?  I know not very likely but oh so funny to think about.

[Gay_Libertarian]

That would be *fabulous*!

Reminds me of a funny book I read years ago -- "The First Man To Be First Lady."

[HungSquirrel]

If the Republicans have any sense, they'll find a strong female candidate and have her run against Hillary...if there is such a thing in the GOP.




Republicans...sense?  Nevermind.

[AlexLibman]

If the Republicans have any sense, they'll find a strong female candidate and have her run against Hillary...if there is such a thing in the GOP.

My predictions for 2008, as they stand now:

The neo-cons will probably take the fall in `08, like the Dems took the fall in the last two presidential elections.  The game is fixed, and no one wants to stay in power for too long.  They've accumulated their power points, and when they leave their executive public offices they will finally be able to relax, call in a few favors, make some real money, and plan for 2012, 2016, or 2020.  Their goals were to start a quagmire in the middle east and establish a state of fear domestically so that no police state measure can be rejected. They've made as much initiative with it as they can in this cycle - though some things are yet to play themselves out, the ball is already in the air.  The next president will be a centrist, a weak Republican or a free trade Democrat, and either way his/her goals will be to increase the socialist programs closer to the European standards, to strengthen and expand NAFTA, and to continue being strong on "national security".

Condoleezza is too closely associated with this administration and, sadly, a smart black woman still can't win in places like Mississippi - they'd want to save her for the next election they really want to win.  McCain was too old eight years ago, and he's never really been a part of the inner circle.  If either of them two run, they're set up to loose.  The "Arnold Amendment" process would have needed to be a lot further along by now, so it won't happen for `08.  Amongst the current Republicans, only Giuliani is centrist and elite enough for the aforementioned needs: if he runs, he'll win.

Among the Democrats, I would place Richardson as the most likely nominee, yes, beating out Hillary.  Evan Bayh and Tom Vilsack are strong Dem candidates as well.

Among the third parties, I predict very bad news for Libertarians on national level.  The Constitution Party, strengthened by a centrist Rep candidate and border security, will surprise everyone and grab as much as 5% of the popular vote.  The Green Party, strengthened by a centrist Dem candidate and no longer suffering from a Nader/Cobb split, will take 4th place.  LP, the Party of Principle, will find itself 5th.   

Only political migration and secession present a genuine, substantive hope for "liberty in our lifetime".  Everything else, even including the LP on the national level, is a distraction.

[libertylover]

I have to say, I believe it was in the works for the Republicans to throw the election to the Dems in 08.  Why because the inheritence tax for small businesses and farms was set to be abolished.  It was that promise to eliminate that tax that got my vote in 2000. Then what does the Republican majority do, they pass a measure to abolish that tax in 2010.  Once I saw that it was a bold face lie, I came back to my sences and have voted Libertarian.  Because you know the Democrat controled government will move with lightening speed to kill that measure and reinstate the 50% inheritence tax on any estate valued over $700k.  Most small farms and businesses have that in assets only not in cash in hand and those farms and businesses will be sold at a massive loss. The family will loose their livelyhood inorder to pay off taxes.  Keep in mind it is 50% of what they say the property is worth not what the family might actually get if they are forced to sell.  So the real tax rate could be much higher than 50%.

[gandhi2]

Among the Democrats, I would place Richardson as the most likely nominee, yes, beating out Hillary.

God I hope so.  Anybody, please, anybody but her.   She's got it in for parental rights, big time.  Her policy on enforcing state standards to control parent's actions could lead to some gross violations of civil liberties that rival even those inflicted by The Great W.  That and the whole government-sanctioned ESRB replacement with her buddy McCain....  /shudder

[Gay_Libertarian]

My favorite line of this campaign came from a Democrat blog: (summarized)

"I'm so tired of people whining about taxes.  We don't pay ENOUGH tax in this country.  Our tax rates are too low -- look at what they pay in Europe and all the goodies they get in exchange for it!  Shut up, stop whining, pay your taxes, and do your duty, you selfish bastards."

[Porcupine_in_MA]

"I'm so tired of people whining about taxes.  We don't pay ENOUGH tax in this country.  Our tax rates are too low -- look at what they pay in Europe and all the goodies they get in exchange for it!  Shut up, stop whining, pay your taxes, and do your duty, you selfish bastards."

YEAH!! Right on!