Does Dave Smith know he could win?
Posted by IDrinkMyBreakfast@reddit | Libertarian | View on Reddit | 68 comments
I watch Dave Smith in his interviews and keep thinking, why won’t he run for president?
I’m sure he doesn’t seek power, but isn’t that the kind of person we want?
Yeah, he’s a comedian and all, but man, those are the best kind of people.
I’m just so sick of the status quo. Is there any hope anywhere?
Someone please pull me back from the ledge
datafromravens@reddit
There is no scenario where a third party wins the US presidency.
IDrinkMyBreakfast@reddit (OP)
Not with that attitude
datafromravens@reddit
The best the libertarian party has ever done was 3 %. The next cycle it was back to the 1 % they always get and this time i would be shocked if oliver even breaks 1 % this time.
biggerdaddio@reddit
considering how bad both sides are, he makes a compelling option. idk if he has ties to russia but trumo and harris do.... thats real obvious.
Gswag348@reddit
Listen to any episode of legion of skanks. The dude would be unelectable off of sound bites from that. I love him and think he’s a great commentator but he’s not a politician
ratherrealchef@reddit
See I think he would be a great politician, the kind trump promised to be(but was never going too). I hope he does run, but no chance he wins. Old Test Skanks episodes were WILD sometimes.
BlazerFS231@reddit
My view as well. He makes a good spokesman for libertarian ideals, but he’s not meant to be a candidate. I think he’s exactly where he needs to be.
Fuck_The_Rocketss@reddit
Dude I love Dave. But he can’t win. I think he’d be the first to say that too.
sparkstable@reddit
Dave probably could not win right now. But he is the type of candidate that if the LP can field regularly he will be seen as the person who tilled the field.
ProtonSerapis@reddit
Pretty much this. I would however love to see him start out literally every podcast by saying all liberty minded people should be campaigning to replace “first past the post” voting with a better system. It’s the only shot third parties have.
thatstheharshtruth@reddit
First past the post has tons of advantages over alternatives. Not sure why you'd want to replace it with a worse system.
ProtonSerapis@reddit
You have to be joking…
It’s the reason why the system produces two dominant parties and third parties don’t have a chance.
https://youtu.be/s7tWHJfhiyo?si=NgaExtyhQJJBH3vM
thatstheharshtruth@reddit
Bro have you read any of the arguments against alternatives like proportional representation systems? Ever read Popper?
ProtonSerapis@reddit
I’m not a fan of popper.
“he warned of the dangers of unbridled capitalism, even declaring that “the injustice and inhumanity of the unrestrained ‘capitalist system’ described by Marx cannot be questioned” (Ibid.). The state therefore must serve as a counteracting force against the predations of concentrated economic power: “We must construct social institutions, enforced by the power of the state, for the protection of the economically weak from the economically strong” (Open Society Vol 11., 125). This meant that the “principle of non-intervention, of an unrestrained economic system, has to be given up” and replaced by “economic interventionism” (Ibid.) Such interventionism, which he also called “protectionism,” would be implemented via the piecemeal social engineering described above. This top-down and technocratic vision of politics is hard to reconcile with libertarianism, whose adherents, following Hayek, tend to believe that such social engineering is generally counterproductive, enlarges the power and thus the danger of the state, and violates individual freedom.”
thatstheharshtruth@reddit
Okay. But so what? You do realize people can be good on some issues and not on others?
ProtonSerapis@reddit
Here is a summary,
“Popper also argued that two-party systems, such as found in the United States and Great Britain, are superior to proportional representation systems; he reasoned that in a two-party system voters are more easily able to assign failure or credit to a particular political party, that is, the one in power at the time of an election. This in turn fosters self-criticism in the defeated party: “Under such a system … parties are from time to time forced to learn from their mistakes” (All Life Is Problem Solving, 97). For these reasons, government in a two-party system better mirrors the trial-and-error process found in science, leading to better public policy. In contrast, Popper argued that proportional representation systems typically produce multiple parties and coalitional governments in which no single party has control of the government. This makes it difficult for voters to assign responsibility for public policy and thus elections are less meaningful and government less responsive. (It should be noted that Popper ignored that divided government is a typical outcome in the U.S. system. It is relevantly infrequent for one party to control the presidency along with both chambers of the U.S. congress, thus making it difficult for voters to determine responsibility for public policy successes and failures.)“
I honestly just don’t think it’s a great argument.
But it doesn’t necessarily have to be proportional anyway.
I like this method,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instant-runoff_voting?wprov=sfti1#
rushedone@reddit
Star voting is the best system
ProtonSerapis@reddit
Star is good, I like that one too.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STAR_voting?wprov=sfti1#
thatstheharshtruth@reddit
If you hate the state you should want a system where it is easy to completely reject a party and ruin them. That's possible and likely in a first past the post setting. In any system where you have something like a proportional representation, doesn't have to be exact you won't get your behavior. You'll be stuck with whatever party is abusing the power of the state.
I don't want a big government controlled by a libertarian party I want a tiny government that doesn't interfere at all in people's lives.
mafaa@reddit
I am personally struggling to think of what advantage you are speaking of. Care to give any specific examples? I personally would favor approval voting for its edge in ease of transition but there are a ton of good alternatives. https://ncase.me/ballot/
perfect5-7-with-rice@reddit
I'm not American, but keep in mind your 2 party system leads to a higher percentage of people getting what they voted for.
A handful of major political parties sometimes leads to 2 parties each with 10% of the vote forming a coalition government (that none wanted) to be the leading party at 20%. I'd argue that this is less democratic, but perhaps more people unhappy with the result could make them more accountable to the people
Anenome5@reddit
He could win the nomination, but it's a disruptive path to anyone's life. And if you have a skeleton in your closet, it's not a good idea.
Although that clearly did not stop Trump :(
AbolishtheDraft@reddit
He had said exactly that. His position is that the Libertarian Party currently has no chance at winning the presidency, so we should put up a talented communicator to convert as many people as possible like Ron Paul
LostInMyADD@reddit
Absolutely agree. I love him, but the system as a whole would be completely against him and do everything to get rid of him. He wouldn't get press coverage, and if he did (early on) it would only be when they could highlight negatives or use a philosophy of his to put their candidate in a good light.
I don't blame him either, because tbh to win right now.means becoming a player in the game we all are trying to end.
Idk what the answer is...truly.
BreakfastFluid9419@reddit
I feel like Dave Smith could be the new Ron Paul. Maybe he doesn’t win but he could definitely sway some to consider an LP vote. Then the weirdos would push them back out
wcharper@reddit
All in favor for a Thomas Massie run?
cam_breakfastdonut@reddit
He’s great but that’s a long-shot
draco6x7@reddit
no, but it would be 150 maybe 200yds
GangstaVillian420@reddit
You may have missed the interviews where he basically states that his young family is the primary reason for not running.
AbolishtheDraft@reddit
Yep. We got really unlucky this year, Dave would have been leagues better than the current nominee
captmorgan50@reddit
It kinda helps when the chair isn’t actively working against you…..
stosolus@reddit
*current nominees
ConsistentSpecial569@reddit
He also didn’t stand a chance with trump running. 2028 has better potential.
GangstaVillian420@reddit
IIRC, I think he said that if he would ever run, it would probably be in the '32 cycle
Eleminohpe@reddit
Never stopped Biden... That family turned out A Okay! 🇺🇲🦅🇺🇲
NoNotThatScience@reddit
I don't think he could win but Jesus if he was able to get enough support to end up on a debate stage in 2028 he could murder both major party nominees
Guatc@reddit
I think he’s better where he’s at tbh. He’d lose a presidential run. His podcast, and his interviews do better to pull people in.
SwassyB@reddit
I've listened to legion of skanks for years. That'll be tough to shake nationally.
Life_Sir_1151@reddit
mannnnnnnn you're delusional if you think he would even get ballot access
AtoneBC@reddit
I think he said on Michael Malice's show that it isn't worth putting the target on your back and dragging your family through that inevitable shitshow.
DJMikaMikes@reddit
Someone who would actually potentially upset the status quo would be a target for honeypotting, bribing, threatening, etc., and even now as is, he's likely being targeted with all that. The powers that be have zero qualms about compliance through the most perverse and evil means, like straight threatening families.
When there's billions at stake, they'll do anything and everything.
Wafflebot17@reddit
He can’t win, most people don’t actually want freedom and a limited government. They want their ideas imposed on everybody.
lightninghand@reddit
"Comedians are the best people" is one of the dumbest takes I've ever seen on the internet. Dave Smith is entirely unqualified.
Crazy_names@reddit
I love Dave but let's be honest he probably doesn't want the complete and total invasion of privacy that is running for political office. I'm not hating but he might have some skeletons he doesn't want being dug up. Again, as a fan, he probably just doesn't want to subject his family to that.
mega_douche1@reddit
You really think he can win? I have a bridge to sell you...
rn15@reddit
Lol Dave has dropped numerous N bombs on LoS. There’s no place for him in official politics, he’d get decimated even if his points are logical and right. The political climate today has no space for Dave Smith. It doesn’t matter how much sense he might make, he’s been too naughty on the internet
AbolishtheDraft@reddit
He had a really good answer for how he would respond to such attacks, but yeah there's no question his LoS stuff would be used to smear him
rn15@reddit
I don’t disagree, being unserious and funny on podcasts shouldn’t disqualify you, but in todays climate it definitely does. Words mean more than actions today. That’s exactly why people vote the way they do.
AbolishtheDraft@reddit
At the same time, it's not like the Libertarian Party candidate has a chance at winning anyway. I still would say Dave is our best chance to reach 5%
thatstheharshtruth@reddit
Lmao so the political climate today has space for Trump but not Dave Smith. What are you smoking my dude?!
lambleezy@reddit
I think he is saying that the political climate is so absurd that a reasonable person wouldn't do well.
thatstheharshtruth@reddit
Then why mention the M bombs on a podcast as though that matters?
lambleezy@reddit
I personally think that doesn't matter in the slightest. I think because Dave Smith is a reasonably minded individual, his message falls flat in an insane world. Basically we are too dumb as a society for an intelligent and decent person to succeed lol
thatstheharshtruth@reddit
People get the leaders they deserve.
lambleezy@reddit
Ain't democracy a bitch lol
rn15@reddit
They have searched for the n word tape for years on Trump. Pretty easy to find Dave’s
silentgreenbug@reddit
In 15 years time the Tik tok kids will be running for office. He might as well get in now and fight the good fight
EndDemocracy1@reddit
Dave Smith 2028! I'm already writing him in this year.
fasteddieg@reddit
I think the better play is congress first to get his name out there more, along with the ideology and his common sense approach.
AbolishtheDraft@reddit
He lives in New Jersey, so that may not be feasible lol. He needs to move to New Hampshire, if he teamed up with the Free State Project he could really do some damage.
AdolfoSchicklgruber@reddit
Dave Smith is Jewish. Just like a man with the last name Lopez couldn’t win an election. Those are just facts.
01123spiral5813@reddit
He can’t even come close to winning.
I wouldn’t even argue that he is a good libertarian. He’s one of the most full of themselves individuals I’ve ever heard talk.
He’s arguably not even very effective at debating from a non-bias standpoint.
Only_Student_7107@reddit
For a while he was using the line that he won't run in any race he has a chance of winning.
Sledgecrowbar@reddit
No he can't win you're just throwing your vote away, if you vote third party you're casting a vote for the other guy reeeeeeeeeeeeee
gaylonelymillenial@reddit
If he ran in 2028 on the Republican ticket I think he’d do just fine. He would likely have my vote. He’d have to deal with the Ron Paul treatment though, which was disgraceful. Can’t go against the establishment & war machine without a fight.
AVeryCredibleHulk@reddit
I would have trouble supporting Dave Smith. He's made mention that if he were running he wouldn't be against pulling out of the race and supporting a "good" Republican. I understand the sentiment, but I don't think he understands the damage that such a move would create for countless other hard-working Libertarian candidates across the country. Candidates who depend on a top-of-ballot candidate getting votes so that the party can be eligible for bottom-of-ballot races.
A candidate at the top of the ballot needs to run like they intend to win, not holding back, but that's not their whole job. Much of their job is also to campaign so that others can win across the country.
IDrinkMyBreakfast@reddit (OP)
Thank you. I hadn’t heard that
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