I agree—there are no flawless candidates.

However, part of the pre-nomination vetting process is detecting the candidates’ flaws. Some of those flaws, they may correct. Others, they may at least be able to deal with in a way that makes them less problematic. The more of this we get out of the way pre-nomination, the less of a problem it is when the New York Times or Fox News decides to pay our candidate a little attention and decides to throw one of his or her flaws out there for public consumption.

If you think I’m being hard on Root, well, fine. The fact, however, is that I doubt many of his supporters have spent as much time reading and re-reading his book Millionaire Republican as I have. Just because his supporters support him without bothering to understand who he is and what he’s about, that doesn’t mean his opponents are required to ignore who he is and what he’s about.

Now that I’m a candidate—and even when I wasn’t—I invite anyone who wants to go after me to do so. Either I can take it or I can’t. If I can’t, that’s my problem.

“Let he who is w/o sin cast the first stone.” Well said Jesus. Are there any flawless candidates? If so, I’m not sure I could vote for one.

Seeking and catering to this sort of ‘celebrity’ is a bad move for the LP if the person is not invited to participate fully in the party and provided help in learning about libertarian principles. But it’s only a waste of effort until we actually GET some of them, at which point it can turn out to be either an embarrassment or a disaster, depending on the actual press attraction of the ‘celebrity’.

Yes, the system is what it is, and the rules are what they are—but nobody forced Greg Raymer to try to exploit those rules versus World Poker Tour.

Raymer wanted a shot at the prize money that their tournaments offer, but he either didn’t meet, or refused to meet, the qualifications.

My understanding is that in his particular case, it had to do with the fact that he had already sold exclusive rights to use his name, likeness, etc. to other poker entities. Nothing wrong with that, and I hope he made big bucks doing it … but WPT requires that participants in its tournaments sign releases to use their names, likenesses, etc. as well.

If he can’t do it, he can’t do it. If he won’t do it, he won’t do it. But WPT has no ethical obligation to let anyone participate in its events. Like all other businesses, WPT exists to make a profit, and they judge that they can’t do so if they can’t use the names and likenesses of the players in their advertising, game spinoffs, etc.

Saying that Raymer found a loophole that would let him bring the government in on his side and quash the free market to his benefit is not the same as saying that it’s RIGHT for Raymer to exploit that loophole. It isn’t right, it’s wrong.

Does it reflect badly on Root that one of his endorsers is a nanny-stater when it comes to lining his own wallet? I don’t think that’s necessarily true. But I know of no taboo against mentioning it, any more than I know of any taboo about bringing up what Obama’s pastor said in church, what criminality Hillary’s fundraisers are caught up in, which organizations McCain’s handlers are affiliated with, etc.

Just the other day, I noticed something in some of Kubby’s background material that sent a red flag up. I discussed it with him, and it turned out to be nothing and easily explainable … but I have to wonder why nobody ELSE has brought it up. Not my job, since I’m one of his supporters/staffers. But I have to wonder why LPers shy away from doing due diligence on their candidates. Apparently we’d rather tell ourselves rainbow and teddy bear fantasy stories about those candidates and then hope the “mainstream media” doesn’t notice the flaws that we ignored.

I don’t endorse unions & would never be part of a union, but I understand unions. I have worked for ‘the man’ my entire life. I know what it feels like to put in 100hour weeks because of corporate greed. So if a union stands up and says “look here you cocksuckers we’re done working mandatory overtime” I’m down with that. As for me, I just went out and found another job.

But here’s the real issue; This country will not turn libertarian any time soon, it will not happen overnight. And because of that, the system is what it is, and if these are the rules with which folks are allowed to play by, then that’s that until the proper changes can be applied.

No GI Bill, no home loan, no FCU account. I’ve used one “veterans benefit,” one time—I visited a VA hospital when I thought I’d had a stroke—and I won’t make that mistake again.

No, I never fell for, and therefore never lost money on, Root’s scamdicapping scheme. I generally don’t bet on sports other than politics.

If using the government to force others to give you contract terms you like instead of contract terms you don’t like “sounds legit” to you, well, I’m not surprised … but I wonder if you think it’s all right when unions, rather than poker celebrities, do it.

Awesome!

1. Dave Williams Says:
   March 30th, 2008 at 4:55 pm

Tom Knapp, Ron in Deluth, Jim Dorsey, Al from Cinci, Jeff Wartman…who’s the looser here, Root? Like my new friend and BLA mentor Rev. Wright says…”No no no”...

I see why you guys are belly aching…you guys are all looser gamblers who lost your money to Root and are pissed off about it. Come on, you know it, I know it, ‘cause you can’t bullshit another gambler. hahahah it all makes sense now.

Just like when daddy gov took care of you as a Marine? (hahahaa “Toe jam! Pop that blister! Trim ‘em!”) Or after your service? Used ANY of your VA benefits or privileges granted to you by the gov for personal advancement Knapp? Say, the G.I. Bill, or a home loan? Do you still have that coveted FCU account with all the low interest rates? Of course not!! That wouldn’t be very libertarian now would it?!

This looks nothing more than simple hypocritical financial envy on Knapp’s part. You are weaker than I thought. Now go write a 10 paragraph explanation…’writer’...hahahha

Sounds legit to me…Knapp.

Read my comment again. I said nothing whatsoever about Wayne Root. I said something about Greg “Fossilman” Raymer.

I didn’t feel the need to belabor the fact that Raymer is a big-government welfare-seeker when it comes to poker, because it’s been covered here before. But, if you insist, here goes:

Raymer is one of seven professional poker players who sought government intevention under the anti-trust laws versus the World Poker Tour. WPT has specific requirements for participation in their events. Raymer and some others a) have signed contracts with other poker organizations which don’t allow them to meet the qualifications for WPT events, and/or b) don’t want to meet the WPT’s qualifications. They want the government to step in and force WPT to let them compete despite the fact that they’ve either disqualified themselves or decline to qualify themselves.

Here’s an article on the matter.

As a side note, the “countless millions more” that Raymer has won in addition to the $5 million WSOP prize come to a little less than one million as of 2007.

I wouldn’t have noticed any of this, of course, if Raymer hadn’t previously publicly considered running for the party’s VP slot. I certainly don’t begrudge Root the endorsement—nor would I begrudge anyone else the opportunity to comment on the quality of other candidates’ endorsers.

Regards,
Tom Knapp

Cheers,
Alex Peak

Root comes off too goofy though, I don’t think America would like him. I don’t think he understands the libertarian ideals yet either. I want a great ticket though.