#VoteYerMusic - Sam Robb

In my last post, I talked about my #VoteYerMusic project. I have been lucky to have heard from many Libertarian Presidential candidates- Dan Taxation is Theft Behrman, Ken Armstrong, and Max Abramson, as well as former candidate, Democrat, Joe Sestak.

Today, we feature another Libertarian, Sam Robb.

In an April posting on Pittsburgh News Wire, Robb, a former naval officer and software developer for several Pittsburgh-area start-up companies said "“My intent is to seek the Libertarian Party nomination for President in 2020. We have two major parties that each want to increase government control. Both consider personal liberty a secondary issue – if they consider it at all. In contrast, The Libertarian Party embodies the freedom-loving, independent spirit of our Founders. If we are to succeed as a nation, we must once again embrace these core ideas of freedom and liberty.”

Robb participated in the Olean, NY Debate in November and is starting to make inroads towards the nomination. While online polling is hardly an exact science, the Torch of Liberty guys do a decent job of collecting as much info as they can. Their polls have Robb in the Top 5 candidates, and show a great deal of support for him in Nebraska. Oklahoma, New Jersey, and his home state of Pennsylvania.


The thing that is fascinating to me is in the analysis of the polls, Robb draws very well from both Republicans and Democrats. Robb talks a lot about being a big tent Libertarian, and I think those results reflect that.


In this bloggers' opinion, if the Libertarian Party is going to grow, they need to realize their potential to bring in people from all stripes. It is not so much that the Democrats are going further Left, and the GOP goes further right (though, yes, that is the case), but it is that their platform is becoming more of "agree with everything in our platform, or get out." 

When I grew up, people often aligned with a party, but may have had a smorgasbord of issues where they fall across lines. This is why we have seen people like Bill Weld, Virgil Goode and Lincoln Chaffee, to name a few, seem almost nomadic in finding a party to align to.


With nominees like Bill Barr and a strong focus on taxes, I think much of the recent perception of the Libertarian Party is how it relates in comparison to the Republican party. But that recent history, ignores people like Russel Means, Mike Gravel, and others who came to Libertarian ideas from the left. It goes back to Ed Clark in 1980 reaching out with a broad message. If someone could excite both the Ron Paul Supporters of 08 and the Bernie Sanders Contingent of 16 , they would really have quite a voice.

Anyway, enough of my ramblings, let's hand the mic over to Robb and get his words:


The Libertarian Party motto is "Minimum government, maximum freedom." That's the goal, and one I believe in. We need more freedom in our country; more freedom in the world. You don't get there by passing more laws. You get there by reducing the size of government.

I want you to think about the last time you had to interact with a government agency. Maybe it was the DMV, the IRS, the VA, DHS, INS. Whatever organization it was, I'm betting that you didn't come out of that experience thinking, "WOW, I NEED MORE OF THAT IN MY LIFE!"

Face it: nobody likes government agencies. Even the folks in the IRS dislike the DMV, and vice versa! Here's the scary truth, though: that horrible agency you are thinking about? The one that you had to grit your teeth and spend all that time, energy and frustration dealing with?

It's not unique. Seriously. They're all like that. Yeah, even the ones that you kind of sort of like.
Let's just admit it - big government is an idea that just doesn't work. We gave it a shot, and it just hasn't panned out. It's time for us to get over the fad of yet another program to fight "The War on X" and get back to letting normal people live a life where they take care of themselves, take care of their neighbors, and look out for and reach out to those who need a helping hand.

That's what I want to do. My website, samrobb2020.com, lists some of the steps I want to take in that direction. I'm not a career politician, I don't have a legacy to build or protect, and I don't care who I might tick off in the process. All I want to do as President is to turn things around and set a course for freedom.

That's some good stuff, and certainly worth thought. We thank Sam for his response, and as we ask each candidate, he did tell us a bit about his musical selection.


I love this answer. It's the kind of answer that sends me to the internet to find out more. He even plugs a local act. This blogger likes some of his music on the esoteric side, so this answer is right down my alley.

What music do you like listening to?

Since we're heading into the Christmas season, I've got some old favorites on my playlists. Along with the more traditional stuff there's "Fairytale of New York" by the Pogues, "Jack Frost and the Hooded Crow" and "Another Christmas Song" by Jethro Tull.

Tull - and Ian Anderson specifically - are probably the reason I like rock/pop music with different instrumentation. Fiddle, flute, banjo, accordion (yes, Weird Al), mandolin, uilleann pipes, horsehead fiddle... if you listen to it and wonder, "What the heck are they playing there?" then I'd probably like it.

Which is why my normal every day listening includes bands like Tull, the Pogues, Nightwish, the Hu, Enter the Haggis, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Silly Wizard, Flogging Molly, and Lindsey Stirling. Oh, and a bunch of sea shanties and a capella. Don't judge. It's good stuff.

Plus I'd just not be a Pittsburgher if I didn't mention the Clarks. Solid and catchy pop/rock music from some fantastic lyricists. Perfect listening for a warm day with the windows down.



Thanks Sam and thanks again, reader! Hoping to add more blog content this week.  Stay tuned!

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