25/03/2024
Laughter – the kind that doesn’t sound like they’re laughing with you – punctuated parts of Gatewood Galbraith’s remarks to the Lexington Forum during its August 3 breakfast with the Sixth Congressional District candidates.
Galbraith’s warnings against a new type of “fascism” drew guffaws from a corner of the conference room perched among the highest floors of the downtown Bank One building.
Others among the assembled business and civic leaders looked puzzled or just indifferent as Galbraith decried an impending “New World Order” of corporate influence undermining constitutional government.
“They are the New World Order,” Galbraith laughed. “I love to go into the belly of the beast; go into the lion’s den and give them hell. It doesn’t matter who the audience is.”
Galbraith said after years of promoting his unique brand of politics that emphasizes maximum personal freedom and minimum government, he is used to the establishment’s collective blow off.
“My campaign has been to shake hands,” Galbraith said of his current bid for Congress. “When I walk up to people, I normally say, ‘How do you do? I’m Gatewood Galbraith. I’m a candidate for the Sixth Congressional District on the Reform Party ticket..”
Galbraith said he proceeds to explain some of the key themes of the Reform Party including an “America First” pledge to prioritize domestic problems like affordable health care over problems in faraway nations.
Whereas the two major parties are scurrying to raise more and more election funds, Galbraith said he is making poverty a virtue by running a very low-budget campaign.
“We need to make the big obscene amounts of money a liability rather than an asset,” Galbraith said.
Galbraith denounces the Democrats – his former party – for “abandoning the farmers, the unions and the miners.” He accused the Democrats of joining Republicans in opening the nation up to a flood of cheap imports, driving American jobs overseas.
“These people have been dispossessed of their parties and they know it,” Galbraith said. “When I’m talking to them, light bulbs go off in their heads. They see a real alternative.”
For example, Galbraith’s signature issue has been the promotion of h**p and many remember him as “the pot smoking lawyer.”
The government needs to stay out of people’s private lives as much as possible, according to Galbraith. That means people should be able to exercise their right to keep and bear arms just as they should be able to grow a ma*****na plant for their own personal use.
Galbraith said he believes in the necessity of some government “safety net” programs like Social Security and the government’s role in consumer protection, but otherwise he is wary of government.
“I’m endowed by my creator with certain inalienable rights-not by my government,” said Galbraith whose web page proclaims himself to be “the last free man in America.”
Galbraith readily acknowledges not everyone understands the structure of his political beliefs. He agreed some are confused because they try to identify his stands according to “Democrat” and "Republicans".
Others among the assembled business and civic leaders looked puzzled or just indifferent as Galbraith decried an impending “New World Order” of corporate influence undermining constitutional government.
Meeting the next day for an interview in his downtown law office that doubles as a campaign headquarters, Galbraith was at ease when asked about the reception.
“They are the New World Order,” Galbraith laughed. “I love to go into the belly of the beast; go into the lion’s den and give them hell. It doesn’t matter who the audience is.”
