The Libertarian Democrat: This Year's Jackalope

Reason ^ | June 16, 2006 | David Weigel

[Antoninus]

I generally like Libertarians, but they are extremely childish.

Most of them are either below the age of 18, or should be.

[hsalaw]

they should become survivalists and live in the woods in a National Park somewhere

If they live in a National Park, they're as dependant on the government as any welfare recipiant. Maybe they could live on the Mexican border and make nice with the illegals.

[RedStateRocker]

No, my point is that, were I a Libertarian, I wouldn't give a fig if you watch pornography or shoot heroin, nor is it the slightest business of yours if I do. Victory, defeat, good or bad is not the issue, the issue is that it ain't none of your business nor is it any of mine if that's what gets you off.

The difference is the Libertarians don't think either should be subsidized, that if you rip off someone's house to pay for your smack, or force an adult or allow a child to CREATE the porn then you should be either offed or imprisoned.

Since I don't care for either, myself, I can't get too passionate about their spread or legalization. However I can pretty passionate about people who give a damn about what other people do when it doesn't affect them directly and involves no force, fraud or threat between adult parties- busybody moralists are far sicker than Larry Flynt, Lenny Bruce or any other such doomed individual.

[RedStateRocker]

In my above post the "you", of course, is not my good fellow freeper TSchmereL, but the generic "you". TS is COMPLETELY correct that overtly stating such things is dumb, dumb, dumb.

My motto when describing Libertarianism is "The party of Guns, Drugs and Sodomy".

[A CA Guy]

a democrat by any other name is still.. a democrat!

Reagan started out as a union guy and a democrat. He recovered and many other Democrats jumped ship for Reagan when he ran for office as well to eventually become Republicans.

So, my point is that a democrat isn't always a democrat for good.

[TSchmereL]

Democrats are always Democrats. The problem is, Democrats ain't what they used to be.

That is why Ronald Reagan said "I didn't leave the party - It left me!" when he described why he switched from being a Democrat to a Republican.

John F. Kennedy was fairly conservative. Harry Truman was respectable. (FDR was a lovable fool whose intentions were probably good although disastrous). But, something happened in the 1960s. The Democrats have been on a downward spiral ever since.

[A CA Guy]

Drugs, hippies and humanism happened.

[LibertarianInExile]

"Here we go again with the Libertarian bashing, never mind that they and liberals are opposite sides of the coin."

Yep, just another thread full of the usual suspects. Snore.

[Future Snake Eater]

FDR was a lovable fool whose intentions were probably good although disastrous

Boy, you give him a lot more credit than I do.

[TSchmereL]

There is no question that FDR was loved in his day. He was more popular than Elvis.

I am giving FDR the benefit of the doubt. I don't think he knew how wrong his policies were and how much worse he was making the Great Depression. I think his generation deserves some benefit of the doubt when it comes to Socialism because Socialism had not been proved to be a disaster at that time.

[ChildOfThe60s]

More than I also.

FDR was smart, calculating and ruthless. All qualities that serve an ambitious pol well.

Loveable fool? Never heard that before.

[Hardastarboard]

Over at DU they're convinced they're the vast majority because the Libertarians are with them.

[jmc813]

I generally like Libertarians, but they are extremely childish.

Most of them are either below the age of 18, or should be.

You're from Jersey. In '97 did you vote for pro-abortion Republican Christie Whitman or pro-life Libertarian Murray Sabrin?

[Antoninus]

You're from Jersey. In '97 did you vote for pro-abortion Republican Christie Whitman or pro-life Libertarian Murray Sabrin?

I didn't live in Jersey in 1997.

[jmc813]

I didn't live in Jersey in 1997.

You should look into Dr. Sabrin. I generally consider myself a small-l libertarian and do not like the Libertarian Party, but Sabrin is terrfic. He's an econmics professor at Ramapo College and on the board of directors for the Libertarians for Life group.