Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

To: Josh Painter
I think this fascination with Libertarianism is merely political nihilism.

Too self absorbed and arrogant self righteous to actually do the hard work required of managing a functioning Government or being part of a serious political movement, it easier for Libertarians to simply cling to an ideology that is so fundamentally unworkable in the real world that it will never be implemented,. Thus they can cling to their childish notions of "The only good Govt is no Govt" without ever having to live by the systems they postulate.

Thus they can sit on their butts do nothing and whine about how everyone else is doing it wrong with out ever having to do the hard work of coming up with real world solutions to real world problems.

Perfect ideology for self absorbed comfortably middle class males with no responsibilities to anything but their own egos.

26 posted on 10/04/2009 1:08:35 PM PDT by MNJohnnie (The 0 years, Too bad a requirement for adult supervision was not put into the Constitution)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]


To: MNJohnnie

Which is why I’m a “recovering Libertarian.”

The LP is way too concerned with intellectual purity and way too unconcerned with actually winning elections. It took me a few years in the work force after I graduated from college to figure that out. Then I switched (back) to being a Republican.

Just because “that government is best which governs least” it does not necessarily follow that no government all is a good idea—at least when you’re talking about imperfect, corruptable human beings.

I do think we need to re-open the whole issue of what America’s involvement in the world should be. It’s obvious we can’t go back to the “no entangling alliances” of the Founding Fathers, but I also don’t think we can forever afford or sustain being the world’s only trustworthy policeman, either.

I’m 100% behind an overwhelmingly strong national defense, I still tend to think that the Iraq War was on balance a good idea, and I’d like to see us go after the Taliban and Al Quada much more vigorously (if not ruthlessly) than we have. I think we need to drastically upgrade our human intelligence all around the world.

On the other hand, I’m starting to think that NATO is an idea whose time has come and gone. But I don’t know if the Europeans have the moxie to defend themselves any more. Maybe we should start sending them the bill.

We need to get energy independence ASAP in order to cut our dependencies to the cesspool which is the Middle East.

I think the future for the U.S. is a stable system of trade and security around the Pacific Rim, extending to India, and to South America rather than focused on Europe and the Middle East, which have been our obsessions until now.

I think the rumors of the demise of the U.S. as a superpower are greatly exaggerated—IF we can turn back the Democrats in 2010 and turn out Obama in 2012.

(Dang, I’m wordy today!)


33 posted on 10/04/2009 1:26:28 PM PDT by filbert (More filbert at http://www.medary.com--I've gone rogue!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies ]

To: MNJohnnie
Thus they can cling to their childish notions of "The only good Govt is no Govt" without ever having to live by the systems they postulate.

I'm no political scientist, but isn't this anarchism and not libertarianism? I think most libertarians concede that there is a place for some government.
34 posted on 10/04/2009 1:30:43 PM PDT by Mr. Blonde (You ever thought about being weird for a living?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies ]

To: MNJohnnie
I think this fascination with Libertarianism is merely political nihilism.

Again Johnnie, you are not understanding the context of the thread.
Nobody is talking about Libertarianism, the Libertarian Party, or the stereotypes and misconceptions that are associated with Libertarianism.
The coalition that propelled Reagan to two landslides were a mixture of social conservatives, fiscal and small-gov't conservatives (i.e. libertarians) and national security hawks.

All Palin is doing is reuniting that coalition.

46 posted on 10/04/2009 2:06:19 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist (90% of the fedgov is unconstitutional. The other 10% besides the military doesnt know what it's doin)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies ]

To: MNJohnnie

think this fascination with Libertarianism is merely political nihilism....

Your post#26 was Spot On

Sarah Palin is a Conservative Republican, lives in the world of Reality not theory and wishful thinking as the
cut and run libertarians.


57 posted on 10/04/2009 4:07:02 PM PDT by SoCalPol (Reagan Republican for Palin 2012)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies ]

To: MNJohnnie
>"The only good Govt is no Govt"

Libertarian != Anarchist

Try reading Nozick's (in)famous Anarchy State and Utopia for the proofs (Nozick was a Harvard logician) that 1. anarchy is unsustainable, and 2. a minimal state maximizes individual freedom.

67 posted on 10/05/2009 6:19:47 PM PDT by Palin Republic (Palin - Bachmann 2012 : Girl Power!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson