Clint Eastwood: I'm A Libertarian

Libertarian Party press release ^ | 2/18/97 | Not sure

[Conservative til I die]

NEWS FROM THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY 2600 Virginia Avenue, NW, Suite 100 Washington DC 20037 ----------------------------------------- For release: February 18, 1997 ----------------------------------------- For additional information: George Getz, Deputy Director of Communications Phone: (202) 333-0008 Ext. 222 -----------------------------------------

Clint Eastwood announces: I'm a "libertarian"

WASHINGTON, DC -- Watch out liberals and conservatives -- Dirty Harry is a libertarian.

That's what movie star Clint Eastwood announced this month in Playboy magazine.

In an interview in the March issue, the Oscar-winning actor and director candidly affiliated himself with the growing libertarian movement when he was asked: "How would you characterize yourself poli- tically?"

The laconic Eastwood answered, "Libertarian" -- and then went on to explain the philosophy in simple terms: "Everyone leaves everyone else alone."

He also took a swipe at the Republicans and Democrats, noting that neither of those political parties "seems to have the ability to embrace that sort of thing."

"Talk about making my day," said the Libertarian Party's National Director, Perry Willis. "Having Clint Eastwood declare him- self a libertarian is better than a fistful of dollars. We hope his announcement will have a sudden impact on the public's awareness of the libertarian philosophy -- and the Libertarian Party, too."

However, voters shouldn't expect to see "Dirty Harry For President" bumperstickers appearing soon; Eastwood flatly rejected a career in politics. "Being a politician is about the last thing I'd want to do," he said. "It's a lot of work and a lot of frustra- tion."

But if the star of the new movie "Absolute Power" ever changes his mind, Willis says he'd love to sit down and talk to him.

"If Mr. Eastwood ever decides to join the Libertarian Party or seek public office on our ticket, we'd be happy to discuss with him how that could advance the cause of liberty in America," he said. "Until that time, however, we're delighted that he's on our side philosophi- cally."

The 66-year-old Eastwood has been an increasingly outspoken critic of government abuse in recent months -- echoing the Libertarian Party's criticisms of the federal government's role in the bloodbath at Waco, Texas, and the shooting of Randy Weaver's family at Ruby Ridge, Idaho.

In an essay he wrote for the January 12, 1997 issue of Parade Magazine, Eastwood noted: "Abuse of power isn't limited to bad guys in other nations. It happens in our own country if we're not vigilant."

For example, he wrote: "At Waco, was there really an urgency to get those people out of the compound at that particular time? Was the press going to make it look heroic for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms? At Ruby Ridge, there was one guy in a cabin at the top of the mountain. Was it necessary for federal agents to go up there and shoot a 14-year-old in the back and shoot a woman with a child in her arms? What kind of mentality does that?"

And Eastwood displayed a keen cynicism about the lure of political power. "Those in power get jaded, deluded, and seduced by power itself," he wrote. "The hunger for absolute power and, more to the point, the abuse of power, are part of human nature."

Eastwood joins a growing number of individuals in the entertainment industry who have identified themselves as libertarians. Included on that list are TV star John Laroquette, humorist Dave Barry, author P.J. O'Rourke, movie actor Russell Means, magician Jillette Penn, author Camille Paglia, TV reporter John Stossell, and comedian Dennis Miller.

Since 1954, Eastwood has appeared in dozens of movies and become one of the leading box office draws in the world. His films include "A Fistful of Dollars" (1964), "Dirty Harry" (1971),"Any Which Way You Can" (1980), "In the Line of Fire" (1993), and "The Bridges of Madison County" (1995). His 1992 Wester"n Unforgiven" earned him Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director. His one foray into politics was as mayor of Carmel, California, from 1986-1988.

[thoughtomator]

You have a single reference to Hobbes in your profile, as a side note, and on a subject that is peripheral to the work you claim to have read. In addition, the assertion on your profile page with regards to morals is about as anti-Hobbes as it gets. (Bonus points if you can actually describe what Hobbes said about morals.)

Put up or shut up time... on what with regards to Leviathan is anything I said false?

[CWOJackson]

LOL! Good catch. Then there is the:

"I like how most of the "man's man" type actors in Hollywood lean conservative OR libertarian."

Subliminal messages?

[thoughtomator]

What about those of us who are libertarians, conservatives, and republicans (as opposed to Libertarians, Conservatives, and Republicans)?

[tpaine]

thoughtomator wrote:

I think we've had this argument before. I don't see how anyone can in good conscience call 40 million dead babies in 30 years a non-problem.

We have, and you usually just hype about murder.
Prosecute and the killing would stop.. -- Glad you can finally agree..

I'll agree with you on this though: hold the murder trials. I bet you will be astonished at the conviction rate, given that the fact of murder in such instances is a biological certainty.

Bring em on and hang em high..

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

You're probably a defensive Catholic who doesn't like Hobbes. I don't say I agree with his materialist or egoist opinions, but they are quite instructive about human nature and the Bible (Ayn Rand gets much of her philosophy directly from Hobbes).

I'm not interested in a pissing contest over Hobbes. I just know liberals and a lot of people hated him just for what he wrote...

[rwfromkansas]

The thing is, a conservative can be a member of the GOP or Constitution party etc.

A libertarian is well, a libertarian. :)

If you don't agree with the Libertarian party, don't call yourself one, even a "small l" libertarian. Use some other name you can think of to describe your principles.

[thoughtomator]

Nope, sorry, not a Catholic. Not even Christian. And I really have no problem whatsoever with Hobbes; in fact, he has been a major influence on my political philosophy.

I am having a lot of trouble believing you have read Leviathan. Perhaps I am the first person you have ever encountered who has read the entire thing? Give me some reference, any, that demonstrates that you have read even a few chapters of that work. You don't even recognize his description of the state of humanity unaltered by government ("nasty, brutish, and short" - the Hobbesian world to which I referred earlier), which occurs quite early in the tome. I see no recognition of even the basic definition he set forth for the term "moral". On what basis would anyone believe you have read the book?

If you can substantiate what you have said, I will be happy to debate the merits thereof. If you cannot substantiate what you have said, then you owe me an apology.

[tpaine]

Conservative til I die wrote:

Umm, there's this small problem that abortion is not considered murder under our current legal system.

---

Simply untrue.

The states/localities can prosecute whom they choose, using constitutional due process, and a jury will decide the individual cases.

They choose to obey current USSC decisions on this subject, but there is ~nothing~ in the constitution to force them to do so..

[Conservative til I die]

LOL, you're silly.

[Conservative til I die]

Subliminal messages?

Not sure what's so subliminal about that statement. It's a pretty self-explanatory statement.

[thoughtomator]

The problem is that 'libertarian' is in fact the accurate term for someone who feels that the liberty of men is the only legitimate purpose of government.

[Conservative til I die]

This is great and all, but you're ignoring the small fact that abortion is not illegal these days, making prosecution impossible.

[Conservative til I die]

One can be a libertarian and be a conservative. Even under the "conservative" banner there are distinctions. You have your Christian conservatives, your Catholic conservatives, libertarian conservatives, economic conservatives, social conservatives, extreme conservatives.

[CWOJackson]

"Not sure what's so subliminal about that statement. It's a pretty self-explanatory statement."

Yes it is...you admit that there is a difference between conservatives and libertarians. You're finally starting to catch on...good for you.

[CWOJackson]

"Watch out liberals and conservatives -- Dirty Harry is a libertarian."

"I like how most of the "man's man" type actors in Hollywood lean conservative or libertarian."

[Squantos]

LMAO.......Damn....and all this time I thought you were a Taurus.....:o)P>Stay Safe !

[Conservative til I die]

Yes it is...you admit that there is a difference between conservatives and libertarians.

I've never said there wasn't a difference between conservatives or libertarians. You're really reaching for material here.

[CWOJackson]

Reaching? Not at all, in your own words:

"I like how most of the "man's man" type actors in Hollywood lean conservative OR libertarian."

Now most normal people would read YOUR use of the word "OR" to mean that the actors are either conservative, OR libertarian. Does the word "OR" have a different meaning for libertarians?

[CWOJackson]

Just want to make sure that we were clear that the two are different...very different.

[rbmillerjr]

"the Oscar-winning actor and director candidly affiliated himself with the growing libertarian movement"

....growing? they've been growing for along time now - minimally.