What Am I? (John Stossel)

Realclearpolitics ^ | 4/07/10 | John Stossel

[listenhillary]

I used to be a Kennedy-style "liberal." Then I wised up. Now I'm a libertarian.

But what does that mean?

When I asked people on the street, half had no clue.

We know that conservatives want government to conserve traditional values. They say they're for limited government, but they're pro-drug war, pro-immigration restriction and anti-abortion, and they often support "nation-building."

And so-called liberals? They tend to be anti-gun and pro-choice on abortion. They favor big, powerful government -- they say -- to make life kinder for people.

By contrast, libertarians want government to leave people alone -- in both the economic and personal spheres. Leave us free to pursue our hopes and dreams, as long as we don't hurt anybody else.

Ironically, that used to be called "liberal," which has the same root as "liberty." Several hundred years ago, liberalism was a reaction against the stifling rules imposed by aristocracy and established religion.

I wish I could call myself "liberal" now. But the word has been turned on its head. It now means health police, high taxes, speech codes and so forth.

So I can't call myself a "liberal." I'm stuck with "libertarian." If you have a better word, please let me know.

When I first explained libertarianism to my wife, she said: "That's cruel! What about the poor and the weak? Let them starve?"

I recently asked some prominent libertarians that question, including Jeffrey Miron, who teaches economics at Harvard.

"It might in some cases be a little cruel," Miron said. "But it means you're not taking from people who've worked hard to earn their income (in order) to give it to people who have not worked hard."

But isn't it wrong for people to suffer in a rich country?

[Boxsford]

Its my understanding that libertarians and Libertarians are opposed to abortion and are not pro-choice.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

I remember as late as the 1990’s Jamaican temporary workers who came up to Massachusetts during harvest time to pick apples. (The policy goes back to World War II.) The Jamaicans were clean, orderly and workmanlike in appearance and behavior. They lived in “bunkhouses”, essentially barns, on the farms. They made about $400 a week for a coupla few weeks a year. The farmers preferred them to Americans and the Jamaicans treasured the temporary work visas as family heirlooms, passed from father to son. Some busybody in Washington must have seen to it that they are no longer exploited; we don’t see them anymore.

[listenhillary]

Many libertarians are pro choice and ignore any party statement regarding the issue.

[malos]

Will some libertarian explain to me why giving the unborn the same liberty as the rest of us is a problem?

[Jack Black]

The war on drugs is the single largest infringment on our rights....

I get what you are saying, but in practice it has been zero infringment on my life, because I have no desire to have anything to do with illegal drugs. So I'm not subject to drug raids, etc. Also, I don't live in a neighborhood with drug users, so it's most unlikely I will be hit by mistake.

So, for me, there are many larger infringements by government on my rights. TSA comes to mind. Or non-smoking laws. Or seatbelt laws. or Federal Income Taxes.

[CharlesWayneCT]

as long as we don't hurt anybody else.

Which is why libertarians should be pro-life; it's not about government dictating what a person can do in their own life, it's about government protecting one person's life against harm by another person persuing their self-interest.

[joe fonebone]

I got into a minor disagreement with someone on another thread...My opinion is that the government has no business legislating morality, and once they start, it is a slippery slope....morality is based upon the thought process of the individual (what is moral to me may be immoral to you) No person should be denied their civil rights, the biggest civil right being the right to breathe...case in point is abortion. Some would agrue that abortion is a moral issue, but I say it is not. Stopping a heart from beating is murder, and a basic civil rights issue. If I chose to hire a prostitue, this is a moral issue, with someone else dictating to me what is moral and what is not. As long as my actions do not interfere with or deny someone else their civil rights, it is nobodys business but my own.

[listenhillary]

Greenspan had his hand on the throttle did he not? If he can not control the interest rates? Why have the position?

[Always A Marine]

This is an outstanding article by Stossel. He is spot on in his observation of Big Government's creeping devastation of the family, private charity, individual initiative, and our free society.

What I fear now is that we are no longer a moral people who possess the capacity for self government. What we once relished as freedom, we now fear as license. Without morality, we don't trust people to regulate what goes into their own bodies or to avoid other dangerous behaviors. Without respect for the property of others, we attract hordes of new looters who come not to work -- but to get in on the "free" benefits of plunder. As the Welfare State grows larger, we retreat from private charity and lose its rehabilitative effect. And finally, the temptation grows ever stronger to get whatever benefits we can take for ourselves before the system inevitably collapses.

It is this dark side of human nature which tyranny exploits, and which capitalism recognizes and limits. Unless we can once again exercise the self-control that "libertarian" philosophy and a free society require, we will require a dictator who will make us "behave" as he deems fit, and who will ultimately clothe and feed us.

[Christian_Capitalist]

That was pretty much it. I went with the republicans, although they do indeed support way too much government interference. I wish there was a viable party somewhere between these two.

Make yourself one.

No, I'm serious. A few years back at the GOP Precinct meetings, I got myself elected GOP Precinct Vice-Chairman, later elevated to Precinct Chairman -- by a total of four votes.

Four votes.

See, out of the entire precinct, four Ron Paul Republicans showed up to vote, and one Huckabee Republican showed up, and that was it.

The Ron Paul Republicans won the Precinct elections in a bunch of local Precincts that year, because we were the ones who were... there.

I'm thinking about running again soon. Voter turnout for the Precinct elections is so low, that my wife and I could easily constitute half the vote for our Precinct. But those local "nuts and bolts" Party leadership elections, help to determine the future direction of the Party at large.

I'd vote for ya. ;-)

[CharlesWayneCT]

I do wonder if we are past the tipping point with the number of people who consider themselves entitled to the earnings of the so-called rich?

I think so. Obama and the democrats have made it near impossible for people to make it on their own, so the greedy self-motivation that drove some of the less fortunate to still oppose raping the rich (because they might be rich some day) is gone.

Meanwhile, we have a majority that really pays no taxes, which means politicians can win election by raising taxes on the minority, and the majority will vote for them.

However, we know that won't work for long -- so while we are "tipped", I think we can still tip back, since once we are ALL suffering, a majority might well realise that in order for them to prosper, they have to allow rich people to exist.

[LearsFool]

"What am I?"

What are you? Pretty smart, but not quite as wise as the founding fathers. A lover of liberty, but yet a bit ignorant of what is required to preserve that liberty.

Keep at it, though, Mr. Stossel. You're doing well, and doing good.

[bamahead]

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[listenhillary]

So I'm not subject to drug raids, etc.

So were many others, some of them are now dead. Wrong address, etc..

[mountn man]

Our second President, John Adams stated: "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."

[joe fonebone]

Please expand your thoughts....

[Psycho_Bunny]

I know. It was an off the cuff remark. I’ve also said it as “A libertarian is an anarchist with a job”

[mountn man]

Very well articulated

[JWinNC]

I like Stossel, but it would be nice if he actually knew what conservatism is.

jw

[Sherman Logan]

Unfortunately, you appear to have fallen prey to the common delusion that “morality” refers to sexual morality only.

In fact, morality just means drawing a distinction between right and wrong of all kinds. So your decision that “No person should be denied their civil rights” is a moral issue based on a moral choice between right and wrong.

People claim “we can’t legislate morality,” but of course that’s just about all we do legislate. A law is passed prohibiting something because we think it is wrong, which is to say immoral.

What people who say “we can’t legislate morality” are really saying is “we can’t legislate sexual morality.” I’d sure like to hear a logical explanation why this one area of human interaction alone should be immune from legislation.