Why Conservatives Should Reject Libertarianism

National Review | Ernest van den Haag

[Hank Rearden]

Are your sure Libertarian don't oppose health? /sarcasm ;)

Well, this Libertarian does, but I can't speak for the rest.

[realpatriot71]

You've been busy this afternoon. Seriously, did a libertarian take your lunch money in high school or what? What's your axe to grind here?

The author of this piece hasn't done his homework. Two things that stood to out me here are these: (1) Libertarins WANT a government, BUT they want this government's role to be that of protector of inalienable rights, not mother, father, pastor, etc; (2) Libertarians are not against all taxes, but rather are against taxes based on income. Can I have 5% of your next pay check? Why not? Because I'm not entitled to it. That money is yours and earned by your blood, sweat, and tears. Why should the government get any? Tax goods and services, then if I want a good or service I can decide to pay the tax when I use these goods or services.

[grimalkin]

That was a very enjoyable, thought provoking article. Thank you for posting it.

[Valpal1]

Bump!

From the master.

[NittanyLion]

Boy, you certainly are busy this afternoon. Of course, seeing as how you don't have a job I guess you have plenty of time to find this crap and post it. I won't bother responding to the article, seeing as how you've already exposed yourself on the other thread.

[freeeee]

I only got this far:

Libertarians oppose public courts, laws, police, armies, roads, parks, education, health. They want no government whatsoever.

Once again, the writer makes the most common mistake, confusing libertarians with anarchists.

Libertarians advocate government that does not initiate force or fraud. Force or fraud are illegal, and those initiating them would be arrested by police, and tried in a public court.

While we dislike standing armies, libertarians believe that providing for the common defense is one of the single legitimate functions of government.

Roads and other public amenities can be paid for with user fees.

Education and health care: well you got us there. That's up to the private market. You'll find no socialist redistribution schemes in our camp. And we don't apologize for that either.

[annalex]

The amazing thing is that this ignorant piece was published by National Review, a magazine that should know better.

[zeugma]

Isn't Van Den Haag dead?

Similar to Ayn Rand, who the author also seems to believe is alive and kicking.

[kidd]

Finally, Ayn Rand, who admittedly inspired many libertarians, has vehemently dissociated herself from their development of her views. She regards her would-be followers as silly and intellectually inadequate

I'm waiting for a Libertarian to call Ayn Rand a 'statist'. Or maybe she's a 'socialist'. Come on guys, do it for kidd.

[realpatriot71]

Don't you just love how Exnihilo posts this stuff, then almost immediately disappears. I'm beginning think the guy is just an interrupter.

[Doctor Doom]

As NR has proven with Jonah Goldberg, they will publish any piece of trash these days.

[headsonpikes]

Take it easy on our unemployed twenty-something disruptor who can't even find a dog to love him.

Don't tell him this article's considerably older than he is.

[Ben Ficklin]

The libertarians are a fringe political movement with very little relevance to the real world.

[Doctor Doom]

The libertarian answer is beguiling simple: the government is the problem, not the solution.

Ronald Reagan said exactly the same.

[Hacksaw]

(2) Libertarians are not against all taxes, but rather are against taxes based on income. Can I have 5% of your next pay check? Why not? Because I'm not entitled to it. That money is yours and earned by your blood, sweat, and tears. Why should the government get any? Tax goods and services, then if I want a good or service I can decide to pay the tax when I use these goods or services.

So you would favor a sales tax in place of an income tax? I think that would be the best system.

[Doctor Doom]

Conservatives are, well more conservative. Convinced that there is by far too much government activity (taxing, subsidizing, licencing, and regulating), they would greatly reduce it.

Via a $2.1 trillion fiscal budget, as proposed by Bush?

[js1138]

I'm sure Ayn Rand would think a lot of people are intellectually inadequate. She always tried to speak the truth.

[realpatriot71]

A national sales tax is the way I would do it. Probably wouldn't tax things like food at the grocery store, but food at restaraunt is fair game. Also, I'd probably have an ascending structure, for instance you'd pay more fed sales tax on a Lexus, than you would on a Kia because they cost more. Rich still get taxed more, but at least they get to decide when they get taxed. What do you think?

[realpatriot71]

Yeah, Bush is all about smaller government . . .

[ThJ1800]

bump for later reading.

BTW, what issue of NR is this from?