Former Libertarian Presidential Candidate Harry Browne Passes Away

HammerOfTruth.com ^ | 03-02-2006 | Stephen Gordon

[NewRomeTacitus]

Harry Browne, who was the Libertarian Party presidential candidate in 1996 and 2000, is reported by multiple sources to have died yesterday. I just confirmed the general information with Jim Babka of DownSizeDC. DownSizeDC intends to be distributing pertinent information by e-mail and on their website later this evening.

Pending a statement from family or friends, the best (speculative) published source of information about his condition is currently on Wiki:

"In June of 2005 an unknown neurological illness confined him to a wheelchair. After spending a considerable amount of time in the hospital, he resumed some of his writing and speaking, though it was uncertain whether he will walk again. He succumbed to illness on 1 March 2006."

[Sam's Army]

Respectfully, your statement is not congruent. To agree with Browne that we had no right to go after Bin Laden is not the same as talking to his family and "asking them where he was". We knew he was in Afghanistan, and so did everyone else. Are you saying we should not have entered into Afghanistan at all?

And all this talk of the gov't being in collusion with Muslim fanaticism and in effect helping to engineer attacks on our own soil smacks of Michael Moore style paranoia.

[Braak]

Finally, a fellow alum of Brooklyn College I am not embarassed about....Rest in Peace Mr. Brown

[cgbg]

RIP Harry.

[JABBERBONK]

So let me see if I have this strait. The Libertarian model, then would eliminate all Governmental standards concerning product liability, since when drugs are made legal, and people die from taking them, even in small doses, such as PCP's, LSD, Cocaine, Heroin, it is the consumer who will carry the brunt of the inert dangers from ingesting drugs. Therefor it would follow that those innocent people killed by drug users, for instance the infant of a crack smoking baby sitter killed when tossed out a window due to his incessant crying would have no legal recourse? Except maybe against the baby sitter who most likely have little or no assets? But not against the manufacturer , nor supplier of a product, that can be lethal when taken in small doses? With alcohol the user must abuse it in order to be a threat to society, but we know that the same is not true of heroin, cocaine, acid, and the like.

On the point that arresting officers should be liable for the legal fee's and time spent in jail of those arrested and incarcerated, when eventually acquitted...do you really think OJ deserves compensation for his troubles?, and how many people will be willing to become police officers if they know jury nullification can put them in the poorhouse?

[mysterio]

America loses another good man. Rest in Peace, Mr. Brown.

[Osage Orange]

He and Nader would have made the debates real, instead of the press junket they've become.

Nader??

ROFLOL!!

[NewRomeTacitus]

So let me see if I have this strait. The Libertarian model, then would eliminate all Governmental standards concerning product liability, since when drugs are made legal, and people die from taking them, even in small doses, such as PCP's, LSD, Cocaine, Heroin, it is the consumer who will carry the brunt of the inert dangers from ingesting drugs. Etc. etc.

No; some government standards are useful and needed: food, pharmaceuticals and such are tested for good reason...but it would be preferable for those industries to monitor themselves through oversight coalition. I stand by the position that the knowing users of dangerous substances are personally responsible for the harmful effects of their habits. They are also liable for the crime and general harm they may indulge in. Not the rednecks cooking meth up in trailers, nor manufacturers of guns they may use to rob with, nor nuns who may have smacked them during childhood...

The rest of your objection seemed to defend the right to sue over matters both serious and frivolous. It's well known that civil courts have become reality game shows where the jurors seem to be striving to maliciously "stick it to the man" with the lawyers in the role of huckstering emcees. Yet another example of the publics general contempt for the legal system. What do YOU suggest be done about it?

[trubluolyguy]

and diminishing Constitutional freedoms, all brought forth by the two political parties who pretend to be different.

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I don't see any serious candidates in either of those partys' calling for the legalization of drugs. That being said, outside of that issue, just about everything else I ever heard about Mr. Browne and the Libertarians that backed him says he was a good, patriotic man.

RIP

[trubluolyguy]

So when President Ford dies should we post pictures of Rhinos?

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If john McCain, God forbid dropped tomorrow, I would post it myself.

[trubluolyguy]

His exclusion from the debates despite his high voter turn out was a shame to the U.S. political system.

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High voter turn out?


High turnout?


Really.

[AmericanDave]

A record for a third political party!

[AmericanDave]

Harry Browne said during his acceptance speech: "If I were elected President, realize as an independant President dealing with a Republican and Democrat congress, I would have little leverage, but I could and would shut down the government if my budget was not passed...." Thats how i remember it....

[AmericanDave]

R.E. the war on drugs. Just think how our Columbian realtions would improve if the prices weren't so high do to illegality,, that they are making criminals rich - just like the Kennedeys during prohibition.

[CodeToad]

"Libertarian N.A.M.B.L.A utopia of drugs and kiddie sex"


So, I guess what you are saying is that you don't intend to supervise your children, but, instead, expect safety of your children to come from the government?

[NewRomeTacitus]

A serious "war on drugs" would remove the profit motive from the equation. Of course, a lot of bureaucrats would have to learn to earn an honest living.

The atrocious amount of money also perpetuates the quiet border war we've been having with North Mexican narcos and is also responsible for the growth and expansion of MS-13.

Shhh. Don't tell the President - it would disturb his stereotypical view of our "amigos".

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Yes, yes what we need is a Libertarian N.A.M.B.L.A utopia of drugs and kiddie sex

That's a lie and you know it.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

I voted for Sabrin. Did I do the right thing?

No, you didn't...because you should have supported Whitman by all means necessary to prevent the Dem from winning. < /GOP flunky >

[JABBERBONK]

Once again your argument fails and you have not done your homework, I agree with the Government testing products for consumer safety, however your party does not;

Section III, subsection #3 ;"End governmental interference in consumer affairs by eliminating the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Food and Drug Administration and other ineffective governmental organizations. Repeal laws mandating use of safety equipment such as seat belts or crash helmets, which can be more effectively driven by consumer action in the marketplace."

[JABBERBONK]

You might want to check out post #149 before you make a fool of yourself.

[NewRomeTacitus]

You conveniently skipped over the sections that led to that:

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Consumer Protection
The Issue: Government consumer protection regulation restricts the competition of the free market and replaces the individual's right to make independent choices with government-determined, "one size fits all" standards.

The Principle: Consumer demand rather than legislative mandate should drive consumer safety and protection. We support strong and effective laws against fraud and misrepresentation. However, we oppose paternalistic regulations, which dictate to consumers, impose prices, define standards for products, or otherwise restrict risk-taking and free choice.

Solutions: We encourage consumer activism that would boycott and economically sanction those businesses that adversely affect human health and/or damage the environment, passing costs on to the general public. We look to independent entities such as Underwriters Laboratories, Consumer Reports and other testing organizations as models for grassroots consumer-driven certification.

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And I'm not a Libertarian. I'm a Conservative who doesn't like how the Republican Party has grown to resemble that of the Democrats twenty years ago (while the Dems have morphed into solid Socialists). I lean toward the Constitution Party more than any other these (last?) days.

This thread was about Harry Browne and I'm not going to continue helping you hijack it. Have a nice day!