Posted on 11/21/2001 5:26:22 PM PST by DCBryan1
Harry Browne (big time loser in 2000 elections) is on Fox now...being grilled by...AL DAMATO!?....Harry, you are such a loser...tune in and watch...no wonder Libertarians only got 350k votes out of 50 million.
Wife's finally gone to bed and I can now cook in peace.
Turkey has been rubbed down and properly marinated, black beans are soaking, giblets and neck are happily floating around in boiling water in the company of a huge, spanish onion and a bunch of celery, pie filling ready to go. Need to peel yams, and I'll be done until the morning.
Damned near threw all my apples at Harry.
Even I'm a libertarian according to the Reagan definition. That thread of libertarianism means something far more than simply being in favor of smaller and more local government, and fewer and lower taxes. The libertarianism championed by Harry Browne and his pals at FR is a malignant, socially destuctive strain that pays mere lip service to--or even denounces--religion-based morality, self-discipline, personal responsibility, and traditional family life. A libertarian government cannot stand where these foundational virtues are absent.
Just understand that I don't think it is fair to pass judgement on libertarianism (little L) as a broad philosophical approach to government because of statements made by the head of the Libertarian (big L) party. As I stated in a previous post, I can identify with libertariansim to a large degree, but refuse to adopt a single, all defining label, which is rather silly. I am a Republican as a practical matter only. I don't believe there is any such thing as a "Republican" philosophy with respect to the political party, the platform notwithstanding. Like it or not, it is a coalition of groups with many different and often opposing ideas. I cringe every time I hear broad, sweeping generalities about libertarians. It is stupid, logically invalid and wrong. What about the "little l" libertarians as a faction within the Republican party? Would you hold THEM responsible for Browne's statements too?
Too often, politics by many here take on no greater meaning or depth than rooting for a football team. Half the people here railing against "libertarians" have demonstrated all too often that they don't even no what it is they are bashing. They simply think:
"Me Republican, He Libertarian. Republican Consevative. Libertarian Sound Liberal. Must Be Same. Libertarians Suck. Think I Will Post a Libertarians Suck Vanity."
I am not accusing you of this personally because I didn't note everything you have said here, other than the "the rest are responsible" statement for which I should have sought greater clarification.
Keep in mind that these thoughts are coming from somebody who far from agrees with everything in the Libertarian platform and considers himself very conservative in personal philosophy and lifestyle with a libertarian streak, especially applied to governmental power, to preserve my freedom to be who I am. So I am often criticizing my own for being ignorant here.
What has confused slaveman, and many libertarians, is that fact that as a political movement, not necessarily as a philosophical viewpoint, Libertarianism is nothing but a faction without the overall conservative movement. The most it ever can, or has, accomplished is to ensure the election of the least libertarian candidates in the election, as in Washington state last November.
This started in the late 1960's when the leaders of the libertarian wing of conservatism decided that their own personal power would be enhanced by deliberately alienating the libertarian conservative rank and file from the overall conservative movement by emphasizing the issues with which there were disagreements over those in which there was agreement.
All the usual suspects who claim to be leaning that way. I have my doubts.
An apt description of the rigid know-it-all atheist libertarians that pontificate here.
Please list the instances when any true libertarian ever denounced personal responsibility or withdraw your latest lie.
Please list the instances when any true libertarian ever denounced personal responsibility or withdraw your latest lie.
Please list the instances when any true libertarian ever denounced personal responsibility or withdraw your latest lie.
Why, I'd even fight for your freedom.
[Dispite the fact that you would sell your soul back to big brother in the next hot minute]
And why would they pick harry browne to run? The man has absolutely zero charisma. To paraphrase something I read on the net "Harry Browne couldn't lead a bus full of alcholics to a bar on nickel beer night".
This is slander. Anyone who posts such lies sucks.
I agree with you wholeheartedly here. As you will note from my prior reply as well, this is the very reason I am a Republican. I have a better understanding as to what it is you have a problem with now.
i hope things go better next time.
(I may very well argree with every opinion you guys have made here... but no one will ever know if you don't actually make a point based on what the man actually said. Has the Right fallen so far so quickly that Clinton-tactics are now the first line of defense?)
My basic position on political libertarianism I outlined in #186 above, I have been assortiated with many of the people involved in the developing relationships between conservatives and libertarians over the last 40 years, and do distinguish between Libertarians, and Libertarian Party members. But it is a little harder to do what some have tried to do here, to distinguish Libertarian Party members from their titular leader and 2 time national Presidential nominee.
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