Libertarianism Lives

The Wall Street Journal ^ | Tuesday, May 28, 2002 | EDWARD H. CRANE and ROGER PILON

[TroutStalker]

Political fashions come and go, but political principles endure. President Clinton noted some six years ago that the era of big government was over. Yet today, conservatives who should know better see a new fashion. George Will, high on his Hamiltonian horse in the Washington Post last month, seemed delighted that minimal-government conservatism was dead. And on these pages recently, Francis Fukuyama declared1 the libertarianism that followed the Thatcher-Reagan revolution to be in retreat. We're all Keynesians now, apparently.

[Exnihilo]

LOL! Good call Kevin. Glad to see you're still frequenting these Libertarian threads.

[Exnihilo]

Remove the societal absorption (safety net) of negative consequences, and you'll see people (within a generation) living a more moral and responsible life.

You hope.

[Jethro Tull]

Listen to how America's (non) immigration policy is destroying our nation

[steve-b]

I thought you worshipped God, not Big Brother....

Kevie has never demonstrated any ability to distinguish between God and State. He will probably be offended that I listed them in that order.

[Exnihilo]

That is an absolutly absurd contention.

It's absolutely true. But, even if it weren't, it's the general consensus among most Americans when you ask them about the top Libertarian issues. The Libertarians have a public relations problem, they just don't realize it, or care to admit it.

[Exnihilo]

The only legitimate vehicle for Libertarian ideas is the Republican Party. The sooner the Libertarians realize this the better off they will be.

[Kevin Curry]

Well, I figure I have a duty to smack the libertarian hornets' nest with a 2x4 every so often. The least I could do for them is keep them awake.

[Celtjew Libertarian]

As far as I'm concerned Libertarians took several steps back when they showed their anti-American colors in support of Arabs and terrorists. They have it in their warped minds that it's okay to bomb anything American because whatever reasons they have for doing so is justified because America deserves it. They don't see or call the so called 'retailiation' a violent act. Peace is so precious to them but as long as an act of violence is directed at Americans/America then their philosophy quickly changes. It's hypocrisy!

Harry Browne and the Libertarian Party certainly lost almost all my respect since 9/11. The libertarian philosophy of minimal government remains, however.

[Liberal Classic]

I wouldn't call the LP illegitimate, however I would agree that as a vehicle it isn't going anywhere.

[Liberal Classic]

Harry Browne and the Libertarian Party certainly lost almost all my respect since 9/11. The libertarian philosophy of minimal government remains, however.

Absolutely. Browne and company do not speak for me.

[MrB]

You hope

Hey, those who make the poor choices won't be around long without the rest of us taking care of them, will they?

[dead]

Why don't you critique the article based on what he *does* say instead of what you read into it?

Kevin’s mental violin can only play one note (and not very well.)

[Reagan Man]

I don't agree with you, that certain ideas mentioned in this article are based in a libertarian philosophy. The conservative movement, has always supported tax reductions/reform and a smaller, less intrusive federal government. In addition, this has been the ultimate agenda of the Republican Party.

Libertarian's want people to believe that American individualism and our love for freedom and liberty was founded on contemporary libertarian principle, or equally created by the Libertraian Platform. That's simply not true and to mislead people and distort the truth, in such a manner, is wrong. Period!

There has been a conservaive movement in this country since the 1950`s. Modern conservatism was placed into politics and presented to the American electorate, starting in the 1960`s. Subsequently, conservatism took hold in America, with the election of Ronald Reagan as President, in 1980. It isn't what the LP platfrom, or the libertarian philosophy may have in common with conservatism, that bothers most conservatives. It's where the differences exist and those specific differences are numerous. I highlighted just a few of the most important political and philisophical differences, that conservatism has with libertarianism.

[borntodiefree]

Unfortunatly Reagan Man, and a few others, your statements are only partial truths.

Most libertarians are not for "abortion rights" though a few are. Most are for making it illegal in each of their states. However, our contention is that it is NOT a FEDERAL ISSUE, and the SCOTUS does not have the right to legislate from the bench on what a State can or can not do in its sovereign capacity.

As far as legalisation of drugs (of any kind) under what section of the constitution does it say that they can limit what substance I put in my body. Just like anything, their are good and bad purposes for almost ALL drugs/chemical useage, and the big brother should not be determining how and when I use them. Haven't we learned anything about the prohibition? Legislation in that capacity does not limit crime, it creates it in an exponential fashion and makes stupid things (like drug use) the COOL thing to do. Start your own campaign, and I'll donate money to it in the private sector, and explain to everyone in commercials, flyers, etc... that drugs use for recreational use is bad for you and can kill you. But don't have big brother stop me from making higher grade clothes out of hemp becuase they say someone might get high on smoking their new well built pants.

Libertarians, generally, are not for unlimited immigration, just like most republicans are against abortion, but factions do support abortion. We are for free trade and individuals from outside, as long as they are not under investigation should be free to come here in trade just as we should be able to go elsewhere and trade without interference by anyone. It is your and my right to conduct our trade of choice without (or with very very limited) intervention by government. Bush is the one refusing to lock down our borders and allow the illegal immigration and pushing for amnesty for a bunch of criminals not the libertarians.

The notion of dismantling the criminal justice system is also absurd. We are for a much stronger criminal justice system, but only for CRIMES (abridgement of another persons life, liberty, or pursuit of happiness) not for not wearing your seatbelt or for some bonehead smoking a bong on his living room. Here is the difference between your philosophy and mine.

You are for, if your in possession of some drugs (of whatever type), go to jail for whatever amount of time or probation, whatever. Even if they haven't done anything. The response to your version of criminals is that it is either 1)The cool thing to do to rebel and to fit in showing your contempt of "authority" 2) An escape from "reality"

I am for if you want to smoke your bong or crack pipe, or whatever, thats fine. If your dumb enough to do it just becuase then thats your problem. Now if your in my house stealing a doller becuase it is so cheap now that it is not illegal to get your drugs, then you get either shot or arrested.

Either way someone who wants to drugs is going to do them. Making it illegal, just like the prohibition, makes the end users have to steal to get enough money to but the expensive stuff, and puts them in jail just for having it. But then it creates an upper class distributer market of criminal, that buys police and police departments, politicians, etc.. Creates an undue burden on the judiciary etc...

I would much rather deal with the consequences of to much liberty than to little.

[freeeee]

The conservative movement, has always supported tax reductions/reform and a smaller, less intrusive federal government. In addition, this has been the ultimate agenda of the Republican Party.

Two possibilities:

1. This isn't the conservative/Rupublican agenda.

2. It really is the conservative/Republican agenda, and they have failed miserably at achieving it.

[Celtjew Libertarian]

Yes, libertarian principles are here to stay. Principles like, support for abortion rights, legalization of drugs and prostitution, open borders and unlimited immigration, and a strong desire to dismantle both America's criminal justice system and military armed forces.

Many of these aren't libertarian principles. Many libertarians are pro-life on the basis of when they believe a fetus becomes a human with full rights (in my case, I oppose abortion after viability, i.e., approx. 23 weeks).

Definitely most libertarians have no desire to dismantle the justice system or military. Protection of citizens from criminals within and enemies without are considered, by all but the most anarchist of libertarians to be legitimate roles of the government. Personally, I have a rather less isolationist view than the LP with regard to foreign policy.

[palo verde]

No mention is made of Satanic Druids, Illuminatis, arming criminals and crazies, or legalizing all drugs. This story makes Libertarianism sound like a rational political philosophy, once those elements are removed.

I can't understand why he forgot to mention the Satanic Druids
aren't they the core constituency of Libertarians

[Kerberos]

"They have it in their warped minds that it's okay to bomb anything American because whatever reasons they have for doing so is justified because America deserves it. They don't see or call the so called 'retailiation' a violent act. Peace is so precious to them but as long as an act of violence is directed at Americans/America then their philosophy quickly changes. "

Where are you coming up with such ludicrous ideas?

The problem is not that people know to little, it's that they know too much that ain't so - Mark Twain

[palo verde]

Hi TS
thanks for posting this article
I am libertarian
(seems to me the libertarian movement is growing by leaps and bounds)
I think stopping the war on drugs is top priority now
(and if we get rid of income tax, government will no longer spend our tax dollars funding it)
Love, Palo

[mysterio]

Why do Republicans constantly spit at us while we deliver them election after election? I have seen many on these boards critisize the democrats for intolerance of dissent, while they are practising the same thing. I have always worried about wasting a vote that could have kept a democrat out of office, but now I'm thinking about voting libertarian every chance I get. When I can't do that, I would vote against the incumbant. I would save my Republican votes for only the opponents of the most dangerous democrats. Is this what Republicans want? My vote is good, but my ideas and dreams of freedom make me reprehensable? It is strange, because I have a similar religious upbringing. I just don't want the state mandating morality.