Cool Libertarians

reasononline ^ | July 30, 2002 | By Jeremy Lott

[RANDomScout]

In this, my last scheduled contribution to Editor’s Links, I want to say a few nice words about libertarians – a much-maligned, funny, quarrelsome lot of people who were kind enough to foot my bills this summer.

One of the great things about laissez-faire types is that they’re not in power and – truth be told – they have no desire to be. This is seen by some as a bad thing; a sign that libertarians aren’t “serious people.” But the approach is not without its benefits.

Right- and left-wingers are tethered to partisan political movements or political parties, which can be a weights of albatross-like proportions. Advancing a party’s propaganda and interests often contorts and warps reality all out of recognizable proportion. For instance, a recent Washington Monthly review of right-wing bomb thrower Ann Coulter’s new book Slander relayed her claim that “for about twenty years now, all new ideas have bubbled up from the right wing.” The incredulous reviewer asked “All new ideas? All? Air Jordans? The Macarena? Pizza Hut's Stuffed-Crust Pizza?”

Across the aisle are odious pundits like Joe Conason who, in his Salon blog today credited “big government” with saving the Pennsylvania coal miners, reminded readers that Ted Bundy was a young Republican (only one step removed from Ralph Reed), and compared the Bush administration’s attempts to have hiring and firing flexibility in the newly created Department of Homeland Security to the anti-union “obsession[s] of totalitarian regimes and their imitators.” He justified this last charge by explaining – I am not making this up – that if Ann Coulter could be nasty then so could he.

Libertarians are sometimes damned as purists, but at least they aren’t as predictable or as boring as their sniping counterparts on the right and left. They’re also – and I say this from experience – a whole lot more fun. They lack the anti-corporate nervous tics of progressives (“Oh, I couldn’t order Dominos. Do you have any idea what kind of causes they finance?!”) and the woe is us moralistic hang-ups of conservatives (“There was sex on TV last night! We’re doomed.”).

A startlingly diverse group, the only common ground that all libertarians share is a desire to live in a society in which people are truly free – of wars, of petty government regulations, of a creeping Puritanism that holds suspect any fun activity. That might be a pipe dream, but it's one I’ve come to share.

Jeremy Lott is Reason's 2002 Burton C. Gray Memorial intern.

[steve-b]

Don't bother; chunga is going to dishonestly equate "wrote" in the sense of "composed" with "wrote" in the sense of "transcribed" (Jefferson was acting as committee secretary).

[A2J]

Libertarians are sometimes damned as purists, but at least they aren’t as predictable or as boring as their sniping counterparts on the right and left.

What?

The libertarian mantra:

"Just say 'no' to borders, morality, wars, and to saying 'no' to drugs"

How more predictable can they be?

[steve-b]

Kevie, Kevie, Kevie; your nose is going to grow too big to fit behind the monitor if you keep this up....

[A2J]

Based on this post, I would say you know very little about what libertarians believe.

Every monicker used to describe a movement (i.e., conservative, liberal, etc) has undergone numerous redefinitions over the generations, with libertarians undergoing the same reclassification. Many libertarians foolishly claim they adhere to the standards of the Founding Fathers, although it is certainly arguable that they would NOT be considered libertarian by today's standards.

Do you honestly believe that you know what defines a libertarian or are you just saying that you know what defines libertarians at the moment?

Just as their are differences among conservatives, there are clear differences of opinion among those who call themselves "libertarians."

Which one is correct?

[A2J]

Based on that experience, I've come to the conclusion that Libertarian philosophy is an excercise in narcissistic irresponsibility -- a distinctive lack of moral compass and self-restraint that precludes any sense of obligation to the community. In fact, they are often the most vocal defendents of behavior that lower community standards of decency, all in the name of "liberty".

You, sir, have hit the nail on the head.

Nothing else needs to be said.

[A2J]

Libertarians are usually fiscal conservatives, socially liberal.

So, the only difference between libertarians and liberals is money?

I always knew that they were cousins.

[A2J]

I am going to be generous and assume by " putting something in your body" you mean drugs. I thought drugs were so easy and plentiful to get that the WOD is a farce..... Which is it? I don't know what you do in the "privacy of your bedroom” but I haven't seen any arrests lately for consenting adults. You may have some to share?

That's just it, Tex. Liberaltarians use the same old tired methods of promoting their sick agenda: extremism.

They are totally unable to cite wide-scale abuses of rights, although that doesn't prevent them from claiming that the sky is falling.

[ellery]

Ahhh. Thank you for the info. Who was on the committee actually passing this stuff? I appreciate your knowledge! :-)

[dcwusmc]

No again. When you control-freaks can live within the bonds of the Constitution, call me. As long as you continue to use the Constitution to wipe your nasty a$$es with, you are the sworn enemy of ANY right-thinking person... and, yes that ("right thinking person") sounds like something a Rat might say, because I put it in terms you'd be sure to understand... since that kind of control over others is something RATS want. So if YOU want it, too, where does that put you?

[dcwusmc]

Are you saying that libertarians are the ones you want to control at the point of a gun? Cool, tex, give it a real try. Most of the ones I have known are armed and kinda tetchy about stuff like that. Be sure YOU PERSONALLY show up to control them. I'm sure it'll make for interesting reading in the papers next day. (Hint: They ain't 12-year olds {which you seem to have an unhealthy fetish towards, but I digress); MANY are veterans and a good number are COMBAT vets, and I DON'T mean veterans of the live fire exercise in the Gulf some years back.)

[dcwusmc]

Actually, yes it would be inappropriate. Especially in light of some of your posts.

[dcwusmc]

Heck no, former concealed carry permit holder till I moved to the peoples republic of Maryland.

So you think you need gooberment permission to exercise a God-given right to possess and carry the necessary means for self protection? Interesting mindset.

[bourbon]

I'm getting REALLY tired of libertarians and conservatives crowing about how "cool" they are.

Prime Examples: 1) Jonah Goldberg, who, judging by his NRO columns, is trying to break the world record for cutesy pop culture references; and 2) Glenn Harlan "Did I mention I make Techno Music?" Reynolds of the always hipper-than-thou Instapundit.com.

The desire to be seen as "cool" exhibited by some on the right is nothing more than a juvenile longing for public adulation. Furthermore, it is indicative of an unduly deep concern that one must always follow the whims of fashion. Conservatives and libertarians, who both at least claim to aspire to timeless ideals of individualism, ought to find all of these self-congratulatory utterances somewhat off-putting.

[tpaine]

Generally, we believe that government hasn't been given the power to interfere in non-criminal areas such as abortion. - If murder is commited, the state has the power to prosecute. And a jury decides guilt. - Not a 'moral majority.

In the libertarian paradigm, the Right-to-Life is not a self-evident, unalienable right.

Of course it is. - You just choose to ignore the pregnant womans rights in the moral dilemma of abortion. -- Goverments can not. They are constitutionally bound to defend rights with their delegated powers, as I stated above.

Instead of defending this most precious of fundamental rights, spineless libertarians hide behind the very laws that permit the atrocity of mass-infanticide to continue.

Not at all. - It is spineless of you to generalize so about 'libertarians'. We do not hide, and do not advocate 'infantcide'.
You sound like a kook to so claim.

[tpaine]

"Sick agenda"?

REPUBLICAN LIBERTY CAUCUS POSITION STATEMENT
Address:http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/rlc/721810/posts

[Willie Green]

Of course it is. - You just choose to ignore the pregnant womans rights in the moral dilemma of abortion. --

Libertarians lack the moral compass to realize that no such "dilemma" exists.
There is no such thing as a "woman's right" to murder an innocent unborn child.

[jjm2111]

homosexuality, pedophelia

Big difference. Children do not have the mental or physical development to stop sexual advance by adults. It is very morally wrong. Homosexuality, on the other hand, is consenting between two adults.

beastiality People really do this?

[jjm2111]

Libertarians lack the moral conviction to defend the fundamental right-to-life for the unborn.

Maybe some, but not me. Though I'm a "little-l". Isn't the right to life the most imporant right endowed by our Creator?

I changed my mind on the Libertarian immigration philosphy after 9-11.

[tpaine]

There is no such thing as a "woman's right" to murder an innocent unborn child

---

Sorry willie, that 'murder' allegation has been a subject of much debate by better men than we, and it's still ongoing.

In effect, the USSC has said that NO government has the power to decide when an unborn child becomes a legal human being.
Thus, murder must be charged, and trials held, on each individual offence.
Learn to live with constitutional principles, willie. You'll like it.

[Willie Green]

"Sick agenda"?
REPUBLICAN LIBERTY CAUCUS POSITION STATEMENT
Address:http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/rlc/721810/posts

As is typical of libertarians, it is tpaine's intent to bait and instigate personal attacks against the founder of this forum. They do so in an effort to squash legitimate debate on issues. It is interesting to note that libertarian extremists are the ones most likely to challenge the forum founder's right to moderate the content of this forum as he sees fit, generating a constant flow of "vanities" whining about censorship.