You are currently browsing comments. If you would like to return to the full story, you can read the full entry here: “Stupid Libertarians!”.
You are currently browsing comments. If you would like to return to the full story, you can read the full entry here: “Stupid Libertarians!”.
You're absolutely right, we shouldn't have much to argue about.
I have to be honest, I feel like it's the other way around, that it's the libertarians yelling at Conservatives for not being sufficiently libertarian. I don't know where I'd fall on the spectrum, but I like to think it'd be closer to libertarian than "Conservative". But again, this is nothing but a symptom of the problem with labels in general.
I try not to go after Libertarians. In fact, because I have so few real disagreements with them at all, I couldn't if I tried. The ONLY thing, off the top of my head, with which I disagree consistently is the two stances on the War, or the Constitutionality and merits of armed intervention abroad more generally. As far as I see it though, that's hardly reason enough to destroy or even dent unity in the face of progressive totalitarianism. It's a family squabble at the dinner table for now.
Good stuff like always CL.
I don't discount the libertarians fault in this, but my audience is far more conservative than libertarian, so I try to focus on my audience. Also, this post was written in the aftermath of CPAC, where mainstream conservative pundits did viciously attack libertarians in many cases.
On constitutionality of the war ... I'll save that for our debate.
I agree that libertarians and conservatives have much in common in the current battle against the progressive agneda. However, I do think a principled conservative need not be a libertarian.
I am much more concerned with tradition, faith, respect for legitimate authority as in wise or at least prudential statesmanship.
While I think less taxes are good and less senseless or politically motivated regulations are good in a general sense, I also find the complete "hands off" approach disconcerting. Often, left to their own devices, corporations and individuals will do things that are immoral and it is not always the "hidden hand" of the market that resolves this.
We should seek an outcome where people can reach their full potential as humans and not be ground under the heel of an authoritarian state. However, gentle prodding may be a necessity on occassion. Perhaps, on rare occassion, something a bit more than gentle prodding may be necessary to maintain order, which is, I firmly believe, the foundation for prosperity and morality. Chaos rarely ennobles.
I think that is Burkean. After all, the French Revolution was all for liberty until it degenerated into tyranny. I think that illustrates that it is a thin line from freedom to anarchy and an even thinner line from anarchy to tyranny.
I don't mean to suggest libertarians are for anarchy or anything so ridiculous. But I do have concerns with how far we take things when fighting under the banner of liberty. I believe conservatism is a balance between liberty and authority that respects man as man.
Well, I call myself a conservative (even though in today's terms I'm probably libertarian) because my hope is to restore the limited, representative republic our founding generations gifted us. That, and I'm much more traditional than may come across on the blog. I believe in the "old ways." We may be more knowledgeable, but my grandparents generation was by far more wise.
It's a mistake to believe that free markets equal lawlessness. Rule of law is an important foundation of a free market. The only thing we disagree on is the "prodding." I don't have faith in another (superior?) humans ability to prod me, nor in mine to prod another.
Philosophically, I'm a Jeffersonian classical liberal. So while I don't discount Burke, I find Jefferson to be far more insightful and wise.
Good to see you around! I always appreciate your thoughts.
In my Utopian world we would all be principled, moral, anarcho-capitalist, but alas: I am a realist.
Most of the country; philosophically speaking: seems to be shifting to the right so it would be logical that more people will accept a libertarian point of view. Hacking on them will be counter productive and maybe even self defeating.
Shhhh! I'm with you on the anarcho-capitalist thing, but that's Very Scary (and won't realistically happen).
Libertarians neither stand for more nor less government, but voluntary programs, a very different thing. I recommend Libertarian International at http://www.Libertarian-International.org for information on the world movement.