Saturday, June 13, 2015

A Liberal's Criticism of Libertarians

Liberal Kevin Drum at Liberal Mother Jones weighs in on the Libertarian phenomenon.  As to the movement's unusual majority of men, I can't comment.  But I appreciate, and agree with, his general criticism of the movement:
Hardcore libertarianism is a fantasy. It's a fantasy where the strongest and most self-reliant folks end up at the top of the heap, and a fair number of men share the fantasy that they are these folks. They believe they've been held back by rules and regulations designed to help the weak, and in a libertarian culture their talents would be obvious and they'd naturally rise to positions of power and influence.

Most of them are wrong, of course. In a truly libertarian culture, nearly all of them would be squashed like ants—mostly by the same people who are squashing them now. But the fantasy lives on regardless.
It is nice to see the other side as frustrated as I am.  The Libertarian movement, while passionate and dedicated, only has a potential spoiler role in American politics.  They are a threat to both parties in a close race.


No doubt Kevin still burns from Nader's wonderful job of spoiling Al Gore's chances at destiny in 2000, and he doesn't want to see that happen again. 

(Yes, I know Nader wasn't a Libertarian.)

5 comments:

sth_txs said...

What is the stupidity of libertarians becoming a 'spoiler'?

No politician is entitled to anyone's vote. It should be clear to any thinking person even 20 years ago that both parties should just unite into The Government Party.

I consider both parties ran and operated by elitist garbage for which execution would be too generous a fate for them.

Libertarians are no worse than the idiot conservatards who promote the myth of limited government under Reagan; never happened. Or the Christian fundamentalist who defended Bush I and II.

Your Republican heroes just tried to ram rod a trade agreement that we are not allowed to read and would just have to 'find out what is in it'. Good thing Republican scum have control of Congress. I'm still waiting for some real action like actually abolishing a federal agency or ending foreign aide to all countries including the scummy one known as Israel.

I don't regret supporting Ron Paul.

Anonymous said...

Alternatively, the author is a collectivist who wishes to urinate on anything resembling individual thought, no matter how doomed.

Keep up the good work, Comrade.

ca
wrsa

Karl said...

Voting Republican is a vote to stop, and hopefully reverse, the slide toward communism.

Voting Democrat accelerates our slide toward a lower quality of living (first) and tyranny (later).

I don't know what voting Libertarian does or is intended to do. Ask one, he'll tell you "Liberty." Ask another, and he'll tell you "marajuana." As a third, and he'll tell you "personal responsibility." "End the Fed" is another one. And don't forget "they all suck." There are smart people in the group, yet the group only coalesces around a cult personality (Ron Paul, Rand Paul, Gary somethingorother) and not a platform.

Comrade sth, as you know, I live to mock the left. They are either useful idiots or committed Marxists. But Libertarians are generally smart and engaged. They should be allies. I hold them to a higher standard.

Arthur said...

"Voting Republican is a vote to stop, and hopefully reverse, the slide toward communism. "

Soooooo,

When Republican Paul Ryan is spouting the exact same "We need to pass it before you can see what's in it" line as Nancy Pelosi used to push through Obamacare, that should be a good thing?

I hate to break it to you, but anyone supporting the Republican Party is 2015 *is* voting for GIANT, TOTALITARIAN, GOVERNMENT.

Karl said...

No argument here Arthur. In short, of the three options, I am stuck with the Republicans only because they suck less.

Thanks for swinging by!