Libertarians: The Paranoid Style in American Politics

[Expat]

I thought some of our Libertarian friends here would enjoy this article.

Saul Friedman: Libertarians: The Paranoid Style in American Politics

Suddenly libertarianism has become the newest fashion among the paranoid in American politics. But be not deceived; they are just as reactionary and extreme as their more deranged and schizophrenic political brethren on the far, far right who want to "take back" the government they hate in order to cripple it.

But libertarians are getting a measure of respect in much of the mainstream press, and approval by 38 percent of Americans, largely as a result of its two most prominent figures, Rep. Ron Paul, a likeable Texas Republican, and his son Randall (Rand), who has captured the Republican nomination for the Kentucky Senate seat being vacated by a true oddball, Jim Bunning, a former star major league pitcher.

 

[shooter521]

 

[Fletch]

Wow, a leftist who doesn't understand libertarians. That's a rare duck indeed.

 

[mrjarrell]

I've read plenty of drivel over at HuffPo, but this one takes the cake.

 

[Expat]

I've read plenty of drivel over at HuffPo, but this one takes the cake.

Seems like I have seen some of the listed positions posted here

 

[level.eleven]

Angry leftist is angry.

 

[thej27]

Sounds like he is angry that libertarians don't want a big government and promote personal responsibility that go against his idea of a social program utopia. And the fact that the libertarian party is growing and taking away possible democrats that he thinks his party deserves to have.

 

[Fletch]

Seems like I have seen some of the listed positions posted here

Of course you have. He's given a fair number of small examples, but it's the greater picture he's trying to paint that's broken. He wants libertarians to fit into the Republican box so that he doesn't have to think about them anymore. He doesn't understand that there are fundamental differences of principle that separate Republicans and libertarians... the most basic of which is that Republicans believe government power can be used for good, while libertarians generally believe that government power is evil in and of itself.

 

[techres]

Statist Liberal wants to keep Libertarian Liberals Statist.

 

[Garb]

Us libertarians must be paranoid of our own guns magically shooting us in the head... oh wait... that's the liberals...

 

[ATOMonkey]

Yes, it's much easier to fight over who's idea of big government is best than it is to debate big government vs small government.

Huffpo delivers the fail once again.

 

[Expat]

I am just shocked with this disrespect of the Huffington Post. I always thought they were one of the top news outlets out there. Isn't that where the White House gets all of their news?

 

[bigus_D]

Statist Liberal wants to keep Libertarian Liberals Statist.

How many liberals would a libertarian liberate if the liberals literally wanted liberty?

 

[Fletch]

How many liberals would a libertarian liberate if the liberals literally wanted liberty?

 

[downzero]

Libertarianism IS liberalism. They're the same thing. I always crack up when I see so-called "libertarians" bagging on "liberals."

The only reason the word "libertarian" even exists is because the progressives hijacked the word liberal. Everywhere else in the world, including England, Germany, etc., libertarian parties are referred to as "liberals."

 

[ATOMonkey]

That's all well and good, but we'll still be using the 21st century American lexicon.

 

[downzero]

That's all well and good, but we'll still be using the 21st century American lexicon.

And that makes you just as ignorant as the people you condemn.

 

[bigus_D]

And that makes you just as ignorant as the people you condemn.

Wow... this makes you as arogant as an....

Forget it. I'd probably use a word here and you'd correct me by telling me that means Equus africanus asinus.