Comments on: Undermining Liberty

By: Tom

Tom — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 07:05:03 +0000

“but the first thing that gets yelled about by their supporters is “legalize drugs””

And the republicans shout “shall not be infringed” That kind of thinking is counterproductive as you fail to see your stance is just as valid as theirs. The difference is they already understand that both sets of “laws” are total BS and have no constitutionality whatsoever and aren’t afraid to speak the truth. Sadly many have toasted enough brain cells to be incapable to explain when pressed.

By: Libertarians destroying liberty « Outrageous Malfunction

Libertarians destroying liberty « Outrageous Malfunction — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 00:21:16 +0000

[...] 2 June 2008 The argument that libertarians destroy liberty is gaining more currency. Joe and I traded posts on the topic in 2006; I stand by my earlier [...]

By: chris

chris — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 20:52:23 +0000

my single biggest problem with the entire LP movement is the way that their most vocal supporters act…

sure the candidates have great ideas, and even the core of the party is pretty level…

but the first thing that gets yelled about by their supporters is “legalize drugs”

and im sorry, but that mantra is a really bad way to win over the people that might be won over by the other ideas… even if you are like me and believe that the government has no right to tell you what you can and cannot put into your own body, its still a bad way to make friends…

By: Jacob

Jacob — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 17:03:16 +0000

The LP has been at war with itself since it was formed in the 70s. I do agree that the LP serves something of a purpose in providing a home for the kooks, but they also act as a drain on resources that could be better spent on more productive activities.

By: rightwingprof

rightwingprof — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 16:45:17 +0000

The Barr nomination has started a war in the LP, and in any case, he’s not going to pull many votes from McCain: He’s done a 180 on all of the issues that attracted voters to him in the first place. I think what this author misses is that the LP performs a useful function in that it pulls the nuttiest contingent away from the GOP (or Tories, in his case), although he makes some valuable points.

And I should point out that it wasn’t the party that elected McCain. It was the voters. Apparently, voters feel differently from pundits.

By: Jacob

Jacob — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 15:49:17 +0000

Yes. Bob Barr has jumped the shark. Not because he abandoned the GOP but because he threw his lot in with the lunatic fringe. It demonstrates that he either didn’t know who he was getting involved with at the start or that he knew and didn’t care.

By: Sebastian

Sebastian — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 15:06:38 +0000

I mean, I agree with you. I’m actually shocked they picked Barr… because he’s not at all pure from a libertarian standpoint. I think what they want this time is to spoil McCain.

By: Sebastian

Sebastian — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 15:05:55 +0000

Does that include Bob Barr? :)

By: Jacob

Jacob — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 15:00:11 +0000

The LP does undermine liberty because they actively seek out the biggest crackpots they can find and make them their candidates. They don’t even try to find people who can rationally argue the issues because they aren’t interested in getting people elected to public office. I have even been told this by national LP directors that they have no interest in electing anybody for anything. When they take up the banner of gun rights, for example, their antics make anyone with similar beliefs look bad.

By: Ry Jones

Ry Jones — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 14:36:57 +0000

I wrote about that here: http://americanconservativeparty.org/?q=node/63 and here: http://blog.ryjones.org/2008/01/18/farbs-are-us-how-i-feel-the-libertarian-party-destroys-freedom/ and here: http://blog.ryjones.org/2006/11/20/farbs-are-us-points-expanded/