Comments for Hard Cases: A Critique of Pure Libertarianism http://hardcases.wordpress.com Just another WordPress.com weblog Sun, 20 Jul 2008 10:58:00 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on Bob Barr for President by test » Blog Archive » Bob Barr for President http://hardcases.wordpress.com/2008/07/15/bob-barr-for-president/#comment-13 test » Blog Archive » Bob Barr for President Sun, 20 Jul 2008 10:58:00 +0000 http://hardcases.wordpress.com/?p=8#comment-13 [...] Anderson wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptBut there is no John Anderson or Ross Perot out there to become the focus of the national media at the expense of a serious 3rd party movement. So everything is in place for this to be a big year for liberty and the LP. … Read the rest of this great post here [...] [...] Anderson wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptBut there is no John Anderson or Ross Perot out there to become the focus of the national media at the expense of a serious 3rd party movement. So everything is in place for this to be a big year for liberty and the LP. … Read the rest of this great post here [...]

]]> Comment on A few more thoughts on a “divided” revolution by jrswift http://hardcases.wordpress.com/2008/05/29/a-few-more-thoughts-on-a-divided-revolution/#comment-12 jrswift Thu, 17 Jul 2008 22:14:40 +0000 http://hardcases.wordpress.com/?p=6#comment-12 I think the problem with the anti-globalization message is that it tends to be a "knee-jerk" reaction and is as often rather xenophobic as opposed to a thoughtful criticism. There is also a tendency to conflate opposition to economic globalization (which I regard as inevitable and largely a good thing) and political globalization. I believe very strongly that what government exists ought to operate at the smallest geographic/population level that is reasonable/possible. NAFTA, GATT, etc. may provide some liberalization of trade but also tend to weaken national sovereignty. There is certainly a "conspiracy theory" element to the freedom movement out there and it is rarely subtle and often downright paranoid. But to reject the possibility of conspiracy out of hand is not much different than accepting it uncritically. There are clearly elements of the power elite in this country, whether they be in government, business, education or whatever who favor a "New World Order" which would decrease our sovereignty in favor of an EU type arrangement. Now, whether those individuals are dominant or are behind what might otherwise appear to be rather harmless steps towards cooperation is a very different question. That is debatable and I am neither convinced that it is true nor willing to rule it out. I tend to agree that emphasizing those issues in a national campaign often attracts "crackpots" and repels more mainstream voters. It is one of the many errors the Ron Paul campaign made and they made a lot. On the other hand, any true "political revolution" in this country is going to come from the fringe first, whether that be the left or the right. Ron Paul tended to alienate the mainstream and, while that might be bad politics, I'm not sure it isn't one of his best qualities. Well, I'll avoid any further rambling as well. Thank you for the thoughtful comment. I'll try to write more on here and hopefully it can help you think through libertarian ideas and understand more where some of us are coming from. I think the problem with the anti-globalization message is that it tends to be a “knee-jerk” reaction and is as often rather xenophobic as opposed to a thoughtful criticism. There is also a tendency to conflate opposition to economic globalization (which I regard as inevitable and largely a good thing) and political globalization. I believe very strongly that what government exists ought to operate at the smallest geographic/population level that is reasonable/possible. NAFTA, GATT, etc. may provide some liberalization of trade but also tend to weaken national sovereignty.
There is certainly a “conspiracy theory” element to the freedom movement out there and it is rarely subtle and often downright paranoid. But to reject the possibility of conspiracy out of hand is not much different than accepting it uncritically. There are clearly elements of the power elite in this country, whether they be in government, business, education or whatever who favor a “New World Order” which would decrease our sovereignty in favor of an EU type arrangement. Now, whether those individuals are dominant or are behind what might otherwise appear to be rather harmless steps towards cooperation is a very different question. That is debatable and I am neither convinced that it is true nor willing to rule it out. I tend to agree that emphasizing those issues in a national campaign often attracts “crackpots” and repels more mainstream voters. It is one of the many errors the Ron Paul campaign made and they made a lot. On the other hand, any true “political revolution” in this country is going to come from the fringe first, whether that be the left or the right. Ron Paul tended to alienate the mainstream and, while that might be bad politics, I’m not sure it isn’t one of his best qualities.
Well, I’ll avoid any further rambling as well. Thank you for the thoughtful comment. I’ll try to write more on here and hopefully it can help you think through libertarian ideas and understand more where some of us are coming from.

]]> Comment on A few more thoughts on a “divided” revolution by timprosser http://hardcases.wordpress.com/2008/05/29/a-few-more-thoughts-on-a-divided-revolution/#comment-11 timprosser Thu, 17 Jul 2008 18:31:30 +0000 http://hardcases.wordpress.com/?p=6#comment-11 I came here looking for a bit more substance on the Libertarian view, realizing there might be no coherent or congruent view to find, and find what I've read here to be thoughtful. Thanks. I have long felt a kinship with Libertarians, but never claimed to be one. I, too, value the constitution and deplore the long trend (steeply turned down in the past 8 years) of degradation of our rights and destruction of so much that is key to the success of the American system of government - balance of powers, checks and balances, etc., etc. What put me off from Ron Paul, though, was hearing a radio ad in which he (after putting forth a number of ideas I thought were very good) said that there is a conspiracy?/plan?/movement? to combine the U.S., Canada, and Mexico into one large country ... I think NAFTA was bad, but believe many people blame it for things that would have occurred anyway as transportation and communications infrastructures became cheaper and cheaper (globalization). To me, suddenly Ron Paul sounded like a real crackpot ... very disappointing. I know a few professed Libertarians, but nobody ever said anything like that. For me to accept such an idea would require a lot of evidence be presented, and a radio ad just can't do that. Since then I have had to accept that I would vote for the more populist candidate, and the one I think is more likely to have at least some good principles. That plus the long anti-populist, corruption-rife history of the Republican Party combined with their pandering to the religious right has left me an Obama supporter this time. At least he sounds like he has principles, and he seems to have been perhaps more consistent in his message than any candidate I've seen in a long time (and that can't be easy). Sorry to ramble, but I'm trying to figure out where the LP is going after one accepts the basic tenets of individual rights and less government intrusion. Thanks again - Tim www.timprosserfuturing.wordpress.com I came here looking for a bit more substance on the Libertarian view, realizing there might be no coherent or congruent view to find, and find what I’ve read here to be thoughtful. Thanks.
I have long felt a kinship with Libertarians, but never claimed to be one. I, too, value the constitution and deplore the long trend (steeply turned down in the past 8 years) of degradation of our rights and destruction of so much that is key to the success of the American system of government – balance of powers, checks and balances, etc., etc.

What put me off from Ron Paul, though, was hearing a radio ad in which he (after putting forth a number of ideas I thought were very good) said that there is a conspiracy?/plan?/movement? to combine the U.S., Canada, and Mexico into one large country … I think NAFTA was bad, but believe many people blame it for things that would have occurred anyway as transportation and communications infrastructures became cheaper and cheaper (globalization). To me, suddenly Ron Paul sounded like a real crackpot … very disappointing. I know a few professed Libertarians, but nobody ever said anything like that. For me to accept such an idea would require a lot of evidence be presented, and a radio ad just can’t do that.
Since then I have had to accept that I would vote for the more populist candidate, and the one I think is more likely to have at least some good principles. That plus the long anti-populist, corruption-rife history of the Republican Party combined with their pandering to the religious right has left me an Obama supporter this time. At least he sounds like he has principles, and he seems to have been perhaps more consistent in his message than any candidate I’ve seen in a long time (and that can’t be easy). Sorry to ramble, but I’m trying to figure out where the LP is going after one accepts the basic tenets of individual rights and less government intrusion. Thanks again – Tim http://www.timprosserfuturing.wordpress.com

]]> Comment on Bob Barr for President by charleslawlesss http://hardcases.wordpress.com/2008/07/15/bob-barr-for-president/#comment-6 charleslawlesss Tue, 15 Jul 2008 23:09:37 +0000 http://hardcases.wordpress.com/?p=8#comment-6 I will probably be voting Barr this election year too. He seems the only Candidate that has simular values to my own. I just preticipated in a poll at http://www.BarrRoot.com asking him to put Paul on the ticket. Dont know if anyone has noticed the movement that has been going on to try and get Paul on the ticket. But it might be the only chance these guys have to actually win the white house is for them to team up. You can sign a petition at http://www.BarrPaul08.com Viva La Paul!! I will probably be voting Barr this election year too. He seems the only Candidate that has simular values to my own. I just preticipated in a poll at http://www.BarrRoot.com asking him to put Paul on the ticket. Dont know if anyone has noticed the movement that has been going on to try and get Paul on the ticket. But it might be the only chance these guys have to actually win the white house is for them to team up. You can sign a petition at http://www.BarrPaul08.com Viva La Paul!!

]]> Comment on Thoughts on the Libertarian Party by Libertarian blog « Muse Free http://hardcases.wordpress.com/2008/05/27/thoughts-on-the-libertarian-party/#comment-5 Libertarian blog « Muse Free Fri, 30 May 2008 00:48:25 +0000 http://hardcases.wordpress.com/?p=5#comment-5 [...] this post, on the Libertarian party, is worth reading. Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)What [...] [...] this post, on the Libertarian party, is worth reading. Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)What [...]

]]> Comment on Prologue: A Personal Political Journey by Libertarian blog « Muse Free http://hardcases.wordpress.com/2007/08/26/prologue-a-personal-political-journey/#comment-4 Libertarian blog « Muse Free Thu, 29 May 2008 22:39:34 +0000 http://hardcases.wordpress.com/2007/08/26/prologue-a-personal-political-journey/#comment-4 [...] favourite post is probably this one, where the author describes his personal journey as a libertarian. I have very similar sentiments. [...] [...] favourite post is probably this one, where the author describes his personal journey as a libertarian. I have very similar sentiments. [...]

]]> Comment on Prologue: A Personal Political Journey by Abhishek http://hardcases.wordpress.com/2007/08/26/prologue-a-personal-political-journey/#comment-3 Abhishek Wed, 28 May 2008 01:13:12 +0000 http://hardcases.wordpress.com/2007/08/26/prologue-a-personal-political-journey/#comment-3 Hey, that's a really nice post, and kinda summarises my personal position on a different time-scale. I am twenty five. I have always been a libertarian, in much the same sense that you mean the phrase, though in the middle years (say 16 - 23) my ideology was closer to that of the democrats, mainly because I viewed a lot of freedom-infringing things as necessary to get things working. Since then, I have delved into some of those issues in more detail and concluded that most of them are not, in fact necessary -- as a result I am currently a pretty hardened libertarian. Anyway, I enjoyed reading your post, keep them coming! Hey, that’s a really nice post, and kinda summarises my personal position on a different time-scale. I am twenty five. I have always been a libertarian, in much the same sense that you mean the phrase, though in the middle years (say 16 – 23) my ideology was closer to that of the democrats, mainly because I viewed a lot of freedom-infringing things as necessary to get things working. Since then, I have delved into some of those issues in more detail and concluded that most of them are not, in fact necessary — as a result I am currently a pretty hardened libertarian. Anyway, I enjoyed reading your post, keep them coming!

]]> Comment on Thoughts on the Libertarian Party by Vflogger http://hardcases.wordpress.com/2008/05/27/thoughts-on-the-libertarian-party/#comment-2 Vflogger Tue, 27 May 2008 22:51:51 +0000 http://hardcases.wordpress.com/?p=5#comment-2 Bob Barr has a proven track record as a fascist, and the only Libertarian thing he has ever done is just talk. Actions speak louder than words, and once a fascist, always a fascist. I can't believe you nominated him to represent the LP. A sad, sad day for the LP. Bob Barr has a proven track record as a fascist, and the only Libertarian thing he has ever done is just talk. Actions speak louder than words, and once a fascist, always a fascist. I can’t believe you nominated him to represent the LP. A sad, sad day for the LP.

]]> Comment on Hello world! by Mr WordPress http://hardcases.wordpress.com/2007/07/25/hello-world/#comment-1 Mr WordPress Wed, 25 Jul 2007 03:04:48 +0000 #comment-1 Hi, this is a comment.<br />To delete a comment, just log in, and view the posts' comments, there you will have the option to edit or delete them. Hi, this is a comment.
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