QOD

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1. Steve Newton says:

   October 29, 2008 at 7:48 am

   nemski
   Why do you put “libertarians” in quotes? You’d consider it insulting if I did that to “liberals”.

   But to answer your question….

   Libertarians (as opposed to Libertarian Republicans) have a wide range of views, but many often choose social issues over fiscal issues–that’s why an estimated 50% of the Libertarian Party (including me) has deserted the party’s putative nominee Bob Barr–his stance on the drug war, gay marriage, and a variety of other social issues.

   It’s Libertarian Mike Munger in North Carolina who is the only gubernatorial candidate calling for a death penalty moratorium, access for undocumented aliens to community colleges, and reasonable health care reform, to such an extent that many “progressive” are quitting the Dem candidate….

   It’s Libertarian Allen Buckley in Georgia who is killing the fossil Saxby Chambliss by attacking him on a variety of social and fiscal issues, and whose 5% will likely force the run-off that gets one of the most reactionary GOPer Senators out of his seat…

   It’s Libertarians and not Democrats (check for yourself) who are leading the fight to resist the passage of Prop 8 in California and standing up to the massive influx of money from the Mormon Church.

   But the essential difference you are trying to get to is this: Libertarians belief that the government should have as minimal a role as possible in achieving social outcomes, and Libertarians tend to see the State as using fiscal or financial power to erode personal freedom, which seems to us the biggest threat. So you go after the biggest issue first, right?

   Libertarians argue that, contrary to common misconceptions, very few real free market solutions have ever been tried in this country–that most of what has been tried from Reagan onward has been conservative governmental manipulation labeled as “free market” to sell it to the libertarian-leaning wing of the GOP.

   If you or anybody else here actually spends the time to read a variety of Libertarian viewpoints, you’ll discover that your stereotype is as flawed as, say, those who maintain that all liberals and progressives want to take away all my income to give it to people who don’t work…..

2. Duffy says:

   October 29, 2008 at 8:29 am

   Shorter Steve Newton:

   Social change is autonomous.

3. jason330 says:

   October 29, 2008 at 8:31 am

   Every Libertarian I know (with the exception of Steve Newton) is a Republican. That’s why.

4. Geezer says:

   October 29, 2008 at 8:48 am

   “Libertarians argue that, contrary to common misconceptions, very few real free market solutions have ever been tried in this country–that most of what has been tried from Reagan onward has been conservative governmental manipulation labeled as “free market” to sell it to the libertarian-leaning wing of the GOP.”

   In other words, libertarians believe you can change basic human nature by electing people who will not use the resulting power to favor some groups and disfavor others. Or, to be shorter in a way certain would-be pols would appreciate:

   Humanity isn’t ready for libertarianism yet.

5. Brian Shields says:

   October 29, 2008 at 8:49 am

   That’s because Republicans used to be Libertarians before the religious right took over. Many new Libertarians are just Republican refugees who feel their party has abandoned them to become Born Again Christians.

6. Jeremy Filliben says:

   October 29, 2008 at 9:12 am

   I think you have the dichotomy wrong. The real comparison is Social Liberal Democrat vs. Small Government Republican.

   The ‘social liberal’ candidate usually comes with too much baggage in the form of big government. My ideal candidate would be for small government and socially neutral.

7. Steve Newton says:

   October 29, 2008 at 9:52 am

   jason
   If the political world is constrained by your observations on the people you know, that explains a lot about your world view.

   You really need to get out more.

8. Unstable Isotope says:

   October 29, 2008 at 1:56 pm

   So how has voting Republican worked out for those small government Libertarians?

   I agree that truly free markets have never been tried. I don’t agree that truly free markets actually work.