"The problem with capitalism is capitalists."

[Ted the Poster 0]

I have a thing for cute chicks with glasses. I just find it really hot for some reason.

[Stephen Joseph 0]

So I was looking at that page where the dood found Kennedy (and again, I'd so hit that)... and I grabbed the list of libertarian economists. 4 of them are professors at GMU. Damn, I knew were were libers, but ...

 

 

 

Robert J. Barro

Walter Block

James Buchanan

Donald J. Boudreaux

Richard M. Ebeling

David Friedman

Milton Friedman

Friedrich Hayek

Robert Higgs

Israel Kirzner

Ludwig von Mises

Murray N. Rothbard

Mark Skousen

Thomas Sowell

Vernon Smith

Mark Thornton

Richard Timberlake

Walter Williams

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

I always check in on this site from time to time. Although Lara Flynn Boyle -- wtf?...

[Guest Vitamin X]

Erm, to the guys saying Kennedy was a libertarian...

from the site kkk just posted..

 

I have to see what the libertarians support more before deciding to commit to their cause entirely. From what I've seen, they've been described as pot-smoking democrats who want the government out of their business which is a good thing, but I also see a bunch of Republican exiles fed up with their party but not wanting to come to the left, which is a bad thing.

[Ted the Poster 0]

Libertarians tend to either lean toward the left or the right. I lean left, and I'm sure Popick leans right. I'm sure we still agree on most issues though.

 

VX, you can take this quiz if you want. It'll show your political leanings based on your answer.

[Guest Vitamin X]

  You fall exactly on the border

 

of two political philosophies...

 

 

LIBERAL

 

LIBERTARIAN

 

Yay!

 

Until they come to have any sort of real power in government, like having an actual worthy candidate with a good amount of backing, I'll join in the Libertarian movement. But for now I'll stick to the donkey.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

From what I've seen, they've been described as pot-smoking democrats who want the government out of their business which is a good thing, but I also see a bunch of Republican exiles fed up with their party but not wanting to come to the left, which is a bad thing.

lol -- I'm the other way in regards to my concerns about the Libertarian Party...

[Big Ol' Smitty 0]

Having read two crappy Ayn Rand books, libertarianism has lost its sheen.

[Slayer 0]

I used to be one of those disillusioned Repubs VX is referring to, though I eventually flushed the last remnants of Republicanism out of my system around '00 or so.

 

I was raised Catholic by conservative (and Republican) parents and therefore followed the same ideology under the belief that conservatism did, in fact, represent smaller government. After I became cynical about religion, I felt there was no longer any justification for any of my previous views that were based on religion (notably being anti-abortion and anti-gay rights) and consequently adopted the opposite view, hence I moved from being conservative to libertarian. I can't in good conscience become a liberal (in the sense of the ironic modern definition) because then I would have to see reason for major government control of industry, something I've never agreed with, so a libertarian I shall remain.

 

One thing about becoming libertarian is it caused me to see the lie in the perception that conservatives believe in small government when in fact they want a big government like libs, just for different reasons (see also: moral crusade)

[Guest MikeSC]

The main problem with Libertarians is one Ann Coulter has actually expressed more than once.

 

They don't seem to realize that we don't live in a Libertarian utopia.

 

Repealing the drug laws would be peachy --- but they need to have the welfare state repealed FIRST. Let people not have to support somebody who makes poor decisions as to what substances to ingest and THEN we can discuss legalization.

 

They need to prioritize. Get rid of welfare THEN target drug legalization.

-=Mike

[Guest Cerebus]

Another problem is that the libertarian party is run by morons like this one.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

One thing about becoming libertarian is it caused me to see the lie in the perception that conservatives believe in small government when in fact they want a big government like libs, just for different reasons (see also: moral crusade)

Don't forget Republicans are some of the biggest spenders out there. *Sigh* I miss the mid-90s when all this shit was supposed to get "reformed..."

[LessonInMachismo 0]

My test results:

 

http://www.theadvocates.org/quiz-score/draw.php?p=6&e=8

 

I am going to make a new thread with a longer test. It's considered to be the best one out there. Considered by whom, I do not know...

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

If it's that political compass one we've already done that a few times here...

[LessonInMachismo 0]

If it's that political compass one we've already done that a few times here...

Doh.

[Stephen Joseph 0]

Having read two crappy Ayn Rand books, libertarianism has lost its sheen.

Ayn Rand is not the be all end all of libertarianism.

 

Mises, Hayek, THOSE are libertarians . So is Greenspan, actually.

[Stephen Joseph 0]

The main problem with Libertarians is one Ann Coulter has actually expressed more than once.

 

They don't seem to realize that we don't live in a Libertarian utopia.

 

Repealing the drug laws would be peachy --- but they need to have the welfare state repealed FIRST. Let people not have to support somebody who makes poor decisions as to what substances to ingest and THEN we can discuss legalization.

 

They need to prioritize. Get rid of welfare THEN target drug legalization.

-=Mike

Umm...

 

Either way, we'd be getting close to the libertarian state. Economically speaking, we'd still have a workfare system.

 

That isn't the main problem with the libertarian party. The main problem is that the current political system is designed for two parties, not three. Therefore, with no chance to win a major election, the party only grows via true believers.

 

25% or so of the population actually ascribes more to the libertarian stance. But only 3% vote libertarian. Change the political system, and the party strength would change overnight.

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

I just can't get into third parties. For everything they say that makes perfect sense they say about 3-5 things that are son inane and out there that I can't support them.

 

I don't even know what I'm going to do if it's Clinton/McCain in 08. It's going to be a bitch voting because I won't vote for either of them.

[Guest MikeSC]

The main problem with Libertarians is one Ann Coulter has actually expressed more than once.

 

They don't seem to realize that we don't live in a Libertarian utopia.

 

Repealing the drug laws would be peachy ---  but they need to have the welfare state repealed FIRST. Let people not have to support somebody who makes poor decisions as to what substances to ingest and THEN we can discuss legalization.

 

They need to prioritize. Get rid of welfare THEN target drug legalization.

      -=Mike

Umm...

 

Either way, we'd be getting close to the libertarian state. Economically speaking, we'd still have a workfare system.

 

That isn't the main problem with the libertarian party. The main problem is that the current political system is designed for two parties, not three. Therefore, with no chance to win a major election, the party only grows via true believers.

 

25% or so of the population actually ascribes more to the libertarian stance. But only 3% vote libertarian. Change the political system, and the party strength would change overnight.

That's the case with a lot of things.

 

You give blacks an issue-by-issue poll and they'd end up as fairly conservative Republicans.

 

They still don't vote for the GOP --- even though they openly agree.

-=Mike

[Jobber of the Week 0]

The main problem is that the current political system is designed for two parties, not three.

I wouldn't really say that so much as it is on the side of incumbants.

 

That plus that two parties have basically decided that the best platform is to be 100% opposite of the other one. Do you really think the Republicans are that interested in preserving marriage, or are they just trying to make themselves Not Democrats.

 

Similarly, do you think the Democrats really care THAT much about the environment, or do they just see it as an easy way to say that the Republicans will let corporations strip-mine the Earth?

[The Czech Republic 0]

Another problem is that the libertarian party is run by morons like this one.

I'm afraid I just blue myself.

[The Czech Republic 0]

Having read two crappy Ayn Rand books, libertarianism has lost its sheen.

That's not libertarianism. That's objectivism.

[Guest Vitamin X]

The main problem is that the current political system is designed for two parties, not three.

I wouldn't really say that so much as it is on the side of incumbants.

 

That plus that two parties have basically decided that the best platform is to be 100% opposite of the other one. Do you really think the Republicans are that interested in preserving marriage, or are they just trying to make themselves Not Democrats.

 

Similarly, do you think the Democrats really care THAT much about the environment, or do they just see it as an easy way to say that the Republicans will let corporations strip-mine the Earth?

Way I see it, one party tapped into the baby boomers, the other tapped into the hippies.

[SuperJerk 0]

Repealing the drug laws would be peachy --- but they need to have the welfare state repealed FIRST. Let people not have to support somebody who makes poor decisions as to what substances to ingest and THEN we can discuss legalization.

You'll excuse me if I don't share the view that everyone on welfare got there due to poor decisions, rather than economic and social obstacles.

[Big Ol' Smitty 0]

Having read two crappy Ayn Rand books, libertarianism has lost its sheen.

That's not libertarianism. That's objectivism.

Ayn Rand was a staunch libertarian and libertarianism is the political ideology of objectivists.

[NoCalMike 0]

Repealing the drug laws would be peachy ---  but they need to have the welfare state repealed FIRST. Let people not have to support somebody who makes poor decisions as to what substances to ingest and THEN we can discuss legalization.

You'll excuse me if I don't share the view that everyone on welfare got there due to poor decisions, rather than economic and social obstacles.

Not to mention plenty of marijuana users lead productive lives.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Most do, actually. Just not in their free time.

[Guest MikeSC]

Repealing the drug laws would be peachy ---  but they need to have the welfare state repealed FIRST. Let people not have to support somebody who makes poor decisions as to what substances to ingest and THEN we can discuss legalization.

You'll excuse me if I don't share the view that everyone on welfare got there due to poor decisions, rather than economic and social obstacles.

It's thoroughly irrelevant. If YOUR poor choices can impact ME, then your choices are not only your concern.

-=Mike

[The Czech Republic 0]

Having read two crappy Ayn Rand books, libertarianism has lost its sheen.

That's not libertarianism. That's objectivism.

Ayn Rand was a staunch libertarian and libertarianism is the political ideology of objectivists.

Rand herself said that objectivism/-ists, and libertarianism/-ians are different beasts.

[Big Ol' Smitty 0]

Having read two crappy Ayn Rand books, libertarianism has lost its sheen.

That's not libertarianism. That's objectivism.

Ayn Rand was a staunch libertarian and libertarianism is the political ideology of objectivists.

Rand herself said that objectivism/-ists, and libertarianism/-ians are different beasts.

Okay.

 

All I was really trying to say was that the books suck.