http://www.cato-unbound.org Big Ideas for a Better World Wed, 10 Mar 2010 03:24:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 http://www.cato-unbound.org/archives/october-2006/comment-page-1/#comment-31659 Brian A. Thomas .com · Good Article on Libertarians Fri, 09 Mar 2007 16:34:39 +0000 http://www.cato-unbound.org/archives/october-2006/#comment-31659 [...] There is a good article on Libertarians… not the party so much , but those of us who believe in personal freedom and capitalism. The article points out how progressives (Democrats and others on the left) resist capitalism, despite the fact it is responsible for laying the ground work that made minority rights and feminism come to be. The main focus of the article however is the ever widening gap between Libertarians and their former allies in the Republican party. As the Republicans move further and further to the right, the article wonders if the Libertarians are better allies with the Liberals (much like the old Cato Unbound issue Should Libertarians Vote Democrat, which this article references). I would argue that the Democrats are too Fascist with economic and policy reforms to trust too much. While I have very little problem with his proposed compromises, I doubt those on the left would be willing to move in that direction. Seriously, it would be great if Obama was willing to move in the directions that Brink Lindsey talks about in this article, if he fully did, and supported gun rights (which he does not and his stance makes him unvotable for me), drug law reform or better yet, repeal, and a few other key issues then he would have to be considered. The article is correct in that entitlement reform would be the hardest to get the left to compromise on, and correct it is very sorely needed. Speaking of Obama, I have to say that he is probably the Democrats best choice, despite his horrid stance on gun control. Hillary is too polarizing. Biden is probably the only electable candidate they have beyond Obama, I don’t think the public would go for most of the others unless they were a running mate. The question is who as a running mate? Clinton on the ticket might just polarize it too much, but then again, it might help, hard to tell. I would think the likely direction, if the one didn’t pick the other, is Dodd or Edwards, I don’t think any of the others could help enough, and some would hurt the ticket. On the Republican side, Ron Paul would be my favorite choice, but doesn’t have the name recognition to win, which is really sad, as he is probably the best choice of any candidate out there in any of the parties. We have to pray it isn’t McCain. I don’t think it’ll be Brownback, but will be Rudy Giuliani who has the name recognition and most of what else is needed to win. None of the candidates will win on their own, but will need a strong running mate. Giuliani’s record on free speech, opposing drug reform and support for strong gun control make him a bad choice (though the Conservatives tend not to support drug reform anyhow, so I doubt that issue would be problem for them) and the media will have a field day with his winning the Muzzle Award for life. My guess is that it will be McCain or Giuliani with the other as the running mate. Again their best choice is Ron Paul with a big name as a running mate (though I would take one of the big names with Ron Paul as a running mate)… actually Ron Paul as a running mate would draw in the Libertarian vote, even more so if he was the Presidential candidate so long as they big name running mate wasn’t to far off. [...] [...] There is a good article on Libertarians… not the party so much , but those of us who believe in personal freedom and capitalism. The article points out how progressives (Democrats and others on the left) resist capitalism, despite the fact it is responsible for laying the ground work that made minority rights and feminism come to be. The main focus of the article however is the ever widening gap between Libertarians and their former allies in the Republican party. As the Republicans move further and further to the right, the article wonders if the Libertarians are better allies with the Liberals (much like the old Cato Unbound issue Should Libertarians Vote Democrat, which this article references). I would argue that the Democrats are too Fascist with economic and policy reforms to trust too much. While I have very little problem with his proposed compromises, I doubt those on the left would be willing to move in that direction. Seriously, it would be great if Obama was willing to move in the directions that Brink Lindsey talks about in this article, if he fully did, and supported gun rights (which he does not and his stance makes him unvotable for me), drug law reform or better yet, repeal, and a few other key issues then he would have to be considered. The article is correct in that entitlement reform would be the hardest to get the left to compromise on, and correct it is very sorely needed. Speaking of Obama, I have to say that he is probably the Democrats best choice, despite his horrid stance on gun control. Hillary is too polarizing. Biden is probably the only electable candidate they have beyond Obama, I don’t think the public would go for most of the others unless they were a running mate. The question is who as a running mate? Clinton on the ticket might just polarize it too much, but then again, it might help, hard to tell. I would think the likely direction, if the one didn’t pick the other, is Dodd or Edwards, I don’t think any of the others could help enough, and some would hurt the ticket. On the Republican side, Ron Paul would be my favorite choice, but doesn’t have the name recognition to win, which is really sad, as he is probably the best choice of any candidate out there in any of the parties. We have to pray it isn’t McCain. I don’t think it’ll be Brownback, but will be Rudy Giuliani who has the name recognition and most of what else is needed to win. None of the candidates will win on their own, but will need a strong running mate. Giuliani’s record on free speech, opposing drug reform and support for strong gun control make him a bad choice (though the Conservatives tend not to support drug reform anyhow, so I doubt that issue would be problem for them) and the media will have a field day with his winning the Muzzle Award for life. My guess is that it will be McCain or Giuliani with the other as the running mate. Again their best choice is Ron Paul with a big name as a running mate (though I would take one of the big names with Ron Paul as a running mate)… actually Ron Paul as a running mate would draw in the Libertarian vote, even more so if he was the Presidential candidate so long as they big name running mate wasn’t to far off. [...]

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