Re: WTF is a real Libertarian?
 

A typical libertarian looks at the world from his own perspective with little regard to the interrelationships of everything around him.

It's cafeteria politics. Republicans say some good things and bad things. Hmmm...I'll take the good things, thanks. Same for Dems. Trouble is, in the real world, to make something good in one area you have to sacrifice something in another area. Libertarians are either unwilling or incapable of facing this obvious fact and are essentially living in a dream world.

They want to have their cake and eat it too.

An anarcho-capitalist OTOH is such a nutjob that he may actually be on to something... [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

Re: WTF is a real Libertarian?
 

I'm not entirely sure what you base these claims on. Can you cite some specific policy differences you have with libraterians.

Re: WTF is a real Libertarian?
 

I really just wanted to know what the theory behind the libertarian party is?

Not so much on who voted for who in the last election... but what are the key speaking points of their platform.

Re: WTF is a real Libertarian?
 

[ QUOTE ]
A typical libertarian looks at the world from his own perspective with little regard to the interrelationships of everything around him.

It's cafeteria politics. Republicans say some good things and bad things. Hmmm...I'll take the good things, thanks. Same for Dems. Trouble is, in the real world, to make something good in one area you have to sacrifice something in another area. Libertarians are either unwilling or incapable of facing this obvious fact and are essentially living in a dream world.

They want to have their cake and eat it too.

An anarcho-capitalist OTOH is such a nutjob that he may actually be on to something... [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

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So by this theory Libertarians wouldn't vote at all... right?

They would just accept whatever good came out of the "default" system and ignore the rest.

I'm not being difficult I'm just confussed.

Re: WTF is a real Libertarian?
 

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I'm not entirely sure what you base these claims on. Can you cite some specific policy differences you have with libraterians.

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One that comes to mind immediately is drugs:

The libertarian position is that people should be free to use drugs as they please, they should be widely available etc. Yet they also believe that a strong economy and high GDP is a good thing.

The conservative position is that a strong economy is so important that drugs must be restricted because drug use impedes economic activity.

I claim that the conservatives are correct because the same people who use the drugs also drive the economy, and that more drugs means less efficiency, less productivity, more social problems, etc. You have to choose one or the other, but you can't have both.

In a nutshell...

Liberals: Let's do drugs and be happy, screw the economy.

My comment: You're not my type but at least you're logically consistent.

Conservatives: The economy must be strong so don't do drugs.

My comment: Right on, dude, you know the score.

Libertarians: Let's do drugs if we want but still make a strong economy.

My comment: OK fine, gimme that quadruple scoop hot fudge sundae but sign me up for weight watchers with a money-back guarantee! And don't forget to take out the no-sundae clause!

Re: WTF is a real Libertarian?
 

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My comment: OK fine, gimme that quadruple scoop hot fudge sundae but sign me up for weight watchers with a money-back guarantee! And don't forget to take out the no-sundae clause!

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No joke... it's like bi-sexuals... i have no problem with anyone being gay or straight... but bi-sexuals are just greedy. Get off the fence and choose a side.

Re: WTF is a real Libertarian?
 

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So by this theory Libertarians wouldn't vote at all... right?

They would just accept whatever good came out of the "default" system and ignore the rest.

I'm not being difficult I'm just confussed.

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Something like that. There would be no reason for a pure libertarian to favor Republicans or Democrats. Unless there is a libertarian candidate it would make no sense for a pure libertarian to vote IMO.

Of course you could argue that there is no such thing as a pure anything in the real world so there will always be some bias in one direction or another.

Re: WTF is a real Libertarian?
 

The same case was made about alcohol in the 1920s. Prohibition was passed and was a miserable failure repealed a decade later. Prohibition didn't stop or impede alcohol consumption. However, it did create organized crime and caused other immense social ills. Al Capone was a bootleger first and a mobster second.

Similair cases are made today for other drugs and activities such as prostitution. However, there is ample evidence that making them illegal doesn't cut down on them or improve social conditions. Prostitution, like pot, is legal in the netherlands and it hasn't destroyed society. In fact, because prostitution is legal it is regulated and womens safety and health is more carefully looked after. Here they have to do it in dark, dirty, filthy places under constant threat of diseas and violence.

Laws that make something illegal don't get rid of it. They don't reduce demand. Demand remains the same and supply goes down, creating huge price increases. The immense profit potential combined with the fact it's illegal creates and expands the criminal element. Without drugs, inner city gangs and turf warfare would not be nearly as bad as it is today.

In addition, to fight the drug war law enforcement is given huge extentions of power, further limiting our civil rights.

Do a simply cost benefit analysis of the policy:

Benefit:
1) ???

Cost:
1) Crime
2) Lack of Regulation
3) Loss of Civil Liberties

Re: WTF is a real Libertarian?
 

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And... I'm a libertarian... [but I'm forced (to) pretty much vote democrat party lines]

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I can clear it up. I'm a libertarian ... but I'm forced to pretty much vote Republican party lines.

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No, I can clear it up. I'm a libertarian ... and I'm forced to pretty much vote Libertarian party lines.

Re: WTF is a real Libertarian?
 

I didn't read through it, so I have no clue if I agree with everything there. A lot of libraterians disagree on what the role of government should be. PVN might say that the government shouldn't fund public education, while I would say it should fund it through vouchers but not manage the schools or thier curriculums.

Anyway:
http://www.lp.org/issues/issues.shtml