Dave Barry on Libertarianism

[jraabe]

This is an old article from Reason Magazine. It is a lot of fun and thought provoking as well.

http://www.reason.com/news/show/32270.html

I've been reading this magazine for awhile now and starting to get a rather open spacious feeling about the ideas of libertarianism. It's humanistic without the self-righteous certainty and control.

It doesn't trust government - period. Don't just give it to the other guys to screw it up like you know they will. Take it away from both of them... Power corrupts - so don't give them the power.

What a refreshing idea.

Be sure to read Barry's take on the Vietnam war... "other people can't tell you who to kill." and why we need to have a law so people don't have sex with dogs.... after all, we have to protect the children.  :'(

[youngins]

Absolute power - corrupts absolutely

[glenn-k]

Great story - I get info from libertarians because of my anarchist interest sometimes -- I don't want any of them and the end of the story goes to show you how far the control freaks will go when we ask them to protect us.  Keep all of them the hell away from me. :-/

[jraabe]

Glenn: You're among friends here. Don't hold back.   You can speak your mind.  

[glenn-k]

Sorry for the restraint-- sometimes I forget where I am.  The voices in my head know but they won't tell me. :-?

[MountainDon]

I used to think Libertarians were weird. Then I realized I was one.   8-)

[Amanda_931]

Up to a point I can agree with libertarians.  But only up to a point.

I do tend to think that health care, firefighting, schools are all matters of public interest, therefore worthy of public funding.  And I have run into a libertarian or two who thought that they were not.

I really don't believe that, say, Haliburton billing those who can afford it for fire fighting, would be a good idea.

[MountainDon]

I agree there are some things like firefighting and police services that should be publicly funded. But I'm not sure about schools though; unless there's a voucher system to allow for private school competition. Just my opinion. I want Liberty, not Anarchy.

[Sassy]

Great column   - really shows the absurdity of most of our gov't leaders & what they do...  :-/  a bunch of busybodies who don't have a life!  

[jraabe]

I do agree with Amanda that there are things that government must do for the common good. And some decisions best done at a larger scale than the individual. (Road and infrastructure building for one.)