Comments on: Thoughts On The Libertarian/Conservative “Alliance”

By: Michael Fraley

Michael Fraley — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 23:49:05 +0000

You might be correct in saying the “it’s very small common ground”, but I would say that there is in fact a larger common ground that lies “in the middle” (it pains me to say that, since all sorts of alarms immediately go off). I say this because I believe, based on the Constitution, the early writings of the Founders, and a reasoned approach to the current state of this world (ok…again the alarms), that the only truly sustainable position for this Republic lies in that middle “common ground.”
I don’t believe it’s all that complicated: most power and government activity needs to be brought back to the individual states, where it rightly belongs. The various cultural issues need to be settled at the state…drug laws, morality laws, etc. Some states will tend toward licentiousness, some toward prudishness, but that was the nature of our early Republic, and that was the intent to allow the safest and most sustainable balance of individual freedom and exercise of law.
I think you’ll find more and more conservatives identifying with limited central government as a central tenet…over national security and cultural issues. This is what is driving the tea-party movement.
However, like it or not, this republican experiment was successful beyond the imagination of the Founders…so much so that our nation has driven two centuries of world prosperity and become the preeminent superpower. That means we are a target and hence, our security and standing require the international entanglements that you perhaps disdain. We have no choice…BUT, that is not card blanch for mischief around the world – nation-building and the like.
So, I would agree with Ms. Clouthier’s analysis, and say there is a very natural place for alliance, if the focus is to begin shrinking the federal government, begin to move all non-Constitutionally mandated activities to the states, and start to sever the connection between the central State and the individual.

By: Procopius

Procopius — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 16:50:15 +0000

Why does D. Mataconis pretend to fret over reversing such landmark, massive legislation as the New Deal programs and the PATRIOT Act, when he spent such a large amount of energy in making his position on state nullification known?

http://www.thelibertypapers.org/2010/08/19/counterpoint-civil-disobedience-or-not-nullification-is-unconstitutional/#comments

So what’s supposed to be the only avenue available to make these historic changes, other than a Con-Con?

By: Ayn R. Key

Ayn R. Key — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 15:52:56 +0000

Dondero thinks that Republicans fail to implement small government because Libertarians don’t do enough to help Big Government Republicans. It is deeply ironic.

As long as Republicans show they do not deserve our support, there is no reason to give it to them.

By: Norm

Norm — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 07:46:45 +0000

I say again until we do away with the spoiler effect we will continue down this serpentine road to serfdom. Our election system enshrines the two party system where both parties run after the Alvin Green voters abandoning their principles along the way.

I see no change until there is a paradigm shift to a ranked balloting system that stops the practice of voting for the lesser of two evils. Until then this systemic problem will continue to divide conservatives (the anti-liberals) from the libertarians (the pro-freedom). You want them to get together? Work for IRV!!!

By: Barry Klein

Barry Klein — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 06:35:00 +0000

Play politics to win…Here is how:

This is a free market strategy that has one first working to make local governments more humane before working to make them smaller. This game plan lets activists reap victories that are either consistent with goals of free market advocates or actually shrink the governmental footprint. The short term successes are stepping stones to more fundamental issues that would push local jurisdictions down the path to smaller government. The key idea is to move quickly when a scandal breaks that puts a local unit of government in disgrace. These moments create openings for reformers to craft policy responses that take the moral high ground with which few would disagree and then build coalitions for change.

By: cbjr

cbjr — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 03:02:29 +0000

“The whole modern world has divided itself into Conservatives and Progressives. The business of Progressives is to go on making mistakes. The business of the Conservatives is to prevent the mistakes from being corrected.”

- G.K.Chesterton

By: Doug Mataconis

Doug Mataconis — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:24:07 +0000

Look at 2005, when Bush proposed partial privatization straight from a friggin’ Cato Institute policy paper

And when he faced the slightest bit of resistance from Congress he ran away with his tail between his legs like a frightened puppy. If you’re going to propose an idea like that, you need to have the balls to take the heat that’s going to come with it. Bush didn’t

By: chuckasomas

chuckasomas — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 16:22:15 +0000

@Eric Dondero
Well said!

By: Eric Dondero

Eric Dondero — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:23:24 +0000

Look in the mirror fellow Libertarians. Why does government grow under Republicans? It’s not their fault; it’s ours. We don’t lift a g-damned finger to help out our conservative friends when they are being bashed mercilessly by the liberal media and Democrat elected officials for being “Meanies,” who want to take away Grandma’s Social Security check.

Look at 2005, when Bush proposed partial privatization straight from a friggin’ Cato Institute policy paper. Did we Libertarians rally behind him, and cheer him on? Did we defend him against ruthless attacks by the liberal media?

Hell no! We bashed him even more, accusing him of not going far enough.

Enough of this stupid-ass Blame Republicans crap for the growth of government. WE LIBERTARIANS ARE THE ONES TO BLAME. Unless we defend our Conservative friends, and the Republican Party we wil never, ever advance the cause of Liberty.