Libertarian (image seen on FB lately . . . )??

[HughBeaumont]

WRONG.

You're a Republican - Teh Jesus.

Don't like being called that?

Then stop tripping over yourself to shamelessly defend Reaganomics, corporatism, laissez fail government, job offshoring and globalization when you're absolutely not negatively affected by ANY of it. If the United States were run as a charity, it'd collapse.

Oh, by the way, you rich whiner, you pay less taxes by percentage than I do. "Taxation is theft at gunpoint" is childish crybaby nonsense.

"Bullshit" . . . inDEED.

[LAGC]

1. Penn is such a dick.

His only redeeming quality is he is an atheist, but then again so was Ayn Rand.

The rest of his views are pretty reprehensible, but he does play to a certain audience.

[Capt. Obvious]

4. At first glance I thought it was Grover Norquist

[Papagoose]

8. He really can be a jerk

It drives me nuts, because I think he is a fairly smart guy, at least based on what I've heard him say about religion, and his lack thereof.

[roguevalley]

39. his soul is shit. period.

google his crap. this is mild compared to some of his stuff.

[get the red out]

12. The joke's on him

How long would they let him live free in the Theocracy he is indirectly supporting?

He's an idiot.

[Ikonoklast]

2. Then stay off the roads that *I* pay for, you asshole.

Penn just can't get it through his thick skull that we are are all in this together.

[tclambert]

3. What if we're NOT compassionate?

What if the fortunate few, the richest 1%, are greedy, selfish parasites who refuse to help the less fortunate? What if we have a country with an aristocracy who holds the commoners in total contempt? What if our cultural morality has degenerated to the point where selfishness is considered morality, and compassion is considered weakness?

What then, Penn?

[HughBeaumont]

10. To this point . . .

Last edited Wed Apr 18, 2012, 08:46 AM - Edit history (1)

. . . the laissez-fail and trickle down theories, where the wealthy hold every advantage since they're not being forced to do ANYthing with the free money they're given except accumulate more wealth, are picture-perfect examples as to why the United States SHOULDN'T be run as a charity.

[baldguy]

5. But having the govt give money to rich people is not only OK - it's mandatory.

[HughBeaumont]

11. The only "Soshulism" I'm seeing is our largesse flowing to the TOP, not the bottom.

I think that with some people, after you get past a certain level of income, you become removed in terms of how the world really works. I mean, Matt Damon gets it. Patricia Heaton . . . not so much.

[Lizzie Poppet]

20. Yep. Like the OWS protest sign says:

"Privatize profit. Socialize loss. How in HELL is that a "free market?"

[Blue_Tires]

21. That's the ultimate irony

The 1% all stick together behind closed doors and look out for each other and their own interests...

THAT is why they fight so hard against socialism and try to keep everyone divided -- They know how well it works and if the rest of us start using it they're in deep shit...

[xchrom]

6. Um - we give the poor jail at gun point.

Not welfare.

[HughBeaumont]

9. While we give the rich welfare at gunpoint . . . . not jail.

[tech_smythe]

7. One of Penn's problems is that he thinks other rich people are like him

They're not.
I will give credit, Penn Jillet is himself a decent person.
That can't be said for a TON of the other top 5%.
He also fails to understand, like all libertarians, that government IS the most efficient way to get things done.
It's the cheapest overall, the fastest (I swear it is) and since it pools together EVERYONE'S money it can afford to do it itself, when allowed.

He's right that doing it yourself is more fulfilling on a personal level. But that often just isn't possible.
Even if I had Bill Gate's money, I could not do what the government does with the same amount of money when it comes to helping the poor.

I like Penn and Teller, I like Bullshit, I agree with alot of what they say.... outside of politics.
But this shows his carny roots, in that he can't understand how the real world works.
As an artist he's always fallen through the cracks, and never realized where the government was helping him.
As a Carney he doesn't trust anyone, especially the police or the government.

His viewpoints make sense when you look at his background... it doesn't make them any less misguided.

[OriginalGeek]

29. I agree and Welcome to DU

Everything you wrote - I was about to - you saved me the time so thanks!

[OneGrassRoot]

13. I saw this a while ago, and what struck me about it...

was the selfish mindset of the conservative, libertarian right-wing crowd.

It's all about ME with them.

How giving makes them feel, the "moral credit" (wtf?).

These types don't truly care about those who are suffering; they are only led to do when it makes THEM feel better, in the manner in which it makes them feel better.

Hence my strong dislike of tax write-offs for nonprofits. The reason for donating is often very selfish (though I realize help is help; it still pisses me off because it's a business transaction, not a human transaction).

[sadbear]

14. Fear mongering bullshit!!!

The whole "government using guns to take your money" argument is bullshit. Yes, guns are used to enforce the law, but ONLY as a last resort, when the courts have decided that someone BROKE the law, and they still REFUSED to follow the law. This shit is dishonest and lame. But that's ALL THEY HAVE: FEAR.

[madmom]

15. This sounds exactly like my nephew,who, by the way, is also in the military! My

daughter showed me a fb status of his and it was almost word for word. I told her to ask him where he thought his paycheck came from. She just decided to un-friend him.

[treestar]

16. Libertarians and Ayn Rand have always said that

It is a very unoriginal thought.

It's a variation on the charity theme.

The rich are not charitable enough and the rest of us don't have enough money. When right wingers give private charity, they want strings attached, by which they control the behavior of the poor people - they do it in their families - their children get used to a rich lifestyle, but oftentimes, the person with the money uses that fact to control their children's choices.

And it's not a "gun" - stupid dramatics. If you don't pay your taxes, you don't get shot.

[Tom Ripley]

17. Says the carny

[HughBeaumont]

19. And just like a Carnival, Libertarians have "marks"-a-plenty.

[ellisonz]

22. Excellent.

Stealing that for Libertarian bashing...

[laundry_queen]

23. *laugh*

Boy did I recognize a lot of people I know in THAT. lol.

[HughBeaumont]

25. No doubt you've heard these, then . . .

Yeah, "Both liberals and conservatives are close minded Nazis", but strangely enough, they'll spend 95% of the time only ripping on ONE of them (that'd be the party that DOESN'T start with the "R&quot .

[laundry_queen]

37. LOL that's the truth. nt

[baldguy]

27. .

[horseshoecrab]

32. LOL!

[HughBeaumont]

41. I think Finding Nemo would be over in a hurry if that middle panel was part of it.

[tk2kewl]

18. WTF!!?!??

Gov't programs created by the representatives of the people are in no fucking way analogous to forcing anyone to do anything at gunpoint.

Consensus and compromise will always leave some unhappy with the decision, but that is called democracy you fucking useless and talentless asshole.

The complete lack of logic in the statements and arguments made by these nuts never ceases to amaze me.

[ellisonz]

24. What a big dumb baby...

I hope Penn doesn't plan on collecting Social Security!

[Warren DeMontague]

26. These idiots support the drug war and outlawing abortion and contraception. They support fascism.

They're not "Libertarians" and the only thing they have in common with "Libertarians" is, they don't think they should have to pay taxes.

[high density]

28. Nobody is forcing these backards libertarians to live in a modern thoughtful society

There are plenty of places out there if you want to live in a country where there's no functional government and corruption runs everything.

[Luminous Animal]

30. Gunpoint?

[RebelOne]

31. Well, at least he is an atheist and a libertarian

and not one of those god-fearing republicans. Sorry everyone, but I like him.

[horseshoecrab]

33. wow...

Penn Gillette -- I am officially over you!

[YellowRubberDuckie]

34. He is very inconsistent in his beliefs.

And he's very odd in person. We met him after a show of his in Vegas. He kept calling my husband "boss." He was terribly awkward.
Teller on the other hand is charming and I was surprised to read he was in his 60s at the time (2007). How the two work so well together, I will never know.

[Lucy Goosey]

35. Wait, where do the guns come into this?

I'm Canadian, so maybe that's why I don't understand? Employees of the Canada Revenue Agency (our IRS) are not permitted to collect taxes at gunpoint.

[HughBeaumont]

42. Fearful Americans bring guns and war into everything.

Everything from Christmas to freedom to terror to any abstract concept under the sun, it's WAR!!

Conservatives think the police state and the purchased media is a product of the LEFT, not the right. Search me how you make THAT canyon leap in logic, but there it is.

All our IRS does is serve papers. Don't think they break out the Glocks n Remingtons. Just a hunch . . .

[CTyankee]

36. some self satisfied libertarian. He can't even buy himself a well fitting suit!

What a schlumpy looking guy!

Maybe that's why he's so mean spirited. He can't feel good about himself (just LOOK at him!) so he has to take it out on the less fortunate.

That is very small of him, isn't it?

[madinmaryland]

38. Ahh. He's one of those "I got mine, fuck everyone else." Douchebag.

[GoneOffShore]

40. Penn the enema nozzle. Teller seems to be quiet.