Just got a convert (sorta!)

[BayouBengal07]

My Libertarian friend just IMed me telling me he had a "realization"; that he still thinks taxes are theft, but that as long as he isn't in a position to oppose them, he sees the validity of a "limited" social safety net, akin to the WPA or something like that. He said we still woulon't have voted for Kerry (he voted Badenerik), but it was great reading him say "at least as long as we all have to pay taxes I would like to see them go to improving peoples lives and giving them all a chance".


Yay!

[FreedomAngel82]

1. Hey it's a start

[progressive_realist]

2. Many libertarians are just distrustful liberals.

On social issues, there is not much difference between libertarians and liberals. But they don't trust government to do the right thing consistently. Gosh, I can't imagine what might make them think that way. :shrug:

I used to be one, many years ago.

[BayouBengal07]

3. yeah

My dad was a Libertarian in college- he sill gets mail from the party every now and then. I think the Reagan revolution scared him into the Democratic camp.

[orleans]

4. just wondering--maybe you know--what is the

libertarian line of thinking if they believe taxes are bad? then do they believe we should have no public schools, public libraries, park district, parks, police departments, fire departments, community colleges, roads/highways, sidewalks, etc?

what the hell are they thinking when they complain about paying taxes? don't they live here too?

i never really thought about it until now--but really--i don't get these libertarians who say we should abolish the tax system. then what? are they gonna fill the potholes and build the next highway? maybe let kids who don't have a backyard come over to their house and play in their yard? it's a bit selfish of them isn't it? or am i just not understanding them?

[BayouBengal07]

5. Actually

Earlier in the school year this same friend said "the only thing the government should provide for is defense". I reminded him he was on a state scholarship at a public university. He paused for a few seconds, then said "education and defense".

I think its all about deregulation- who would fill the potholes and build the next highway? Private companies. My friend actually said once we should privatize the road system. They believe the only mandate the government has from the people is for defense, and that for the common good it should stay out of everyone else's lives.

Now that can be good and bad- libertarians can be for gay marriage and aganst the Patriot Act, believing the government has no right to infringe on private lives like that. But by the same token, they could be against welfare, public transportation, and anything else they feel could be "bad for the market".

The problem with Libertarianism (as I see it) is that they can carp all they want about the government's "only responsibility" to provide defense, but in reality society has given the government a mandate for so much more- do you really think America could just give up public schools and welfare? No, Americans tolerate and promote a certain degree of government interference. Otherwise we'd be rebelling against the tyrrany of the Federal behemoth right now. We aren't ready for a Libertarian revolt.

[orleans]

6. nice explaination. thank you.