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Saturday, January 30, 2010

"Greedy" Libertarians

Also invariably critics on the left accuse libertarians of being "selfish" and "greedy" and being for rich people and against ordinary people. This charge is so far off the mark and beside the point it is almost impossible to respond to. It’s like accusing a computer of being short. It has nothing to do with what a computer is. But we get stuck in those kinds of arguments. For me, the best or at least most effective argument for libertarianism is that it is the one approach to governance that has the greatest hope of producing a humane society. The problem is to find a way to explain to people why that is so. "Progressives" like to consider themselves humane and singular in their concern for their fellow man. I don’t doubt the good intentions of those who consider themselves progressive (although, given the history of mankind you would have be somewhat dim to believe collectivism of any sort can lead to anything except misery and misery primarily for the most vulnerable and unconnected), but they seem not to be able to see the implications and unintended consequences of their philosophy. -- Doug Carkuff

Sunday, January 03, 2010

Neither Left Nor Right by Doug Carkuff

I am regularly accused by the red meat conservatives of being "liberal" because I am 1) not in favor of any of the wars we have going on 2) NOT a believer that "we suck less" is a successful campaign strategy re: the domestic economy 3) adamantly opposed to the erosion of civil liberties that go on under Republican administrations and 4) while in sympathy with almost all of the religious right's social goals, I am implacably opposed to using federal power to achieve them.

On the other hand, my leftist friends, if they bother to read this, are giggling at the thought of ANYONE considering me a "liberal" because I despise so much the federal intrusion into any area of freedom.

Therefore, when I ran across this:
Neither Left Nor Right by Doug Carkuff I thought "maybe you will at least begin to understand....."

Then again, maybe not.