Comments (11)

• Justin

  First things first, I love your website Lew.

  This is what annoys me about libertarians. If you guys don't want to vote or support minor parties that are ideologically pure, then fine, be my guest. But if it weren't for us impure conservatives our federal government would be as large as that of France, Germany or Sweden. I think that deserves a little respect, not contempt. If more libertarians could hold their nose long enough to vote Republican or run for office as Republicans we could do a lot more to shrink the government.

  Published: June 16, 2005 8:45 AM

• P.M.Lawrence

  Justin, that's not the way this thing works. You can see the fundamental flaws if you look at this ironic Homer Simpson statement (ironic by the scriptwriters, that is): "But Lisa, if I join the mob, maybe I can guide it in wise directions".

  What actually happens is, either you get marginalised or you get converted. You can only have an effect in the same way as someone leaning out of a boat to try and drag it back, not realising that the centre of gravity and leverage means that you end up shoving. The shover has the wrong perspective to see what others can.

  This is the root of the saying "it doesn't matter who you vote for, a politician always gets in". If a non-politician gets in, he becomes a politician. The only time the argument is sound within the present system is when the alternatives are so dire that they are even worse evils; that particular evil never can be mitigated that way.

  There are two ways out, neither easy. One is to change the system, say with true term limits so that there never are professional politicians, but that's a wriggly fish to land. And the other is the join and sabotage technique used by Irish MPs at Westminster in the 19th century (a tradition still partly carried on from Northern Ireland). That last runs the risk of being slapped down by others rigging the rules - effectively the rigged systems most democracies now have - or of the would be saboteurs also going native, unless they form a large enough bloc to support each other and still get constituency support in the face of local benefits being tied to judas goat measures.

  So it's not a moral purity thing, except in the sense that honesty makes the best policy. What you propose what anarchists object to in the slogan "don't vote, it only validates the farce".
  

  Published: June 16, 2005 9:19 AM

• Bruno Panetta

  Justin: I have never been able to understand what a "conservative" is. If you mean it as Republican, then don't forget that two of the most important tax cuts of the 20th century (1964 and 1986) were sponsored by Democrats.
  What counts however is not just tax cuts but the size of government itself, and it cannot be denied that the latter has grown inexorably under the current "conservative" administration.

  Incidentally, reading Karl Rove's propaganda piece I couldn't help remembering what Rothbard had written about Reaganomics in "America's Great Depression":

  ---
  The Reagan administration knew, of course, that inflationary expectations had to be reversed, but where they miscalculated was relying on propaganda without substance. Indeed, the entire program of Reaganomics may be considered a razzle-dazzle of showmanship about taxes and spending, behind which the monetarists, in control of the Fed and the Treasury Department, were supposed
  to gradually reduce the rate of money growth. The razzle-dazzle was supposed to reverse inflationary expectations; the gradualism
  was to eliminate inflation without forcing the economy to suffer the pain of recession or depression. Friedmanites have never understood
  the Austrian insight on the necessity of a recession to liquidate the unsound investments of the inflationary boom. As a result, the attempt of Friedmanite gradualism to fine-tune the economy
  into disinflation-without-recession went the way of the similar Keynesian fine-tuning which the monetarists had criticized for decades. Friedmanite fine-tuning brought us temporary “disinflation� accompanied by another severe depression.
  ---

  Bruno

  Published: June 16, 2005 9:47 AM

• Andy D.

  "Since the Firearms Owners' Protection Act of May 19, 1986, ownership of newly manufactured machine guns has been prohibited to civilians. Machine guns which were manufactured prior to the Act's passage are regulated under the National Firearms Act, but those manufactured after the ban cannot ordinarily be sold to or owned by civilians."

  Well it was only a small infringment on the 2nd. I since only 2 crimes have been committed with legally owned machine guns, im glad he's protecting us from all the crime they cause. Thanks Regan.

  Published: June 16, 2005 11:13 AM

• Michael A. Clem

  Look at what Republican administrations have done. GW passed a steel tariff, although he later rescinded it. Who came up with No Child Left Behind? Not to mention the Anti-Terrorist crap. This is the kind of stuff that's going to shrink government?
  
  
  Even Reagan had his flaws. Remember the "de-regulation" of the savings and loans?

  Published: June 16, 2005 12:31 PM

• Justin

  Let me repeat: we could be another France or Germany.

  Published: June 16, 2005 12:57 PM

• Pierce

  Justin, ask Mr. Limbaugh to explain to us the negatives of France and Germany. Then ask him to explain to us how the US is different.

  Published: June 16, 2005 1:43 PM

• TCA

  Justin,

  Go read Murray Rothbard's evisceration of Ronald Reagan and then explain to me why I should genuflect at the alter of the GOP.

  Published: June 16, 2005 5:47 PM

• Alex

  Haha, that's a funny quote there Mr. Lawrence:

  You can see the fundamental flaws if you look at this ironic Homer Simpson statement (ironic by the scriptwriters, that is): "But Lisa, if I join the mob, maybe I can guide it in wise directions".

  This is one of those things that baffles me (a lot of things do this, BTW) about people who say we should join a political group to make changes. Yeah, that's worked a lot!

  The sillyness of the idea of joining a political party to talk about why politics stinks is like a nun joining a brothel to pursuade other women not to become whores.

  Published: June 16, 2005 8:40 PM

• D. Saul Weiner

  The notion that the other party (be it Republican or Democrat) is significantly worse than "my party" is precisely what keeps our system entrenched. If enough people opened their eyes to the reality of how our system works, then there would be a critical mass for significant change. As long as people buy the notion that the other party is much more evil, the disenchantment will be directed at the other party rather than the rightful target.

  Published: June 19, 2005 9:34 AM

• Bernie

  Most Republicans have fallen in love with big government - especially if they are in the driver's seat. In Virginia, Jerry Kilgore runs commercials misty about increasing pay for the already over-paid public school teachers. Didn't Republicans talk about abolishing the department of education a few years ago? Did we miss a newer version of the contract on American that swoons for the welfare state?

  Published: June 19, 2005 8:20 PM