I’m a libertarian who grew up. It is an intensely rational word view in an irrational world. The Libertarian approach assumes people have the right to be free from the government interfering in their personal choices as long as they don’t hurt others in the process. Pretty straightforward, right?
Well, sort of right. The problem is that huge numbers of people are simply not capable of making their way in this complex, changing world we live in. Oh, do I wish this were not so! What’s more, those who posess resilience, adaptability and luck prosper while others flounder. This failure to prosper (economically, physically, emotionally), has a price, both economically and socially. Now what the libertarians say is, “Tough toenails losers. I’ve got mine. You go get yours.” But is that the most civilized, rational and effective means of political and social organization? Not by a long shot. You can piss and moan all you like, but reality has shown us that there are lots of people who need help and government is the only fair and comprehensive way to go about it.
Over the years, I’ve developed more empathy than I had when I was younger. More compassion for others. I still find the libertarian ideas stirring. “Yes, dammit, just leave me the hell alone!” But I am white, male, very well-educated at elite institutions, have started, run, taken public, and shut down a series of businesses, have not had an employer since the mid 80’s, have two very successful sons (also educated at elite universities), live where I want to live in a beautiful house, travel internationally all the time for business and pleasure, and generally have a life that most can only dream of. I have been close to bankruptcy, and yet, managed to crawl out of a very deep entrepreneurial hole I dug for myself. Not everyone is capable of doing what I have done. And not everyone is as lucky as I am to have had the cultural antecedents, education, and good fortune to prosper as I have.
So, for me, the Libertarian approach is ideal and, doing what I have done without special government assistance (other than what every other citizen is entitled to) has been my reality. My goodness, in PA, where I used to live, I paid unemployment taxes up the wazoo, but was prohibited by law from ever collecting because of my ownership percentage in the business. So when the business failed, I had paid for unemployment benefits but could not collect.
I am also heavily regulated. I have multiple registrations with FINRA and the SEC. So don’t try to tell me about regulatory nonsense. It costs my little company a couple hundred thousand dollars a year to comply with the regs, and the regulators STILL don’t have a clue about what we do.
I am also heavily taxed. Even in a bad year for my business, I pay in a axes at least three times what the average family makes in a year. So don’t give me any crap about progressives not paying taxes.
In short, I should be the poster child for libertarians. But I grew up and realized that we are all in this together. It took me a while, but I have come to believe in forbearance, empathy, fairness, justice, and compassion as the highest expressions of my humanity, and want these virtues reflected in our politics. We do have a responsibility to the least of us. We do need to understand that asking barefoot citizens of all ages, ethnicities, and circumstances to pull themselves up by their bootstraps is just plain idiotic. So call me a reformed libertarian. I grew up, that’s all.
James, yours is a post that reflects a highly simplistic animus towards Ms. Clinton. It is typical in its venal negativity, offering the reader nothing of value. I admit to posting this sort of comment myself from time to time. My comments tend to have much, much, much greater substance than yours. But I recognize the tone and have come close to using it myself.
But what really fascinates me about a comment like yours, made where it was made in this string of comments, was that it contributed absolutely nothing to the high-level of commentary that came beforehand. Your comment brings the level of discourse down into the gutter. It’s sad you either have nothing to say, or are unable to articulate anything more insightful.
Aside from lacking charisma, I doubt many voters back both Johnson’s strong pro-choice position along with his opposition to any gun control. Throw in his strong support for free trade agreements & you’re left with a small number of supporters.Johnson is polling at 10% because most people don’t know anything about him other than he’s not Trump or Clinton.
1941gko almost 8 years ago
Come on Hank; Where are your “I’m for Trump” cartoons!
Odon Premium Member almost 8 years ago
And Trump doesn’t get a Pinocchio nose?
twclix almost 8 years ago
I’m a libertarian who grew up. It is an intensely rational word view in an irrational world. The Libertarian approach assumes people have the right to be free from the government interfering in their personal choices as long as they don’t hurt others in the process. Pretty straightforward, right?
Well, sort of right. The problem is that huge numbers of people are simply not capable of making their way in this complex, changing world we live in. Oh, do I wish this were not so! What’s more, those who posess resilience, adaptability and luck prosper while others flounder. This failure to prosper (economically, physically, emotionally), has a price, both economically and socially. Now what the libertarians say is, “Tough toenails losers. I’ve got mine. You go get yours.” But is that the most civilized, rational and effective means of political and social organization? Not by a long shot. You can piss and moan all you like, but reality has shown us that there are lots of people who need help and government is the only fair and comprehensive way to go about it.
Over the years, I’ve developed more empathy than I had when I was younger. More compassion for others. I still find the libertarian ideas stirring. “Yes, dammit, just leave me the hell alone!” But I am white, male, very well-educated at elite institutions, have started, run, taken public, and shut down a series of businesses, have not had an employer since the mid 80’s, have two very successful sons (also educated at elite universities), live where I want to live in a beautiful house, travel internationally all the time for business and pleasure, and generally have a life that most can only dream of. I have been close to bankruptcy, and yet, managed to crawl out of a very deep entrepreneurial hole I dug for myself. Not everyone is capable of doing what I have done. And not everyone is as lucky as I am to have had the cultural antecedents, education, and good fortune to prosper as I have.
So, for me, the Libertarian approach is ideal and, doing what I have done without special government assistance (other than what every other citizen is entitled to) has been my reality. My goodness, in PA, where I used to live, I paid unemployment taxes up the wazoo, but was prohibited by law from ever collecting because of my ownership percentage in the business. So when the business failed, I had paid for unemployment benefits but could not collect.
I am also heavily regulated. I have multiple registrations with FINRA and the SEC. So don’t try to tell me about regulatory nonsense. It costs my little company a couple hundred thousand dollars a year to comply with the regs, and the regulators STILL don’t have a clue about what we do.
I am also heavily taxed. Even in a bad year for my business, I pay in a axes at least three times what the average family makes in a year. So don’t give me any crap about progressives not paying taxes.
In short, I should be the poster child for libertarians. But I grew up and realized that we are all in this together. It took me a while, but I have come to believe in forbearance, empathy, fairness, justice, and compassion as the highest expressions of my humanity, and want these virtues reflected in our politics. We do have a responsibility to the least of us. We do need to understand that asking barefoot citizens of all ages, ethnicities, and circumstances to pull themselves up by their bootstraps is just plain idiotic. So call me a reformed libertarian. I grew up, that’s all.
William Bednar Premium Member almost 8 years ago
Sign SHOULD say: American’s Got No Talent!
lgilbert50 almost 8 years ago
Colin Powell did the same thing as Hillary with the private servers yet not a pip from the GOP. Musings from a former republican.
twclix almost 8 years ago
James, yours is a post that reflects a highly simplistic animus towards Ms. Clinton. It is typical in its venal negativity, offering the reader nothing of value. I admit to posting this sort of comment myself from time to time. My comments tend to have much, much, much greater substance than yours. But I recognize the tone and have come close to using it myself.
But what really fascinates me about a comment like yours, made where it was made in this string of comments, was that it contributed absolutely nothing to the high-level of commentary that came beforehand. Your comment brings the level of discourse down into the gutter. It’s sad you either have nothing to say, or are unable to articulate anything more insightful.
Uncle Joe Premium Member almost 8 years ago
Aside from lacking charisma, I doubt many voters back both Johnson’s strong pro-choice position along with his opposition to any gun control. Throw in his strong support for free trade agreements & you’re left with a small number of supporters.Johnson is polling at 10% because most people don’t know anything about him other than he’s not Trump or Clinton.
twclix almost 8 years ago
This was an incoherent comment, googli. What is it I don’t get? Seriously, I want to learn.