Profile | Chip Hanlon
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Last Call: the Libertarian Conversation
Published:July 20, 2009 | 09:00 PM
Last Call With Chip Hanlon
Hanlon’s too busy to keep engaging back and forth in the non-arguments of the Register’s Steven Greenhut, so in this week’s show he clarifies the things the reporter fails to discuss/acknowledge about the ideas of Libertarian Party leaders. And was that our basketball-playing stud of a President throwing out the first pitch at last week’s MLB All-Star game? Listen to this week’s fun/aggravating/thought-provoking show!
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Comments
If you want those on the right to understand what libertarianism is, then why don't you ask one instead of engaging in a 13-minute monologue with yourself? You, as a right-wing Republican, are not in a position to explain or defend libertarianism. If people want to know what libertarianism is, they could pick up almost anything by Friedrich Hayek, Milton Friedman, Hernando de Soto, Mises, Hazlitt, Rothbard, Nozick or even Ayn Rand. All espoused different strains of the same belief system--individualism--which is what libertarianism is all about.
In a nutshell, the common belief that nearly libertarians share is that individuals own themselves and have a right to pursue life, liberty and happiness (including property rights) in any way they choose as long as they do not harm another individual. Many libertarians disagree on the role of government, but most take the position that the sole justification for any government is to protect those rights, and anything beyond that role, no matter how well-intentioned, is a usurpation of power and illegitimate use of coercive force, lacking philosophical justification and producing undesirable and unintended consequences.
Like I said, if you want your listeners/readers to know what a libertarian is, just ask one. Your explanation is lacking at best and blatantly misleading at worst. There are plenty of libertarians to choose from. I'm sure Cato, Reason, Mercatus or any one of the many state-based think tanks (part of the State Policy Network) would be happy to oblige.
In the meantime, please stop offering non-explanations of philosophical and economic ideas you do not understand.
Quoth Anon: "Many libertarians disagree on the role of government, but most take the position that the sole justification for any government is to protect those rights, and anything beyond that role, no matter how well-intentioned, is a usurpation of power and illegitimate use of coercive force, lacking philosophical justification and producing undesirable and unintended consequences."
But! But! But! What if it's not only well-intentioned but also extremely patriotic and perhaps even festooned with American flags? ;-)
"But! But! But! What if it's not only well-intentioned but also extremely patriotic and perhaps even festooned with American flags? ;-) "
Well, in that case it's probably okay.
"Zero Aggression Principle":
"A libertarian is a person who believes that no one has the right, under any circumstances, to initiate force against another human being for any reason whatever; nor will a libertarian advocate the initiation of force, or delegate it to anyone else. Those who act consistently with this principle are libertarians, whether they realize it or not. Those who fail to act consistently with it are not libertarians, regardless of what they may claim."
— L. Neil Smith
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