LF: Why Radical Libertarians Are the New Communists - A toxic strand of a political ideology

Title: Why Radical Libertarians Are the New Communists - A toxic strand of a political ideology
Source: evonomics.com
URL Source: https://evonomics.com/why-libertarians-are-the-new-communists/
Published: Jun 29, 2016
Author: Nick Hanauer and Eric Liu
Post Date: 2016-06-29 07:59:55 by Gatlin
Keywords: None
Views: 570
Comments: 4

Most people would consider radical libertarianism and communism polar opposites: The first glorifies personal freedom. The second would obliterate it. Yet the ideologies are simply mirror images. Both attempt to answer the same questions, and fail to do so in similar ways. Where communism was adopted, the result was misery, poverty and tyranny. If extremist libertarians ever translated their beliefs into policy, it would lead to the same kinds of catastrophe.

Nick Hanauer is a founder of Second Avenue Partners, a venture capital company in Seattle specializing in early-stage startups and emerging technology.

Eric Liu is the founder of Citizen University and a former White House speechwriter and deputy domestic policy adviser to President Bill Clinton.

Eric Liu, founder, is an author, educator, and civic entrepreneur. Eric co-authored The Gardens of Democracy and The True Partriot with Nick Hanauer, and together the two have created the True Patriot Network to advance the book's ideals of progressive patriotism.

"America is at that awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system, but too early to shoot the bastards."

Gatlin, I decided to take a few minutes and read one of these anti-libertarian missives.

If any writer is going to criticize libertarianism, they should at least do their readers the service of understanding what libertarianism stands for, and the same goes for anyone who echoes the faulty message. The writers of the article you cite apparently know nothing of the kind. If you/they simply hate the word "libertarianism" and don't care what it stands for or means, then that's fine. But do the readers a service and just admit that.

Libertarians are NOT anti-state, and neither are Ron Paul or Rand Paul. If you do not know the difference between anarchism and libertarianism, then you don't have a clue.

... which implies ignorance the fact that one can best serve his own needs though cooperation with others. What kind of moron doesn't know that?

This line demonstrates blatant ignorance of libertarianism. Learn this: Anarchism advocates no government and no rules in society. Libertarianism by contrast, DOES, in fact advocate the existence of government and social rules. The author obviously doesn't understand this. Hopefully, you now do.

The need for taxation is understood by libertarians. See above that libertarians DO favor the existence of government. Progressive taxation is a plank of communism, which I infer the author favors. But there are many kinds of taxes, and the US entered the 20th century as a world power contender with virtually no income tax as applied today.

As for gutting the middle class, The status quo, compliments of R's and D's has already accomplished that through extraordinarily high taxes.

More blatant ignorance. When one destroys the environment, it impacts the rights of others. If you were to dump your used motor oil on your own property, it would contaminate your neighbors property and adversely impact him, and damaging the property of other people is NOT in line with libertarian principles. Anarchism, perhaps, though I'd let a self professed anarchist respond to this.

Again, anarchism vs libertarianism. Look it up. These guys who authored the above apparently have no clue.

A government strong enough to impose your standards is strong enough to ban them.

I think it would be of no great surprise if they felt the same about your thoughts.

“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul

"America is at that awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system, but too early to shoot the bastards."