fling93 loves fishies

Posted to MYglesias:

Fling: I must confess I regard libertarian ‘principles’ with the same reverence as I treat the physics employed by the Flat Earth Society.

Yes, there were some self-described ‘libertarians’ who reluctantly supported Kerry. But many more supported Bush, putatively in support of this amorphous and ever-changing War on a Tactic. And let’s be honest, many so-called ‘libertarians’ aren’t—they’re merely GOPers who wish to portray a certain political independence or simply don’t wish to defend certain excesses of the GOP. In reality, however, we generally see libertarians weigh tax cuts far in excess of other ‘libertarian principles’ such as personal privacy, civil rights, etc.

Also posted to Matt Yglesias:

I regard libertarian ‘principles’ with the same reverence as I treat the physics employed by the Flat Earth Society.

There is no science behind it. It’s merely a political belief, no better or worse than conservativism or liberalism. I happen to think it’s a lot more consistent than conservativism, which calls for bigger government in social issues and smaller government in economic issues, and a lot more pragmatic than liberalism, which assumes government can do a better job than it has historically done in the past.

Yes, there were some self-described ‘libertarians’ who reluctantly supported Kerry. But many more supported Bush, putatively in support of this amorphous and ever-changing War on a Tactic.

I think the libertarian attitude towards war is across the spectrum. There’s a pretty large contingent for whom initiation of force is anathema, including for governments against other governments. I just don’t buy your “many more” charge without some evidence. I already listed pretty much all the libertarians I could think of who stated their preference online, and most opposed Bush.

And let’s be honest, many so-called ‘libertarians’ aren’t

If you are arguing that there are many people who call themselves libertarian but aren’t actually libertarian, I totally agree with you. But that’s not who I’m referring to here.

In reality, however, we generally see libertarians weigh tax cuts far in excess of other ‘libertarian principles’ such as personal privacy, civil rights, etc.

I think most libertarians who know anything about economics listen to Milton Friedman and know that a tax cut without an accompanying cut in government spending does nothing to shrink the size of government, and that “starving the beast” had already been tried by Reagan and failed miserably, as it merely led to tax increases by Bush I and Clinton. Sure, there are some libertarians who don’t know anything about economics, just like there are liberals who oppose free trade because they don’t understand comparative advantage.