'What We Can Smoke And Who We Can Marry': Libertarianism Explained

[one...two...tree 2,762]

by Adam Davidson

This fall's election is not a choice between libertarianism and socialism, according to libertarians and socialists.

We recently talked to a socialist, who told us that Democrats aren't socialists.

Today, we hear from the Cato Institute's David Boaz, author of Libertarianism: A Primer. He says a vote for the Republican Party is not a vote for libertarianism.

The basic libertarian idea, according to Boaz, is this:

Adult individuals have the right and the responsibility to make the important decisions about their own lives. And our government, today, interferes with that right in a whole variety of ways. It tells us where to send our kids to school, how we have to save for retirement. It tells us what we can smoke and who we can marry.

Boaz says both parties go against these core, libertarian values:

Well, yeah, it's mostly Democrats who want to raise our taxes and tell us how to save for retirement and how to give to charity. But it's mostly Republicans that tell us what we can smoke and who we can marry. So, there are ways that both liberals and conservatives interfere with individual freedom and the pursuit of happiness.

If you apply traditional labels of conservative and liberal, it can get really confusing trying to place libertarians on a political ideology map.

Sure, most libertarians have what sound like conservative views. No taxes, no welfare, little regulation of private companies.

But then, libertarians start sounding like fringe lefties. Legalize all drugs — even the super-hard stuff. Same with prostitution. Gay marriage should be legal, they say. And we should have free trade wide open borders: all immigrants are welcome, libertarians say.

Maybe the biggest break that libertarians take with traditional conservatism: No foreign military actions unless defending the US from a direct attack. So we should pull out of Iraq and Afghanistan completely and totally.

Libertarians do tend to vote for Republicans more than Democrats, Boaz says. Republicans support less government in the marketplace. And few leading Democrats argue for ending the drug war or legalizing gay marriage, he says.

This November's election is not between socialism and libertarianism, Boaz says. It's a race between two slightly different approaches to government intervention in our lives.

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[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Libertarians are pro choice on everything. Why is any of this surprising? Libertarians are NOT Republicans...who knew?

Whatever "super hard" drugs are, Libertarians prefer to spend the billions we do on "fighting" drugs on treating people addicted to them or regulating them and taxing them in order to eliminate the revenue to people that basically make war with our society,

Yes, we oppose war. So what? Who likes it? We should have a scarey strong military and hopefully never need to use it.

Yes, prostitution should be legal. And gay marriage. Women should have trhe right to choose.

Fences do not keep people out, they keep people in. Dispose of our archaic tax system and replace it with te FAIR TAX and illegal immigrants taking jobs will be athing of the past. We will need all the workers we can get to fill all the jobs that will come to this country.

Ta

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Libertarians are pro choice on everything. Why is any of this surprising? Libertarians are NOT Republicans...who knew?

Whatever "super hard" drugs are, Libertarians prefer to spend the billions we do on "fighting" drugs on treating people addicted to them or regulating them and taxing them in order to eliminate the revenue to people that basically make war with our society,

Yes, we oppose war. So what? Who likes it? We should have a scarey strong military and hopefully never need to use it.

Yes, prostitution should be legal. And gay marriage. Women should have trhe right to choose.

Fences do not keep people out, they keep people in. Dispose of our archaic tax system and replace it with te FAIR TAX and illegal immigrants taking jobs will be athing of the past. We will need all the workers we can get to fill all the jobs that will come to this country.

Ta

Hit "post" too soon. Taken as single issues anything can appear "crazy" "Open borders" does not work with our current tax scheme. And Libertarians do not advocate "open borders" in that we favor surrendering soveriegnty, not at all.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Liberals want to jail all drug users..... not cool.... man.

[luckytxn 2,264]

Even if I vote Libertarian does not mean I expect them to win in office. They are just who I identify with politically the most. All the networks and media are going to trumpet the two major parties only and bring out only the craziest parts of any other party of they say anything about them at all. There are two major parties that are going to be in office in our lifetimes so deal with it. I could care less though if anyone considers my voting for anybody but the two major parties as a wasted vote. I fell good when I go into the voting booth and vote and do not ever have to hold my nose and vote for the lesser of two evils. I do vote for one Republican though and that is my Congressman Ron Paul. I also help out on his campaign as much as possible and anything else I can do to help him.

[Danno 1,228]

Q: What governments in the world operate on a Libertarian government?

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Q: What governments in the world operate on a Libertarian government?

There aren't any, and there aren't any true Libertarian politicians. Even Ron Paul is opposed to open borders.

[^_^ 5,021]

Somalia, libertarian paradise (YouTube)

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Libertarian magic dust.....hahahahaha.

[Heracles 417]

Q: What governments in the world operate on a Libertarian government?

The closest thing I can find to libertarianism and the implementation [result] of their policies are in third world countries.

Some of their policies are batshit 9/11 denier crazy.

[Danno 1,228]

The closest thing I can find to libertarianism and the implementation [result] of their policies are in third world countries.

Some of their policies are batshit 9/11 denier crazy.

Why the clammer of so many for such a concept?

[^_^ 5,021]

Why the clammer of so many for such a concept?

I think they want cholera.

[Ban Hammer 13,360]

Somalia, libertarian paradise (YouTube)

[evli1966 88]

Adult individuals have the right and the responsibility to make the important decisions about their own lives. And our government, today, interferes with that right in a whole variety of ways. It tells us where to send our kids to school, how we have to save for retirement. It tells us what we can smoke and who we can marry

Yeppers especially when it comes to a fiance immigrating.

[^_^ 5,021]

Adult individuals have the right and the responsibility to make the important decisions about their own lives. And our government, today, interferes with that right in a whole variety of ways. It tells us where to send our kids to school, how we have to save for retirement. It tells us what we can smoke and who we can marry

Yeppers especially when it comes to a fiance immigrating.

Would you prefer open borders for fiances?