Posted on 01/14/2005 2:27:36 AM PST by freepatriot32
That was almost the exact words I wrote to you for my last reply. But I decided to be polite, and scrapped it.
Its clear that we are talking past each other for the most part. But since I am the one responding, as you initiated the exchange, I feel obligated to respond in kind.
You simply have a flaw in your understanding of american libertarianism. We honor our US Constitution.
Here you are absolutely off base. American Libertarianism as a whole has nothing to say about the U.S. Constitution. The fact the application of a calculated strategy has led to a recent fad among some libertarians to present libertarianism as a pro-constitutionalist philosophy, does not change what libertarianism is (American or otherwise). Nor does this fact, that many libertarians view a constitutional government as the best way to maintain liberty, properly define them as constitutionalists. There are many libertarian supporters of our constitution who would consider being called "constitutionalist" as an insult. And none of this includes the many anti-constitution libertarians.
No, I'd say it is you who does not know the slightest about what "american libertarianism" is, or you are one of them that are trying to trick conservatives about what it is. I suspect the former.
youve been added tot he list
That was almost the exact words I wrote to you for my last reply. But I decided to be polite, and scrapped it. Its clear that we are talking past each other for the most part. But since I am the one responding, as you initiated the exchange, I feel obligated to respond in kind.
I initiated the exchange to protest your overgeneralized slur on libertarians.
You simply have a flaw in your understanding of american libertarianism. We honor our US Constitution.
Here you are absolutely off base. American Libertarianism as a whole has nothing to say about the U.S. Constitution.
BS. Go to most any libertarian orientated think tank or web site, and try to find any anti-constitutional material. It simply doesn't exist, except on the anarchist fringes.
The fact the application of a calculated strategy has led to a recent fad among some libertarians to present libertarianism as a pro-constitutionalist philosophy, does not change what libertarianism is (American or otherwise).
What "IS" it then, in your mind? Why do you see it as anti-constitutionalist?
Nor does this fact, that many libertarians view a constitutional government as the best way to maintain liberty, properly define them as constitutionalists.
Weird sentence. - You admit that fact, then illogically reverse yourself.
There are many libertarian supporters of our constitution who would consider being called "constitutionalist" as an insult.
You are contradicting yourself, making no sense.. Words have meaning.
And none of this includes the many anti-constitution libertarians.
Sure, there are anarchists who call themselves libertarians. Any nut that wants to can call himself libertarian, and many do. -- But when questioned as to their real philosophy, they fail the real test of american libertarianism. They do not support & defend the US Constitution.
No, I'd say it is you who does not know the slightest about what "american libertarianism" is, or you are one of them that are trying to trick conservatives about what it is. I suspect the former.
Very well, what is mainstream american libertarianism in -your- view? Try to spare me the nonsense from the fringes, I've seen it all.
Give me your critique of the Cato Institute, for instance. I consider them as the best in the business.
The Cato Institute: Public Policy Analysis, Limited Government, Free Markets Address:http://www.cato.org/
1. not read or understood what you have written,
2. initiating an overgeneralized slur on libertarianism,
3. a flaw in understanding american libertarianism.
I accuse you equally of all three. I also accuse you of quoting me out of context, followed immediately by ignoring the quote, then answering that which I did not say. Thereby directly implying words to me that I did not say.
You also mix anarchist and unspecified nuts together, who call themselves libertarians. Which I do not object to. But you then further state that "they" with out specificity, "fail the real test of american libertarianism." But you do not clearly set out what that test is. Instead you follow the sentence with an additional charge that "they do not support & defend the US Constitution. Leaving me to think that you mean it to be the test. Which I of course have already stated is not a test for american libertarianism. You of course offer on proof that it is. You also accused me of three more errors, that::
a. I admit a fact, then illogically reverse myself.
b. I contradicted myself, making no sense.
c. I don't know the meaning of words.
You were not specific in one of these accusations as to what you were talking about. You are so busy accusing, that you fail to know how to raise a proper question. With all the errors mentioned above, I am not going to try to guess at what you mean for all of them in one single post.
One error I highly suspect from your words, is that you may have read to much into my reply. You might wrongfully assume that I was suggesting that a majority of libertarians reject the U.S. Constitution. I never said that. Or possibly you might be confusing constitutional government, with the current U.S. Constitution. But even that is guessing on part as to what you are saying. Maybe you can't handle specificity. People who generally use ad homonym arguments, can't handle it. Well so be it.
I of course am ready to explain any two items you raise, if you are capable to raising them as as questions or in statement form. But I'm not going to sift through a bunch of wild accusations to pick out the best two.
Oh, and by the way I think Cato is one of the best in the business. But not the best. There are many that are right up there with cato, to include: heartland, isil, fee, reason, advocates for self government, to name a few.
Whatever.
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