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Posted on 06/09/2011 1:38:51 PM PDT by markomalley
Everybody knows that libertarians are greedy capitalists who favor the maximization of profit above all else. “Taxation is theft!” they cry, but the exploitation of the working classes fails to elicit any similar moral outrage. Libertarians, everybody knows, care about the rich to the utter neglect of the poor and vulnerable.
But everybody is wrong.
The reason for the common misperception, of course, is that libertarians oppose many of the governmental policies that are commonly thought to benefit the poor and working classes. Libertarians oppose redistributive taxation, oppose the minimum wage, oppose workplace safety regulations, antitrust laws, and many other restrictions on business. But none of this means that libertarians are indifferent to the plight of the poor. After all, just because you care about something doesn’t mean you want the government taking care of it.
People make three important errors when thinking about libertarianism and the poor.
The first mistake is to believe the government when it claims that its policies are intended to help the poor. They almost never are. The great bulk of redistributive taxation and subsidization goes to benefit interest groups that are politically powerful, not economically vulnerable. Think Medicare, agricultural subsidies, and the mortgage interest deduction. And most existing regulation of business is, paradoxically enough, for the benefit of business itself. Regulation raises the cost of doing business, and so establishes a barrier to entry that benefits large existing firms at the expense of their smaller competitors. Occupational licensing, for example, whether of doctors, lawyers, or barbers, is almost never forced upon an unwilling industry by public-spirited regulators. Rather, it is actively sought after by established members of the profession itself, eager to insulate themselves against potential competition. And politicians are all-too-willing to
(Excerpt) Read more at dailycaller.com ...
I think the “soft bigotry of low expectations” from the Nanny State does more damage than drug addiction. The proof is all around you...
You are keeping me laughing.
That’s why it’s important to have high expectations, to get rid of the scummy dealers and keep your kids off dope.
But I guess we should just ignore them, and leave them be and hope for the best.
Libertarians are not all bad but they are always educated and live in nice places. They tend to do well in life, so they think so can all others even if they are dumb as posts. Far better to try and execute all drug pushers but free republic libertarians always object to this. They either take drugs or have friends who sell and distribute them
Plop down a libertarian with his wife and kids in one of these drug infested neighborhoods and see how long they last. See if they don't want to kill the drug pusher who approaches his young son and daughter
Was legal prohibition of alcohol or drugs present in any of the societies in the Bible?
Was there any recommendation that these should be prohibited under secular law?
Speaking of the Constitution, do you think the original Commerce Clause authorized fedgov to impose national drug or alcohol prohibition... yes or no?
True, but as I say to my conservative friends all the time, we can debate our differences in a civilized forum later. Right now, though, we have more important battles to fight against the Marxists and the Islamists. We cannot afford divisions in our ranks while the fate of civilization is on the line.
Alcohol is not bad if it isn’t used to excess. In fact, there are benefits. Everything used to extremes can be bad....even drinking too much water-—so no, there should be no law against alcohol except slight ones where children are concerned.
Also laws governing the use of vehicles, etc. where people can be killed by the impairment....
You have to apply “Common Sense” which is so spelled out by Thomas Reid.
That is what we no longer do—use common sense and it is because of the Cultural Marxist’s PC to destroy the freedom of speech and the expression of ideas.
Yes, and I really like their open borders drivel. Loosertarians will never win anything meaningful as long as they are against national defense(his reference to trident missles somehow being equivalent to our infantry on the ground in a foreign war)and for open borders.
1. Was legal prohibition of alcohol or drugs present in any of the societies in the Bible... YES or NO?
Was there any recommendation that these should be prohibited under secular law... YES or NO?
You mentioned the Constitution. Do you think the original Commerce Clause authorized fedgov to impose national drug or alcohol prohibition... YES or NO?
Yes, but Prohibition did make it harder for the so inclimed to get booze as well. In fact, cases of alcoholism dropped during those years.
all energy put into proving ‘hemp’ cures cancer and creates world peace
It’s up to ME to keep my kids off dope. Expecting the incompetent FedGov to do it is an exercise in sheer madness.
However, addiction to more and more Nanny State government seems to have no end...
It is the philosophy of Thomas Reid that was the basis of the Biblical foundation, so it just wasn’t Tom, Dick. or Harry’s interpretation of the Bible. He founded the Common Sense school of philosophy and was more influential to John Adams than even Locke.
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/reid/
America was great because common sense was common. All this PC BS would have NEVER flown—having strangers teach little kids about how kids can have two mommies....to demean dads and make them irrelevant???? A biological LIE taught in schools?????? Absolutely stupid and unconstitutional to teach lies and pervert children’s nature to believe the ridiculous beats cause and effect. It is cognitive dissonance and destroys logic in children (KGB agent).
Jesus turned water into wine for a wedding at his mother’s request so I don’t see where you are going with this. Moderation is important in all aspects of life. Read Aristotle’s Virtues......It is all about the mean between two extremes. His definition of “virtue” holds up for the Bible also which was aligned with Natural Law Theory by Thomas Aquinas. Christian Theology is the most reasoned and logical religion (because of this alignment) because St. Thomas said that the Truth should never contradict the “laws of nature”.
It is the basis of our Constitution—laws of nature—cause and effect.....Understanding cause and effect is called Rational Thinking......
It is why the US was so successful....the religion was rational and the laws were rational. Rational laws (based on Natural Law Theory) according to Cicero (non Christian age) ALSO acknowledged that “Just Law” is based on the laws of nature. To go against nature (homosexual marriage) is not just law. It forces unnatural on the populous which means you need force of law to promote it since it will not be sanctioned otherwise. Since it is unnatural you are forcing people to go against their innate conscience and it can never be done in a FREE society where parents have the right to bring up their children in their worldview-—not some perverted person making up “right and wrong” NOT based on the laws of nature and God’s laws which is written in our Founding documents.
So, no, the Commerce Clause was greatly mutilated and is now unconstitutional because of the misuse. It is no longer reasonable and rational....it is twisted logic.....to control people and actions.(politicians/power for you!!)
I agree with limited government....we are WAY beyond constitutional since Dewey, Holmes, FDR and Wilson...
Right! Too bad most don't see it like that.
Or you can get raw with these strings. Either way, the violin is sweet yet lethal.
Do it!
If we must maintain the individual income tax, all of the deductions and credits need to go, all income should be taxed at the same rate, the number of filing statuses should be reduced to one (individual), and the number of brackets should be reduced to two (5 percent and 10 percent), with the dividing line between the brackets indexed to median individual income.
Oh, and eliminate the estate tax while you're at it.
I’m a libertarian/conservative who generally lives in what one would call “da hood.” I am all for decriminalizing drugs.
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