Anders Monsen

Lost worlds and ports of call

The libertarian divide

July 20, 2007 /

Randy Barnett’s recent Op-Ed in the Wall Street Journal appears as a modern pro-war libertarian manifesto. Quite a few libertarian commentators have responded to the effect that a pro-war libertarian is a contradiction in terms. Barnett’s original thesis, that Ron Paul’s anti-war stance vis a vis Iraq is not the only view in the libertarian movement, is probably true. I certainly don’t agree with Barnett’s theories on libertraianism and war. Also, not every libertarian supports Paul, but that doesn’t meant they don’t agree with his views on the war. Ron Paul has some libertarian qualities, but quite a few other bizarre and statist views (immigration, for example). This doesn’t stop the minarchists from beating loudly on the Ron Paul drum. Lew Rockwell’s web site and blog usually contain several Paul stories a day. And while Justin Raimondo makes some good points in this essay, I strong disagree with his concluding words, that “Ron Paul is the authentic voice of the libertarian movement.” Paul, running as a Republican, is the authentic voice of the libertarian movement? Give me a break. Sure, Paul probably will be the last nail in the coffin of the Libertarian Party (a good thing, really), but by the end of 2007 he will be a non-candidate, and the libertarians hooked on politics will need to find a new fix.

Uncategorized

2 Comments

  1. William H. Stoddard

    I’m not inclined to support Paul, even though I prefer his position on the Iraq war to any other Republican’s.

    I see the single most important issue in current politics as being the struggle between the Enlightenment and its enemies, who want to restore state-imposed religion. And I see one particular issue as a lightning rod for this conflict: the right to abortion. So to a first approximation, I’m a single-issue voter: Any candidate who supports a “right to life” amendment, or wants to overturn Roe v. Wade, or wants to weaken it, does not get my vote. That comes very, very close to saying that I will never vote for any Republican. Paul’s position on abortion is not as bad as those of some other Republicans, but it’s bad enough so that I can’t support him.

    Economic issues are all very well, but the right to control one’s own body is more fundamental, and more important, than any derivative property right.

  2. Anders Monsen

    I agree with you on the abortion issue, and here’s another good article from a non-voting libertarian, Wendy McElroy, on why not to support Paul – http://www.wendymcelroy.com/news.php?extend.912

© 2024 Anders Monsen

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑

css.php