Category Archives: Libertarian

Jacob Brittons Wealth Distribution Fails to Invigorate Economy is a five-paragraph rehashing of key libertarian talking points (The Oberlin Review, March 31, 2017). It may prove heuristically useful, then, to offer a step-by-step rebuttal of each argument to demonstrate the overwhelming inadequacy of libertarianism as a political philosophy.

Britton poses three questions: What justifies wealth redistribution, what would redistributed wealth look like and is wealth redistribution good for the economy?

Arguing on avenues paved by libertarian thinkers like Robert Nozick and Friedrich Hayek, Britton says that the state is justified in taxation only for the purpose of essential government functions like national security and the justice system. This implies that taxation for any purpose beyond the essentials is immoral and violent. Britton says any demand for state intervention in a democratic society to redistribute wealth is beyond the essentials and is subjective and mob rule.

This argument is nonsensical. Britton provides no criteria for distinguishing essential state activities from non-essential state activities. His two examples suggest that the state is justified only so long as it protects some set of individual rights. But can we imagine a consistent and worthy conception of individual rights that includes security from foreign invasion but does not include security from poverty?

If the question isnt one of maximizing individual rights, but of minimizing violence, then Britton again fails: Violence is implicit in a capitalist economy where the worker is faced with the decision to accept a contract or starve. Coercion and violence always exist in capitalism. The state can work to minimize it or it can do nothing. In my view, one of those options is clearly more just than the other.

Brittons next argument is that wealth distribution without a targeted goal of equality (e.g. the wealthiest have only 10 times as opposed to 100 times more than the poorest) is unprincipled. He says that without an explicit goal, we are left only with the implicit goal of radical equality. He seems to think radical equality is a bad thing, but offers no arguments for that view. I think radical equality is actually a fantastic political value, and if he wants to argue the opposite point, it would be at the very least entertaining to read his effort.

Britton next states that because we are a supply-driven economy, capitalist spending is better for the economy than working-class spending because capitalists invest with an eye to the long-term. Where to begin? Capitalists do not invest with an eye to the long term. The economy is neither clearly supply nor demand-driven: It is healthiest when demand is equal to supply, but sadly, as Karl Marx demonstrated and the latest 2008 crisis reminded us, capitalism cyclically causes demand and supply to fall out of sync with one another. Only democratic and deliberate intervention in the market maintains its functioning. Brittons gloss of economics is so crude as to be comedic if it werent being used to justify the continuing domination of the many by the few.

Finally, Britton says expropriating the ruling class is not a viable strategy because the CEO of Walmart makes only $19 million a year, which redistributed to Walmart employees comes to only $9. Happily, the CEO is just a petit-bourgeois middle man. Marxists advocate for the expropriation of the capitalist, properly bourgeois class. In the case of Walmart, this is the Walton family, whose wealth cautious estimates peg at $149 billion. This comes out to about $70,952 for every Walmart worker worldwide. Sounds good to me!

Continue reading here:

Libertarian Economics Crudely Misguided - The Oberlin Review

Donald Trump's cruise missile strike against a Syrian airbase has prompted criticism froma series of his high-profilelibertarian supportersat home and abroad.

International figures including far-right French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen and long-term Trump ally Nigel Farage broke ranks to condemn an attack Ms Le Pen called "horrible".

The attack also estranged figures across the American isolationist and libertarian right, including veteran senator Rand Paul andalt-right figurehead Richard Spencer.

US air strikes: Nigel Farage turns on Donald Trump over Syria bombings

In a television interview with BFM TV, Front National's Marine Le Pen said: "Trump was elected by announcing that the United States would no longer be the policeman of the world, would no longer interfere.

"The facts are appalling in Syria. It takes an international commission to conduct an independent investigation."

Ms Le Pen, currently slated to finish a distant second in the French Presidential election on a far-right anti-immigration ticket, also cast doubt on MrTrump's motivation for the bombings.

The President said he hoped the strikes would "prevent and deter the use of deadly chemical weapons" like those allegedly used by the Syrian Arab Army to kill over 80 people near rebel-held Idlib. But Ms le Pen compared this explanation to the non-existent weapons of mass destructionused to justify the US invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Former Ukipchief Nigel Farage has been even closer to the new US President than Ms Le Pen. Mr Farage spoke at the billionaire tycoon's mass rallies, and was the first British politician to visit Trump Tower after Hillary Clinton's shock defeat.

But on Friday, he said: I think a lot of Trump voters will be waking up this morning and scratching their heads and saying 'where will it all end?'

As a firm Trump supporter, I say, yes, the pictures were horrible, but I'm surprised. Whatever Assad's sins, he is secular."

Pro-Trump politicians in Italy have also criticised the strikes, with Northern League leader Matteo Salvini describing the assault as "a bad idea, big mistake, and a gift to Isis" in a Facebook post.

And the shift against President Trump was even starker at home. Writing for Fox News, leading libertarian Senator Rand Paul fiercely condemned the "unconstitutional rush towards war".

Though they played golf together last weekend, the President has previously described Senator Paul as "truly weird" and "a spoiled brat without a properly functioning brain", and has never had the full support of the man he defeated in the Republican primary race.

But Mr Trump has also reportedlysparred withright-hand man Steve Bannon over the decision to bombard a Syrian airbase with cruise missiles.

"Steve doesn't think we belong [in Syria]," an aide to the chief strategist told NY Magazine.

The President is reportedlyconsideringsacking Mr Bannonas chief strategist, with his about-face on Syrian intervention just the latest issue to drive a wedge between the two politicians.

Media figures previously sympathetic to Mr Trump have also queued up to blast him for the assault which left fifteen Syrian soldiers and civilians dead, including four children.

Anne Coulter has been one of Mr Trump's staunchest supporters on the Fox News circuit, but the conservative pundit wrote on Twitter: "Those who wanted us meddling in the Middle East voted for other candidates.

Trump campaigned on not getting involved in Mideast. Said it always helps our enemies & creates more refugees. Then he saw a picture on TV.

White nationalist Richard Spencer, who coined the phrase "alt-right", said his support for President Trump was now deadin the water, while influential blogger Paul Joseph Watson also announced he was stepping off the "Trump train".

View original post here:

Donald Trump's libertarian supporters across the world desert him over Syria air strikes - The Independent

The head of the Libertarian National Committee on Friday condemned the Trump administrations missile strike in Syria, saying history shows that time and again the United States has failed when it tries to be the worlds policeman and that it is uncertain who carried out the chemical attack that spurred the president to retaliate.

Nicholas Sarwark, chairman of the group, called for an end to interventionist foreign policy, warning there is no clear, straight-forward path to peace and advising President Trump to focus more of his energy on helping Syrian refugees that are seeking to enter the United States.

Since World War II, American foreign policy has been highly interventionist, Mr. Sarwark said in an email blast. This has dragged our country into many wars and conflicts that were not in the best interest of the American people.

These wars and conflicts have cost many thousands of lives and billions of dollars and have not made the American people any safer, he said. Our military is very powerful but these issues are too complex to be solved by military might.

Mr. Trumps decision to target an airbase in Syria has received positive reviews from members of both parties, though some lawmakers have said Mr. Trump has made a mistake and overstepped his constitutional authority by ordering the attack.

Mr. Sarwack said the nations push to end terrorism in the Middle East has often backfired and become a recruiting tool for terrorist organizations. He said he is concerned that the missile strike in Syria could lead to a proxy war with Russian and worried that Mr. Trump might have acted prematurely.

The use of chemical agents against civilians is abhorrent but, according to news reports, the cause of that chemical release is uncertain, Mr. Sarwark said. It is believable that the Assad regime could have purposefully caused it but when war and peace are at stake, as they are now, we must not jump to conclusions, no matter how natural they may seem.

Presidents change and lawmakers come and go, but The Washington Times is always here, and FREE online. Please support our efforts.

More:

Libertarian National Committee chair denounces Syria airstrikes - Washington Times

BY: Mary Lou Lang April 7, 2017 2:10 pm

The Wichita State University student government has refused to recognize a libertarian group on campus because of its First Amendment principles, and a nonprofit group that defends freedom of speech and academic freedom on campuses is asking the university president to reverse their decision.

The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education in a letter on Friday to Wichita State President John Bardo demanded he immediately reverse the student government's decision. The letter also asked Bardo to instruct the student government that it cannot discriminate against prospective student groups based on their own viewpoints.

"The Wichita State student government is engaged in a full-frontal assault on the First Amendment: It unconstitutionally denied a student group official recognition because, ironically, the student group supports the right of freedom of speech," said Ari Cohn, director of FIRE's Individual Rights Defense Program, in a prepared statement.

"The Wichita State administration cannot give its student government authority to grant or deny recognition to student groups and then stand idly by when that authority is exercised in a viewpoint discriminatory manner," said Cohn, adding that the university must reverse the student government's "unconstitutional actions."

The student government questioned student Maria Church about her application to form a campus chapter of the Young Americans for Liberty on April 5. They also asked her about the group's political positions, the issues it will address, and even the group's views on the First Amendment.

Church was asked about her position on "safe spaces", YAL's position on "hate speech", and YAL's opposition to "free speech zones."

Several senators were against officially recognizing YAL because other chapters of the group have invited speakers such as former Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulous to speak on campus.

"We've seen very dangerous statements being said in the name of free speech," said one senator. Another said, "if you want to talk about having free speech, [YAL's] definition of free speech is highly skewed, based on the empirics of this.

After debating YAL's application, the student government voted against recognizing the libertarian group.

According to FIRE, their decision is directly in conflict with longstanding First Amendment jurisprudence. In Healy v. James (1972), the U.S. Supreme Court held that a public college may not deny recognition of a student group "simply because it finds the views expressed by any group to be abhorrent."

Church was discouraged by the student government's decision and claimed they are attacking and silencing students they claim they stand for.

"It is discouraging to see elected student officials opposing the free speech of those who disagree with their political agendas," said Church in a prepared statement. "While they claim to stand for diversity and acceptance, they are attacking one of the most diverse groups on campus. The student senate is effectively silencing the very people they're claiming to stand up for."

More:

Wichita State Student Government Refuses to Recognize Libertarian ... - Washington Free Beacon

Palm Beach Post (blog)

Libertarian Party: drop adult ID card requirement for Palm Beach County strippers Palm Beach Post (blog) The party also issued part of a column about the Palm Beach County cards by Elizabeth Nolan Brown on Reason.com, the web page of the Libertarian-leaning Reason Foundation. It read in part that the prevention angle is ludicrous; anyone willing to force ...

Continued here:

Libertarian Party: drop adult ID card requirement for Palm Beach County strippers - Palm Beach Post (blog)

by David Webb

David Webb is a veteran journalist who has written for the mainstream and alternative media for three decades. He is now a freelancer who lives in the Cedar Creek Lake area. He is the editor of cedarcreeklake.com. E-mail story ideas to davidwaynewebb@yahoo.com.

The Henderson County Libertarian Party will host a discussion about proposed Texas legislation to legalize the medical use of marijuana at Cedar Creek Brewery, Sunday, April 9, 2017, at 3 p.m.

The event will include guest speaker Brook Bailey of DFW NORML, which is a marijuana advocacy group (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws). Bailey also serves on the Texas Libertarian Partys Executive Committee, and she formerly served as chair of the Tarrant County Libertarian Party chapter.

Henderson County Libertarian Party Coordinator Desarae Lindsey said all are welcome at the event regardless of their political affiliations and views.

Even if people dont feel compelled to join our party, I hope they start to pay attention to what is happening in Austin, she said.

For information call 469-418-2757 or email henderson@lptexas.org

For information on NORML visit: https://www.texasnorml.org/

Original post:

Libertarian Party of Cedar Creek Lake to host NORML speaker - CedarCreekLake.com

Being Libertarian

The Chief's Thoughts: The Rule of Law and Liberty Being Libertarian Instead, we concern ourselves with this often-elusive concept of 'the rule of law', which is certainly not often discussed among libertarians. So why are a bunch of classical liberals so concerned with the rule of law, when we should all theoretically ...

View original post here:

The Chief's Thoughts: The Rule of Law and Liberty - Being Libertarian

Issued today by the Libertarian Party National Chair:

The Libertarian Party denounces last nights strikes on Syria.

Purportedly these strikes were a retaliation for the release of a chemical agent which wounded and killed many Syrians earlier this week.

The use of chemical agents against civilians is abhorrent but, according to news reports, the cause of that chemical release is uncertain. It is believable that the Assad regime could have purposefully caused it but when war and peace are at stake, as they are now, we must not jump to conclusions, no matter how natural they may seem.

The situation in Syria is very complex. There is no clear, straight-forward path to peace. Additional air strikes will just kill more people and further inflame an already highly volatile situation.

For decades, the United States has pursued a foreign policy based on the idea that we can play policeman for the world. Time and time again we have seen this fail. Sadly, our intervention into Syria will be no different.

Launching missiles into Syria risks pitting the US against Russia in a proxy war. There is no way in which a proxy war can be beneficial for humanity, the United States, or Syria. Such a war will only elevate Russia on the world stage, further destroy Syria and Syrian lives, and cost the US many American lives and resources.

If the President wants to help the Syrian people, he should facilitate more refugees entering the United States to find safety here rather than demonizing them and hampering their escape from the dictator who is slaughtering them.

Since World War II, American foreign policy has been highly interventionist. This has dragged our country into many wars and conflicts that were not in the best interest of the American people. These wars and conflicts have cost many thousands of lives and billions of dollars and have not made the American people any safer. Our military is very powerful but these issues are too complex to be solved by military might.

The Libertarian Party calls for an end to interventionist foreign policy.

Specifically, the Libertarian Party recommends ending American military aggression in Syria and the rest of the Middle East. Our actions there, while meant to reduce terrorism, instead often serve as a rallying cry for terrorists and facilitate terrorist recruitment.

Nicholas Sarwark Chair, Libertarian National Committee

More:

National Libertarian Party Denounces US Air Strikes on Syria - Antiwar.com (blog)

Being Libertarian

The Third Largest Political Party: Why the LP Fails Being Libertarian The Libertarian Party often boasts of being the third largest political party in the United States, and seems to think that fact alone is something earned or worth being proud of. But I see it as merely a circumstance, and one that actually bodes ...

Read more:

The Third Largest Political Party: Why the LP Fails - Being Libertarian

Being Libertarian

Shortcuts Ampersand Delusions: Fun With the TSA Being Libertarian If a TSA agent is going to just check my waistband for whatever it is he decided he has to search me for, then I demand that he be at least slightly handsome and have breath that smells like something other than asparagus. The TSA agent's face was ... and more »

Read the original post:

Shortcuts Ampersand Delusions: Fun With the TSA - Being Libertarian