For The Libertarians, please

[Todd]

Tell me the good things about the current state of the libertarian party.

Not what could be good in the future, or what was good in the past, but what is good about it right now in 2001.

 

[p_p_man]

They're not...

...Democrats?

 

[Unclebill]

The party membership is growing which hopefully is a sign of a Renaissance in American politics after 70 years of drifting down the road to Socialism/Fascism with the Democrats and Republicans despite the Constitutional prohibitions of such abuses of authority.

 

[MinkSoul]

well....

here in Arizona the party is slowly making a come back. it wasn't the Dem's or the Rep's that were hammering us.... it was a bit of in-fighting....

so.... what's good about the Libertarian party in Az? we're all pulling in the same direction (hopefuly) now...

and that direction is getting the fedral government off our backs ....

ie.... if i'm not hurting anyone else then Don't tell me what i can and can not do...

 

[Ally C]

Libertarians ...

... come across as very reasonable people. Any more out there I wonder? Sort of reminds me of the "Common Sense" thread in a roundabout way.

 

[p_p_man]

They're the equivalent of...

...the Liberal Democrats in the UK.

The LibDems used to be one of the two main parties until the rise of Labour and a suicidal bout of in fighting in the 1920s. At one time from 1960 - 1980 they never had more than 15 members of parliament, and once went down to about 3-4.

The last election here saw them increase their representation to 53, the highest for 70 years.

So I'd say that the good thing about the Libertarians is that like the LibDems they give voters a chance to support an alternative party.

 

[Ally C]

I'm not saying who I voted for, but it wasn't Labour or Conservative.

 

[Myrrdin]

The Lib' Dem's made a major breakthrough at the last election.
They now represent more mountains and more sheep than any other party in the UK.

 

[p_p_man]

I thought that was...

The Lib' Dem's made a major breakthrough at the last election.
They now represent more mountains and more sheep than any other party in the UK.

...Plaid Cymru or SNP.

Poor LibDems they're always getting knocked and they've got that nice Mr Kennedy (and Cornwall) on their side...

 

[Ally C]

I like mountains. Not so keen on sheep though.

 

[Andra_Jenny]

Libertarianism ?

is very attractive in that they argue for less government which absolutely no one is brave enough to be for after Gingrich and the Contract with America. For two minutes, I was almost a Republican!

 

[p_p_man]

sheep are ok...

I like mountains. Not so keen on sheep though.

...well I've had no complaints so far...

**wanders out again to continue his quest**

 

[Guru]

 

[gleam]

The Libertarians have kept to their principles, unlike the major "For Sale" parties.

The reason being, I think, that their principles are very simple to stick to Coercion is bad. Retaliatory force is acceptable. There are no greys, and everything is black and white. At least, that's the stance of philosophical, small-l libertarianism. I really don't know much about the actual american political party.

I read somewhere that they can often be seen at pro-choice rallies carrying pickets saying "We're pro-choice on everything!!"

I pretty much agree with almost all of their official policies. Most things *are* black and white. I think Ayn Rand said this best with respect to people who claim that there is no black and white, only shades of grey : "If there is no black and white, there can be no grey, since grey is merely a mixture of the two...before one can identify somethig as 'grey' one has to know what is black and what is white....And when a man has ascertained that one alternative is good [white] and the other evil [black], he has no justification for choosing a mixture."

If only I actually lived up to this

I like the libertarians. I would have voted for them in the last Canadian federal election, but they didn't field any candidates in my riding Without libertarians, you basically have a choice between those who would give you economic freedom but take away your social liberties (right wing) and those you would give you social liberties without any economic freedom (left wing)