I am fascinated with Libertarian views. I have a hard time though when it comes to understanding how institutions like public schools, the police, firefighters will work... You guys don't think they should all be privatized do you?
Some of us do, some don't. Depends on sub group. I'm an ancap, so I think private schools, neighborhood private security possibly included in homeowner's insurance, and a similar fire brigade could easily fill in where the government drops out. The first two already have started picking up the government's slack since it sucks, and for most of history fire response was entirely a neighbors helping neighbors thing (because nobody wants the fire to spread to their own house).
More important question: would you point a gun at someone to make them pay for some other kid's schooling? Because that's basically what you support if you want the government to do it.
If you think that means I want only rich people to get schooling and emergency response, tell me why people would stop funding scholarships and other forms of charity if they had more money because they weren't paying for the massive bureaucracy known as government.
The part that bothers me even more is that most if not all police firefighters and public school indoctrinators are in a union...a taxpayer funded union, which I vehemently disagree with. All three of those professions should be privatized. Beg your pardon, I meant public school teachers there...I think.
@SpikeTalon Yeah, it's not like our schools are built on the Prussian model designed to train obedience more than critical thinking. Oh wait.
I'm borderlined Libertarian. I cannot speak for anyone else here, but I for one like the idea of privatization. In my home state of Pennsylvania, for years now there has been an ongoing argument over whether to privatize all liquor stores (PA is one of two states in which all liquor distributors are controlled by the state, Utah is the other). Anybody who is employed at a liquor distribution center in PA is union...state union that is (paid for with taxpayer dollars). There is no good reason why my state has to control/oversee all liquor sales, aside from the fact the state union liquor store employees love their taxpayer-funded living and a nice cush job with excellent benefits, they are holding on for dear life in fear of liquor sales in PA someday become privatized. Government already regulates enough things, so yes, I am for privatization.
ah...yes, the State Stores. I almost forgot about them! I was raised in PA and graduated high school there. That is a perfect example of government over-reach and where the government has NO RIGHT being involved! Thank for providing that example.
@SkotlandSkye Pennsylvania is an interesting state...and somewhat weird as well in regards to some of the laws. I like the fact I live in a gun rights friendly state, unlike most of the neighboring ones. State controlled liquor sales has always been a sticking point for me, government overreach writ large there. Curiosity abounds...did you attend and graduate from high school in eastern PA? If you didn't want to answer that here, I understand and all good.
@SpikeTalon Western PA....I am a graduate of Punxsutawney Area High School! Home of Punxsutawney Phil, the world famous groundhog I'm from the 'Burgh side of the state....not the side with the "City of Brothers on Drugs" hahahahaha
@SkotlandSkye Lucky you. I live all too close to the deranged city you referred to.
Under the Libertarian Model...no one has to bake any cake they don't want to (think...no tattoo artist has to do a Nazi tattoo if they don't want to and no artist has to accept a commission to paint the official Presidential portrait of Trump).....and no restaurant owner has to serve anyone they don't want to...
"But, what about people who refuse to serve someone because they are black!?" you may ask.....well, what happens when a white woman calls the police now over a black girl selling water to raise money for Disneyland? or what happens when Starbucks call the cops on black people for sitting at a table waiting for their guests to arrive?? The power of social media will NEVER let any business owner get away with discrimination again....oh, some may...there may be pockets somewhere where the locals know and get away with discrimination.....but the world has changed.
HOWEVER, look at the Westboro Baptist Church as an example of "protected discrimination". Wouldn't you RATHER know what organizations and businesses have views that you find discriminatory so you can avoid them and even mock them openly?
I wish every business WOULD advertise the ethics of their owners/board of directors....it helps us see who to support and who to avoid with our consumer dollars.
Uber, Lyft, AirBnB...all these companies in the "gig" economy ARE LIBERTARIAN in nature.
Everyone should be a self-employed contractor and business owner even if their business model is just a Toyota Prius and a clean driving record.
"Each person has the right to offer goods and services to others on the free market. The only proper role of government in the economic realm is to protect property rights, adjudicate disputes, and provide a legal framework in which voluntary trade is protected."
Why not? All services can easily be privatized. Are there not now private schools? Private prisons? Volunteer Fire Departments? I have been paying property taxes in the same location for over 10 years...my street desperately needs repairs and re-surfaced. All those taxes I paid to a city could have gone toward fixing my road. With our tax money in OUR pockets, we have the freedom to create neighborhood groups (HOAs) to raise money to fix our street. With your tax money in YOUR pocket....you could put it toward paying for your child to attend a school. The point is, the people who EARN the money should dictate how the money gets spent.
Looking for catch-all descriptions of what "Libertarians" believe will result in confusion. Some are anarchists, and believe government should be abolished entirely. Others are Constitutionalists, believing government needs to be shrunk until it fits back inside our Constitution. I am more or less a classical liberal, viewing the only legitimate role of government as being to protect our lives, liberty, and justly held property. We all agree on one thing however and that is that government has become too large, too powerful, too intrusive, and too expensive and we need to begin to dismantle many of it's parts and reduce its burden on everyone.
As with any business, privatizing schools (and the education "system" ) will create great efficiency, improve quality, and competition will drive prices down. So I say yes. This would be true of other services. I haven't worked out a plan for privatizing all government services (or any, for that matter), but they can all be privatized. Why not?
I'm also interested in the answer to the above question. I get the libertarian stance but a lot of social fabric comes from sharing public institutions - police, fire safety, transportation. What's the theory on getting by as a society without requiring members to chip in on these.
Posted by SpikeTalonI kneel before no one. No gods, no masters, no control freaks. Screw the tyrants from both political extremes, and their agendas.
Posted by SpikeTalonNeither one of the extremes, and yet the best of both worlds...
Posted by SpikeTalonSubstitute the word liberals for progressives, and that would describe me as well. As for the conservative part, the socially/theocratic (aka, bible thumpers, mostly) ones in particular.
Posted by SpikeTalonIndividuality is a dirty word to the authoritarians (both left and right) in the world.
Posted by HLMenckenFanStatist bingo
Posted by HLMenckenFanA quote from famous American libertarian journalist H. L. Mencken on government.
Posted by HLMenckenFanDo any of you own this flag? I do.
Posted by BigMac10Just found this site and am delighted!! I gave up on the Republicans after Nixon and have never looked back.
Posted by jeshueyIt's all a matter of perspective!
Posted by SpikeTalonOne of my favorite Libertarians.
Posted by CommunityTomSaw this craziness as I was scrolling through my Facebook News Feed.
Posted by MagnetarRocksI don't know about you, but I've been doing Libertarian victory laps over the last few weeks.
Posted by LEPeffTonight might be a nice time to listen to 2112. I'll miss you Neil!
Posted by RoboGrahamSwanson is wise.
Posted by OldMetalHeadThis is heartwarming
Posted by LEPeffPeople will claim this is a hoax!