The Libertarian Party Race is Filling Up?

[ATM]

Now now. They were Republican. They are now Libertarian.

They are just political hacks who don't understand or even subscribe to much libertarian philosophy regardless of which political parties were willing to nominate or get them elected governors.

Has anyone written a definitive bible on libertarian philosophy?

libertarian philosophy has many subgroupings and nuances, so there are various "bibles", various "apostles" and countless commentaries attempting to define, compare and contrast each under that vague heading.

At its core, though, despite the myths and misunderstandings, libertarianism is apolitical.

https://www.libertarianism.org/columns/scientism-myth-apolitical-pragmatism

 

[BugI02]

Has anyone written a definitive bible on libertarian philosophy?

Il Principe - Niccolò Machiavelli

 

[ArcadiaGP]

With the polls being so wrong, how about a new method of deciding if the Libertarian Party can participate in debates?

Johnson only got 3% of the popular vote... I recall him needing 5% to make the LP considered a "Major Party" for 2020.

 

[jamil]

The Party may be a "Calvinball". The philosophy is not. If the party or the magazine doesn't line up with the philosophy then it's not libertarian.

It's really not that complicated, Kirk. I think that even you could wrap your brain around it if you tried really hard and believed in yourself.

Yep. Pretty simple and straightforward.

Why do we hate Liberty?

And, how long did it take two Republican governors to turn another political party into Calvinball?

At the risk of Dennying this up, ask the people saying the things that make you think they hate liberty, if they actually hate liberty. They'll probably say they think highly of liberty. They just have a different idea about it than you.

I think it's fine to define a set of core values that one needs to have to be "libertarian". But you guys tend to define that with such minute detail that your Venn Diagram of ideas only has the circumference to encompass you. How many "Libertarians" think YOU aren't libertarian enough? I mean, jeez, a couple of years ago I outscored some of you on the iSideWith thingy for libertarian. So does that mean I get to look down my noses at the people I outscored and say you're not a real libertarian?

It's not the general idea of liberty that people hate. Part of it is that we've all grown used to progressively more government in our lives. But everyone has a point at which they recognize it's just too much. And that point will be precisely placed at a different point for everyone. So why not expand the circumference a bit to work with people who have recognized that we're far past that point now?

Why won't you? Well, from my vantage point you seem to believe that because some other people aren't where you're at, that they aren't against enough government to suit you. When they aren't willing to agree with you fully, you chase them away by calling them statists, and say they hate liberty. And, of course they call you crazy. Why wouldn't they?

Libertarians get 1% of the vote--OMG 3.2% this time--because you chase everyone away who might accept most but not all of what you believe.

Why wouldn't I call this guy crazy?

 

[Jludo]

Has anyone written a definitive bible on libertarian philosophy?

Atlas Shrugged, duh

But really libertarians I've met enjoy reading a lot of different materials, hence the spectrum of ideas and beliefs.
My favorite bible is the Jefferson bible, favorite bible commentary, the Bible according to Mark Twain.

 

[jamil]

With the polls being so wrong, how about a new method of deciding if the Libertarian Party can participate in debates?

Johnson only got 3% of the popular vote... I recall him needing 5% to make the LP considered a "Major Party" for 2020.

I've said it before, if candidates can get on the ballot in all 50 states, they should be in the debates. Period. Certainly candidates who are not on enough ballots to even have a mathematical chance should not participate in debates.

 

[jamil]

Atlas Shrugged, duh

But really libertarians I've met enjoy reading a lot of different materials, hence the spectrum of ideas and beliefs.
My favorite bible is the Jefferson bible, favorite bible commentary, the Bible according to Mark Twain.

Ha! He said something about libertarian diversity. That's funny. I dunno.

 

[ATM]

At the risk of Dennying this up...

No, wait!

...too late.

...How many "Libertarians" think YOU aren't libertarian enough?

Honestly? none.

...Why wouldn't I call this guy crazy?

Nothing comes to mind ...a rarity, I know. I will cede that point to you, sir.

 

[jamil]

\

Honestly? none.

Obviously, you're at the top of the heap.

 

[ATM]

Obviously, you're at the top of the heap.

The air is clean up here and the view, well, it's breathtaking.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Why won't you? Well, from my vantage point you seem to believe that because some other people aren't where you're at, that they aren't against enough government to suit you. When they aren't willing to agree with you fully, you chase them away by calling them statists, and say they hate liberty. And, of course they call you crazy. Why wouldn't they?

I'd rephrase that to say "that they aren't against the same government you are to suit you". While there are a number of very principled libertarians I've met or read their writings, there are a great many that will claim then mantle of small government but, like many republicans, they are quite fine with certain government that will advance their (often SJW) agnedas.

 

[steveh_131]

At the risk of Dennying this up, ask the people saying the things that make you think they hate liberty, if they actually hate liberty. They'll probably say they think highly of liberty. They just have a different idea about it than you.

I think it's fine to define a set of core values that one needs to have to be "libertarian". But you guys tend to define that with such minute detail that your Venn Diagram of ideas only has the circumference to encompass you. How many "Libertarians" think YOU aren't libertarian enough? I mean, jeez, a couple of years ago I outscored some of you on the iSideWith thingy for libertarian. So does that mean I get to look down my noses at the people I outscored and say you're not a real libertarian?

Libertarianism is a philosophy of individual liberty. Some of us disagree on exactly what government policies provide the most individual liberty, and we can do that and still be libertarians.

If we disagree on a policy because it makes you sad or it scares you or seems "unfair", then you're abandoning the libertarian philosophy.

It's more about the underlying values than the policy itself.

 

[jamil]

Libertarianism is a philosophy of individual liberty. Some of us disagree on exactly what government policies provide the most individual liberty, and we can do that and still be libertarians.

If we disagree on a policy because it makes you sad or it scares you or seems "unfair", then you're abandoning the libertarian philosophy.

It's more about the underlying values than the policy itself.

What about Johnson?

 

[steveh_131]

What about Johnson?

He failed to value liberty in many of his stances.

 

[Blackhawk2001]

He failed to value liberty in many of his stances.

This is a serious NO S**T no sarcasm question: Was Gary Johnson/ Bill Weld the best you guys could do? I would seriously have considered voting Libertarian this year if you had had a candidate who didn't come across as a crazy - or an anti-2A zealot. I was really disappointed. So how was it that the Libertarian Party couldn't come up with better candidates?

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

This is a serious NO S**T no sarcasm question: Was Gary Johnson/ Bill Weld the best you guys could do? I would seriously have considered voting Libertarian this year if you had had a candidate who didn't come across as a crazy - or an anti-2A zealot. I was really disappointed. So how was it that the Libertarian Party couldn't come up with better candidates?

It's more of a club than a political party. I mean...it has all the accoutrements of a real party but apparently lack the will to seriously govern. Even the guy I would have voted for (Austin Petersen) would rather run a little web site, post Facebook videos, and give speeches than seek out a political office and start building a resume of libertarian accomplishments in governing.

 

[steveh_131]

This is a serious NO S**T no sarcasm question: Was Gary Johnson/ Bill Weld the best you guys could do? I would seriously have considered voting Libertarian this year if you had had a candidate who didn't come across as a crazy - or an anti-2A zealot. I was really disappointed. So how was it that the Libertarian Party couldn't come up with better candidates?

Man, I have no idea. They really screwed the pooch. There was a real shot at 5% this time. I couldn't possibly explain the bill weld decision. Neither of them were real libertarians. The inner workings of the Libertarian party are foreign to me.

 

[foszoe]

Man, I have no idea. They really screwed the pooch. There was a real shot at 5% this time. I couldn't possibly explain the bill weld decision. Neither of them were real libertarians. The inner workings of the Libertarian party are foreign to me.

Do real libertarians participate in politics?

If so name 3

 

[steveh_131]

Do real libertarians participate in politics?

If so name 3

1. Ron Paul
2. Rand Paul
3. Justin Amash

They're not perfect, but they're a few examples that I like.

 

[jbombelli]

Rand Paul says he's not a Libertarian.