The Humble Libertarian original

White House photo by Eric Draper Using the four definitions of socialism provided below, even a cursory glance at Barack Obama cannot fail to yield the conclusion that his political framework for viewing the proper role of government in society is socialism . There can be little argument that Barack Obama is a socialist. But Republicans like John McCain and George W. Bush would do well not to apply this term as one of derision- they are socialists too . More on that later. The following list of definitions includes corresponding explanations as to why Obama fits each of them. Socialism has been variously defined as: Any of various theories or systems of social organization in which the means of producing and distributing goods is owned collectively or by a centralized government that often plans and controls the economy. [1] Any Americans paying attention during the 2008 Presidential Campaign or to any of Obama's rhetoric in the aftermath of his electoral victory should be able...

I read this quote today in John Locke's Essays on The Law of Nature and it reminded me of my election day thoughts: 'The voice of the people is the voice of God.' Surely, we have been taught a most unhappy lesson how doubtful, how fallacious this maxim is, how productive of evils, and with how much party spirit and with what cruel intent this ill-omened proverb has been flung wide lately among the common people. Indeed if we should listen to this voice as if it were the herald of a divine law, we should hardly believe that there was any God at all. For is there anything so abominable, so wicked, so contrary to all right and law, which the general consent, or rather conspiracy, of a senseless crowd would not at some time advocate? Democracy, when it is seen as an end in itself, rather than as a means to the end of liberty, becomes little more than the rule of a mindless mob. The mob that Locke dismisses in the above quote as a possible source of natural law is also entirely...

No, it's not an Onion story or some other parody- it's real news : President George W. Bush today urged leaders of the world's biggest economies not to abandon free- market capitalism as they seek an escape from the financial crisis, calling it the "best system'' for delivering growth. It'd be like Arthur Andersen defending sound accounting principles and squeaky clean business ethics practices. Here's a man who has spent eight years poo-pooing all over the free market, expanding government power, spending, influence, and intervention in our lives to unprecedented levels in United States history, and who recently signed the $700 billion finance industry bailout bill ... and he's speaking on behalf of free market capitalism? Get real! This is either an example of political posturing or he's being earnest. If it's political posturing, then I'm not too shocked- he's just lying like most politicians do (but that is still rather braze...

This article confused me. Bush has apparently come to regret saying certain things he said during his presidency. But why exactly he regrets it I’m not sure. Bush says he wishes he hadn't said “There are some who feel like that the conditions are such that they can attack us there. My answer is, bring 'em on.” Bush regrets these words . But he doesn’t seem to regret acting in ways consistent with these words. He wishes he hadn’t talked like some sort of trigger happy cowboy. But what about acting like one? But enough with Bush’s regrets. I want to talk about mine for a second. I can’t judge what’s going on in Bush’s head, but I know what happened in my own. I was wrong too, and I want to talk about why. You see, when 9/11 happened I was a typical “conservative Christian.” I was a walking stereotype. And I supported the war. No, I didn’t vote for Bush. I was too young, so I did worse. I supported him as obnoxiously as I possibly could. I spent all my time yelling at those “libe...

Change is what the American electorate have clamored for this election season, and Senator Barack Obama was elected the next President of the United States because he was able to convince American voters that he would bring change to America. As far as I know, the wisest and most widely-referenced quotation addressing the issue of change comes from Mahatma Gandhi, who encouraged us to "Be the change you want to see in the world." A true revolutionary who brought lasting change to his country and people, and a compassionate voice of love, peace, and spirituality, Gandhi was and continues to be a model of an exemplary human being. His ideas also reverberate with libertarian attitudes and premises. He once wrote, "The ideally non-violent state will be an ordered anarchy. That State is the best governed which is governed the least." There are few who would disagree that change is necessary in America today, but we must ask ourselves what means are appropriate to aff...

Alexis de Tocqueville said: Our contemporaries are ceaselessly agitated by two conflicting passions: they feel the need to be directed, as well as the desire to remain free. Since they are unable to blot out either of these hostile feelings, they strive to satisfy both of them together. They conceive a single, protective, and all-powerful government but one that is elected by the citizens. They combine centralization with the sovereignty of the people. That gives them some respite. They derive consolation from being supervised by thinking they have chosen their own supervisors. Every individual tolerates being tied down because he sees that it is not another man nor a class of people holding the end of the chain, but society itself. Under this system citizens leave their state of dependence just long enough to choose their masters, and then they return to it. At the present time, many people fall in with this type of compromise between a despotic administration and the sovereignty of t...