Comments on: LP Convention Begins, War Continues

By: Jason Bontrager

Jason Bontrager — Fri, 23 May 2008 18:42:45 +0000

I find it amusing that the LP keeps trying to capture the Oval Office without bothering to build a Congressional or State-based presence. One or two State Congresscritters here and there does not a serious political party make.

The LP really needs to work on its grass-roots support at the local and State level before trying for Federal office. Trying it the other way around amounts to an attempt to force Libertarianism down the country’s throat from the top. Which would seem contrary to LP philosophy.

By: jenny

jenny — Thu, 22 May 2008 15:09:32 +0000

“literally immediate” withdrawal from iraq? does the LP membership have any concept of the logistics involved in moving more than 160 thousand troops, plus equipment? it took more than a month to coordinate the airlift of approx. 2000 kurds from iraq to guam in 1996, and that was just civilians with a small number of personal belongings and using commercial aircraft.

By: Todd Seavey

Todd Seavey — Thu, 22 May 2008 14:43:52 +0000

Well, as I’ve said repeatedly, I think people can disagree drastically (and still rationally) on military policy but that attempts to “define” people out of the tribe in order to win the argument are time-wasting and petty. You don’t own the word _libertarian_, and while I don’t know how many of them remain hawkish, people like Glenn Reynolds et al have obviously always framed their arguments in pro-individual-liberty terms perfectly consistent with the basic principles of the philosophy.

As I once told Brian Doherty, the whole reason I signed up with this movement was in hopes of toppling tyrannical governments — and efforts to do so overseas will sometimes go badly, as no doubt would attempts at either violent revolution or (more advisable) peaceful legal change here at home.

Don’t go making your anti-interventionist stuff part of the fundamental definition of the philosophy pal — or you may find that when people refuse to use a common lexicon, they get ignored (and rightly so) rather than civilly argued with, since people babbling in their own private language are, as Wittgenstein taught us, a waste of time.

Luckily, the aforementioned Weigel will be blogging at Reason.com from the LP convention, so we can see where at least one subset of the movement is headed next.

By: Perry E. Metzger

Perry E. Metzger — Thu, 22 May 2008 14:28:53 +0000

There are no actual libertarians who are interested in continuing the war — only pseudolibertarians like Mr. Dondero think that the traditional libertarian position is “left-wing”.

By: Eric Dondero

Eric Dondero — Thu, 22 May 2008 13:56:29 +0000

If Barr gets too influenced by the leftwingers in the Party, and moves too far into the End the War camp, he’ll lose his Pro-Defense Libertarian supporters.

So far, he’s done a good job at the balancing act.

This is why he’ll make the perfect LP Presidential Nominee for 2008.

Let’s hope the LP delegates are smart enough to nominate him. If not, it’s on to Libertarians for McCain.