Obama is the best thing to ever happen to … libertarianism?

Well, I would say yes, but its a shame we had to go through this to prove what I have been saying for 7 years … “Scratch a New Englander and underneath you will find a libertarian yearning to get out.”

No it’s not like the movie “Alien”, although some on the left and right would like you to believe it’s so. I refer to myself as a small “L” libertarian, a phrase coined by my talk hero Larry Elder, but wether small or large L, I believe that most people believe in a smaller, less intrusive, more local government.

These are all of the things Obama is not. He believes in “statism, socialism, spreading the wealth from producers to non producers by edict, commanding an economy, and thus you, to perform at his will. All of this says Professor John Pitney, has led to a revival of libertarianism. Agree?

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuBX3TaRi2o&feature=player_embedded

I don’t think anyone think this will mean a sudden revival in Libertarianism as a party. There are simply too many positions held by libertarians that shock the left and right no matter how well reasoned. But it certainly does open the eyes of the electorate to a philosophy that doesn’t sound so crazy anymore.

Much thanks to Glenn Reynolds for pointing this out.

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Jim Vicevich

Jim is a veteran broadcaster and conservative/libertarian blogger with more than 25 years experience in TV and radio. Jim's was the long-term host of The Jim Vicevich Show on WTIC 1080 in Hartford from 2004 through 2019. Prior to radio, Jim worked as a business and financial reporter for NBC30 - the NBC owned TV station in Hartford - and as business editor at WFSB-TV in Hartford for 14 years while earning six Emmy nominations and three Telly Awards.

8 Comments

  1. winnie888 on August 23, 2010 at 10:19 am

    Oh, Jim, you're just claiming to be a small "l" libertarian because it's fashionable to do so.  Hahahaha…you know I'm kidding.

    I wish I could have someone like Prof. Pitney for my American Government class this semester…might have had a chance to read Hayak instead of Reich.  blech!

    I'm becoming less conservative and even less liberal…is that possible? Whatever I am, all I want is someone worth voting for in November.  Is that too much to ask?



  2. scottm on August 23, 2010 at 10:39 am

    I thought libertarians were against war?  Why is Jim such a strong supporter of the war criminal Bush?

    And how did they get Art Garfunkel to agree to this interview?



    • DuffTerrall on August 23, 2010 at 3:32 pm

      Why does Harry Ried not support Cordoba House? I thought Democrats were for Imam Rauf?

      It's possible to agree with a core philosophy and still have disagreements over specific issues. Matter of fact, I believe that it's inherent to the libertarian philosophy that people are not all going to have the same opinions on an issue.



  3. Lynn on August 23, 2010 at 2:48 pm

    Well, I'm definitely a New Englander, I'm a nutmegger and also a Libertarian (although I vote Republican most of the time because there simply is not a lot of choice). As I was writing comments about EPA etc. on another post, it occurred to me, I don't want any federal money or help for small businesses. I want limited punitive authority from the govt. Excessive penalties for polluting(especially when they question biodegradible vegetable dyes) are wrong. Not buying govt. approved Healthcare etc. is  wrong and unconstitutional (Amendment 10). Libertarians are not generally against the war because the constitution says govt should provide for the common defense.

    And he does look like Art Garfunkel!



    • scottm on August 24, 2010 at 4:18 am

      Lynn, the key word is "defense" we were not defending ourselves when we invaded Iraq.  The invasion of Afghanistan was another story, we had been attacked by a group of terrorists that were given free reign to train there but not Iraq.  They were not involved in 9/11, they had no WMD's and there was no danger of them attacking us.  I can remember Rush Limbaugh saying we could get some cheap oil out of this and that was probably closer to the truth. 

      On another note, help for small business does not have to come in the form of a "handout" from the federal government but it certainly would'nt hurt.  Taxcuts and other cost saving incentives should be given to any manufacturing company that has committed to stay here and has provided jobs for the citizens.  Good luck to you, and I mean that sincerely.



    • chris-os on August 24, 2010 at 5:17 am

      Quote from Rand Paul, (former libertarian candidate for president) on the Muslim community center brouhaha:

      "the neo-conservatives who demand continual war in the Middle East and Central Asia…never miss a chance to use hatred toward Muslims to rally support for the ill conceived preventative wars."



  4. Lynn on August 24, 2010 at 12:49 pm

    I know I'm getting old, but I swear I remember that several nations believed that their were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. That was why we went to war. Then we found out that there were no weapons of mass destruction, but most of our troops truly felt it was worth it to stay and rebuild it into their nation. As for Afghanistan, I wish that we went in looked for bin Laden said he was in Pakistan and left. Afghanistan's interim government is too corrupt and not worthy of sacrificing our heroic troops. The Taliban will be punishment enough for Afghanistan.

    On the other note, thanks and I do appreciate it. You are absolutely right about tax cuts being the solution, we do agree on this.



    • scottm on August 25, 2010 at 1:46 pm

      Lynn, Bush all but threatened the other nations to get behind this, remember the phrase "you're with us or against us"  The evidence of wmd's was laughable, pictures of tractor trailers that they said were mobile nuclear labs, come on!!  The politicians who didn't vote for it were branded as un-american and un-patriotic and the countries that voiced any concerns were ridiculed.

      The Afghan people had nothing to do with 9/11, they are dirt poor and have little access to information.  The Taliban originated in Pakistan and is comprised mostly of Pakistini people. 



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