I have to disagree. I talked to plenty of people who said that they would have voted Libertarian if they had known anything about it, but all you get in the media is Libertarian bashing.
ISTM that the Libertarian Party could be on the rise when neither the Democrats nor Republicans can front a good candidate, not too mention that there is plenty in the Libertarian camp to appeal to people from the other parties who are disenfranchised with the two party system.
Lastly, America hasn't always had these same two parties, many have come and gone, it could be time for one to go away as another comes to ground.
Unfortunately, the last time this happened, the U.S. Civil War followed not long after. I do agree with you, however, re: the attractions of Libertarian Party to certain members of the electorate on both sides (Dems & Reps).
It's depressing, but probably true. The American Republic as it exists today probably has its days numbered (though nobody can say exactly when or how it will cease to exist- as Smith said, "There is a great deal of ruin in a nation"). Political engagement of any kind serves as a kind of "fighting retreat", in which we try to minimize the damage so that "The Remnant" described by Nock is in a better position to rebuild something resembling a livable society when things reach a breaking point. It's really about getting sensible people trained in political organizing (the real benefit of the Ron Paul movement), and winning small, marginal victories (a 1% decrease in taxes doesn't make much difference to the ultimate fate of the nation, but it can make a big difference to one family's ability to live independently of the government teat for another generation).
The long-term best-case-scenario is a return to decentralization- the prosperous, well-functioning parts of the country (loosely but not completely correlated with the whitest parts) will simply divorce themselves from the basketcase states and cities around them, and from the dysfunctional federal behemoth. They'll do this either through outright secession, or (more likely) a vigorous reassertion of nullification and local autonomy, which the Feds will by then be too broke and too ineffectual to resist.
The worst-case scenario? America comes to combine the most dysfunctional features of Mexico, Detroit, and the former USSR. Either way, kiss goodbye to the strong, unitary state which was welded together by Mr. Lincoln and rose to global dominance in two World Wars.
I have to disagree. I talked to plenty of people who said that they would have voted Libertarian if they had known anything about it, but all you get in the media is Libertarian bashing.
ReplyDeleteISTM that the Libertarian Party could be on the rise when neither the Democrats nor Republicans can front a good candidate, not too mention that there is plenty in the Libertarian camp to appeal to people from the other parties who are disenfranchised with the two party system.
Lastly, America hasn't always had these same two parties, many have come and gone, it could be time for one to go away as another comes to ground.
Unfortunately, the last time this happened, the U.S. Civil War followed not long after. I do agree with you, however, re: the attractions of Libertarian Party to certain members of the electorate on both sides (Dems & Reps).
DeleteJim C.
It's depressing, but probably true. The American Republic as it exists today probably has its days numbered (though nobody can say exactly when or how it will cease to exist- as Smith said, "There is a great deal of ruin in a nation"). Political engagement of any kind serves as a kind of "fighting retreat", in which we try to minimize the damage so that "The Remnant" described by Nock is in a better position to rebuild something resembling a livable society when things reach a breaking point. It's really about getting sensible people trained in political organizing (the real benefit of the Ron Paul movement), and winning small, marginal victories (a 1% decrease in taxes doesn't make much difference to the ultimate fate of the nation, but it can make a big difference to one family's ability to live independently of the government teat for another generation).
ReplyDeleteThe long-term best-case-scenario is a return to decentralization- the prosperous, well-functioning parts of the country (loosely but not completely correlated with the whitest parts) will simply divorce themselves from the basketcase states and cities around them, and from the dysfunctional federal behemoth. They'll do this either through outright secession, or (more likely) a vigorous reassertion of nullification and local autonomy, which the Feds will by then be too broke and too ineffectual to resist.
The worst-case scenario? America comes to combine the most dysfunctional features of Mexico, Detroit, and the former USSR. Either way, kiss goodbye to the strong, unitary state which was welded together by Mr. Lincoln and rose to global dominance in two World Wars.