Why I'm not an upper-case Libertarian

[selenite0]

Researching how the primaries work here I came across the site for Texas' Libertarian Party and read their platform. It nicely illustrates why I don't want the LP to win any elections even when I vote for them.

Excerpt:

People may employ defensive force to thwart an act of aggression while it is in progress,

I agree, self-defense is good, that's what the 2nd Amendment is for.

and retaliatory force to rectify a completed act of aggression by securing just compensation from the aggressor.

But legalizing plundering expeditions against anyone you think harmed you would put society on the fast track to feudalism.

Sigh. It's be nice to vote for someone instead just against.

Comments

[quiva.livejournal.com]

You know, that's not something I've ever really thought of. Ever since I started to vote it seems as though I've always been voting _against_ someone. I vote for John Doe, not because he's the guy I want in office but because I definitely don't want his opponent in office. It's a "lesser of two evils" voting strategy. *sigh* That's not how it should be.

[selenite.livejournal.com]

I voted for McCain. And in 16 years of voting I think that's the only "for" vote. Unless you count the Perot vote as being "for" totally trashing the current parties and election system.

[patgund.livejournal.com]

Trying to remember who said "I was thinking of voting Libertarian, but I'm not like most LP members, I don't hate poor people."

Agreed. There's a reason why I'm no longer a member of the LP party here in California. Between the Anarcho-Libertarians, (who can make even some of the anti-government PNAC types look like statists), the "I believe in economic and social liberies except for" types, and the "Gee, the party would be a lot better if we could get rid of the Pagans/Gun Owners/fill in the blanks" types, I decided that a tub of bait had more organizational skills than the LP did.

Funny, in my 20's I used to like L. Neal Smith's libertarian SF. And I still like his earlier work, but the latest stuff makes my teeth grind.