11 Questions You Should Ask Libertarians to See if They're Hypocrites

[BridgeTheGap]

Libertarians have a problem. Their political philosophy all but died out in the mid- to late-20th century, but was revived by billionaires and corporations that found them politically useful. And yet libertarianism retains the qualities that led to its disappearance from the public stage, before its reanimation by people like the Koch brothers: It doesn’t make any sense.

They call themselves “realists” but rely on fanciful theories that have never predicted real-world behavior. They claim that selfishness makes things better for everybody, when history shows exactly the opposite is true. They claim that a mythical “free market” is better at everything than the government is, yet when they really need government protection, they’re the first to clamor for it.

That’s no reason not to work with them on areas where they’re in agreement with people like me. In fact, the unconventionality of their thought has led libertarians to be among this nation’s most forthright and outspoken advocates for civil liberties and against military interventions.

Merriam-Webster defines “hypocrisy” as “feigning to be what one is not or to believe what one does not.” We aren’t suggesting every libertarian is a hypocrite. But there’s an easy way to find out.

http://www.alternet.org/economy/11-questions-you-should-ask-libertarians-see-if-theyre-hypocrites?page=0%2C0&akid=10916.260941.n6c6lP&rd=1&src=newsletter895403&t=2

[KansDem]

1. This paragraph from the article sums it up...

But how did Peter Thiel and other Internet billionaires become wealthy? They hired government-educated employees to develop products protected by government copyrights. Those products used government-created computer technology and a government-created communications web to communicate with government-educated customers in order to generate wealth for themselves, which was then stored in government-protected banks—after which they began using that wealth to argue for the elimination of government.

Libertarians are hypocrites.

And it should never be forgotten: Government is "of, for, and by the people." Therefore, Libertarians hate "The People."

[SunSeeker]

3. That was favorite part as well.

[SunSeeker]

2. Brilliant article. Thanks for the post. nt

[felix_numinous]

4. First distinguish between

libertarians and civil libertarians because there is a world of difference in philosophy, otherwise they will both be dropped into the same trash bag.

I know that cannot be your intent, but thought I'd point that out

Peace~Felix

[BridgeTheGap]

5. third paragraph in

"That’s no reason not to work with them on areas where they’re in agreement with people like me. In fact, the unconventionality of their thought has led libertarians to be among this nation’s most forthright and outspoken advocates for civil liberties and against military interventions."