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Bernardo de La Paz

(60,320 posts)
14. For fools (your wording) that take caricatured labels as the real thing ...
Wed Dec 18, 2013, 11:00 AM
Dec 2013

Note: I agree with the general broad underlying motives that prompt an OP such as this thread. However, ...

Libertarianism is the current darling target in progressive and liberal circles, but the straw man that so many delight in knocking over is just as ridiculous as the straw man liberalism/progressivism = socialism = marxism = communism that the right wing delights in knocking over.

As described by David Simon above, that extreme unmodulated form (ex. Randian objectivism) is worthy of contempt and denigration.

However, there are many shades of libertarianism that partially overlap liberalism and anarchic socialism, and many people with those leanings and persuasions who can be united with us to make common cause for progressive and liberal goals. It is a mistake to put so much weight on a label, but it is very convenient for many and a comforting target for many readers. Similarly, conservativism traditionally is more akin to modern left-of-center liberalism and very different from neo-conservativism. Conservatism at its root is the beginning of conservation and the environmental movement, for example. Neo-conservatism is much more aligned with the ultra-libertarianism that Simon sets up above, except for their uber-nationalistic lusting for "foreign adventures" and constant war.

Too much indulging in labeling (of which I am guilty too) is not as good as focusing on specific policies, legislation, regulation, and action.

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Elizabeth Warren (and later POTUS) got excoriated for pointing out the obvious. MADem Dec 2013 #1
Well, that's ignorant GladRagDahl Dec 2013 #2
Well, what we call libertarianism the rest of the world calls anarcho-capitalism. NuclearDem Dec 2013 #4
no seriously? VanillaRhapsody Dec 2013 #6
It's one school, and certainly not the one I subscribe to. NuclearDem Dec 2013 #7
OHHHH certainly not... VanillaRhapsody Dec 2013 #8
Yes, one school. I'm a collectivist anarchist idealistically. NuclearDem Dec 2013 #10
of of course....nothing in common at all...right... VanillaRhapsody Dec 2013 #35
Plenty of people who identify with leftist anarchism support Democrats. Me included. NuclearDem Dec 2013 #36
I wouldn't say lots....Almost all Democratic support is because VanillaRhapsody Dec 2013 #37
What he says seems like a pretty good description of Libertarianism to me el_bryanto Dec 2013 #5
Just Ayn Rand disciples in white sheets. nt kelliekat44 Dec 2013 #32
Wrong abelenkpe Dec 2013 #26
'Selfishness is a virtue' according to A Rand nt duhneece Dec 2013 #31
Reminds me: ProSense Dec 2013 #3
rather ignorant PatrynXX Dec 2013 #9
Capital L Libertarianism is anarchism. Specifically anarcho-capitalism. NuclearDem Dec 2013 #11
ha PatrynXX Dec 2013 #17
Of course I know what it stands for. I identify with collectivist anarchism after all. NuclearDem Dec 2013 #20
This was definitely not directed at the Tea Party. Scuba Dec 2013 #13
Actually, Tea Party types are big-government corporatists but don't know it. Bernardo de La Paz Dec 2013 #16
the general tea party members PatrynXX Dec 2013 #22
Sarah Palin is using the Teabillies to make herself rich. I have no pity for her. Scuba Dec 2013 #30
Tea Partiers aren't anarchists or Libertarians. They want the state to do their bidding: Comrade Grumpy Dec 2013 #33
Like my former mechanic who put a big sign on his garage mountain grammy Dec 2013 #12
For fools (your wording) that take caricatured labels as the real thing ... Bernardo de La Paz Dec 2013 #14
Excellent post, Prof... First Speaker Dec 2013 #23
It's where team politics mixes with ignorance (willful or otherwise). NuclearDem Dec 2013 #24
Civil libertarians are not what progressives attack abelenkpe Dec 2013 #27
Points to the Snowden threads nadinbrzezinski Dec 2013 #29
Yeah? abelenkpe Dec 2013 #38
All political ideologies are unworkable if implemented. FarCenter Dec 2013 #15
Libertarianism has been picked out of the trashbin of ideologies HoosierCowboy Dec 2013 #18
Eggzaklee! Scuba Dec 2013 #21
Ron Paul 2012 ctsnowman Dec 2013 #19
those who subscribe to libertarianism are a collection FatBuddy Dec 2013 #25
You do realize that there are Libertarian Democrats. ... spin Dec 2013 #28
There are some good elements to the Libertarian Platform that I support, bvar22 Dec 2013 #34
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