Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!harvard!godot!ima!inmet!nrh From: nrh@inmet.UUCP Newsgroups: net.politics.theory Subject: Re: Orphaned Response Message-ID: <2043@inmet.UUCP> Date: Sat, 16-Mar-85 02:07:34 EST Article-I.D.: inmet.2043 Posted: Sat Mar 16 02:07:34 1985 Date-Received: Sun, 17-Mar-85 23:42:07 EST Lines: 34 Nf-ID: #R:whuxl:-51500:inmet:28200005:177600:1616 Nf-From: inmet!nrh Mar 13 12:14:00 1985 >***** inmet:net.politics.t / whuxl!orb / 9:02 pm Mar 12, 1985 >> > The US makes a good working example of this: it started as a relatively >> libertarian state, grew strong and etc., and slid (is sliding) into a >> totalitarian-socialism [and before the flames start, no, I do *not* think >> those two are inevitebly coupled]. >> > >Once again we hear repeated the old rightwing myth that the United States >began with a cabal of "Libertarians" and diehard advocates of "free >enterprise". .... >It is simply dead wrong for Libertarians to try to claim that the >originators of our democracy were "Libertarians". >Please stop making this claim! > tim sevener whuxl!orb >---------- Well, netters -- judge for yourselves -- Did the original article say "relatively libertarian"? Did Sevener imply that the claim was that the founders were "Libertarians" (note the capital-L)? Chalk up another straw man -- C'mon, Tim, please argue cases on their merits, not the merits you care to inject into a straw man! It seems to me to weaken your point, not strengthen it. By the way, thanks for the REST of the article. Bear in mind, though that some libertarians don't mind the government doing things (really!) so long as it does them without exercising privileges which other entities (people, organizations) don't have (such as taxation). In particular, it seems to me that the use of new, government-owned land to finance education is consistent with some libertarian positions, but not others. (What??? Libertarians don't all AGREE??!!? But, surely the socialists all agree :-))