Comments on: Bruce Bartlett on Liberaltarianism

By: Introduction. « The Noodle Incident

Introduction. « The Noodle Incident — Wed, 26 May 2010 05:02:07 +0000

[...] of ease, though it would probably be more accurate to describe me as a classical liberal or “liberaltarian.” To quote Russel Roberts, “I like to call myself a classical liberal, someone who is in [...]

By: Libertarianism and Net Neutrality

Libertarianism and Net Neutrality — Sun, 23 May 2010 20:32:23 +0000

[...] Wilkinson summarizes the positive/negative liberty issue very well here: Federal intervention, while certainly limiting freedom of association and trumping more local [...]

By: Blogging on libertarianism, Rand Paul, and Race | Classy-cal Liberalism

Blogging on libertarianism, Rand Paul, and Race | Classy-cal Liberalism — Sun, 23 May 2010 14:19:21 +0000

[...] Bruce Bartlett, and Will Wilkinson (neither left-leaning – one a conservative, another a libertarian) support the Civil Rights [...]

By: The Angry Kid « Just Above Sunset

The Angry Kid « Just Above Sunset — Sat, 22 May 2010 07:05:35 +0000

[...] themselves. See this item from Bruce Bartlett highlighting a Will Wilkinson post from a year ago on civil rights and the new Rod/Rand Paul version of libertarianism. There seems a real fundamental issue around what the heck freedom actually [...]

By: Matthew Yglesias » Liberty as Community Self-Government

Matthew Yglesias » Liberty as Community Self-Government — Fri, 21 May 2010 22:15:20 +0000

[...] Bruce Bartlett, a Will Wilkinson post from a year ago on civil rights and his version of libertarianism that I think highlights an issue that’s of broader interest than Rand Paul: Federal [...]

By: Wait, Déjà Vu Anyone? | thelobbyist

Wait, Déjà Vu Anyone? | thelobbyist — Fri, 21 May 2010 17:53:18 +0000

[...] of fact; but I always enjoy a good coincidence. Especially when the 1964 CRA was a point that Will Wilkinson at CATO also delved further into: I think part of the problem is that if you hold up the Civil Rights Act as [...]

By: Mr. Econotarian

Mr. Econotarian — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 02:24:29 +0000

Freedom House has a political freedom index (http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=15).

I think it is true though that Libertarian realize that political freedom can lead to a lack of economic unfreedom through democratic methods. What the Economic Freedom indices do is show that Economic Freedom is an important predictor of economic outcome REGARDLESS of underlying political freedom.

Political freedom is good, but if politically free people are not aware of the need for Economic Freedom, political freedom won't do them much good economically.

By: Mr. Econotarian

Mr. Econotarian — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 19:24:29 +0000

By: Barry

Barry — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 13:18:44 +0000

"Will himself once made the point very well that the libertarian crowd is preoccupied with the blind application of theory, and the libertarian worldview is pretty ahistorical. "

Just as big is the problem that it is *not* ahistorical, as the debate about civil rights and feminism (and now, gay liberation) shows. Traditionally libertarianism has been on the right, and has shared ties with racism, sexism, etc. Note that even now, after the GOP did its level best to alienate libertarians, most are still more sympathetic with the GOP than the Democratic Party, and more vituperation is directed at liberals than at right-wingers.

What it will take is the passing of another generation, until the bulk of libertarians are people born *after* the Cold War ended, *after* feminism became mainstreamed, and who came of age with gay marriage and the destigmatizing of homosexuality.

By: uknowbetter

uknowbetter — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 17:47:42 +0000

I'd say someone who thinks having their relationship validated by the state makes it more special.

I've heard more than a few gay commentators say they want marriage and don't want civil unions for all because they think getting government approval is either important in itself or will reduce bigotry in society.

I'm not talking about any legal rights. Those would all be covered by civil unions for all.