Libertarians: Still a cult

[arely staircase]

Simply note libertarianism's fatal flaw and you'll get an enraged, hysterical response. They still don't get it

My previous Salon essay, in which I asked why there are not any libertarian countries, if libertarianism is a sound political philosophy, has infuriated members of the tiny but noisy libertarian sect, as criticisms of cults by outsiders usually do. The weak logic and bad scholarship that suffuse libertarian responses to my article tend to reinforce me in my view that, if they were not paid so well to churn out anti-government propaganda by plutocrats like the Koch brothers and various self-interested corporations, libertarians would play no greater role in public debate than do the followers of Lyndon LaRouche or L. Ron Hubbard.

http://www.salon.com/2013/06/11/libertarians_still_a_cult/

[think]

1. The Neocon cult bothers me more

just saying...

[arely staircase]

3. both are anti-civil rights, anti-public health care etc

so fuck all types of conservatives.

[quinnox]

2. speaking of cults, the cult of personality is one I find really annoying myself

[arely staircase]

5. i know, right? The Paulites are something else.

nt

[Fantastic Anarchist]

4. Not to put to fine a point on it ...

American Libertarianism is decidedly right-wing, however, traditional European libertarianism is a socialist tendency (ex. Libertarian Socialism).

Just had to make that distinction because the word has been co-opted by the right-wing here in the U.S.

[LostOne4Ever]

9. +9001 (nt)

[treestar]

6. Some interesting history, showing how their Ideal late 19th century

was maybe not so ideal in their own terms - there was a lot of government involvement in the economy even then.

[arely staircase]

7. and even that they would consider it ideal

child labor, no food safety or workplace safety regs. basically uptons sinclairs hellish jungle was their utopia (even though it really wasn't.)

[treestar]

8. I've run into some of them who are so nuts

They think child labor is just fine. Gives the kids money they would not otherwise have.

They don't need food safety regulations because they will inspect the kitchen themselves. I kid you not.

[flamingdem]

10. The only thing I like about Libertarians is when

they f*ck up Republicans, such as they did or tried to do in Tampa

[olddots]

11. Aliester Crowley was a libertarian

a sociopathetic egotistical spoiled punk .They made the mold after him .