Why Libertarianism is Wrong

There is a definite allure for libertarianism within the conservative movement. It would be quite easy to become one. Honest. So why should we conservatives not sign on?

A handful of critically important issues, for starters. As a group, libertarians support abortion. They don't care for an aggressive foreign policy either, and although they may make quite compelling arguments it's difficult to come around on the drug questions. Further, and this will sound very odd considering the source, they seem to have too much of a distrust of government. Like it or not, there are things which only a government can do. Keeping order, for one, and keeping potential enemies at bay with the aggressive measures necessary. Roads jump into the front of the mind as well. Yet libertarians are likely as not all right, at least in essence, on those subjects. The root problem with libertarianism as it stands today is the belief that the individual is the final arbiter of morality, the one who sets the standard for right and wrong.

No individual can hold this kind of power. We are not talking about the individual's right or ability to choose for himself among reasonable options, but you must notice that even that idea, the one on which we certainly base our freedoms, implies that our options must be reasonable and that therefore what makes our choices right is in fact something beyond our wishes. But the fact is that, on a practical level, wholly or entirely individual interpretation of right and wrong invites anarchy or worse: a might makes right society. Then on a philosophic level, it begs one very important question: if I, as an individual, can make up my own mind about people and things, why should I ever listen to you? No progress can be made from such a starting point in ethics, which certainly means nothing can be done in any other area either.

If libertarians were to admit that it is not the individual (or that weak sister, consensus) which dictates what can and cannot be true, that justice and rightness exist beyond the person and having a being of their own, we may reconsider libertarianism as a creed. Until then, they are as bad as liberals: they want what they want because they want it. It is a poor substitute for critical thought on critical issues.`

Does Ron Paul Stand on Firmer Ground than Before?

Could Ron Paul actually become more than the GOP fringe candidate he is so often portrayed as being? Recent news articles seem to think so. The Associated Press, Fox News, and The Washington Post, among others, have recently issued stories which are sympathetic to the Paul campaign. There has even been out forth by a DC blogger a theory that Paul could be a force at the Republican Convention by winning only California and Texas. It can be found here: http://www.examiner.com/conservative-in-washington-dc/shhhhhh-ron-paul-could-win-california-and-therefore-the-nomination

But can he actually be a difference maker? He has shot himself in the foot often enough, such as making the American Civil War an issue during the 2008 campaign. That question has been decided, Ron, and, quite frankly, it serves little purpose discussing it except in academia. Still, his small government, pro civil rights attitude is one which echoes within somewhere around 10 percent of the population. It wouldn't be terribly surprising for a more durable candidacy to jump out from such numbers: one in ten is nothing to sneeze at.

Certainly, there are Republicans who wouldn't mind the party turning more libertarian. We could live with it ourselves, so long as the libertarianism was muted somewhat. It's all well and good to speak of individual rights, until and unless you begin speaking as though no moral judgments can be made about them. Same sex marriages are morally wrong and society should not condone them, for example. Then, too, it is silly to think that we have no true moral obligations beyond our own borders. A foreign policy driven by a certain altruism and real national and international concerns is not a terribly outlandish proposition. There's no need to wait until we face a direct and immediate threat to our nation before we take any action internationally.

We can't escape the feeling that the attraction of Ron Paul is yet rather shallow. A few extra political articles hardly make for real electoral success. But they are a step in the right direction, and the GOP could stand to learn a few lessons from the more libertarian minded among them. The fringes aren't always or of necessity wrong, and a strong Ron Paul campaign might actually lead the Republicans to offer real differences between themselves and the Democrats. Here's hoping that there is some truth to his candidacy gaining at least enough ground to actually affect the status quo.