Part of the problem is that history itself argues against libertarian philosophy.
Specifically, you see some really horrible things defended under the banner of states rights. Yes, the civil war was about states rights; specifically, the states' right to reduce human beings into property. A hundred or so years after the bad ol' federal government took that right away from the states, those same southern states were using the same argument (states rights) to defend Jim Crow laws. Once again, the federal government stepped in and said no. They're still crying 'States' rights' whenever they pass one of those absurd restrictions on abortion (Let's make women stand on their head and recite the Declaration of Independence before they're allowed to get an abortion!). I don't doubt for an instant that if the federal government ever started to step in and try to pass same sex marriage laws on a federal level, we'd have them crying states' rights over that, too.
As for economic policy, the case doesn't good there, either. Sure, you learn in business classes how less taxes and less regulations help business, but in reality that isn't working out so well. Most small businesses say their biggest problem isn't taxes or regulations; it's simply a lack of customers and an inability to compete with the big box stores. The ones who want to do away with regulations and taxes are the big corporations. The small businesses just want customers and we need a healthy middle class for those. We had a strong middle class back in the 50's, 60's and 70's. That was when we had strong banking regulations; we scaled those back in the name of libertarianism. We had strong unions, but libertarians don't like unions. We had high taxes, but libertarianism says taxes are alway bad. A lot of that was built up by individuals, sure, but a lot of those individuals were WWII vets who went to school on GI bills; a case could certainly be made for libertarians staying out of WWII, but the GI Bill would be out of the question. Seems to me, if I have to choose between peace and prosperity or libertarianism, I'd rather have the peace and prosperity.
Specifically, you see some really horrible things defended under the banner of states rights. Yes, the civil war was about states rights; specifically, the states' right to reduce human beings into property. A hundred or so years after the bad ol' federal government took that right away from the states, those same southern states were using the same argument (states rights) to defend Jim Crow laws. Once again, the federal government stepped in and said no. They're still crying 'States' rights' whenever they pass one of those absurd restrictions on abortion (Let's make women stand on their head and recite the Declaration of Independence before they're allowed to get an abortion!). I don't doubt for an instant that if the federal government ever started to step in and try to pass same sex marriage laws on a federal level, we'd have them crying states' rights over that, too.
As for economic policy, the case doesn't good there, either. Sure, you learn in business classes how less taxes and less regulations help business, but in reality that isn't working out so well. Most small businesses say their biggest problem isn't taxes or regulations; it's simply a lack of customers and an inability to compete with the big box stores. The ones who want to do away with regulations and taxes are the big corporations. The small businesses just want customers and we need a healthy middle class for those. We had a strong middle class back in the 50's, 60's and 70's. That was when we had strong banking regulations; we scaled those back in the name of libertarianism. We had strong unions, but libertarians don't like unions. We had high taxes, but libertarianism says taxes are alway bad. A lot of that was built up by individuals, sure, but a lot of those individuals were WWII vets who went to school on GI bills; a case could certainly be made for libertarians staying out of WWII, but the GI Bill would be out of the question. Seems to me, if I have to choose between peace and prosperity or libertarianism, I'd rather have the peace and prosperity.
I live on facebook. Come see me there. http://www.facebook.com/tara.rizzatto
"If you cling to something as the absolute truth and you are caught in it, when the truth comes in person to knock on your door you will refuse to let it in." ~ Siddhartha Gautama
"If you cling to something as the absolute truth and you are caught in it, when the truth comes in person to knock on your door you will refuse to let it in." ~ Siddhartha Gautama
