[Peace-discuss] Ron Paul again

[n.dahlheim at mchsi.com]

Exactly, libertarianism only can really work in an agrarian society of small farmers and decentralized local 
municipalities.  A bureaucratic, industrial and now adhoc postindustrial (ie Toffler's term) cannot be 
managed with a low tax economic policy.  The dangers of the "free" market are most definitely real when it 
comes to the disincentive such a system provides in treating labor.  Even more so, the threat to the 
environment through externalities like waste and pollution are particularly damaging as the rising human 
population definitely threatens the stability of the natural world itself.  Libertarian policies will never 
address issues in these fields.  However, the anti-war, pro-civil liberties aspects of libertarian politics are 
impeccable.


----------------------  Original Message:  ---------------------
From:    Bob Illyes <illyes at uiuc.edu>
To:      peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net
Subject: [Peace-discuss] Ron Paul again
Date:    Tue, 21 Aug 2007 17:51:00 +0000

> Paul's libertarian positions used to make some sense, when we lived in a 
> continent largely depopulated by the introduction of European diseases. At 
> that time, there was much land to be had, and anyone who was willing to 
> work hard could feed a family, provided they weren't enslaved. This is no 
> longer the case, but the Libertarians seem to have blinders on regarding 
> the current reality. I have my doubts that an industrial democracy can be 
> functional without heavy taxation. Without it, we are largely unable to 
> address things that are in the common good, and the tragedy of the commons 
> is a given. Without it, we become Brazil.
> 
> How Ron Paul can miss this is beyond my ability to imagine, but given this 
> blindness it doesn't surprise me that he doesn't see issues of race 
> sensibly either.
> 
> He is wrong, but at least honorable, in my opinion. The Bushites believe in 
> the welfare state and big government regarding corporations and the 
> military, but not if helps the people in general. The current effort to 
> block health care for children is obscene. There is no honor in this crowd, 
> only greed.
> 
> Bob
> 
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