"Beck is 45, tireless, funny, self-deprecating, a recovering alcoholic, a convert to Mormonism, a libertarian and living with ADHD. He is a gifted storyteller with a knack for stitching seemingly unrelated data points into possible conspiracies - IF he believed in conspiracies, which he doesn't, necessarily; he's just asking questions. He's just sayin'." [TIME]
I assume that Mr. Beck is not really a Mormon, either. Both Libertarians and Mormons expect people to have a consistent set of beliefs.
Exactly how does Glenn Beck the Libertarian get all upset at ACORN representatives for (1) helping a prostitute find some way to launder her money so she can buy a house; or (2) helping said prostitute rip off the IRS?
Think about it: Libertarians generally hold that women own their own bodies, and that charging people for sex [as long as neither party is coerced] is their business and not the State's. Since the State insists on the same moralistic, coercive high-ground as Beck, there is no moral or ethical reason not to lie to the State in order to avoid its involvement in your life.
Likewise: since when did it become a no-no for Libertarians to want to reduce or avoid taxation?
Ah, but Beck--who is fully willing to use the power of the State to prevent same-sex marriage or enforce any law whatever consistent with his recently adopted Mormon social ethic, as well as willing to support US military interventionism anywhere in the world for pretty much any purpose--has been calling out ACORN in terms that only a good social conservative, authoritarian, State-loving Republican could do.
Which none of Eric Dondero's spin can fix.
Note to Anonone: feel free to explain once again how you--as an individual with no discernable ideology (your claim, not mine)--find it implausible that there are varieties of Libertarianism at the same time there can be boundaries between Libertarians and conservatives or liberals. The day would not be complete without it.
14 comments:
Ron Paul agrees with libertarians on a few things (fewer than is often supposed). Glenn Beck agrees with Ron Paul on a few things (generally not in RP's area of overlap with liberarians). Hence, Glenn Beck assumes that he agrees with libertarians on some things.
My response to this is similar to my response when I read the DelLib quote in your previous post:
We are disturbed by the fact that a pimp and his prostitute would be helped to evade the tax law and make their activities look legitimate. But are we equally disturbed that there are many more multi-millionaires that are hiding their profits in off-shore tax havens with the help of accountants and lawyers at their beck and call.
I am disturbed by neither, assuming all parties are adults.
If someone is disturbed by consensual sex between adults, then he is not libertarian. He might be libertarian-leaning on some issues, but he is not libertarian. There is a significant difference. A1 can jump in and claim, "Ah ha! You're the same!" all he wants; it doesn't make it so. Much like the Abraham Lincoln story about a horse's tail not being a leg.
And I would humbly ask Steven, what makes you think you're a "libertarian"?
I've never run into you out on the Libertarian Party petitioning trail. I'm not aware of you ever serving in any LP capacity beyond maybe some low level stuff.
How long have you been a dues-paying member of the LP?
Me? 25+ years.
Here's a simple rule to follow Stevie-boy:
He who works hardest for the libertarian movement, and or sacrifices the most, is the most libertarian, and thusly, is the one who is given the right to decide who is and who is not a real libertarian.
BTW, I may not be the very best libertarian activist in the Nation of all-time, I'd say that title goes to Paul Jacob, (maybe Leon Drolet too?), but I damned sure am in the Top 5.
And I say Glenn Beck is libertarian to the core.
You on the other hand? The jury is still out??
And btw Stevie, stop whorin' for hits by dropping my name all over the internet.
You think I don't know what you're up to?
Steve,
That my personal ideology is not easily labeled by me or others has nothing to do with Libertarians or Libertarianism. That I don't ascribe to some particular branch of liberalism ideology does not disqualify me from commenting on the opinions of those that do.
Anyway, just to make your day complete, I have yet to see many exceptions to the 3 rules of Libertarian discourse that I outlined in a previous post. That means:
- If Glenn Beck personally claims to be a Libertarian, then he is one.
- Other Libertarians are free to argue that he is not or that he is not a "serious" Libertarian.
- Non-libertarians can be told they don't know enough about Libertarianism to even have a legitimate opinion.
anonone
Way to be consistent. In the last post you complained that local bloggers are too predictable.
and in this one you proceed to taunt two of the most predictable out there, and succeed in getting the expected responses...
Well, this is an interesting thread-- I guess Libertarians can be as rude and hateful as Republicans.
But back to Newton's point: given the broad church that the LP represents, it's not surprising people like Beck find a point to hook on to. After all, the LP nominated two of the most homophobic men in America for President and Vice President last year, all the while claiming they were for equality.
Steve,
Note that the ACORN employees were told that the prostitutes were not adults but underage girls. That ought to be a bright line.
Duffy
I said in the previous post that the age issue was a line. But I listened to the portion of Beck's show when he introduced all this: the condemnation for the ideas I mentioned came well before any issue of younger girls was mentioned.
Eric, get off this blog. You aren't a libertarian. No one cares about you.
Yup, my 800 to 1,000 unique visitors a day to Libertarian Republican, "don't care about me."
Thanks for clearing that up.
Good for you buddy, don't come trolling over here. You aren't wanted. Keep pretending you're a libertarian though.
Expand government and the police state to combat terrorism, enforce gun controls on muslims; all in the name of limited government, right?
Oh joy, "Anonymous" has declared itself the arbiter of what is and/or is not welcome on Steve's blog.
At least Eric has the guts to attach a name (or pseudonym) to the tripe he posts here.
Anon
Steve--and Steve only--decides who is not allowed to post here.
Eric Dondero is allowed to post here. By me.
If he didn't show up and call me names every so often I would not know what to do with my spare time.
If this displeases you (whoever you are), you know where the exit button is on your browser.
Post a Comment