By Chris Rossini
Robert, how disappointing to read Wayne Allen Root, someone who labels himself a "libertarian," take his eye off the ball so drastically. A libertarian should be championing the reduction of state power, towards the ideal, which is complete dissolution.
Root instead talks about Donald Trump "saving America"? The only way for America to be "saved" (so to speak) is for Americans themselves to place a very high value on liberty. It has to be fervently desired. The idea of liberty must dominate.
Instead, Root is looking for a man to dominate, for a man to "save America". What a reprehensible idea. Root then adds insult to injury by passionately calling for Donald Trump (of all people) to be that man! Donald Trump has not shown the slightest inkling of a desire to reduce state power. He huffs and puffs as to how he's going to use the state like club, to beat people that he doesn't like over the head.
This turns "libertarian" Root on. He says Trump is going to throw members of the Obama Administration in jail. He'll "investigate. Trump will prosecute. Trump will go after everyone involved…just for fun."
How on Earth is that going to increase liberty and reduce state power? Does Root think that other politicians will get scared and will not pull the same antics while in power? If that's what Root is thinking, he better look back at man's history. Politicians have been jailing each other, overthrowing each other, and assassinating each other for thousands of years. It's what they do. They live by the sword, and die by the sword.
Throw Hillary in jail and there's a long line of people (who are just like her) that will fill the void. You've gone nowhere. You're right back to living in the same authoritarian state, because the ideas have not changed.
Libertarians should never get hung up on politicians. They're just a sideshow. The main event is the ideas that people hold. Obama...the Bushes...the Clintons...they're just individuals riding the wave of 100+ years of anti-libertarian thought. Somebody has to ride the wave. They just happened to be the best of the worst.
The job of the libertarian is to concentrate like a laser-beam on the ideas. Heck with the politicians, who are only useful examples when making the case for liberty. You can point to their endless mistakes, and show why liberty would be a much better choice.
Wayne Allen Root is way off the mark. He's all caught up in the sideshow. Serious libertarians should stay focused on the main event.
Chris Rossini is author of Set Money Free: What Every American Needs To Know About The Federal Reserve. Follow @chrisrossini on Twitter.
Well said. I would only add that while I don't vote, if you feel the urge please vote None of The Above
ReplyDeleteRoot, much like Bob Barr, has never been a serious libertarian.
ReplyDelete