It is pretty obvious that the socialists are gaining ground in America. They are very shrewd political strategists. See my post from yesterday, The Brains Behind Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
So the obvious question at a time like this for those who are anti-socialists and pro-liberty is a question that has been asked in other periods by two very different people, with two very different philosophies about the world, Murray Rothbard and Vladimir Lenin: What is to be done?
The answer is not an easy one. It is a complex situation which requires thought at many levels.
At the pinnacle, the intellectual battle must continue. But this battle is only for a small percentage of the people. The thinkers. They are not large in number, far less than 1% of the population, but they are the great long-term influencers.
Ludwig von Mises, Friedrich Hayek, Rothbard, Ayn Rand and, yes, Lenin understood this. They all wrote about it. Even John Maynard Keynes showed he understood this when he wrote:
Practical men who believe themselves to be quite exempt from any intellectual influence, are usually the slaves of some defunct economist. Madmen in authority, who hear voices in the air, are distilling their frenzy from some academic scribbler of a few years back.For liberty lovers, we, fortunately, have the intellectual liberty flame that is kept burning through the Mises Institute, the Independent Institute and the Freedom Foundation, among others.
These institutions provide the support material in terms of access to the great libertarian thinkers such as Mises, Hayek and Rothbard. They will never reach the masses, but they shouldn't try. Their goal should be to reach the up and coming intellectuals so that the names of the liberty greats are brought to their attention.
By reaching such intellectuals, a future generation of liberty advocates can be well armed to do battle. I would be happy to see even just 100 strong intellectual battlers who can take what Mises, Hayek and Rothbard taught us and use it in high-level battles against the lefties. And I hope that these institutions provide by their seminars, or perhaps just by individuals reading online and their books, the introduction to liberty to the next powerful original thinkers of the quality of Mises, Hayek and Rothbard. I know many think that most of the heavy lifting has been done in economics but I see some glaring holes where a powerful thinker can come along to fill the gap on economics and about society in general. Here, I am thinking of perhaps only one, two or three great future thinkers but they will most likely be introduced to liberty by these institutions.
But this is a very long game. The Frankfurt School, which is responsible for most of the political correctness nonsense that is popular in schools and amongst a good chunk of the masses today had its origin just short of 100 years ago in 1932 and is only now gaining powerful influence.
Despite the very long gestation time, the high-level intellectual effort is the foundation. It must be supported and continued, otherwise, we are liberty soldiers without a supply line.
A notch under the original thinkers and top intellectual battlers are the professional liberty advocates via books, podcasts, blogs, whatever, they spread the word that introduces segments of the general population to liberty. These introductions will result in funnelling a few upstream to the greater intellectual level but also create a growing quantity of those who spread an appreciation of liberty amongst all sorts of people.
These authors, podcasters, bloggers, etc. are very important. They are playing more of a middle game. They can be comfortable in the higher level intellectual circles but also have more ready reach downstream than the thinkers and the intellectual battlers.
Finally, there are the ground troops, the sons of liberty, they are more important than is often realized. They can harass politicians, post comments on blogs, tweet out. In short, they can attack, attack and attack with the liberty message.
These attacks can take many forms but it should never be forgotten that we do have the upper hand against the lefties if we handle it properly.
I have often seen written in the comments here that the Left has an edge because they are promising giveaways, but we have something much more powerful, we can promise freedom. Presented properly to the masses, the Left is no match. Tomorrow, I will present several "Freedom Proposals" that should be promoted to everyone. Every politician should be asked how much of the "Freedom Proposals" they support. They are radical proposals but should be discussed with everyone because they are about returning freedom to the people.
Finally, when the Left makes a mistake, the mistake should be pounced on. Yesterday, I wrote that the AOC team poll tested every proposal before it was made public but they made a big mistake in their launch of the Green New Deal.
It provided great talking points for us, even President Trump knew instinctively they erred and he dove right in.
This is no time for weakness and wimpy positions. It is a time to be libertarian bold to stop the socialist advance and change the framework of discussion.
Robert Wenzel is Editor & Publisher of 
Inspiring! To the ramparts we go! I'm donning my chainmail and reaching for my double-bladed battle axe now!
ReplyDelete(Okay, I probably played a little too much Advanced Dungeons & Dragons in college in the 80s, but...)
It is indeed a long game. If one is only looking for a quick victory, one has to advocate the use of force, which would be antithetical to the message of liberty. My own contribution to the cause is my book, "Busting Myths about the State and the Libertarian Alternative," now published by the Mises Institute and available at Amazon.
ReplyDeleteGot it and will read when I get done with Bob Wenzels book
DeleteGlad you mentioned your book. I'm going to add it to my wish list so I will remember to buy it.
DeleteImpressive! I put it in my Amazon wish-list.
DeleteFor my part (as somewhere between 2nd-Tier and 3rd-Tier I suppose), I ran as a Libertarian for Wayne County Prosecutor in Detroit, in 2012 and again in 2016, against the entrenched Democrat, Kym Worthy. I didn't do it so much with the expectation of winning, but rather, as an information-spreading endeavor, to get the word out about a few ideas connected to my simple, 3-pronged platform of liberty: (1) Allow Jury Nullification in all criminal jury trials (and ultimately, in any trial where the government is a party to the action); (2) Abolish Civil Forfeiture enforcement (with a view toward ultimately abolishing all Civil Forfeiture); (3) Non-prosecution of victimless crimes, e.g. prostitution, gambling, drug offenses, etc.
In 2016 I garnered around 112,000 votes (about 13% I think). My twin brother ran an identical (ha ha) campaign in adjacent Oakland County.
I like to think that I exposed a good number of the masses to these 3 ideas (and possibly more, by way of my press releases, interviews, links to seminal, libertarian sites and books, etc).
Much appreciated, gentlemen.
DeleteSJ, I have always held in high regard Ron Paul's advice: everyone should contribute to the liberty movement in the way that best suits him or her. For some it's running a site like this, for others it's podcasting, writing books, running for office as you did, etc,
NAPster: Aye, true enough. As Rothbard and others have observed, the vast disparity in skills and natural ability among all people makes specialization and a division of labor most suitable and practical.
DeleteCompare the Green New Deal to the Fyre Festival disaster. Same type of promoters, same millennial socialists buying in to the promises, same disastrous results can be expected (except no one died at Fyre). There are plenty of images online of the Fyre Festival disaster to turn into memes.
ReplyDeleteLiberty will not grow as a belief beyond a minority until government, especially centralized in state and federal governments, no longer has control of the schools. Socialism in all its forms appeals to government institutionally. It gives the institution more of what it wants, power, wealth, social engineering, etc. Thus it is does not take much for people like those of the Frankfort School to get funding and move their people into positions in government run schools and government positions managing those schools.
ReplyDeleteThe children already being fed a diet of government is good teachings are easily shifted further in that direction. A little over time. All the while the "smart" kids are the ones that parrot what teacher, authority told them. It's part of the basic design of this school model, to make permanent adolescents that follow instruction.
So what do libertarians then need to do? First it is to overcome base line programming in people. I cannot count how many times I have been called stupid or worse simply because what I wrote or said did not match what we were all taught in K-12. It seems most people lack an ability to think (because the schools are designed to that) once they become adults and even entertain the idea that what they were told as children was wrong. It seems akin to someone admitting they were scammed even though they were children at the time. They easily will accept more that does not fundamentally disagree with the base programming, that is more socialism but going the other direction is much more difficult.
So long as socialists and other statists control the schools I don't think libertarianism can get much further than what Ron Paul's campaigns got to. The massive amount of deprogramming needed just to begin is so very tough to accomplish. So yes it may be a century or more but the place to start is either get the schools out of government hands, decentralize them, or infiltrate them and the offices that manage them.
I wouldn't get too wound up about it, i saw a video posted showing how people where quite in favor of it until it was demonstrated how it would affect them then not so much. The first big bite out of people wallets and socialistas will disappear pretty quickly
DeleteUltimately Jimmy as I have agreed before, Public educators will eventually be called out as some of the most vile traitors against liberty in this countries history
DeleteI couldn't agree more. I've been saying for many years, the first order of things is the separation of education and State. Statists will always control the Long Game as long as they are in control of inculcating, indoctrinating, schooling and de facto raising of our children. (Now there are even Federal proposals to have "free" pre-school and daycare for all children, i.e. getting as close to government cradle-through-high school stewardship/guardianship of our children as possible; Next there will be Nazi-type Lebensborn nurseries!)
DeleteInstead of trying to wrest control of the government-school system (I don't like using the words "government" and "education" in the same phrase), or starting private schools which might have to toe the state line to gain certain benefits, I hope that more people turn their back on the system and home-school. With the advent of the Internet, and things like the Ron Paul Homeschool Curriculum, there are better options than ever before.
DeleteThe freedom vs force battle must be fought on the basis of morality: the morality of "self interest" vs the morality of "self-sacrifice for the common good". Freedom fighters must claim the "moral" high ground. Conscience is the final determinant of history.
ReplyDeleteSchool cultivates neurotic people whose primary overriding concerns are their standing with and status within the heard. They just want to be cool. They're all becoming socialists because all the cool people are socialists. Even Paul Krugman deep down just wants to sit at the cool kids table.
ReplyDeleteEverytime the left goes into another one of their ritual banishment of the latest transgressors, each individual joining the ritual does so because deep down they are terrified of being the next to be banished.
I think what really irritates people about libertarians is that we appear to be free of the emotional baggage that weighs them down.
Imagine actually fearing Nazis and global warming and immigrants and drugs.... and then seeing some jerk who is free from all that worry, whistlin' along and spouting some noise about peace and freedom and feeling pretty good about it while he jaywalks. What a jerk!
It's just about to the point we are going to have to rip our freedom and liberty back in a way many don't want but is showing to be necessary. Patty cake time is nearing the end.
ReplyDeleteMr. President,
ReplyDeleteChoose the ground you fight on. Established by law and reaffirmed by the Supreme Court, immigration enforcement is the sole purview of the Executive branch. That's one.
So build your wall and let it be known. You will seal the entire border, if it becomes necessary. And then stand firm until congress reimburses your military budget. Exert the tremendous leverage you hold.
Two: ignore the predictable lower court rulings and orders. If SC Justice Roberts ties up the SC and you still have every legal precedent to claim immigration enforcement remains the sole duty and responsibility of the executive branch.
And three: without any definitive, game changing, judicial resolution from the Supreme Court, who can challenge you?
Remember. The country elected you to be President and not Pelosi, or Congress. If they decide there is to be an impeachment, let it be on the ground you choose, border security. The country supports your border enforcement efforts. The people support you, border security and your wall. Everything will ultimately be resolved in 2020 and not before. Any further compromise in an effort to appear reasonable will only hurt you with the electorate.
The people want a President who is in charge. We want affirmative, positive resolution. Otherwise, you are just another trick politician, a sellout in search of a second term. Now is the time to stop jawboning and to stand strong on your promise and the principle of saving America.
Any libertarian calling for a wall is falling for a stupid trick.
Delete"The people want a President who is in charge."
Did you get lost and wander over from some Maoist website or something?
"Muh Constitution! Muh parchment!"
Delete***
"But whether the Constitution really be one thing, or another, this much is certain – that it has either authorized such a government as we have had, or has been powerless to prevent it. In either case, it is unfit to exist.” ---Lysander Spooner.
Your reply is nonsensical. The constitution is a contract. Of course it has no power itself. Neither does it have arms or legs. Only the officials who interpret and enforce it have power. The same criticism can be made of any law that is broken. If cops refuse to enforce the law, that doesn't mean the law, or the concept of law is invalid.
DeleteAs for the top reply about libertarians falling for a stupid trick, I would have to say it is Libertarians who are stupid and they prove it whenever they open their mouths. One is a Maoist for endorsing authority. Is the pilot in charge of your airplane? Appropriate authority is a fact of life. Ships have captains. Only libertarians who, in reality are pawns and ploys of other political forces believe such utter nonsense.
Marty Lopez: The Constitution is NOT a contract. Contracts don't bind parties's descendants in perpetuity. Contracts don't bind hundreds of thousands of people living at the time who withheld their consent to its existence. Contracts are between people, not vast swaths of political territory. Contracts involve a flow of consideration between all parties to the agreement. Contracts are specific as to performance under the contracts, vis a vis time of performance, date of performance, actions that constitute performance, etc.
DeleteShall I continue?
Marty:
Delete"If cops refuse to enforce the law, that doesn't mean the law, or the concept of law is invalid."
-- That is true so far as it goes, but the constitution has no validity as "law" in and of itself, since it purports to bind people who have never voluntarily consented to it, and those in power who claim that it is a valid contract don't themselves act in accordance with its terms.
"Is the pilot in charge of your airplane? Appropriate authority is a fact of life. Ships have captains."
-- You are not distinguishing between authority that is voluntarily agreed to, such as in passengers boarding private airplanes and ships, and authority that is illegitimately claimed, such as by those at the state, who claim to exercise authority over people who have never consented to this.
After approval? Who approves, the grand wizard? How long does one have to wait to find out if he is deemed approved. I guess we can just forget this web site
ReplyDeleteThe problem with Socialism is that you can vote your way into it, but have to shoot your way out of it. That's why the first act is always gun confiscation.
ReplyDelete