How Durable is the GOP's Newfound Libertarianism?
Discussing presidential politics over the holiday season (one of the downsides of being a former White House staffer is how narrow your small talk portfolio becomes come election time), I've noticed my over-reliance on an irritating verbal tic. Every time I'm asked about Ron Paul, my reply begins with "I'm a pretty libertarian guy, but..."
What follows is probably predictable for anyone who considers themselves a libertarian rather than a Libertarian (or -- my formulation -- "libertarian" as an adjective rather than a noun). I admire Congressman Paul for pushing the conversation about limited government further than most of his primary rivals would entertain. And on certain issues (particularly the excesses of the Federal Reserve), I think he's solely responsible for opening up lines of discussion that otherwise would not have breached the presidential race.
That being said, his position on drug legalization goes entirely too far for my taste, his foreign policy views are out of communion with reality, and his penchant for entertaining -- if not actively embracing -- conspiracy theories testifies to a certain lack of seriousness (which has the unfortunate side effect of unfairly discrediting some of his more reasonable views). In short, I want someone more libertarian than the GOP establishment of the past decade but not as doctrinaire as Dr. Paul. What's remarkable to me is how much less exotic that request sounds now than it did four years ago at this time.
Today, a GOP candidate who wants to abolish cabinet departments, reassert the importance of the Tenth Amendment, and prevent future increases in the debt ceiling is more the norm than an aberration. Even among those of us who recognize real and serious threats to American national security, the conversation has trended in a more libertarian direction, with more thoughtful discussions about when military action is justified (witness the debate over Libya) or when security measures butt up against civil liberties concerns (the entire debacle that is the TSA).
In short, most of what's good about the Ron Paul candidacy has been co-opted by the Tea Party Movement. Most of what's bad has been mercifully inert. I, for one, count this as a positive development for conservatives. While prudence dictates that we won't come down on the side of unadulterated liberty as often as Dr. Paul, it's the principled place to start almost any public policy conversation.
One major difficulty remains. It's becoming increasingly clear that whoever wins the 2012 Republican presidential nomination will not be cut from this limited-government cloth. Should that candidate become the next president, particularly with a Republican congress, there will be an ideological discord. The question then becomes: will the next Republican president conform himself to the small government zeitgeist, or will the party be remade in the image of its standard-bearer?
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May '10
Re: How Durable is the GOP's Newfound Libertarianism?
The "party", an amorphous blob with no real accountability, can be idealistic. A governor has to govern all of the people, and live in the real world- not the magical mystery tour inhabited by, say, Michele Bachmann or Herman Cain. In my philosophical dreams, I'm with the TEA Party almost all the way. In reality, not.
How many Cabinet departments did Ronald Reagan eliminate? How much smaller was government in 1989 than it was in 1981?
Was that because he had no true conservative principles? Or did "the party" re-make the man?
Nov '11
Re: How Durable is the GOP's Newfound Libertarianism?
Troy Senik
The question then becomes: will the next Republican president conform himself to the small government zeitgeist, or will the party be remade in the image of its standard-bearer? ·
The Republican party didn't have room for Gary Johnson to even be in the debates. Instead the party will nominate Mitt Romney. So, if he wins, the next Republican president will be Obama-lite.
Libertarianism is of no interest to people in power, because it means less power for them.
Mar '11
Re: How Durable is the GOP's Newfound Libertarianism?
Troy Senik
That being said, his position on drug legalization goes entirely too far for my taste, his foreign policy views are out of communion with reality, and his penchant for entertaining -- if not actively embracing -- conspiracy theories testifies to a certain lack of seriousness (which has the unfortunate side effect of unfairly discrediting some of his more reasonable views). In short, I want someone more libertarian than the GOP establishment of the past decade but not as doctrinaire as Dr. Paul. What's remarkable to me is how much less exotic that request sounds now than it did four years ago at this time.
If Ron Paul's stance on law enforcement were in line with his foreign policy, we wouldn't try to defend ourselves with expensive police departments. Instead, we'd try to understand the criminals and get along with them by giving them what they want -- our stuff.
I lean libertarian, but I do endeavor not to fall over while doing it.
Aug '10
Re: How Durable is the GOP's Newfound Libertarianism?
Duane Oyen: The "party", an amorphous blob with no real accountability, can be idealistic. A governor has to govern all of the people, and live in the real world- not the magical mystery tour inhabited by, say, Michele Bachmann or Herman Cain. In my philosophical dreams, I'm with the TEA Party almost all the way. In reality, not.
How many Cabinet departments did Ronald Reagan eliminate? How much smaller was government in 1989 than it was in 1981?
Was that because he had no true conservative principles? Or did "the party" re-make the man? · Dec 28 at 3:05pm
Hear, hear!
Dec '11
Re: How Durable is the GOP's Newfound Libertarianism?
Gary Johnson has announced that he will run on the Libertarian ticket. That would definitely cost the GOP New Mexico and, possibly, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho and South Dakota.
Ralph Nader cost the Democrats the 2000 presidential election, by taking far-left voters in Florida. The Democrats got the message.
Perhaps if Gary Johnson costs the Republicans the 2012 election, the party will finally wake up and smell the small-government coffee.
Mar '11
Re: How Durable is the GOP's Newfound Libertarianism?
Nobody's Perfect: Gary Johnson has announced that he will run on the Libertarian ticket. That would definitely cost the GOP New Mexico and, possibly, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho and South Dakota.
Ralph Nader cost the Democrats the 2000 presidential election, by taking far-left voters in Florida. The Democrats got the message.
Perhaps if Gary Johnson costs the Republicans the 2012 election, the party will finally wake up and smell the small-government coffee. · Dec 28 at 3:37pm
You'll lose far more conservatives by going squishy on social issues than you'll ever lose in numbers of libertarians by abandoning the social leg of Buckley's stool. The idea... popularized by Buckley, and successfully managed by Reagan and Dubya... was to have the best balance possible between the social, economic, and hawk mindsdets. Our problem is that right now, only Rick Perry has that kind of balance, and he just isn't getting through to the voters yet.
Mar '11
Re: How Durable is the GOP's Newfound Libertarianism?
Duane Oyen:
Was that because he had no true conservative principles? Or did "the party" re-make the man? · Dec 28 at 3:05pm
You precede from a false premise on both choices. Reagan didn't shrink the government as he wanted because he had his priorities ranked, and taking on the Soviets with a beefed up defense policy was priority Numero Uno. Reagan thought... wisely in retrospect... all else was small potatoes if the Soviets were allowed to continue to march across the world they way they did so successfully in the 1970's. To get a Democratic Congress onboard, Reagan traded deficit spending and his small government goals to get those military dollars for more fighters, more carriers and subs, and SDI. Almost every former Soviet admits that they simply couldn't keep up, and it pushed them over the tipping point. Considering that we no longer live in a world where nuclear attack drills are held in schools, where my kids aren't growing up thinking as we did that a nuclear war and/or Communist world was inevitable... well, I'll take that victory, thanks. Even if it means Reagan didn't get all he wanted.
Mar '11
Re: How Durable is the GOP's Newfound Libertarianism?
Nobody's Perfect:
Perhaps if Gary Johnson costs the Republicans the 2012 election, the party will finally wake up and smell the small-government coffee.
By then, it will be too late - the country will have fundamentally changed.
Aug '10
Re: How Durable is the GOP's Newfound Libertarianism?
I think that the party base is becoming increasingly libertarian. There are still some hard core "administrative state social conservatives," but I believe there is a growing body of "limited state social conservatives."
One can be socially conservative and believe that the market and the market place of ideas are sufficient for the advancement of conservative principles. One can as easily found a tyranny around social conservative ideas as one can for progressive ideas. Both share an overpowered state.
Nov '11
Re: How Durable is the GOP's Newfound Libertarianism?
This. It is good hear that even a former White House staffer is starting to get the message. The Republicans are losing many Conservatives and Libertarians are closer to their views at this point. Also many are realizing that Libertarianism is more than Ron Paul. I agree that many describe themselves as small 'l' libertarians (as I do). If you study big 'L' Libertarianism it is easy to see the philosophy has it's own flavor of Utopianism (not a word, but you know what I mean). This is also the first article I have seen that gets into military question. While supporting a strong military it is obvious there are inadequate controls in place and a definite encroachment on US citizens rights that need to be stopped. I wish/hope that once a Republican candidate is elected the Conservative Media wake up and say, 'OK- we have to beat Obama now, but we are establishing a third party after the election' . Put the fear of us (instead of the Dems) into the Rep. party. Do you think this is far-fetched? Think again, especially if it's Romney.
Re: How Durable is the GOP's Newfound Libertarianism?
Duane Oyen:
How many Cabinet departments did Ronald Reagan eliminate? How much smaller was government in 1989 than it was in 1981?
Was that because he had no true conservative principles? Or did "the party" re-make the man? · Dec 28 at 3:05pm
None of the above. It was because the Democrats controlled the House of Representatives through that entire period.
Re: How Durable is the GOP's Newfound Libertarianism?
Percival
Troy Senik
That being said, his position on drug legalization goes entirely too far for my taste, his foreign policy views are out of communion with reality, and his penchant for entertaining -- if not actively embracing -- conspiracy theories testifies to a certain lack of seriousness (which has the unfortunate side effect of unfairly discrediting some of his more reasonable views). In short, I want someone more libertarian than the GOP establishment of the past decade but not as doctrinaire as Dr. Paul. What's remarkable to me is how much less exotic that request sounds now than it did four years ago at this time.
If Ron Paul's stance on law enforcement were in line with his foreign policy, we wouldn't try to defend ourselves with expensive police departments. Instead, we'd try to understand the criminals and get along with them by giving them what they want -- our stuff.
I lean libertarian, but I do endeavor not to fall over while doing it. · Dec 28 at 3:17pm
Your first paragraph is a real gem. Bless you.
Re: How Durable is the GOP's Newfound Libertarianism?
Douglas
Duane Oyen:
Was that because he had no true conservative principles? · Dec 28 at 3:05pm
You precede from a false premise on both choices. Reagan didn't shrink the government as he wanted because he had his priorities ranked, and taking on the Soviets with a beefed up defense policy was priority Numero Uno. Reagan thought... wisely in retrospect... all else was small potatoes if the Soviets were allowed to continue to march across the world they way they did so successfully in the 1970's. To get a Democratic Congress onboard, Reagan traded deficit spending and his small government goals to get those military dollars for more fighters, more carriers and subs, and SDI. Almost every former Soviet admits that they simply couldn't keep up, and it pushed them over the tipping point. Considering that we no longer live in a world where nuclear attack drills are held in schools, where my kids aren't growing up thinking as we did that a nuclear war and/or Communist world was inevitable... well, I'll take that victory, thanks. Even if it means Reagan didn't get all he wanted. · Dec 28 at 4:02pm
Nicely put.
May '10
Re: How Durable is the GOP's Newfound Libertarianism?
Douglas
Duane Oyen:
Was that because he had no true conservative principles? Or did "the party" re-make the man? · Dec 28 at 3:05pm
You precede from a false premise on both choices. Reagan didn't shrink the government as he wanted because he had his priorities ranked, and taking on the Soviets with a beefed up defense policy was priority Numero Uno. Reagan thought... wisely in retrospect... all else was small potatoes if the Soviets were allowed to continue to march across the world they way they did so successfully in the 1970's. To get a Democratic Congress onboard, Reagan traded deficit spending and his small government goals to get those military dollars for more fighters, more carriers and subs, and SDI...........................
Douglas- you prove my exact point while pretending to set it straight. President Reagan had to govern all the people in the real world- which meant he had to set priorities. Just as GWB had to accept some bad things to get some good things.
Rick Perry, were he miraculously put into power without an election, would do the same thing, though not everyone sells out to Merck to do a former staffer a favor.
May '10
Re: How Durable is the GOP's Newfound Libertarianism?
Paul A. Rahe
Duane Oyen:
How many Cabinet departments did Ronald Reagan eliminate? How much smaller was government in 1989 than it was in 1981?
Was that because he had no true conservative principles? Or did "the party" re-make the man? · Dec 28 at 3:05pm
None of the above. It was because the Democrats controlled the House of Representatives through that entire period. · Dec 28 at 5:19pm
Exactly. He had to govern in the real world- and that included the makeup of Congress.
Incidentally, just as Romney had to in Massachusetts. You can't do it all your way, even with a supermajority- as Barack Obama discovered.
May '10
Re: How Durable is the GOP's Newfound Libertarianism?
Who's talking dreams?
We might put forth a more "libertarian" candidate who probably lacks the support to win the general election and enact truly significant reform. Or we might put forth a more "moderate" candidate who probably can win the general election but is not willing to pursue significant reform. Either way, reality is likely to slap us in the face.
Whatever we do now is a gamble. At least the former scenario gives liberty a chance.
The "reality" is that the momentum of our past choices has eliminated the possibility of enduring American strength. Our economy is going to suffer in the near future even worse than it is now. Our military capabilities and international influence will retract accordingly. The choice now is between dampening our woes with sane politics and retaining some semblance of America for generations to come or succumbing to the status quo so that we can pretend just a few years longer before our nation crumbles entirely.
Those of us rejecting moderates aren't naive idealists. We are playing for keeps.
Nov '11
Re: How Durable is the GOP's Newfound Libertarianism?
Nobody's Perfect: Gary Johnson has announced that he will run on the Libertarian ticket. That would definitely cost the GOP New Mexico and, possibly, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho and South Dakota.
Ralph Nader cost the Democrats the 2000 presidential election, by taking far-left voters in Florida. The Democrats got the message.
Perhaps if Gary Johnson costs the Republicans the 2012 election, the party will finally wake up and smell the small-government coffee. · Dec 28 at 3:37pm
Incorrect. Al Gore cost the Democrats the 2000 election.
Gary Johnson won't cost the GOP New Mexico, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho and South Dakota, Mitt Romney will.
Aug '11
Re: How Durable is the GOP's Newfound Libertarianism?
It's weird for me. I actually started out as big Walter Block fan. I was a big fan minarchism. I always believed that the gov't was needed for some type of defense and that defense is probably not something that can be privatized. I also never agreed with the idea that courts should be completely privatized.
Long story short, I freely admit I became more "conservative" than "libertarian." Meaning that I accept what strong libertarians would consider a lot of "statism." With some (especially social) conservatives I probably seem more libertarian. And vice versa.
I guess I say this because it may not be so strange to qualify one's "libertarianism" since that's a really big ideology. I don't think there is any type of inconsistency in that sense. I think a more consistent belief in small governments and personal freedom is overall very good. And that means small government at all levels. I don't believe that tyranny on a state or local level is preferable to tyranny at a federal level.
May '10
Re: How Durable is the GOP's Newfound Libertarianism?
Blasted double post again....
Edited on Dec 28, 2011 at 7:44pmMay '10
Re: How Durable is the GOP's Newfound Libertarianism?
Aaron Miller
Who's talking dreams?
We might put forth a more "libertarian" candidate who probably lacks the support to win the general election and enact truly significant reform. Or we might put forth a more "moderate" candidate who probably can win the general election but is not willing to pursue significant reform. Either way, reality is likely to slap us in the face.....
OK, Aaron- we are talking real world now, December 2011. Who is your legit "more libertarian candidate"- and don't tell me Ron Paul or Gary Johnson. I said "real".