In a GOP Bloodbath, Do Libertarians Win?
I ask and answer at The Daily Caller.
I'm not talking about movement libertarian elites, current libertarian leaders, or even titans of libertarian theory. I'm talking about practical, small-l libertarianism. If the GOP's internecine struggle really does lead to a bloodbath before (and after?) the general election, that could cause today's practical libertarianism to morph from an issue-by-issue disposition into a bigger, more conceptually consistent whole.
The kicker is leadership. It's hard to say the leadership is particularly strong in any faction of today's GOP. The only marquee names who haven't fizzled, or declined to risk fizzling, are Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich. Among candidates competing for Florida, only Romney has any real capability to run again in 2016 -- and somehow I think Romney will be in the same boat as the other losers this cycle if he isn't elected president this time around.
Yes, a promising, and fairly untested, crop of rising stars is creeping toward the stage. But right now, the defining fact for the GOP is that neither the constituency coalescing around Romney nor the one coalescing around Gingrich is very ideally represented or led. That does damage to the credibility of the messages the candidates are putting at their service. And that marks an opening for practical libertarianism -- which stands more or less outside the crossfire, and which is helped, not hurt, by the impending exit of its own current figurehead, Ron Paul, on a relative high note both for himself and for libertarians.
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Comments:
Dec '11
Re: In a GOP Bloodbath, Do Libertarians Win?
Most likely. The republican youth are libertarian oriented. The libertarians also have a much lower burden of entry to leadership, so these libertaran leaning young people with ambition will find themselves with more room for upward mobility.
Disaffected republicans who have found themselves in an existential crisis, as their party devolves into a purely purposeless impotent pantomime, will find themselves with a ideological rock to take hold of to resolve it.
Time will tell if the republican party can find a credible messenger to corral the cats, now that the coalition is broken.
Apr '11
Re: In a GOP Bloodbath, Do Libertarians Win?
Yes, but take a look around Ricochet. Like the Republican Party, its not a hospitable place for libertarian-conservatives. You've got guys like Paul Rahe breaking every mode of logic to claim that libertarians are really neo-marxists. No wait, they're anti-marxist radicals. No wait... You get the picture.
Reagan was thought mad for thinking the USSR was a hollow shell ready to crumple under its own weight. Libertarian-conservatives are thought mad for believing in limited government - for real limited government - the kind where government is actually, you know, limited.
Where the President cannot unilaterally decide to kill a US citizen without due process. We're talking at that gross level. The Republican establishment and intelligentsia think we're crazy for worrying about that. Well, we do.
Libertarian-conservatives are not loyal to the Republican Party because it's not loyal to the Constitution. If we don't' see small government Republican candidates, we're not voting for Republicans. You don't own us or our votes.
Read the Declaration of Independents.
Dec '11
Re: In a GOP Bloodbath, Do Libertarians Win?
The US president can in fact unilaterally kill a US citizen engaged in an act of rebellion, and has had that power since pretty much day 1 of the US government, unless you are seriously going to label George Washington a constitutional apostate as well.
Aug '10
Re: In a GOP Bloodbath, Do Libertarians Win?
The greatest weakness that has been used against the Republican party historically is when they argue for legislation or actually legislate in ways that exceed Constitutional authority in order to advance socially conservative ends. The use of government force in the War on Drugs, or attempts to use the congressional pulpit to regulate content in entertainment, are only some of the ways that the Republican party has continued to contribute to the power creep of the State.
If the Republican party truly values the republic established by the Founders, and holds Natural Right doctrines to be valuable, then they need to become more libertarian in legislative practice.
It has been too long since the people have had a major party fight for a truly limited government, and it is direly in need of one.
Jan '11
Re: In a GOP Bloodbath, Do Libertarians Win?
James -- what do you mean by Ron Paul's "impending exit"?
Re: In a GOP Bloodbath, Do Libertarians Win?
This is his swan song. He's not running for reelection. It looks like the newsletter thing is simply going to be left unresolved and fade into the background as Paul himself fades. It also looks like Rand differs significantly from his father, on at least some of the issues and generationally as well...
Dec '11
Re: In a GOP Bloodbath, Do Libertarians Win?
He getting too old to keep going.
Oct '10
Re: In a GOP Bloodbath, Do Libertarians Win?
Thanks for the silver lining, James, but the interim between now and when this ascendance of libertarianism occurs is going to be painful.
May '10
Re: In a GOP Bloodbath, Do Libertarians Win?
Ron Paul libertarianism- that is, international isolationism and a domestic dream of 1924, no matter how much we wish it were possible- is simply not possible in a modern world democracy. Ayn Rand was a brilliant nut who channeled Hayek's most prescient thoughts, but Hayek was too wise to believe in toll sidewalks.
Not even Ronald Reagan tried to sell that nonsense; he had to be real about, you know, governing.
Re: In a GOP Bloodbath, Do Libertarians Win?
Perhaps, but it doesn't have to be. Notice that Paul never spent a moment bashing Romney. Notice that Newt has showered Paul with praise on the Fed and sound money. Notice the wave of disgust emanating from libertarians and conservatives like George Will over Obama's come-home-American-militarism SOTU. Newt vs. Mitt is pulling the spotlight away from the very real opportunity for a highly productive shift.
Mar '11
Re: In a GOP Bloodbath, Do Libertarians Win?
Frankly, the opposite would happen:you'd see a backlash against libertarianism in the party. GOP voters aren't complaining because Mitt Romney isn't libertarian enough after all.
Nov '11
Re: In a GOP Bloodbath, Do Libertarians Win?
I describe myself as libertarian-leaning and know several people who are taking a look at the Libertarian Party.I did but found the philosophy too utopian.Its politics of today concentrate too much on peripheral issues (drugs, gay marriage) which most have no interest in fighting for, and feel these issues would be taken care of adequately with less government anyway.In terms of the military/foreign affairs Libertarians might concentrate on the militarization of the police and other entities, privacy issues, bureaucrats making policy and: pick fights carefully, have a definition of winning, then get out.Repubs are wrong to think conservatives are generally pro-war these days as we can see what one bad apple can do to ruin the middle east.They will be successful describing actual programs for smaller government for instance making the flat tax 'their' defining issue. Not as pure as no tax but a revolution.Not exciting for Libertarians but a winner.Ron Paul's surge and his steady numbers reflect this and if it was anyone but him would be higher. A 'radical' Libertarian would never get all done, but they would perhaps get something done (undone).
Edited on February 1, 2012 at 2:22amNov '11
Re: In a GOP Bloodbath, Do Libertarians Win?
'Reps are wrong to think conservatives are generally pro-war these days as we can see what one bad apple can do to ruin the middle east.'...clarifying I meant Obama. I wasn't against Iraq/Afghanistan but that's definitely another topic.
Aug '10
Re: In a GOP Bloodbath, Do Libertarians Win?
One day there will be a substantial, mature, reasonable libertarian leader with gravitas. Someone who recognizes that politics is the art of the possible and develops a sensible policy platform that works on the margins to move the country in a more libertarian direction on economic and social policy, without prattling on about dismantling the Fed or disengaging the U.S from a hostile globalized world. That person could grab the 40% of the electorate that describes itself in vaguely libertarian terms.
Re: In a GOP Bloodbath, Do Libertarians Win?
It's interesting - sometimes the sensible approach doesn't even need to be marginal. Think of prison reform (recognized as essential by growing numbers of conservatives)...