Why You're Living in a Libertarian Moment - Nick Gillespie

[yongrel]

An oldie, but a goodie.

http://reason.tv/video/show/708.html

"Titled "Why You're Living in the Libertarian Moment And What You Can Do to Keep and Expand Your Freedom" and featuring a slideshow set to Sid Vicious's version of "My Way," Gillespie's talk argued that we are more free than ever despite massive increases in government spending, regulation, and controls over the past several decades. Due to huge growth in wealth, technology, and social liberalization, more individuals are more free to pursue their lives on their own terms than ever before."

[Peace&Freedom]

Well, somebody has to be optimistic, but Gillespie's take is why the Reason/Cato set are taken less seriously these days.

[yongrel]

Well, somebody has to be optimistic, but Gillespie's take is why the Reason/Cato set are taken less seriously these days.

How do you know what Gillespie's take is? Unless you've already seen the video prior to my posting, you've clearly not watched it.

[Cowlesy]

No question we have tons more choice today than decades ago in practically everything. This is certainly true in community/group activities given the internet and its ability to connect like-minded individuals.

I do worry that his fact about gov't spending as a % of GDP which he defines historically in a "narrow band", is going to blow through that band this year and for the forseeable future. This is going to create a choice vacuum with more regulations, and less dollars in our pocket to direct.

He may not be too worried about it, but it makes me bristle.

[Peace&Freedom]

How do you know what Gillespie's take is? Unless you've already seen the video prior to my posting, you've clearly not watched it.

I've seen the video and other appearances and articles by Gillespie. He vastly understates the bad news about the essential liberties that have been lost, while trumpeting secondary or libertine matters that are devoid of true soveignty. The Reason/Cato faction have been tepid, or outright asleep at the switch on the big issues impacting liberty, from the federal reserve, to the IRS, torture, RFID, NAU, to wars without end, etc., etc. So long as people somewhere can smoke up, sodomize or get porn, freely abort babies, clone and engage in other miscellaneous 'choices' Gillespie thinks freedom is increasing.

Compare Gillespie's claim about how low spending is as a fraction of GDP, versus the truth, here summarized by Pat Buchanan: "When "Silent Cal" Coolidge went home in 1929, the U.S. government was spending 3 percent of gross domestic product. And today? Obama's first budget will consume 28 percent of the entire GDP; state and local governments another 15 percent. While there is some overlap, in 2009, government will consume 40 percent of GDP, approaching the peak of World War II."

[LATruth]

I'm not feeling so Libertarian ATM, neither is America.

[mediahasyou]

I will always feel libertarian, the U.S. government may try to stop that, but until then I will live the life I wish to live.