From: Rafal Smigrodzki (rms2g@virginia.edu)
Date: Tue Sep 10 2002 - 18:31:15 MDT
Mr. Newstrom admitted an abstract commitment to libertarianism,
and a tendency to vote for democratic politicians. He then offered a set
of individual positions for every one of which he offered an argument in
justification. That is a properly political practice. I suspect that he
is open to being convinced by a better argument to change any single one
of the positions he delineated. To accuse him of cowardice when he is
being realistic, is just to abjure the political in favor of a
prepolitical stance that values moral or esthetic ideals over the fact
that other people with real differences actually exist and must be engaged
with as peers however unappealing one finds the practice.
### But isn't there something to be said about the virtue of abstention?
Voting Democratic (or Republican), means, if you are truly a libertarian,
forgoing a long term, if uncertain gain, a libertarian state, in favor of
minor short term gains. Legitimizing a regime by voting had no doubt propped
up many a shaky communist politburo. A refusal to vote or choosing a
candidate destined to lose weakens the current wielders of power and might
set the stage for their eventual departure.
Rafal
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Sat Nov 02 2002 - 09:16:56 MST