Re: CONFESSIONS OF A CHEERFUL LIBERTARIAN By David Brin

From: Adrian Tymes (wingcat@pacbell.net)
Date: Fri Dec 01 2000 - 12:58:22 MST


Chris Russo wrote:
>
> From the opening description of David Brin (whose books I've seen on
> the shelf, but I've never read), I was anticipating a good thought
> provoking article.
>
> Instead, Mr. Brin didn't really argue anything in a substantive
> manner. The little snippets that almost looked like sub-arguments
> were so loaded with false dilemmas and straw men that I gave up any
> idea of pointing them all out.

Then you missed the point of the article.

> The line that had me scratching my head the most was this one:
>
> >I admit turning around and often voting for Democrats in general elections.
>
> He claims to be mostly a Libertarian, but he actually votes for Democrats.

Yep. Because he believes that Libertarian aims can be more effectively
achieved by improving the system - which requires working within it, and
thus working with The Powers That Be - than the current ideal of
destroying the system and starting over (which is presumably what the
L candidates he voted against were promoting).

Summary: passing and changing laws and instituations to promote
individuality, rather than merely repealing/removing most or all
existing laws and institutions, is an approach that the public is more
likely to vote into office. It is also more likely to bring better
results in practice, even if either one were equally able to gain power.



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