Libertarian girls
January 4, 2009 – 10:50 pm by JohnI have been meaning to write about this for a while. A former student of Walter Block wrote to him:
I read an Economist article yesterday praising the government for bailing out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and was shocked that such an august publication could be so short-sighted. I talked about it with my liberal girlfriend and for the first time admitted the extent of my libertarian sympathies. She cried when I said I didn’t think people had a right to food. What does one do? I am very tight-lipped about politics for exactly this reason.
“I am very tight-lipped about politics for exactly this reason.” This describes me perfectly. I keep silent when my friends discuss politics. This is partly because it’s hard to sound intelligent, informed, or convincing when you’re holding back and only saying part of what you know and think, and to divulge all I know and think would require calling my friends completely economically ignorant, morally bankrupt, and politically naïve. I don’t want to insult and ridicule them right to their faces. They’re mostly good friends and co-workers; they’re just patently wrong about most things and we have strong disagreements about lots of others. Having morally objectionable and empirically destructive politics doesn’t make you a bad person. It just makes you do bad things.
On the other hand, I could be extreme (the only way to be fully correct) while remaining level-headed, but that’s the second part of the problem. I have such a thin skin that I don’t want to expose myself for the complete libertarian anarchist that I am. Being socially “liberal” and fiscally “conservative,” even to a great extent, is one thing, but insisting upon the complete immorality of the very existence of monopolistic government and advocating a completely non-Statist society is another altogether. I fear their judgment. In other words, I’m kind of a pansy.
Part of my problem is that I’m not so good at discovering or enunciating simple, concrete policy positions that would improve this or that economic, social, or governmental situation; my solution is always to abolish the whole monopolistic State because the voluntary choices of free individuals would sort it out wonderfully. My arguments would always either end in me defending a completely free society, or lying and saying, “Well, now, I wouldn’t go that far….”
Maybe you’d say that if they would judge me so harshly for well-thought-out and well-meaning beliefs, radical though they may find them, they aren’t such good friends to begin with and I need to stop being such a chicken and find new friends. Well, no one’s perfect. (Where would I find them, anyway?)
It probably sounds a little weird for such an avid blagger (except during Christmas vacation without high-speed internet) who is staunchly libertarian in every way to say he’s timid and cowardly about discussing politics with friends, but writing is a lot different from speaking on your feet. Yes, this blag is public, but I neither know nor care which friends know about it. It actually doesn’t matter a whole lot how many strangers read it (though the exposure, discussions, and support of all the regular and occasional visitors make me very happy). This blag is a platform for venting my frustration at the Statist world, crafting my ideas and arguments for continual improvement, going on record as being correct about socialist Statism, and sharing ideas with Kelly.
Anyway, back to what was originally the real topic of this post. Walter Block reflected upon his former student’s dilemma:
…it is tough to be a young male libertarian. At most gatherings where they frequent, the male–female ratio is about ten or twenty to one. For example, at the recent Mises University (look at the picture; see how many women you can find), my estimate is that there were almost 200 students; about 15 or so of them were female. (Hint for young ladies: a word to the wise is sufficient.) Nor is this merely a modern problem for male libertarians. Things have always been this way; I can attest to this, at least from 1962, when I first became a libertarian.
What to do? Well, get a non-libertarian girlfriend. Now what? Keep quiet about one of the most important things in your life? Well, engineers, computer nerds, physicists, mathematicians, etc., do not share their technical lives with their wives or girlfriends. Of course, libertarianism is different. It is the rare BBQ, dinner party or PTA meeting where such narrow scientific issues are discussed. But the state of the union, unemployment, foreign policy, elections, feminism, environmentalism, discrimination, etc., are usually at the tip of everyone’s tongue, and libertarians have passionately strong views on all of them. Three hints: one, keep dating until you find someone who can tolerate your views without crying or screaming at you. This girl need not be a libertarian; mere toleration is quite enough; hey, more than enough. Two, engage in a do-it-yourself project: try to convert your date to the one true faith. Three, don’t awfulize about your failures. Instead, keep trying. If at first you don’t succeed…
I don’t know many libertarian girls. I don’t know many girls who even have any libertarian leanings, much less girls who would be described as libertarians. My current girlfriend isn’t. She is fairly non-political, though, which is the next-best thing.
I knew three libertarian(ish) girls in college. One of them married a socialist and became an Obama supporter. The other two are still libertarian, I think. Hopefully even more so than we were in our naïve college libertarian club days. Both of them were pretty hot. One of them is still with her damn College Republicans boyfriend. Maybe he’s a libertarian now. I can’t imagine her staying with a neocon or even a conservative for this long (5+ years?). Oooh, I hate him so much…
I have met one libertarian girl after college, and she said the sexiest thing anyone has ever said to me: “I think all taxes are evil.” She was engaged before I ever set eyes on her… Oooh, I hate him so much… Actually, no, I hung out with him a couple times and he’s really cool. On the whole I think I’d rather be able to hate him!
Many people, especially men, do, say, or think things that result in pushing people (good friends or significant others) away when they feel they’re getting too close to them. As Adam Sandler said in one of my favorite of his songs, something inside them makes them want to screw it up. This is probably similar to a simple fear of commitment, but I notice myself doing this and I don’t think I have a fear of commitment (I certainly didn’t used to). I think it’s more like a fear of being completely open, exposed, and vulnerable as who you truly are, in the words of Adelai Niska. So we rationalize why this or that girl/girlfriend wasn’t Ms. Right by citing examples of supposed incompatibilities that shouldn’t necessarily have been deal-breakers: we don’t like her parents, we might want to live in different parts of the country in the future, she doesn’t like going to the bars that we do, she doesn’t like watching sports, she despises our favorite band, she isn’t libertarian enough to truly understand us. Maybe they are sound objections sometimes, maybe they aren’t other times. Either way, people of all kinds do this to keep from getting too close to that precipice of complete and total commitment, that point of no return. We say, “Well, our career paths precluded staying together permanently…” “You know, I’d probably always have to choose between going out with my friends and spending time with her…” “We’d always be disagreeing about politics…”
A lot of people with differing politics marry each other. (Then again, they share one ludicrous belief: Democrats and Republicans have opposing political philosophies.) Is it any harder for a libertarian to stay with a Statist? Is this fundamental difference a valid reason for giving up on the relationship, or for doing things consciously or subconsciously that sabotage the relationship? Should libertarians hold off on revealing the extremity of their politics until they’ve gotten to know someone well enough that they know the other person has similar leanings or they know the other person will like them or love them just as much, regardless of their extreme politics? These are some of the things I ponder, and wonder where I stand, where I should stand, where I will stand. Everyone handles it differently, I guess.
“Keep quiet about one of the most important things in your life?” Libertarianism is different. There is scarcely such thing as a casual libertarian. Certainly not a casual real libertarian (anarchist). To have such radical and life-changing beliefs means that you must feel strongly about them. And, regardless of what other libertarians think about their politics compared to others’ and how this affects their relationships with them, it is a very defining characteristic of who I am. Individualist anarchism defines a very large part of how I see the world, my relationship with it, and all of humanity’s relationship with each other. That is a pretty major part of who someone truly is. I’m not sure if Walter Block’s advice of finding someone who is apolitical is satisfactory for me, and I’m not sure I have the temperament to proselytize to people who are apolitical or Statist. I just don’t know where to find a libertarian girl, because all the girls I know, and especially the pretty ones, are either conservative Christians or tree-hugging socialist hippies.
The founder of the aforementioned college libertarians club would ask people who claimed to be libertarian, to test their true libertarianness, “Do you think all drugs should be legalized, including cocaine and heroin and crystal meth?” That would often be the first substantive thing he said to someone. That’ll put you on the spot! How many girls do you know who would give a libertarian answer to that? I know very, very few. It’s really frustrating. (No, I’ve never asked anyone that, but I encourage you to try it as an icebreaker on your next first date.)
Since political economy and moral philosophy are so important to me, I feel like I am missing out by not being really close to someone who sees the world the same way I do, to whom I can open up and say what I really feel and offer my own intellectual, philosophical, and moral support. I feel like if I married a Statist, I would always be blaming her, silently or openly, for all the things her evil government and her stupid politicians did. Obviously I wouldn’t marry someone who didn’t know exactly what my politics were, so she’d probably know what I felt about everything political. She’d read my web page whenever she wanted. She’d know what I thought of her politics. Maybe she’d think the same thing about mine. That’s too much conflict, too much strife. I don’t want a choir to preach to; I want another principled person with whom I can share my thoughts about politics instead of being afraid to all the time. Who will challenge, but reinforce and help me improve upon, my analysis of every political issue. Who sees our relationships with the world, the State, and other people the same way I do. Who can make me feel less alone in this unfree world instead of feeling suffocated by socialist Statism everywhere I go.
Libertarian girls are rare, and I feel that emailer’s pain. My solution so far has been to bottle up my frustration at the rampant Statism we live under, swallow my derisive criticisms of the socialism my friends endorse, and hide my principled moral stances from everyone who’s appalled at the notions of individual sovereignty and peace. Something has to change sometime soon.
37 Responses to “Libertarian girls”
I so enjoyed your article. I’m now age 70, an objectivist/libertarian always, have certainly walked your path. For 17 years was fortunate to have that match; it was great but we blew it. There were other mates who didn’t match so today it’s back to the hunt. Just so you know, it is possible.
But what I really wish to say: As you surely realize, the “virtue of sacrifice” has now taken our world to collapse. All these many years I did much as yourself, and hold back on voicing the principles necessary to avoid this mess, for which I now share the blame along with so many others.
Speak out for your morality, firmly and without hesitation. It helps to do so in the form of questions rather than lecture. But regardless, don’t hold back, it’s important, and you will surprised and delighted to discover you are not alone in your convictions. It does work out; nice and easy does it.
Good luck!
By Dean Striker on Jan 5, 2009
““Do you think all drugs should be legalized, including cocaine and heroin and crystal meth?””
That’s not that great of a litmus test now isn’t it. For one thing, it implies the existence of a government that “legalizes” things.
By Francois Tremblay on Jan 5, 2009
I think that if you look in the right places, there are plenty of libertarian-leaning conservative gals. I’m one, and I have a few friends who feel the same (granted, we’re all married already, but still…).
You specifically mentioned that you know some Christian Conservative girls above; are you specifically against dating a Christian, or do all of these girls believe that Christian social programs, i.e., charities, etc., should be part of government (ex., were they Huckabee fans?)? Or are they Christian girls (like me) who are basically libertarian-conservative politically, but who also attend church occasionally?
I think if you consider it, there is a lot more wiggle room there than you might have previously thought.
By Leofwende on Jan 5, 2009
“That’s not that great of a litmus test now isn’t it. For one thing, it implies the existence of a government that “legalizes” things.”
Exactly! When I was writing that, I thought about how I would answer that question today. I would say, “I have a better solution than legalizing them; we should eliminate the entity that arrogates to itself the right to legalize or criminalize them altogether.” That’s a true libertarian answer.
By John on Jan 5, 2009
“are you specifically against dating a Christian, or do all of these girls believe that Christian social programs, i.e., charities, etc., should be part of government (ex., were they Huckabee fans?)?”
My current girlfriend is Christian, and I am not, so I have no problem dating a Christian per se, I just wonder how compatible we would be for the next 50 or 60 years—the same as with differing political philosophies.
My problem, basically, is with support of Republicans and their paternalistic big-government programs. War, for starters.
Thanks for reading and writing.
By John on Jan 5, 2009
Great post! You’re right that it’s hard to open up about our views in casual social conversing, maybe that’s why blogging is so fun.
I think this dilemma applies to most party affiliations, perhaps tho to a lesser degree for dems & reps. The problem is that if someone jumps out and says, “I’m liberatarian” or “I’m a democrat”, then the conversation becomes about party affiliations and not about issues. There’s really no where to go. What are you going to say, “No you’re not.”? Or “I knew a democrat once.” Instead I think it’s best to keep the conversation about the issues. I’ll often express concerns or liberatarian sentiments w/o jumping out & taking sides, & I’ll leave room in my comments for doubt, b/c I don’t know, I might be wrong. In my experience this has been a more genuine approach, & it keeps the conversation on the issues, which I’m more interested in, b/c I’d like to think my views stem from issues rather than party affiliations.
I’ve never met any liberatarian women my age. In my imagination they always seemed like they’d be the sort from an Ayn Rand novel. Call me a softy liberatarian, but her female characters always seemed a bit too cold for me.
I’d assume it maybe a gender thing. Both women and liberals are known for thinking more with their emotions and building their views off of empathy.
By kerrjac on Jan 5, 2009
Have you tried looking overseas? There are quite a few countries out there where government evil is much more obvious, or where philosophies/religions are not so tightly tied to the government. I’ve had pleasant conversations with Japanese of both sexes concerning the evils of government, and the Bangledeshis I know are very aware of the corruption that government fosters.
By Michael on Jan 8, 2009
Hmm, Christian Libertarian/anarchist (Leofwende)?
Try finding an atheist female out there that isn’t a socialist.
Then again, a lot of girls that I’ve met have leanings in the right (towards freedom, not delegated socialist “rights”), but they need a good push in the right direction.
I share the same fear of starting up the conversation about libertarianism/anarchism as well. I usually tune out conversations involving politics because chances are, I am the most radical one in the room at any given moment. Some days, I just don’t feel like scrutinizing political BS.
By Greg on Jan 8, 2009
Awesome article, and so true. It gave me the muse for the following article in response:
http://lifestyle.unanimocracy.com/be-a-man/2009/01/08/a-sidenote-to-single-women-who-cant-find-decent-guys/
That’s my new ploy with my single femme friends: convert them to at least understanding liberty.
By A.B. Dada on Jan 8, 2009
This posting was featured on today’s Strike the Root, I just saw. Grats :)
By Mike Gogulski on Jan 8, 2009
Pro-freedom femmes are not as rare as some of you gents seem to think (given the number of essays on this subject). Many can be found in the blogrolls of the sites in this blog’s roll; and there are libertarian fora where they can be found, too. Are you aware of Bureaucrash? (Perhaps I’m making an incorrect assumption about your age with that.)
Of course, in being reluctant to expose one’s politics in vivo, it becomes that much more challenging to find them … I strongly encourage you not to bottle up your passion, lest you become one of the perpetually angry-sounding, bitter libertarian men that many of us women find abhorrent, despite the political/philosophical commonality.
By Sunni on Jan 8, 2009
Great article! I am a libertarian girl and not too many years ago (before my awakening) I would have described myself as a tree-hugging hippie. Because of people like you and others, especially at strike-the-root, my philosophical convictions have completely come around to the libertarian/individualist-anarchist point of view. As many libertarians come from the left as from the right, but for different reasons. Don’t give up – the libertarian arguments are irrefutable once they’re understood. I once convinced a left-wing friend of mine in one afternoon that heroin should be legal. The problem on the left is they trust the government too much, rather than seeing them as what they are – a bunch of bungling incompetent narcissists. Fortunately, everything the government does gives libertarians new opportunities to point this out. Keep trying.
By Haymun on Jan 8, 2009
i dont think that anyone can have a fundamental difference in philosophy in a relationship, either religion or political at least and have a happy relationship -how would you raise your kids, mommy is WRONG about this/daddy is WRONG about that. talk about a messed up family.
if your an ancap then there will be no politics so why does it matter if she is non-political IF she agrees with the nonaggression principal.
if you dont talk about your beliefs with others you will never find someone who shares them, and how much do you really believe them if you wont stand up to your ‘friends’ and say what you think.
hope that helps :)
By bill on Jan 8, 2009
No one should date a Christian or a statist, unless you can deconvert them. We should simply exert peer and sexual pressure in order to marginalize them.
By Francois Tremblay on Jan 8, 2009
“Having morally objectionable and empirically destructive politics doesn’t make you a bad person.”
Um, sorry, but it does. And sanctioning such “friends” constitutes enabling behavior that makes you a worse person as well, redeemed in part only by your more rational on-line persona. I’m not putting myself on a pedestal – I’m as susceptible to the desire for approval as the next schmuck. But until we come to grips with the harsh truth about this subject, we will continue to be the most vile saboteurs of that in which we believe…
-AleG
By Alexandre Goristal on Jan 8, 2009
Thank you for this thoughtful and honest post.
By Temujin on Jan 9, 2009
I’ve gotta agree with Goristal on that one. To willingly keep shutting up in an intimate relationship is cowardice or deception.
By Francois Tremblay on Jan 9, 2009
“Having morally objectionable and empirically destructive politics doesn’t make you a bad person.”
Um, sorry, but it does.
Wrong. Doing things for the wrong reasons, not doing the wrong things, makes you a bad person. Doing things with the goal of harming others, not doing things that you mistakenly think will help, makes you a bad person. I mean, we’re all a mixture of good and evil, but when people mistakenly believe government should do something because they think it will do good, that isn’t the evil part of them showing through. It is the bad part of their intellect—ignorance and bias.
By John on Jan 9, 2009
I wish you the best of luck. As a woman, I know we can be tough to deal with, especially when we’re being irrational. On the bright side, I think more college age people are becoming interested in Libertarianism, because they see the similarity between the major parties and their big government intentions.
I definitely suggest talking more, but try not to be confrontational. Freedom is a big responsibility and a hard concept for many people.
If you’re interested, I’m a political artist and newbie blogger. http://www.machinepolitick.com, my perspective is Objectivist/Libertarian. I met several young Libertarian women over the summer at the Barr campaign and have friends as well. You just have to get out there and see what happens.
Good luck. I enjoyed your blog, and will check back.
By machinepolitick on Jan 9, 2009
Great observations and points concerning the social suppression of Libertarians. This commentary serves to highlight how blessed I am to live in Virginia Beach, VA. I serve as the Chairman of the Tidewater Libertarian Party. We are blessed with nearly as many Libertarian women in our ranks as well have Libertarian men. These are not just spouses that were dragged to our meeting and community activities, these are wives and girlfriends that left their significant others elsewhere and have become active leaders in our efforts to advance to cause of Liberty.
This story does point out the very odd and baffled looks Libertarians will get when we are in a social setting and the discussion of politics surfaces and there comes that moment when you realize you need to “share” that you didn’t vote for Obama or McCain, you voted for someone noone ever heard of (Bob somebody…).
I was very surprised to learn one day in my office that the very young, striking, and statuesque (tall ) receptionist which everyone likes so well is a Libertarian! She never attended any of our meetings because her husband is a “socialist” (her words, not mine). I eventually talked her into adding her photo of Libertarian Hotties on Facebook. I could tell she was shocked to find such a web site existed!
My point?
Take heart fellow Libertarians, there may be more of us around you than you think!
By Reid Greenmun on Jan 10, 2009
Here’s a whole group of Girls Who Love Liberty on facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=90009445037
and some of us are believers and some are not; some are married and some are not – so keep lookin’ we are out there!
loved the article and posted it there on our site for everyone to enjoy!
blessings/sc
By Sandra Crosnoe on Jan 10, 2009
Sure, you could have a relationship where no one ever said what they really thought or felt – but then what exactly are you RELATING to make it a “relation-ship”
Everyone has their own set of deal breakers, most people agree that a lack of trust shared between the partners ends a relationship. What creates a lack, or removes trust from a relationship changes circumstantially as all deal breakers are relative to the individual needs, desires, and priorities of each person.
In your case, the need to be open about politics is very strong, and it is very likely that if you can’t share that side of yourself in a healthy manner you will remain very unhappy and unfulfilled in your relationship.
However, this does not mean that you should necessarily bail from this, or some other relationship the moment you find out the views of your lady friend.
In order to build trust in a relationship you have to first be vulnerable. The other way, of tip toeing around eggshells until you have enough time invested on either side that one or both people would feel guilty if you just up and left because of a disagreement over one area of your life philosophy… is nothing more than a farce.
Sure you could spend 50 years with someone doing this dance, and never fight because you never talk about the things that could possibly upset the other person and create “drama” – but what would you have to show at the end of those years except a relationship comprised of all time and no substance.
Sure, your girlfriend isn’t a bad person. It’s okay that for all her other fine qualities, politically you just can’t respect her views because she’s irrational, and it’s okay if she thinks that you are an extremist cold-hearted jerk. The question is, once those opinions are allowed to be spoken out loud, and you are both sure of these thoughts\feelings, is there something more that holds you together or is it over.
For the record, fear of losing (wasted vote mentality) is what keeps many people voting in the two party system.
Being fearful of rejection is why most people just keep shuffling along in unsatisfying relationships.
You chose to abandon the status quo in your political philosophy. Now try living it.
When you’re ready to do that, check out Libertarian Hotties on facebook, where a member pimped your blag and led me to responding. :-D
By Sady M. on Jan 10, 2009
kerrjac has it right; forget labels and discuss issues. But I never jump right in and introduce myself by saying, “legalize all drugs”. It’s an instant turn-off. Instead, I ask open ended questions or throw out tidbits information geared towards a new paradigm. Baby steps. That’s how I came to my awakening and that’s how I’ve awakened others.
By the way, I’m a 50+ year old female with two wonderful libertarian (and outspoken!) daughters.
By TerriK on Jan 10, 2009
Thank you all very much. Your comments have been helpful, insightful, and supportive. I think you’ve given me a lot of perspective and motivation that will allow me to start being a little more comfortable with being myself and speaking my mind. That was one of the main goals of the post. Maybe someday I can get confidence and motivation from my own self… But, y’know, baby steps…
By John on Jan 10, 2009
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2347496354&ref=ts
As President, I know that there are hot libertarian girls in this group. Enjoy.
By Melissa Hayes on Jan 10, 2009
It’s funny how this subject keeps coming up. I am single, most of my female “freedom-oriented” friends are already married. Female and male alike however, we all are having some of the same problems. Having a strongly felt political ideology tends to make getting to know someone who doesn’t share at least some of your same beliefs difficult. Any of the big topics are hard to talk about because my perspective after a couple of years of research is so radically different it’s like talking a foreign language unless you have hours in which to give background thought. There are other girls out there like me, though, so don’t give up!
By Nancy on Jan 10, 2009
Libertarian Hotties
By Lou M. on Jan 10, 2009
haha, funny that you bring this up. i happen to be one of these oh-so-rare female libertarians (i happen made the leap to total anarchist though – that’s a leap of faith i haven’t been capable of making yet). however, i was never really aware of this huge gender gap. i’m still in high school, and i live in the northeast – its pretty much an ocean of Democratic Statists.
thankfully, my friends are pretty tolerant of my “radical” beliefs – one of them loves debating with me, but there are few issues i’ve ever been able to sway her on (i think the only thing i’ve managed to convince her of is that all drugs should be legalized). meeting another libertarian in real life would be nice though. my entire school is Democrats, maybe 1 or 2 closet Republicans, and a couple of che-guevara-shirt-wearing Socialists.
i don’t know, maybe i’ll have more luck in college?
By erika on Jan 10, 2009
Thats my facebook there erika, send me a message, and I’ll see if I can find a Libertarian group in your area.
And yeah, Difficult to find LP oriented chicks, I’ve been lucky enough to have converted one girl I dated, and Dated a second LP chick.
By mike on Jan 10, 2009
I loved your article, I’m a libertarian girl, and I can honestly say I would never get in a serious relationship nor marry a statist or someone apolitical. I feel very passionate about my Libertarian convictions and I don’t think that would ever change as long as I’m alive.
Libertarianism has opened the world to me academically and socially speaking, now that I have a lot of libertarian friends from all over the globe. I’m still looking for a libertarian guy, someone whom I can have intellectual political and economical conversations, learn from each other and feel even more passionate about our relationship and our political convictions!
By Misha Carrera on Jan 10, 2009
I think perhaps you guys aren’t discussing politics enough with the women you do know, many are probably not aware of the philosophy yet, or you’re not really looking hard enough!
Maybe there are some women you know who are libertarian, but you just aren’t aware of it. We don’t all wear it on our sleeves. It might only come up in polite conversation.
Go to an LP meeting…lol.
I only date libertarian guys now, but..some of you are hard to deal with! Even if someone is libertarian, it doesn’t mean you will be a good match with someone. There are so many factors that come into play.
By Jennifer Schulz on Jan 10, 2009
I am a female anarchist, and I am also a fairly devout Catholic. I don’t think that the two sets of beliefs are exclusive of each other at all – in fact I find them to be highly complimentary. Jesus taught to give to those in need – He did NOT teach that we should steal from others to give to those in need. I think if you could convince some of your Christian lady friends of that, it would open the doors to several more relationship potentials.
On another note, I am a senior at Loyola University New Orleans (Dr. Walter Block is one of my professors) and I would suggest anyone looking for a group of libertarians in college to apply here. The rest of the university is pretty socialist, but the business school is very pro-free market. Our economics department is entirely Austrian, and we have a very good libertarian Finance professor as well.
As for as speaking out socially, all of my friends and my coworkers know that I am a libertarian. One tact that you might use is going back to the Constitution – when they suggest something like universal health care, ask them where the federal government gets the authority to do something like that. I know as an anarchist you probably don’t believe in the validity of the Constitution, but I find that it’s a lot easier to introduce the idea of limited government first, and THEN work on the no government at all concept. I also like to use the phrase, “Where are they going to get the money for that?” It’s pretty surprising how many people genuinely don’t understand that the government doesn’t have its own separate set of resources that it can draw from – EVERYTHING that they do has to come from the taxpayers (either through direct taxes, inflation, or deficits that will have to be paid by us in the future).
Hope this helps!
By Anne on Jan 11, 2009
Ron Paul Girls are hard to find!!!!!!!!
By Ron Paul Boy on Jan 12, 2009
Loved the post. As a woman living in a “liberal” area, finding a guy who doesn’t think I am insane for wanting to get rid of the government is a challenge. Most give me that “poor silly girl” look when I suggest that the state is the enemy or when I get irate about programmes like nationalized health care.
By m on Jan 12, 2009
Something I’ve always wondered, what does it mean to be a social liberal and a fiscal conservative. I’d say I’m pretty socially conservative but I don’t think I should hold a gun (either directly or through a proxy like government) to your head and force you to make the socially moral choices. By the way, I would also object to your use of the gun to force me to act the way you’d have me act. For example, government should not/cannot illegalize drug use but you cannot force me into any relationship (economic or personal) with a drug user.
By Glen on Jan 12, 2009
Fuck this.. where are the pictures ? Title is totally misleading
By James on Jun 2, 2009