6 ms·

Huh. Hopefully they are now elderly libertarians? Have their political views changed since that experience?

clavalle 12y ago
Not really. To be libertarian you have to be pretty idealistic. They don't qualify. Now they are just Republicans that don't trust the police.
- ScottBurson 12y ago
  Well, that's some progress anyway. All it will take to fix our police problem is sufficient public will. There isn't any other barrier.
  - wickedlogic 12y ago
    There are people with the will, attempting to fix it in NH: "Reform Asset Forfeiture!" - http://schedule.nhlibertyforum.com/event/de3f714a09d0089b2fc39db1af2c9f9c#.VLl4gorF82I http://schedule.nhlibertyforum.com/event/de3f714a09d0089b2fc... https://freestateproject.org https://freestateproject.org
  - cmurf 12y ago
    That assumes an ethical standard, and that the public isn't completely ignorant or malevolent like the one used in top comment example.
- baddox 12y ago
  It might be true that a large number of self-proclaimed libertarians are idealistic, but it's certainly not true that idealism is necessary for libertarian views.
task_queue 12y ago
Libertarians need someone to enforce property rights. Police/Private security firms have always been the strong-arm of the ruling class, nothing about the ideology contradicts that. As that strong-arm, they will be granted special privileges and authority that they will abuse.
- dragonwriter 12y ago
  Some libertarians advocate self-service (or privately contracted) enforcement with public adjudication.
  - task_queue 12y ago
    Someone whose life is affected by having a car and a few grand taken from them v. Xe Domestic Security, Ltd Prosecution: Xe stole my car and rent money and now I have no way to earn enough credits to buy my insulin and keep my apartment. Defense: The offender was found travelling in an erratic and suspicious manner. As per the agreement made by travelling on Private Road Supranational's private road, the traveler is subject to searches of their person and vehicle if suspected of engaging in certain dangerous activities outlined in Section VI of the contract. In addition, any property suspected of use in a criminal or dangerous activity will automatically have its ownership transferred to Private Road Supranational, as detailed in Section V. Furthermore, we have no record of ever confiscating any of the offender's property. Judge, brought to you by Lockheed Martin: This seems to be a pretty open and shut case.
    - dragonwriter 12y ago
      I'm not a self-identified libertarian, and I never said it was necessarily a good idea, just that public (or publicly contracted) enforcement entity with special priveleges isn't an essential feature of a libertarian system; some suggest that citizens should contract with their own enforcers, and that enforcers should have no special privileges beyond those of all citizens.
    - logfromblammo 12y ago
      Why do I get the creeping suspicion that this is modeled on an actual in rem civil forfeiture case, where only the names have changed?
  - deleted 12y ago
    [deleted]
  - trhway 12y ago

Not really. To be libertarian you have to be pretty idealistic. They don't qualify. Now they are just Republicans that don't trust the police.

ScottBurson 12y ago
Well, that's some progress anyway. All it will take to fix our police problem is sufficient public will. There isn't any other barrier.
- wickedlogic 12y ago
  There are people with the will, attempting to fix it in NH: "Reform Asset Forfeiture!" - http://schedule.nhlibertyforum.com/event/de3f714a09d0089b2fc39db1af2c9f9c#.VLl4gorF82I http://schedule.nhlibertyforum.com/event/de3f714a09d0089b2fc... https://freestateproject.org https://freestateproject.org
- cmurf 12y ago
  That assumes an ethical standard, and that the public isn't completely ignorant or malevolent like the one used in top comment example.
baddox 12y ago
It might be true that a large number of self-proclaimed libertarians are idealistic, but it's certainly not true that idealism is necessary for libertarian views.

task_queue 12y ago

Libertarians need someone to enforce property rights. Police/Private security firms have always been the strong-arm of the ruling class, nothing about the ideology contradicts that. As that strong-arm, they will be granted special privileges and authority that they will abuse.

dragonwriter 12y ago
Some libertarians advocate self-service (or privately contracted) enforcement with public adjudication.
- task_queue 12y ago
  Someone whose life is affected by having a car and a few grand taken from them v. Xe Domestic Security, Ltd Prosecution: Xe stole my car and rent money and now I have no way to earn enough credits to buy my insulin and keep my apartment. Defense: The offender was found travelling in an erratic and suspicious manner. As per the agreement made by travelling on Private Road Supranational's private road, the traveler is subject to searches of their person and vehicle if suspected of engaging in certain dangerous activities outlined in Section VI of the contract. In addition, any property suspected of use in a criminal or dangerous activity will automatically have its ownership transferred to Private Road Supranational, as detailed in Section V. Furthermore, we have no record of ever confiscating any of the offender's property. Judge, brought to you by Lockheed Martin: This seems to be a pretty open and shut case.
  - dragonwriter 12y ago
    I'm not a self-identified libertarian, and I never said it was necessarily a good idea, just that public (or publicly contracted) enforcement entity with special priveleges isn't an essential feature of a libertarian system; some suggest that citizens should contract with their own enforcers, and that enforcers should have no special privileges beyond those of all citizens.
  - logfromblammo 12y ago
    Why do I get the creeping suspicion that this is modeled on an actual in rem civil forfeiture case, where only the names have changed?
- deleted 12y ago
  [deleted]
- trhway 12y ago