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I think you're misrepresenting yourself. You sound like a fairly standard centre-left (in the US, perhaps 'far left') person. You talk of a safety net and commu
by vacri 11y ago
I think you're misrepresenting yourself. You sound like a fairly standard centre-left (in the US, perhaps 'far left') person. You talk of a safety net and communal healthcare, and ramping taxes to pay for them - this is something I've never encountered a libertarian encouraging. The more frothy ones actually call that kind of idea 'violent'. And just like you don't have to be a libertarian to want improved civil liberties (I actually see libertarians functionally arguing against them, as their methods enforce network effects) you also don't have to be a libertarian to want the power of government reduced, or a reduction in crony-capitalism.
In regards to regulation of industry, IP laws are a complete sideshow, complete with tinsel and fireworks. I'm talking about things like chemical dumping. IP is largely based around the entertainment and high-tech industries, which for the most part an individual can take or leave. But a company dumping chemicals that you can't easily detect? That can fuck you up for life, and once the damage is done to your health, no court order can recover it. Or similarly, mandating minimum safety requirements in vehicles - it reduces healthcare requirements, and strengthens societies by having fewer families with maimed or killed members, whereas an unregulated vehicle industry cuts a lot of corners that a consumer doesn't see, and therefore doesn't understand the value of.
Honestly, if I was to read what you wrote here about what you wanted without any ideological labels being mentioned, I'd think you were a fairly standard leftie.
- tracker1 11y agoI'm talking about reducing the size and depth of central government by implementing a system of change that will likely not make things worse, by creating a position that allows for greater competition and a more free market. As to chemical dumping, this is precisely what the court system is for, punishing those that infringe on another's rights and/or lie, cheat, steal to do so. In the chemical dumping case, the appropriate action might be to liquidate said company and have all funds distributed to those affected. That might be an appropriate response to that type of action. Liberty should extend so far as not to infringe on another's rights. I already pay close to 50% of my income in taxes... 38% of my paycheck is gone (between payroll taxes, social security, mandated healthcare coverage, etc), a significant amount of the rest are tethered to utilities, and essential services... more still on sales taxes.. that doesn't even cover the taxes that go into tariffs and other fees along the way. No libertarian likes the loopholes that corporations are allotted in terms of liberty over individual citizens. Libertarians tend to be very left leaning on some issues, and very right leaning on others... the goal is for a minimal amount of government interference... my own pragmatic view is to come up with solutions that move us towards more freedom in ways that have a chance of being more broadly approved, working and not costing more overall.