DISQUS

I was a left-liberal when I was a teenager, then I became a libertarian in college. Now, I'm a "nothing". I give a lot of the credit for that to Will.

Right or wrong, someone as influential and widely respected as Richard Florida certainly does not need to be "dredged up".

And according to Rasmussen's method, Obama's popularity has declined from +25 to +9.

For what its worth.

Interesting to hear a liberal use the "whiners" dismissal. For so long, the GOP dismissed all Bush critics as "whiners". The liberals, of course, responded by pointing out that criticism of those in power is really patriotic.

Does anyone doubt that the left and the right are two sides of the same coin?

I can't believe Ohio is more miserable than Michigan. I just can't.

Whatever, I'm moving to Utah.

Also, 1) I think you're right but obviously Obama thinks that Roosevelt's handling was heroic. 2) I don't get it. I'm with alphie on this one. 3) I think he invited a black guy to the White House! Or something! 4) I think you're obviously correct. But most people think of the moonshot as equivalent to one of the Wonders of the World. Also it gave us Tang!!!!!

I think that response deserves a "Meh" more than a "WTF".

I wonder how well you could predict people's political allegiances by knowing which elite group they feel affinity for: academic elites or commercial elites.

I bet managers/administrators and entrepreneurs admire and (aspire toward becoming) business heroes and millionaires. I suppose professionals admire mostly academics and politicians.

I wonder, Will, do you think that being an academic causes you to feel an affinity toward liberal-libertarian fusion as opposed to libertarian-conservative fusion?

I think bloggers think blogging is more interesting than it really is. I frequently read bloggers discussing the politics and motivations of the blogosphere as though it were fascinating. Its a bias common to all media though. I've noticed a proliferation of televisions shows about television shows, movies about Hollywood/actors/movies.

Can we really assume that Obama is signaling his secret inclinations? Perhaps he is merely pandering to highly informed, wealthy people (for their votes and delicious money) , but his actual inclinations are leftwing/populist.

I really have no idea what Obama's genuine inclinations are, Obama himself says he functions as a Rorschach test, people project what they want to see onto him.

Maybe thats why so many youngish libertarians think he's a closet market guy.

@Gil: The difference is that I don't respect the claims of the people in washington that they own all the land under our feet. Furthermore, under private landowners, it is a simple process to move somewhere else, whereas under the state system, there are huge barriers to moving somewhere else.

I'm not impressed with the idea of the "social contract". Why does my living within certain arbitrary boundaries (the same country or the same planet, it doesn't matter) entitle someone else to that which is mine? Property rights are absolute, or they aren't rights, are they? They would simply be privileges, which can be removed by the powerful at will.

"Kevin, So then neither Mises nor Hayek nor Friedman were libertarians. "
Well I always assumed they supported a safety net mainly as a way of preventing frustrated poorer people from extorting more tribute through non-government means (stealing, revolution, etc.).

I just think that the safety net should be non-compulsory and provided by nice, bleeding heart types like you. (and me)

"I am interested in promoting a tendency of thought and a set of policy reforms that I think will, as a matter of fact, make people better off."

Then you aren't really a libertarian at all. You are a leftish utilitarian who happens to be economically literate (unlike most leftish utilitarians).

Yes, that is cynical. True, but cynical nonetheless. The basic problem is the bias toward action. The feeling that we should do something damnit, anything, even if it doesn't make sense.

The other problem is that people think that government is mystical and superhuman, immune to the inherent selfishness of humanity.