I don’t think RP has any illusions (delusions) that he’s going to have direct impact or meaningful changes in D.C. I’m fairly certain he understands the lunacy and futility of it all. I’m with Conza on this one. He’s done more to educate and advertise Libertariansim to the masses than anyone in history. I credit him, and him alone for my recent awakening to the truth. I don’t know how long it would have taken or if I would have even made the intellectual leap to AE and Libertariansim without his 2008 presidential run.
Education is what Ron Paul was all about. It is absolutely impossible for him to change anything if he gets elected, I think. I personally love Ron Paul.
Besides who cares I’m getting the heck out of North America.
“Besides who cares I’m getting the heck out of North America.”
Quo vadis?
Mauritius in 4 years from now.
This is one of those discussions that always pops up. It goes back to whether or not anarchists should participate in government because it is part of the power structure. In a perfect universe, I wish we could sit back on the high ground of principle and say unequivocally that we won’t participate.
Even in this real word, I don’t think political participation accomplishes anything. We’d be better off claiming that libertarianism is a religion and moving to some Indian reservation.
@Drew Brando
Besides who cares I’m getting the heck out of North America.
A sentiment I fully support. When the going gets tough the tough move to a country that isn’t full of bloodthirsty left-wing sociopaths.
“a country that isn’t full of bloodthirsty left-wing sociopaths.”
Where’s that?
Where’s that?
Chile, pretty much anywhere in East-Asia. Except for Japan, possibly.
Chile, pretty much anywhere in East-Asia. Except for Japan, possibly.
You are in for a disappointment.
There are leftists in those countries, but their government gives them a short-shrift and the general population is anything but politically correct.
Korea isn’t that good. China is literally full of left-wingers, and the property rights, etc are horrible over there. Hong Kong is adopting minimum wages and such.
Korea isn’t that good.
Yeah, I thought of that.
China is literally full of left-wingers
Not really. Your average Chinese person is a thousand miles to the right of mainstream Amerikaners.
and the property rights, etc are horrible over there.
Bad property rights, especially in the countryside, big state sector, a lot of inflation; on the upside taxes are low and easily evaded, the government is fairly weak to a lack of funding relative to its population and size, regulations are generally low and easily broken and there is pretty much no such thing as welfare. Given that I would only go to a Special Economic Zone I pretty much get all the benefits and none of the drawbacks. Sucks for Chinese peasants, but not for white foreigners.
Hong Kong is adopting minimum wages and such.
HK is less capitalist, ideologically, than the mainland.
Hong Kong is adopting minimum wages and such.
Why and since when?
Since a few month. Because Hong Kong has had a small gov’t for so long the potential loot became so big it was worth making the effort to create some social problems.
They’ll always be freemarkets in some part of the world.
“They’ll always be freemarkets in some part of the world.”
Even after world government?
I think you mean black markets. But those aren’t free.
I heavily doubt there’s gonna be world government in my time. Also it can’;t last long, it is way too inefficient.
I always assumed the natural evolution of the free state project would be the free moon project. So even if the world was controlled by a single state we should all be fine in the colonies.
It is absolutely impossible for him to change anything if he gets elected, I think. I personally love Ron Paul.
I never understand this. He can do a ridicluous amount of good if he gets into office. He can stop the drug war for at least 4 years by not utilizing the DEA, which will save thousands of lives, and keep tens of thousands out of jail. He can stop our wars over seas and eliminate the military bases the U.S. has all over the world (or at the very least, de-staff them) wich will save tens of thousands of lives, and reduce spending by hundreds of billions if not trillions.
All of this he can do because of the power vested in the presidency. This is a major change for millions of people’s lives, and while it may not be permenant, it will reduce a vast amount of suffering in the world.
I get it, we libertarians can some times lose sight of that in our heady universe of incentives and institutions, thinking that it doesn’t matter in the long run. But it’s still a worth while goal, even if it’s only for 4 years. Using power to intercede against goverment on our behalf is NOT the same as using that same power against people’s rights.
Yes, thank you. And in addition to the benefits of Paul overturning chronic governmental maladies, there would be the enormous benefit of him preventing acute ones. I don’t know about you all, but I’d rather not learn about one of my nieces or nephews dying in a food riot.
And can you imagine how much exposure Austrian economics and liberalism would receive with Ron Paul as president? By leading to changed minds, that would have long term benefits.
“I heavily doubt there’s gonna be world government in my time. Also it can’;t last long, it is way too inefficient.”
Lmao! Yeah, because the parasites now have sooo lessmore hosts…