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I read a truly ridiculous thread in which the statists are running amok and attacking what they percieve as a "libertarian utopia." Since we don't live in a utopia and no one party ever gets everything they want, let's look at the modern problems in the last 10 years and see how a more libertarian approach would solve them.
Without question the two biggest problems today are 1) the housing crash and subsequent poor economy, and 2) endless wars. Let's address them each:
1) Housing Crash - the housing crash was caused by greedy mortgage brokers and banks lending too freely, yes. BUT, those mortgage brokers and banks were enabled by the federal government buying loans. The incentive for the private sector was to package loans and sell them to the government through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The simplest and most effective way to prevent the housing bubble from happening in the first place would have been just to force banks to loan their own money by keeping the federal government out of the mortgage business. But, because the federal government got involved there was no risk that required sound lending practices to mitigate. A libertarian approach would have forced banks to assume risks on their loans and prevented the housing crisis from ever occuring. Without a libertarian approach in the future there will be another housing crash and possibly bubbles in other industries that we can't yet anticipate.
2) Endless war - We currently have ended the Iraq War but still have 50,000 Americans in Iraq so we'll count the Iraq War as ongoing. The war in Afghanistan is intensifying. We have been in Afghanistan longer than Agamemnon pounded on the gates of Troy. The difference is that our war will be longer and costlier than the Trojan War and we have another war that we are also financing simultaneously. The Libertarian approach would not have gotten us involved in these quagmires.
So, here we have it. The two largest problems of our society today are completely caused by government. A libertarian approach would solve them both, not in an easy to mock "libertarian utopia" but in the very world we live in today.
Agreed. The banks weren't thinking long-term to help themselves succeed. They were selfish like how drug addicts were looking for that quick money fix which caused the bubbles.
I can refute everything you've posted. But, you are off topic. Stay on the topic at hand which is the thesis that the two listed major problems of today were caused by a lack of libertarian principles. You have completely missed the point I was making.
I can refute everything you've posted. But, you are off topic. Stay on the topic at hand which is the thesis that the two listed major problems of today were caused by a lack of libertarian principles.
Your topic was so absurd I thought I would stay clear of that soft ball.
For your information most of Europe didn't have a housing crisis as severe as the US housing crisis and the damn sure stayed out of these needless wars for the most part.
Their governments are over twice the size of the USA's in comparision to GDP.
Since you brought up the Afghan war, what would have been the Libertarian approach to dealing with Al Qaeda and the Taliban?
There would be no Al Qaeda or Taliban...who only exist because of the sympathy of most Muslims resentful of the USA.
1 Supporting Israel in anything and everything it does.
2 Preaching Democracy and supporting Dictators.
3 Occupying or waging military strikes in five Muslim countries.
In other words, Libertarians they wouldn't be sticking their nose, killing, and occupying other Nations thus lessening Arab resentment.
Not staying in Afghanistan to nation build would be a good start.
Which would basically let the group that gave Al Qaeda a safe haven back into power.
Quote:
Originally Posted by padcrasher
There would be no Al Qaeda or Taliban...who only exist because of the sympathy of most Muslims resentful of the USA.
1 Supporting Israel in anything and everything it does.
2 Preaching Democracy and supporting Dictators.
3 Occupying or waging military strikes in five Muslim countries.
In other words, Libertarians they wouldn't be sticking their nose, killing, and occupying other Nations thus lessening Arab resentment.
1. The creation of the Taliban had nothing to do with resent towards the U.S.
2. The U.S. has never preached democracy per se, but depending on the administration have unabashedly been interested in capitalistic societies where democracy would be nice but not an end to itself. The US has been pretty open about this and there isn't as much hypocrisy in this as you would like to make out of it.
3. The US doesn't support everything Israel does, perhaps the days when Henry Kissenger deemed the Israelis wouldn't get a single dime if they went to war first are gone, but overall the US hasn't been of the notion that Israel can do whatever they damn please in the region.
4. You'd have to be more specific with your third point, I believe some of these strikes were related to retialitory strikes against Al Qaeda which would kinda make your point moot.
Overall, I agree that we should have a less interventionist foreign policy; but a totally non-interventionist foreign policy that some Libertarian ideologues espouse isn't in the US's best interest.
Overall, I agree that we should have a less interventionist foreign policy; but a totally non-interventionist foreign policy that some Libertarian ideologues espouse isn't in the US's best interest.
You are getting into a subject matter that is too advanced for you. You need to learn the basics first. Look at the first issue I brought up and really think about it. Master the economics first before you get too detailed into foreign policy. For now, just focus on the economics. You are on the right path foreign policy-wise, but you just aren't there yet to be getting that in-depth. Keep learning.
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