“This mess will clear up if you take that troublemaker there-What is your name? You with the goatee-out and shoot him. Do it now.” – and they do.

Government doing something.

Epic fail.

Yes: people who really want to be left alone to get on with it, or to support each other in it. But they are vulnerable to the biggers’ warning that the wild-eyed liberals and their chaotic rabble won’t leave them alone without big government to fight their corner.

“big government liberals”… are there any other kind?

Yes: people who really want to leave other people alone to do their thing, or to support each other in it. But they are vulnerable to the biggers’ warning that the red-fanged conservatives and their feudalist heavies won’t leave anybody alone without big government to impose universal fairness.

Ha, and ha!

I don’t think it’s because most people are being stupid or vicious about this. I think it’s much more that fear is a powerful lever for a reason, and that libertarians are seldom in a position to answer a public demand like “Show me!” Because if the Maximalist Middle, moderately representing the bipartisan consensus amongst the best climbers of every independent greasy pole in the land and their professional cheerleaders, were disposed to let any of us do that – the battle would be three parts won already, wouldn’t it?

You clearly haven’t been here long. If you think that 2007 was when the “the mess really started” either you weren’t paying attention or you are one of those “small government” conservatives that #15 pointed out.

But as for small government conservatives, they want a leaner, meaner government that’s more efficient at putting drug users in prison and beating up protesters. I don’t want “small” government, I want a weak government that can be held accountable. Or, ideally, no government.

Because most “small government” conservatives are 9 out of 10 times full of shit. They make themselves sound good when compared to the liberal or moderate Democrat running against them but when in office it’s the opposite. Thugservatism is good at one thing; 1. Making themselves appear better over lieberalism.

It isn’t the democrats vs the republicans, it is the government vs the people.

Regardless, as it it stands (classical) Liberals and Libertarians remain on the outside, rejected by both political parties (even though those parties might give lip service to either ideology). What remains of the “bipartisan center” is very ugly indeed – enacting neither the possible benefits of collectivist/common-good principles of a “managed economy”, nor the possible benefits of true free-market system.

In fact it’s not even clear that they even attempt to be a useful melange of the two, but instead just an increasingly authoritarian “middle ground” that benefits the very few.

“We are the problem, get rid of us”

It’s a reality people need to work out for themselves because you’ll never hear it mainstream.

Yea I was thinking the same thing. Conservatism or Thugservatism and Liberalism or Lieberalism support big government. I’m so tired of hearing the arguments that cons make “Oh those people arent “real” conservatives” because it’s one red statist over another red statist. The difference between a Paleocon/Buchananite and Neocon is who they wish to point the thugerment gun on.

Granted this is an old piece but it’s worth reading

http://mises.org/Community/blogs/brainpolice/archive/2008/01/10/i-hate-conservatism.aspx

Since war is the biggest government program, I thought I’d Godwin the thread with a little Goering:

“Naturally the common people don’t want war [government programs]: Neither in Russia, nor in England, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers [libertarians] for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.”

Plus ca change, plus c’est la meme chose. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.