Libertarians Do Politics, Local Newspaper Does Yellow Journalism Against Us

Oh, that crazy Libertarian conspiracy.

Yes, those devilish Libertarians are conspiring against us all to protect property rights. High Country News talks about a brilliant new plan to reverse the Kelo decision in a few Western states and actually go even further-to roll back zoning regulations. And the voters are eating it up, too:

We shook hands, and Dondero grinned, animated and immediately likable. I stepped back and watched him work. Locals wheeled their pickup trucks into the parking spaces around the Conoco, and as they walked into the store, Dondero asked them politely, “How are you doing (ma’am or sir)? Are you a registered voter?”

He seemed like an ordinary concerned citizen, not a part of an orchestrated, multistate campaign. But the libertarian movement he belongs to “” broader and more powerful than the anemic Libertarian Party “” has a growing reach in American politics. The movement’s mission is to maximize individual freedom by limiting government power in everything from taxes to judges’ rulings. One of its national leaders, Grover Norquist, has said that he wants to reduce government “to the size where I can drag it into the bathroom and drown it in the bathtub.”

Can you see the slant here? First off, the Libertarian Party is “anemic” even though it’s growing quite well out West. Second off, even though we’re “anemic” we’re apparently strong enough to be part of some vast sinister conspiracy?

Read the whole piece… it’s yellow journalism but they can’t deny the facts-that private property rights are being protected, and the voters love it. I liked what one commenter said in the comments section:

I know you guys are a left wing publication and think that Government has all the answers but I can tell you all these propositions are the direct result of people being sick and tired of having their property rights taken. Blaine County Idaho’s 2025 is an example of an out of control County Commission.
If you don’t like these measures you only need to look in the mirror as it was the Kelo decision led by the liberals on the US Supreme Court that got the ball rolling. Rhenquist, Scalia and Thomas all voted against.

Also this article is pure propoganda. These sinister Libertarians who can never seem to get a percent or two of the vote have somehow hyptonized Oregon voters (Hardly a bastion of conservatism) and pulled the wool out from under everyone? Huhhhh??

All of these measures are going to pass and pass big. Prop 2 in Idaho is a big winner.

Personally I think Government actually works best with a broken leg.

At any rate, it’s good to see Libertarians doing politics more and more these days. They can’t hold us back forever.

posted Jul 28th, 2006 by Stuart Richards
  • Devious David

    Grover Norquist is a L(l)ibertarian leader? I don’t think so.

  • jeffrey smith

    The link doesn’t work for me, but I’m assuming Dondero is EDR from Libertarians for Stalin, er, I mean, Bush? Dondero, who shills for the GOP on every Libertarian email-list he can?
    You need look no farther for the person who called the Libertarian Party anemic.

  • http://www.pnar.org Tom Blanton

    Hey, it’s a big tent now. A big top with a three-ring circus. Against eminent domain abuse? You’re a libertarian! Want a tax cut? You’re a libertarian!

    “We are now at a state of all-out war with the LP,” said Republican Liberty Caucus activist Eric Dondero in 2001. “We must deal the Libertarian Party a fatal blow. They are the enemy. Much more so than the Democrats or moderate Republicans.”

    SEE: http://www.freedom2008.com/reader/archives/002981.html

    How about this from Dondero:

    Why not hurriedly organize a “Libertarians for Lieberman” Committee to help elect Joe Lieberman as an Indepenent in Connecticut?

    Lieberman is a Moderate Democrat on social matters and economics. He’s vehemently opposed to Islamo-Fascism which indicates a certain devotion to libertarian principles.

    SEE: http://bostontea.us/node/79/426%23comment-426

    So, you’re ooposed to Islamo-Fascism? You’re a libertarian! We’re all libertarians now!

  • Devious David

    I think mere use of the word “Islamo-Fascism” is an instant disqualifier for being libertarian.

  • http://www.chuckmoulton.org/ Chuck Moulton

    Dondero is most closely affiliated with the Republican Liberty Caucus. I’m surpised the article makes him out to be so confused about regulatory takings.

    I don’t see anything logically inconsistent with the statement “But the libertarian movement he belongs to ”” broader and more powerful than the anemic Libertarian Party ”” has a growing reach in American politics.” The libertarian movement IS bigger than the Libertarian Party. Of course, the statement is still WRONG because the Libertarian Party is not anemic, but it’s not facially incorrect… outside information is required.

    If the libertarian movement succeeds in rolling back land use regulations to the point where governments would have to compensate owners for all regulatory takings and the legal definition of regulatory taking matches with the common sense definition, a big chunk of the regulatory state will essentially be dead.

  • jeffrey smith

    “the legal definition of regulatory taking matches with the common sense definition”

    The problem there is that your common sense definition may not be as common as it ought to be.