Post Archive
Region: Libertatem
Swing and a miss
Pevvania
It's kinda like arguing "Taxes are theft, but if it's 39% for higher income earners, it's only fair for it to be 39% for everyone else"
Condealism
THIS IS KANGAROO COURT
Rateria
For the same reason charities are, duh. Unless you want to tax people on top of charitable giving now.
Pevvania, Condealism
Hi
Miencraft, Rateria, The United States Of Patriots, Fairbankska
Who this
A ghost
Humphy's back!
Most humble thanks for gracing us with your presence, Eternal Leader.
Narland, Humpheria, Rateria, The United States Of Patriots
Mr. President. How are you?
Not bad at all my man. Working for the next four months then moving to California to start college.
And yourself? Been hanging around the West Wing a lot lately?
Just watching it on Netflix.
Nah I still work in the good old Hoosier state for a member of Congress. You still acting?
Great, great show. The cast is truly stellar.
Very nice. Which one? Hollingsworth? Banks? I am indeed. On a part-time course at a drama school in London, and when I start school I'll be doing Theatre Arts. Exciting times ahead! :)
Young. But I like Hollingsworth, I worked on his campaign. I don't know Banks though. He's on the other side of the state.
Fantastic! I'll start writing the Oscar acceptance speech.
Pevvania, Rateria
ahem
Also, I don't think elections are even being followed as I've been president for a fair amount of time already. Should we have another election soon? When is this?
Clearly we need to establish a Condocracy
The United States Of Patriots
I can tell you if only we can find out when you got elected.
Post self-deleted by Narland.
Post self-deleted by Narland.
Post self-deleted by Narland.
Generally, until adulthood.
Those who are most capable (of maintaining their rights, privileges and immunities) have the most responsibility to protect the least capable (or most helpless/defenseless) of innocent human beings their life, liberty, and property regardless of their state when it is in the power of said capable to do so.
The concept of right to life regards the natural state to be immaturity (selfishness and indolence) with growth to maturity (self-interest and initiative) whereupon at the age of majority the person is obliged to be a mature and responsible individual fully capable of exercising his rights, privileges, and immunities as a free (natural) person in a free society as a productive member thereof.
The parents or custodians in situ are responsible to that end with responsibility for the ward waning as the child matures taking for himself more responsibility and duty associated with those rights at the age of majority or legal emancipation.
Traditionally, those who are capable of adulthood yet refuse end up impoverished in proportion to their indolence on the one hand; or ostracized, sedated, institutionalized, incarcerated, or executed in proportion to their selfishness (wanton disregard of others) on the other.
The exceptions are those who cannot attain maturity and responsibility afforded adulthood, (such as Down's Syndrome--a permanent case; or nervous breakdown--a temporary case) whereupon the parents, immediate family, extended family and most local community bear the responsibility for their humane care.
Condealism, Fairbankska
Ooooh a Senator, very nice.
Y'know, I'm doubly glad you're back now because you can back me up against the several nations here who haven't accepted Trump as their Lord and Saviour.
Get out.
Rateria, Condealism, The United States Of Patriots, Fairbankska
ten days until presidential election
Trump is a great president so far.
Miencraft, Pevvania
On what planet? Sure, he's marginally better than the last three or four we've had, but when you think about it, is that such a difficult feat?
Marginally? Considering the fact that his economic agenda is, with the exception of trade, almost wholly in-line with the libertarian platform, and that he's appointed a cabinet of bright men and women seeking to reduce government, I'd say he's leaps and bounds ahead of his predecessors. A few flip-flops and missteps aside, the only thing we can really fault Trump on is not going far enough. He's already overturned vast swathes of Obama's regulatory expansion, created a task force on deregulation, scrapped the "Clean" Power Plan - that would have cost the US economy $2 trillion by 2030 and reduced emissions by a mere 0.02 degrees Celsius by 2100 - appointed a minarchist's dream to the Supreme Court, begun deporting felons and criminals in the country illegally, given the green light to the Dakota Access and Keystone XL pipelines, banned White House officials from lobbying on behalf of foreign governments, begun the painful process of dismantling Obamacare and has drafted a budget that's deficit neutral and cuts domestic spending (though not nearly as much as he should). Tax reform and expanded school choice are cooking, too.
Granted, as Minerva outlined, I'm not pleased about his cancellation of the hiring freeze and indications that Yellen will stay. I also wish he'd give us a forceful break from the Bush-Obama Doctrine that's caused so much chaos and destruction. But overall, I think he's given us much to love. And I also love the refreshing culture change with the new White House. No more accommodations for SJWs, feminists, environmental extremists, union thugs and political correctness. Once again, we have a President who's proud to be an American and proud of America's heritage and Judeo-Christian values.
On this one. I love what he's doing so far. Like a breath of fresh air.
Question for you all: are we currently in the midst of another bubble?
Republic Of Minerva
I'll admit, I'm a bit amused that Trump is getting as much support here as he is.
Republic Of Minerva, Kumquat Cove, Rateria, Condealism
I still dont trust him. Too quick to go to war with Syria, too protectionist, too nativist. Like most republicans he gives the free market lip service, but dont actually believe in one.
Rateria, Condealism
Have a little faith. This is only the fourth Republican President in a century to push for meaningful reductions in the size of government (after Harding, Coolidge and Reagan) while in office, and the sixth candidate to do it if you include Robert Taft and Bob Goldwater. The electoral map is so unfavourable to libertarians because to be a politician you have to appeal to many contradictory and competing interest groups at once. If you walk the middle of the road, you'll be hit from both sides, which the failures of the Johnson campaign sadly confirmed. We should maintain a cautious optimism, but at the same time we need somebody to cheer for. I'm sick of libertarians constantly moaning "nobody will ever shrink teh gubment". We've got a chance now, so let's do something about it and curry influence in the administration, instead of sitting on the sidelines and pouting.
The Ambassador To The Clfr
I've moved to the right a bit in the past year and a half. I'm still a libertarian and my views on economics have not changed (I'm still an ancap at heart), but I now recognise that there are certain cultural realities that we can no longer ignore. If we import radical Islam in the form of refugees we will have more terror, thus more laws and a more authoritarian society. If we sit idle at the spread of third-wave feminism and political correctness we will poison the culture of individual liberty we so cherish. If we continue to import illegal immigrants into Democratic sanctuary cities they will inevitably spawn more Democratic voters that will grow the size of government. We cannot continue to ignore this and stroke our chins about nonexistent free market solutions to these problems for the sake of not appearing "too right wing". We won't have anybody interested in liberty left if we let groups expand that are trying to destroy it.
I'm sure some of you have already written me off as a 'conservative' or whatever, but I've just embraced the consequentialist wing of libertarianism. Ethics alone will not guide us. Rothbard, in the later years of his life, would agree with me.
Narland, Humpheria, The Ambassador To The Clfr, Fairbankska
"Eastern Orthodox Christian; religious communitarian; Christian Traditionalist. Tsarist influences. THE RIGHT WING DISCUSSION THREAD STANDS WITH NORTH KOREA AGAINST GLOBALISM"
that's enough NSG for today
Narland, Republic Of Minerva, Rateria, Fairbankska
Welcome to the dark conservative side. We have tax cuts and bombs. We have a good time.
Miencraft, The Ambassador To The Clfr
What in hell did I just read? Is the world ending?
Pevvania
Trumps a statist and so are you. Now since that's in order I'm off to Colorado for some weed and friends.
legalize medicinal cocaine!
Republic Of Minerva, Rateria, Condealism
oh
Rateria, Condealism
How Christian of this person.
For the record, I agree with Pevvania on basically all of the above cultural issues, but I still don't trust Trump on anything but freeing our energy capacity. Exactly because I believe most of his campaign statements, and he started living up to them with carrying through on "repeal and replace Obamacare with something pretty similar to Obamacare." I don't trust him on the security state's power either, with his statements on NSA authority and Snowden throughout the campaign.
Syria is the least of my worries as far as he's concerned, he's focused on North Korea since that one warning shot and has been pretty clear that he isn't seeking further escalation.
Miencraft, Pevvania, Rateria, Condealism
Trump says he wants to execute Snowden. So there's that.
Fairbankska
And Johnson wanted to invade Africa to go after Joseph Kony. Again, nobody's perfect, even Ron Paul, who voted for a wall and supports Trump's trade policies.
Condealism
Wait. Does this mean we can stop our daily sacrifices?
Rateria
Hmm, let me think about it...
*distant cries for help intensify*
...uhh, no, let's keep doing it anyway.
Miencraft, Rateria, The United States Of Patriots
Many of you are missing the point and the reason Trump was elected: Hillary is far worse.
It was going to be Trump or Hillary. Hillary lost and the people won.
Be happy in that knowledge as it could have been a whole lot worse.
Miencraft, Pevvania
Clinton and Trump are two digits on the same hand; the biggest differences between them are their supporters, as opposed to any qualities they themselves possess. Do you honestly believe Hillary's stance on the nation's intelligence agencies, desire to sell the masses a variant of Obamacare that they won't complain about, and military/diplomatic policies are in any way different from those of our current president?
Rateria
To say that Ryancare was a variant of Obamacare is highly disingenuous. Obamacare is built on the individual and employer mandates, which the American Health Care Act got rid of. The only similarity is keeping insurance coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, coverage for kids until they're 25 and having tax credits. The bill was not perfect but it was better than nothing and most definitely a significant improvement over Obamacare.
It is just as laughable that you could compare Hillary and Trump. So far you've identified one legitimate policy agreement, NSA surveillance, but on almost everything else they are radically different. Hillary wants to nationalise healthcare, the VA, and education. Trump wants all of these more or less privatised. Hillary wants higher taxes, Trump wants lower taxes. Hillary wants amnesty for illegals, Trump wants to deport illegals. Hillary wants more gun control and an anti-gun Supreme Court Justice, Trump wants concealed carry reciprocity across the nation and appointed Gorsuch to the court. On foreign policy, yes Trump bombed a Syrian airfield but he is not seeking regime change; Hillary was a proud interventionist that helped create ISIS and would have brought us into war with Russia. They both espoused anti-free trade views, but I suspect that Hillary would have approved the TPP once in office.
Why must libertarians continue to make such sweeping generalisations that ignore all nuance and blur legitimate policy debate? Obama, the Bushes and the Clintons are cut from the same cloth, for sure... But Trump? Come on.
My mistake, the two are in fact different: Obamacare's all about forcing poor people to have insurance no matter how much that policy inconveniences the middle class, and Ryancare would have been all about giving corporations money for no reason. While both of those things are bad things, I admit that they're not the same kind of bad.
Their fiscal policies are distinctive, and Hillary's talking points generally sounded a lot worse for freedom than Trump's talking points, true, but even you're attesting the veracity of the three things I mentioned. Could it be that they were *gasp* telling their respective supporters what they wanted to hear?
Narland, Rateria, Fairbankska
As he isn't currently running against Hillary Clinton, who I rooted for him against, that doesn't really seem like a good defense. The discussion is on support for Trump here and now. The election has been over for going on half a year now.
And vast subsidies to insurance companies so they'll take on the pre-existing conditions mandate, further centralizing the healthcare industry en route to producing most of Obamacare's effects regardless.
I'd agree that he's cut from different cloth from the Clintons. I'd even agree that it's better. But since we're not currently in an election against a Clinton, I don't really see how that's relevant. The question is whether or not his policies are friendly to libertarianism. On crucial issues like healthcare, the security state's power, the War on Drugs, and the "imperial presidency," he clearly isn't.
Miencraft, Narland, Rateria, Condealism, The United States Of Patriots
Brocialists wouldn't know a proletariat if one made eye contact with them, offered a fake smile, and said "Hi, welcome to [insert store name here]!"
Who is running for president?
You are, if you want to.
Post self-deleted by Fairbankska.
The Democratic bench for 2020 actually looks very slim. The only possible candidates who haven't said they're uninterested are Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Martin O'Malley, and Montana Governor Steve Bullock. Of those, I'd actually really like to see Bullock take the helm since he's basically a DFC type on the issues. He has no experience garnering major financial backers though, state-level Montana politics doesn't attract big donors. Of those the best funded would be Warren.
But I'd be mega unsurprised if some of the Democrats who are claiming disinterest just don't want their decisions in the next two years to be seen as presidential campaign posturing. I expect at least one of Franken, Gillibrand, and Booker to run. Franken would be a compromise between the Sanders and Clinton factions without Warren's baggage, Booker is a fresh face for the Clinton faction.
Miencraft, Pevvania, Narland
Hail dred
Pevvania, Rateria, Fascist Dred
Theresa May's called a snap election in the UK on June 8th. All the socialist morons (most either northerners or young people) are coming out of the woods to push a ยฃ10 ($13) minimum wage and more nationalisation.
Doesn't matter, though. The Tories have a 24-point lead over Labour. Comrade Corbyn is going to lose, and he's going to lose very, very badly.
Miencraft, Narland, Rateria, Fairbankska
The LibDems are expected to gain a lot of seats too. Even The Guardian all but predicted a worse defeat than Michael Foot's in the '80s, possibly the death of Labour.
Corbyn is a far-left, IRA/Hamas-supporting wackjob who should have been thrown out last year. Labour's extremely naive base who seem to essentially want nationalization of all industry prevented that, and they sealed their party's landslide defeat.
Miencraft, Pevvania, Narland, Republic Of Minerva
Finally someone recognizes my divinity.
Republic Of Minerva
100% agree. The Lib Dems will essentially be picking up the Remoaner voters who've already forgotten the party's disastrous record in power, but it'll be fun to watch them chip away at Labour. I loathe Corbyn, and all of his Islamist, antisemitic, Marxist sympathies. I think the Conservatives have had a pretty mediocre record in power, but I will more than happily vote for them once more to defeat the Fabians once and for all. My parents like to say "we love Corbyn, he's going to keep the Tories in power". But even so, what does it say about us as a country to have a Castro apologist as our opposition leader?
Miencraft, Narland, Fairbankska
British politics is generally crap. Not one good Rand Paul or David Leyonhjelm-esque figure there. Just full of socialist morons. RIP
Pevvania, Rateria, Fairbankska
What about Nigel Farage? Not a libertarian by any means but he certainly isn't a "full socialist"
He seems more commited to principleless populism than any actual commitment to liberty. Wasn't UKIP poaching disgruntled working class Labour voters?
No what I mean is someone who is actively aware and promoting libertarianism, like Leyonhjelm. Even Canada's Bernier, who is aware and self identified as one, though doesnt actively promote things like Ending the Fed like Ron Paul did, would be fine.
Pevvania
CONDEALISM FOR PRESIDENT 2017... AGAIN... AGAIN...
A lot has changed since the last time I ran for office...
I ran against one of the most seasoned government officials in Libertatem's history...
Actually, wait, no, it wasn't him...
There we go. *clears throat* In order to carry on the legacy of our beloved Lord Mhomen...
And today...
I'm going to do it again, again.
This time, I'm facing off against... that is to say, my opponent is... uh, hey? Is anyone else going to run?
Since no one shall stand against me this time, there will be nothing stopping me from being appointed Supreme Immortal Emperor of All Things Libertarian Everywhere for All Time. I shall ignore and violate not only the Constitution, but every Constitution whenever possible, refuse to keep any nation in Libertatem throughout the entire term, outlaw all religions save for the Holy Church of Mhomen and make atheism punishable by ban, dare the entire government to arrange for my impeachment by declaring their dissolution, establish a totalitarian regime (complete with a bureaucracy thrice as big as we are), reach out to every Commie Nazi I can find, invade other regions - including this one - just for kicks, and ultimately just be a total dick to anything that moves. I am confident that my reputation as a humble, modest, gracious, creative, non-hackneyed, and evil leader precedes me, and will be enough to ensure I win the election by a larger margin than the last one I participated in.
I would like to announce my cabinet also:
Judge, Jury, and Executioner - Me, Me, and Me
Everything That Isn't Me - A radioactive crater
I really will enslave you all if I win. Vote for me if you hate freedom.
Miencraft, Narland, Republic Of Minerva, Rateria, The United States Of Patriots, Fairbankska
Is Minerva running for re-election?
Not this time. Being president is fun, but I think someone else can do a better job than me (and have more time perhaps). Still, I'd like to see a growth in the numbers of this region.
I can tout a few things like establishing an official (even if infrequently used) discord and helping get 20 or so new nations into Libertatem with Mien. Though I'll admit my presidency was a quiet one. But isn't that how a libertarian presidency should be?
Humpheria, Rateria, Condealism
TIL I was the most libertarian president in the history of Libertatem, considering during most of my tenure I did absolutely nothing.
Pevvania, Narland, Republic Of Minerva, Rateria, Condealism
I'd likely keep a better eye on a Discord were it to exist than the RMB, admittedly.
No problem. I support him now as he is the best thing we have going for this nation right now.
Miencraft, Pevvania
I'm not a fan of many of Marine Le Pen's policies, particularly her juvenile view on economics. But I support her election in France if it means the end of the EU.
I would like to announce that Hyderbourg is running for president of Libertatem. I have been in Libertatem for years and am less than two weeks away from celebrating a year as the World Assembly Delegate to the region. I have also acted as the Solicitor General and Attorney General to the region.
As president, I would embody the Libertarian ideals that Libertatem stands for while also working to increase the population of the region.
Pevvania, Narland, Republic Of Minerva, Kumquat Cove, Rateria, Condealism, The United States Of Patriots, Fairbankska, Supting
First question: how do we know you are not a commie spy?
Pevvania, Rateria, The United States Of Patriots, Fairbankska
Post self-deleted by Fairbankska.
It does ecist, check the WFE.
I'm still hoping Fillon can somehow pull something out, but that really doesn't look likely.
As it stands, it's between a young untested bland pro-EU centrist, who is at least for loosening French labor laws and EU monetary reform, and seems to be a turn towards Blairism for France. And someone whose anti-EU stance is coupled with support for an essentially socialistic revival of Gaullist "dirigisme," comically extreme anti-trade/immigration views, and a basically anti-Western foreign policy. Both are bad options, but I'd take the boring "will make a few things better, won't make anything worse" status quo option of the two.
Melenchon is obviously the worst candidate and would turn France into Venezuela. 100% tax on the wealthy, openly inspired by "Chavismo." If anyone out there reading this is from France, please please please do not elect this man. You will destroy your country.
Pevvania, Narland, Humpheria
You don't, and I'll never tell you because I respect freedom of privacy.
Pevvania, Narland, Republic Of Minerva, Kumquat Cove, Rateria, Condealism, Fairbankska
Do we have any process to mandate a definitive answer on whether or not he's a commie spy, or to investigate his possible commie-ness?
Post self-deleted by Evil Genius Land.
No no no let me show its done first you take the ...SCREAMING.. And twist...CRIES of AGONY ...then you leave that there for about an hour now here's one I prepared earlier.......
Rateria, The United States Of Patriots
Post by Supting suppressed by a moderator.
hey guy love liberty too lol omg
Pevvania, Narland, Republic Of Minerva, Rateria, Condealism, Hyderbourg, Fairbankska
Post by Supting suppressed by a moderator.
Post by Supting suppressed by a moderator.
I don't disagree with your opinion and used to hold it myself. Yes, Le Pen's policies are tragic, but I think it will be better for international liberty in the long run to have the EU fall than to have a moderately neoliberal politician in power.
I'd love to see the EU either dramatically reformed into just a trade zone, or ended entirely in the unfortunately likely event that isn't possible. But I can't say I agree on Le Pen. While she would probably give the EU a killing blow, and I would support that, what's likely to replace it is even more frightening to me even ignoring the hugely negative effects of her win in France itself economically and on foreign policy.
Her victory would provide increased morale to the continental European far-right, parties like Jobbik and Golden Dawn who are the opposite of friends of liberty. Meanwhile, while I'm not really a fan of Macron due to his pro-EU stance, he is a liberal reformist and does extend that to wanting incremental pro-market reforms in Brussels. I think there's a naivete in the Anglosphere, where we look at conservatives like UKIP and the Trump movement (for all its much-criticized faults) and assume that's what the international rise of the anti-neoliberal right looks like. In continental Europe though, its tone and ideas are much darker; the further east one goes, the less it's in the liberal tradition at all.
Pevvania, Narland
This was the best possible answer; only a spy would profess such dedication to libertarianism!
And now, spy, we'll show you just how the free market deals with commie saboteurs like you...
*begins boycotting your business, but due to a lack of consensus among peers and the absence of any regulatory agencies, this is largely ineffective*
Rateria, Fairbankska
Warranted search has a place in a free society. I move for an official inquiry and public investigation into the commie ties of Hyderbourg.
This isn't McCarthyism because reasons. Good reasons. Our very freedom is at stake or something.
Narland
Mouvement des Libertariens seem pretty cool, but they have virtually no presence beyond a few French articles online and a French wiki page.
No they aren't.
Hillary = All about Green Garbage and Global Warming.
Trump = Making sure every energy and pipeline project gets a green light.
Hillary = Wants to make nice with everyone, extension of Obama's lead from behind policies.
Trump = Authorizes the military to do what needs to be done.
Hillary = Will continue Obamacare as it was.
Trump = Trying to get the private sector back into it. However, he could have done a lot better with things like the personal and business mandates.
Hillary = Anti-business, rape the rich to feed the poor, tax and tax and tax and spend.
Trump = Pro-business, wants the rich to keep their money (us poor folk too), wants to cut taxes dramatically.
There is lots more, but I think you get the idea.
I blame the awful color choice.
I suppose we could use the lost wallet test. Toss a wallet loaded with a brick of ยค1,000,000 Venesualan Bolivars and see if he picks it up when no one is looking. :) Property may be theft but another man's wallet is a Commie imperative. :)
Rateria, Fairbankska
The "=" things you mentioned are just the lies they tell their supporters. Very obvious lies at that - especially Hillary's. Her militarism and dealings with corporations are well-documented at this point.
Fairbankska
Genuine question here, folks: why are so many of the wealthy American elite liberals? I have these friends who live in a super nice suburb of San Diego and have a massive house worth over $5 million because their grandfather made a lot of money in commodities trading. The father is friends with the LA Lakers, the guitarist from Blink-182 - the point is they do very well. But the parents and the eldest son all voted for Hillary.
Is all this the result of virtue signalling? The appeal of corporatism? I really don't know.
Condealism
Its the modern concept of noblesse oblige... rich liberals want to feel generous and give the poor money and hate their class. But the regulations and inflation caused by such policies inexplicably help them, so it's all good.
Miencraft, Pevvania, Narland, Condealism, Fairbankska
How would it help them? You have my interest.
For the wealthiest of the wealthy in any particular industry, it weakens competition, and they're the ones who write the regulations. The lower-tier wealthy are harmed by those regulations though, since they're the competition.
Miencraft, Pevvania, Narland, Republic Of Minerva, Rateria, Condealism
They assume that inheriting wealth is a prerequisite for being truly wealthy, and their response to this limited perception is governed by their competing feelings of guilt and self-interest.
Pevvania, Narland, The Ambassador To The Clfr, Fairbankska
That actually explains quite a bit. Thank you.
Fairbankska
You're welcome. :)
Rateria
If you think scientific fact is infallible and settled, yet don't believe in the economic facts that tariffs, taxes, stimulus spending, minimum wage, entitlements, and other regulatory distortion of the market are detrimental to society, then you're either a hypocrite who only believes in facts when it's convenient to you, or is so egotistical that you think your science is superior to others.
Condealism
lolrationalwiki
Pevvania, Condealism
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