Paul Geddes: B.C. Libertarians would replace top-down government with individual responsibility

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      Unlike members of other parties, Libertarians will admit to not knowing the best way to run B.C.’s education system, B.C.’s health care system, our transportation system, and all of the other systems and programs that the planners in other parties promise to deliver to you. Rather we want to create an environment in which individuals are free to experiment, trade, and learn from each other so that better ideas can win out over less good ideas. The environment we want is one that replaces top-down government-knows-best monopoly schemes with voluntary alternatives in which willing customers direct resources to the services they most want.

      The citizens of B.C. are not cogs in a machine. We all have different dreams and preferences, and we each bring different talents to the table. To get the most out of each other, we don’t want to restrain or punish each others’ choices, earning power, or abilities. Rather, we wish to encourage each to seek that path which you think is best so long as you do not interfere with other people’s lives or property.

      Imagine a children’s party where instead of each child being given his or her own cup of punch, each child is given a straw to a common bowl. Instead of each child pacing themselves according to their own tastes and preference, the common bowl causes the children to suck themselves silly as each learns that being slow on the straw leaves you with less punch with more of the goodies going to others.

      Our current system of government finance can turn otherwise self-respecting citizens into similar slurp-racing gluttons. If you don’t get your face into the government trough, more of your tax dollars will just go to someone else’s health care, road, school, pension, or salary. Those with a belief in self-responsibility will get trampled by those who are less forbearing.

      Libertarians do not want to participate in this war of all-against-all. We don’t want to argue with others about how best to spend each other’s earnings. Rather, we want to give each of us the responsibility of discovering and rewarding those institutions which each of us thinks best delivers, voluntarily, the services we seek. We want doctors and teachers to spend their time looking for better ways of serving us, their paying clients, rather than satisfying the edicts of some far removed bureaucrat.

      Libertarians also want to relax many laws which restrict personal life choices. Too often caring individuals jump too quickly into passing laws to punish other people’s choices. Harvard professor Robert Nozick argued for leaving people alone with the freedom to engage in any and all capitalist acts with other consenting adults.

      In this coming election, voting Libertarian signifies that you don’t want to run or interfere in other people’s lives. Similarly, you don’t want other people to run or interfere in your life either.

      Comments

      22 Comments

      Expat Jack

      Apr 1, 2013 at 4:50pm

      Tea Party North anyone? I thought I left these Ayn Rand fanboys behind when I hopped the fence!

      Kevin Wright

      Apr 1, 2013 at 5:39pm

      When the lesser of two EVILS will not suffice, a third party with COURAGE must show the way. The 'wave of the future' requires a look into the recent past. 'Modern' North America was built from the ground up, using organic Industrial HEMP (w/o pesticides) as its foundation... Food, clothing, fuel, paper, plastic, building materials, etc., etc., ad nauseum. There, all of your problems are solved! :)

      SPY vs SPY

      Apr 1, 2013 at 5:42pm

      Ah Paul

      Me thinks you've been Slurping in the Kool-Aid Bowl a little to long.

      It seems that your basic Platform is , Well "Nobody knows nothing", until we all hold hands and sing a Freaking Song or something.

      Grow up and realize that we live in a very populated world with very conflicting demands on Government.

      It takes Intelligence, Education and Discretion to Govern properly.

      OK, so now send me all your money.

      orwell

      Apr 1, 2013 at 8:18pm

      We are like hamsters living in a cage. The cage is the state, government, laws, regulations preventing us from running around free. On this I can agree with Libertarians. But outside the cage is a hungry cat: corporations, Wall St. Libertarians want to dismantle the cage without telling us what they'll do with the cat.

      No, the proper action is to push back the bars of the cage, enlarge the living area. But keep the cat out.

      Lawrence

      Apr 1, 2013 at 8:49pm

      Didnt Harper state that he was a Libertarian? For that reason I would not vote for anyone in that party or Conservative.

      Green Billy

      Apr 1, 2013 at 10:33pm

      Libertarians are the worst, freedoms are very very dangerous and need to be kept to a minimum in today's complicated world!

      Freedom is also really bad for the environment, best to let the experts make the decisions. Did I mention that freedom is also anti-feminist? It is, 100 percent, everyone in University agrees.

      Gabriel Scheare

      Apr 1, 2013 at 11:20pm

      Thanks, Mr. Geddes. I feel old enough to run my own life without any "help" from a parasitic ruling class. Let's leave these mobsters in the dust and move on like the mature, consenting adults we are.
      I'm happy to let everyone support whatever cause they want and I'd never dream of forcing them to act otherwise... I just expect the same basic courtesy in return. Thanks. :)

      Be the Change

      Apr 2, 2013 at 7:15am

      He has nailed it, when he says, "our current system of
      government can turn self-respecting people into slurp
      racing gluttons.

      However. if people get their face in the trough.......
      it'll end up a free for all.

      Skeptic

      Apr 2, 2013 at 8:32am

      While Libetarian sentiments are nice on paper the reality is we live in a Global Economy with..

      * Highly competitive States

      * States that subsidize their various Industries (USA & China)

      * well organized & efficient Educational Systems (China, USA - Private well funded both via Private & various Government support), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Stanford University, Harvard University, Yale University, Princeton University, etc...

      To dismantle established systems without a detailed plan that's fully funded is IDIOTIC.

      Do you want your Pensions, your Health Care dismantled and let the 'Doctors' serve our patients as they choose?

      Apart from being IDIOTIC maybe you have not noticed the SHORTAGE of Doctors & Specialists in BC, not to mention in across Canada.

      This type of Libertarian plan is good only for the 1% Billionaires who manipulate the low income working & poor to vote for their Corporate Welfare platforms.

      Jeez.

      Hazlit

      Apr 2, 2013 at 8:57am

      My motto has always been--government in your wallet and out of your bedroom. Tax corporations to support healthcare, education and the arts. You get smart healthy citizens who pay taxes. At the same time, business is reminded of its responsibility. Not hard, just fair.