> On Tue, 19 Sep 2000, Matt Cramer wrote:
>
> >
> > Many geeks are libertarians because we believe that a highly centralised
> > and powerful State leads inevitably to tyranny. That people think it has
> > dick to do with paying less taxes shows how clueless about it all they
> > really are.
>
> Ok... then why aren't you an anarchist or a punk instead of a
> libertarian?
A punk? I thought that was a music and fashion statement, not a political one. There are Nazi punks, socialist punks, speed-freak punks, and straight edge punks. But I do have my fair share of Minor Threat and Black Flag records.
As for anarchism, I would call it the ideal. However, there are some things for which a .gov seems necessary, in practical terms. Defense of the borders, trade regulation (being a libertarian != being a laissez faire capitalist!), etc. If socialism isn't practical at the National level, then neither is Anarchism.
In Matt's Libertarian Utopia there is a Fed .gov doing only its authorised duties according to the COTUS, and everything else is handled by state and local .gov's. Then States can organise themselves according to their desired economic and political conditions. I object to the concentration of power in a centralised .gov, not the notion of .gov as a social contract. I wouldn't mind paying the taxes I pay if they went into either programs I could choose (like say, the Space program) or into my local community. It isn't the level of taxation per se, but how the money is handled ($200 toilet seats, flood relief for people in far away states that choose to live on flood plains, random bombings of nations that annoy Klinton, corporate welfare, welfare for politicians, War on [some] Drugs, slaughters in places like Waco, etc.).
I don't speak for all geeks, since we aren't all libertarians, and I don't speak for all geek-libertarians, but there are a fair amount that share these sentiments.
Matt
-- Matt Cramer <cramer at voicenet.com> http://www.voicenet.com/~cramer/ Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force; like fire, a troublesome servant and a fearful master. Never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action.
-George Washington