There’s a great article in the latest reason magazine that has Ronald Bailey looking for a solution to global warming. As a reason magazine science correspondent he’s about as libertarian as you can get.

It was neat to see the author of Eco-Scam: The False Prophets of Environmental Apocalypse to then say this in 2005.

Anyone still holding onto the idea that there is no global warming ought to hang it up. All data sets—satellite, surface, and balloon—have been pointing to rising global temperatures. In fact, they all have had upward-pointing arrows for nearly a decade.

You can read the full text at reason online.

Obviously they believe the private market should solve the issue, but there’s no real reason for them to do so. Their proposals, spoken through clenched teeth it seems, are either a cap and trade system or carbon taxes.

The only true effect of all this is to make a competitive market and begin to quanitify the negative externality of climate change as related to greenhouse gas emissions by energy producers. I suggest reading the article.

Tags: global warming,libertarian,reason,reason magazine
Categories: BJ, Philosophy etc
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This weeks issue of the economist has a write-up on the Libertarian candidate for president Bob Barr. They came to roughly the same conclusion I did regarding his ability to act as a spoiler for McCain.

The article also perfectly sums up the problems Barr has regarding his personal record, not that any of that matters as much during a third party presidential run. In this case, his spotty personal history and close ties to traditional conservative values increases his chances of greatly affecting McCain.

Just a funny note. The Libertarian party is pretty much nuts. As expected of a group that puts individualism above any sort of collectivist mindset, you get a bunch of disjointed single issue voters willing to vote for every conspiracy theory known to man. It’s sad the party seems so crazy on the surface, since the CATO institute has the basic economic and social theory down without the frilly nuttery. Libertarians get the pot-smokers and government alien cover-up followers, while the republicans are stuck with AIPAC, the religious right, and hawks. Democrats don’t really get to have any pet issues though. Lieberman, Harry Reid, Kucinich, and Hillary Clinton all share a (D) but not much else. The problem is that the Libertarian convention makes the Reps and Dems look sane. Maybe one day they’ll stop appeasing the chaff (truthers) and just ignore the truly insane.

Tags: bob barr,election 2008,libertarian
Categories: BJ, Philosophy etc
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Bob Barr secured the Libertarian Party nomination at the LP convention in Denver over this past weekend. For those who don’t follow third party politics, the Libertarian presidential nominee in 1988 was Ron Paul. He basically had the same platform then that he did during his current primary run. Bob Barr was probably picked by the delegates specifically because he has similarities with Dr. Paul. Don’t expect me to start evangelizing his name though. Mr. Barr was a short sighted Republican until recently, and even before that was a short sighted Democrat. He has shifted his rhetoric on most of the LP talking points, but in the end find himself on the hilarious side of opposing things he used to chair. He was the anti-drug coordinator for the Department of Justice (libertarians are usually pro drug legalization to some extent). He promoted the idea that the practice of Wicca should be banned in the military (restricting religious rights would be a big libertarian no-no), and he is generally hard on immigration (a position he happens to share with Ron Paul). With this background he doesn’t have the practice to back up the rhetoric he’ll use, but at the same time he’s likely to win most of his votes from lapsed traditional conservatives.

Barr has hired a political strategist who worked on the Ron Paul campaign and another who worked on the Perot campaign. He’ll be stealing votes directly from the traditional conservative Republican base, the same base that is unhappy with McCain’s nomination. I’ll predict right now that he’ll have as much if not more impact than Nader did in 2000. If you want Obama to win in November, send some money to Bob Barr… seriously.

I’ve discussed this issue previously with friends and family but I really think Obama is going to have a tougher time in November than many people believe. Around 15% of democrats over the age of 65 voted for Obama. This November more people will vote. More people over 65 will vote. Democrats traditionally think of themselves as progressive… yet only 15% over 65 voted for Obama in the primaries. Imagine what will happen among the general electorate. If the older Democrat is any indication, Obama’s race will be more of a hindrance this November than it ever was in the primary. Bob Barr’s nomination might help things for Obama if enough votes can be shifted from McCain to Barr.

On that note, I’m voting for Barr in November. A protest vote? Maybe. He might not be a libertarian in action but the man is a small government conservative through and through.

Tags: bob barr 2008,clinton,election 2008,libertarian,obama
Categories: BJ, Philosophy etc
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