Comments on: The Tea Party vs. Occupy Wall Street

By: Malacandra

Malacandra — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 18:07:09 +0000

Well that was fair and balanced.

First twice as much time was spent making a positive case for the Tea Party’s “classic liberalism” as was spent making a distorted case for the OWS’ progressive values. I suppose we should be grateful for that. You know the case is distorted when terms like “wealth destroying” is used. I didn’t notice the term “middle-class eviscerating” used to describe the Tea Party.

I’ve often asked Marnie’s question about whether there are any contemporary successful industrialized nation states that model the low tax, laissez-faire model advocated by the Tea Party.

Because I can think of easily a half-dozen tangible successes for the progressive model. Sweden. Denmark. Norway. The Netherlands. Canada. Finland.

Which takes the question out of the realm of the theoretical, doesn’t it?

By: sailor1031

sailor1031 — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 15:05:03 +0000

I think he meant “classic laissez-faire fascism” not “classic liberalism”

By: bad Jim

bad Jim — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 04:02:38 +0000

John Stuart Mill’s best line:

I never meant to say that the Conservatives are generally stupid. I meant to say that stupid people are generally Conservative. I believe that is so obviously and universally admitted a principle that I hardly think any gentleman will deny it.

By: Marnie

Marnie — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 23:59:03 +0000

Does anyone have an example of a country where a flat tax and no government oversight has resulted in a high quality of life and low unemployment? When I’ve had occasion to ask a libertarian this question, I generally get some answer along the line of “quality of life and unemployment don’t matter, it’s simply wrong to take my money”.

By: itzac

itzac — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 20:00:23 +0000

Poison the well much?

By: pinkboi

pinkboi — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 19:16:44 +0000

On planet Ing, John Stuart Mill was an Anarcho-Capitalist.

By: Ing: I SPEAK FOR THE HIVEMIND GROUPTHINK

Ing: I SPEAK FOR THE HIVEMIND GROUPTHINK — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 18:38:50 +0000

Classical Liberalism I’ve seen used synonymously with anachro capitalism. If there are differences I can’t tease them out.

By: BrianX

BrianX — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 18:07:36 +0000

I’m pretty sure “classical liberal” is meant as a coded insult anyway, because it implies that liberalism isn’t a dynamic entity. In any case, it’s also obviously meant to make people think that true liberals are either liars or idiots.

By: New England Bob

New England Bob — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:46:31 +0000

No, I don’t buy this for a minute. “classical liberalism of the Tea Parties” is the biggest joke. The tea party is an excuse for bigotry, racism, homophobia, misogyny and a place to favor the wealthy.