Quote:
Originally Posted by mixedmedia
I get frustrated when conservatives bitch about how liberals just want to spend their money, particularly conservatives in the lower and middle classes, who benefit directly every day of their frigging lives from ideas that sprang from the minds of people who cared about their grandparents and great-grandparents when no one else did. Liberal ideology doesn't just spring forth in spite of a just and adequately functioning society. It originates in the void created by injustice, greed, corruption and an unworkable quality of life for the least empowered in our society.
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This, basically.
With regard to "Somebody ought to pass a law," it's easy to point out the more trivial issues such as smoking laws when there is a long and storied history of more important issues relating more generally to human rights and liberties.
You know, there are parallels to liberals and libertarians. (The similarities in the words should give you a hint.) For example, I imagine many liberals and libertarians are on board regarding allowing for gay marriage. It's only the methods that vary. Liberals are most likely to suggest that the federal/state governments should legislate it as a way to protect the right (you know, like how most rights are protected), though I'm sure many libertarians would rather it just be a case of telling the government to simply GTFO and ensure gay marriage isn't illegal.
Where libertarianism falls short is in the fantasy that society will be freer if people and organizations just simply get out of the way. If it were that simple, there would be no need for a constitution or a bill or rights or a code of laws, etc. If you want rights, they need to be protected. They almost invariably need to be actively protected.