Rumors of Bitcoin's libertarian death have been greatly exaggerated.

[Elwar]

Sure, I see a lot more posts in here by clueless people who worship at the alter of big government. More as it has gone more mainstream.

But we are still here.

Hi!


Oh, and I like how they like to use the less prevalent Silk Road as "proof" that libertarians are going away.

And yes, we all already knew that we had to pay taxes on our bitcoin earnings.

But we will let you think that you are getting what you want...keep driving up the value of our huge Bitcoin wallets.

[counter]

Yeah we been here and we aren't going any where so get familiar with our freedom loving behinds.  Haha I don't see myself as the cookie cut out libertarian more of a independent free think and so much more.  Just wanted to show some support and libertarians tend to get a bad rap at times and it's usually not justified in my opinion.

[Bit_Happy]

Time is on our side, yes it is!
Well maybe not.

Does the Libertarian Party accept Bitcoin now?

[Elwar]

Does the Libertarian Party accept Bitcoin now?

They have for years now.

[amspir]

Sure, I see a lot more posts in here by clueless people who worship at the alter of big government. More as it has gone more mainstream.

Respectfully,  I realize that you and many people here are libertarians, and you believe that your particular philosophy is the only correct one for the world.  I am sympathetic to many libertarian ideas, but there are things that just do not work when taken to the extreme.   I think bitcoin is a great idea, because it removes control of a currency or a currency-like system away from the control of a central government.   However, I am a pragmatist, and to live in this society, you must obey laws that you may not agree with to keep from going to jail.

There are some things that I believe in that are not libertarian, for instance, I believe there should be subsidies to get broadband internet service to every rural household in America, just as there was for telephone service and electricity.   I believe in the right of a group of people to band together and bargain for higher wages and safety standards with a large company or corporation.   I believe that people and corporations should be made to account for degrading the environment without paying for it (socializing a cost), while making a profit.

An extreme libertarian utopia does exist at present: It is called Somalia.  A nearly non-existent central government, no regulations, no taxes, and lots and lots of guns.   I personally have no desire to live there.

[Elwar]

Sure, I see a lot more posts in here by clueless people who worship at the alter of big government. More as it has gone more mainstream.

Respectfully,  I realize that you and many people here are libertarians, and you believe that your particular philosophy is the only correct one for the world.  I am sympathetic to many libertarian ideas, but there are things that just do not work when taken to the extreme.   I think bitcoin is a great idea, because it removes control of a currency or a currency-like system away from the control of a central government.   However, I am a pragmatist, and to live in this society, you must obey laws that you may not agree with to keep from going to jail.

There are some things that I believe in that are not libertarian, for instance, I believe there should be subsidies to get broadband internet service to every rural household in America, just as there was for telephone service and electricity.   I believe in the right of a group of people to band together and bargain for higher wages and safety standards with a large company or corporation.   I believe that people and corporations should be made to account for degrading the environment without paying for it (socializing a cost), while making a profit.

An extreme libertarian utopia does exist at present: It is called Somalia.  A nearly non-existent central government, no regulations, no taxes, and lots and lots of guns.   I personally have no desire to live there.

Many would have thought that there would be no way to have a currency without government.

People think the same things about other government services.

As for Somolia...compare it now to when it had a government. You may be surprised.

[pungopete468]

Calling yourself a Libertarian doesn't make you an Anarchist any more than a Republican makes you a Nazi or a Democrat makes you a Communist.

People need to accept that most people are moderate and the inclination towards a particular group over another is usually a subtle difference of opinions with disagreements on far-wing ideas...

I feel like taxes must be 100% apportioned by census, no taxes on property ownership, I can accept sales taxes. I think inflation is shadow tax and its equally as sinister as currency debasement. I think Congress should control the money. If Congress is unwilling then the people are responsible for themselves.

Legal tender is only morally acceptable when the object in tender has a dual purpose; anything else is robbery.

I think the lives of our ancestors who died fighting for the Constitution should be honored and their dying wishes considered. I think we live in a shadow of the freedom they secured for us and we should be ashamed of ourselves for the level of indifference we've demonstrated as our liberty has been progressively sabotaged over the last century.

I'm more of a Libertarian but I'm moderate.

[Elwar]

Calling yourself a Libertarian doesn't make you an Anarchist any more than a Republican makes you a Nazi or a Democrat makes you a Communist.

In WWII Germany those under the foot of the Nazi government would probably consider themselves libertarians (anti-government) even if they favored taxes, regulations and other government policies.

But as the government becomes worse, we all become libertarian in some way or another.

[Bit_Happy]

Does the Libertarian Party accept Bitcoin now?

They have for years now.

Thanks, during/after Bob Barr 2008 I stopped going to the official LP site.

[Alonzo Ewing]

The Somali argument is such complete nonsense.  It's in sub-saharan Africa.  Pretty much every country in that region is poor and violent.  Heck, Zimbabwe is an even worse basketcase and it's a socialist country.  What does that really prove? 

[counter]

Time is on our side, yes it is!
Well maybe not.

Does the Libertarian Party accept Bitcoin now?

Keyword being "maybe".  With all the new money wanting in I don't suspect very much has changed and Bitcoin is still in in an adolescent stage.  To put that quote into perspective I'd just like to say that nothing lasts forever.

[Alonzo Ewing]

There are some things that I believe in that are not libertarian, for instance, I believe there should be subsidies to get broadband internet service to every rural household in America, just as there was for telephone service and electricity.  

I'm against subsidies not because I don't support the end sought (broadband for rural folks), but because subsidies distort markets and are fundamentally anti-competitive.  The sentiment is just as wrong as "Every person should own a home" or "Every person should have their college loans paid for" both of which have had disastrous results.

I believe in the right of a group of people to band together and bargain for higher wages and safety standards with a large company or corporation.  

Libertarians are all about free association so I don't think any libertarian would disagree with the above.

I believe that people and corporations should be made to account for degrading the environment without paying for it (socializing a cost), while making a profit.

Libertarians are pro-property rights, so dumping waste onto others' property or the commons is a big no-no.  The argument is about the solution: whether it be central control, or whether it be by privatizing the commons (like has been done with fish stocks) or  pigouvian taxes.  Libertarians generally prefer the latter because it avoids creating another tragedy of the commons: ensuring the regulatory apparatus is not captured.

[amspir]

The Somali argument is such complete nonsense.  It's in sub-saharan Africa.  Pretty much every country in that region is poor and violent.  Heck, Zimbabwe is an even worse basketcase and it's a socialist country.  What does that really prove? 

So if you don't want the libertarian utopia that is Somalia because somehow they are not worthy due to being located in sub-saharan Africa,  what type of government would you impose on these poor and violent people?  Is not the libertarian ideal the perfect system to generate wealth?  Do or do not large amounts of guns create a polite society and lower the crime rate?

[BitTrade]

Sure, I see a lot more posts in here by clueless people who worship at the alter of big government. More as it has gone more mainstream.

I believe there should be subsidies to get broadband internet service to every rural household in America, just as there was for telephone service and electricity.

If I ran the best charity in the world, would be ok for me to knock on your door and force you to pay for it under threat of imprisoning you?  If not, then how do you justify permitting the "government" to do this?

[pungopete468]

The Somali argument is such complete nonsense.  It's in sub-saharan Africa.  Pretty much every country in that region is poor and violent.  Heck, Zimbabwe is an even worse basketcase and it's a socialist country.  What does that really prove?  

So if you don't want the libertarian utopia that is Somalia because somehow they are not worthy due to being located in sub-saharan Africa,  what type of government would you impose on these poor and violent people?  Is not the libertarian ideal the perfect system to generate wealth?  Do or do not large amounts of guns create a polite society and lower the crime rate?

That's a real stretch...

 - The Libertarian system does not generate wealth by itself in the same manner that an aqueduct won't hydrate a farm without first connecting to a water supply.

 - The government of Somalia should be whatever the people of Somalia desire. Being Libertarian gives a population the right to choose for themselves.

 - The amount of guns is not the primary determining factor for "politeness" or crime rate. The distribution of those guns within society is certainly a major factor. When you decentralize gun ownership you decrease crime. A Bitcoiner should grasp that concept because the rule equally applies to the creation of money.

[Elwar]

The Somali argument is such complete nonsense.  It's in sub-saharan Africa.  Pretty much every country in that region is poor and violent.  Heck, Zimbabwe is an even worse basketcase and it's a socialist country.  What does that really prove? 

So if you don't want the libertarian utopia that is Somalia because somehow they are not worthy due to being located in sub-saharan Africa,  what type of government would you impose on these poor and violent people?  Is not the libertarian ideal the perfect system to generate wealth?  Do or do not large amounts of guns create a polite society and lower the crime rate?

A study examining Somalia’s performance relative to other African countries both when Somalia had a government and during its extended period of anarchy found that Somalia, when subjected to an honest comparison between Somalia when it had a functioning government, and Somalia now is less poor, has higher life expectancy, and has experienced a drastic increase in telephone lines.

[Beliathon]

 What does that really prove?  

What does Detroit really prove? #racism_spotted

[amspir]

The Somali argument is such complete nonsense.  It's in sub-saharan Africa.  Pretty much every country in that region is poor and violent.  Heck, Zimbabwe is an even worse basketcase and it's a socialist country.  What does that really prove?  

So if you don't want the libertarian utopia that is Somalia because somehow they are not worthy due to being located in sub-saharan Africa,  what type of government would you impose on these poor and violent people?  Is not the libertarian ideal the perfect system to generate wealth?  Do or do not large amounts of guns create a polite society and lower the crime rate?

That's a real stretch...

My point exactly.

- The Libertarian system does not generate wealth by itself in the same manner that an aqueduct won't hydrate a farm without first connecting to a water supply.

Then, what is the system of government needed to create the water supply if libertarianism is going to cut it?  You are a hypothetical benign dictator, you choose.

- The amount of guns is not the primary determining factor for "politeness" or crime rate. The distribution of those guns within society is certainly a major factor. When you decentralize gun ownership you decrease crime. A Bitcoiner should grasp that concept because the rule equally applies to the creation of money.

So, "socialize" the distribution of guns?  Anybody that has the money or submits to service to one of the many warlords there can get a gun.  There's no government there saying you can't get a gun.  I'm just not getting your point.

[amspir]

A study examining Somalia’s performance relative to other African countries both when Somalia had a government and during its extended period of anarchy found that Somalia, when subjected to an honest comparison between Somalia when it had a functioning government, and Somalia now is less poor, has higher life expectancy, and has experienced a drastic increase in telephone lines.

Perhaps the influx of income from ransom and piracy had something to do with it?

[Beliathon]

...to live in this society, you must obey laws that you may not agree with to keep from going to jail.

Raise your hand if you've downloaded any music, movies, or TV shows lately.

*raises hand*

If you have, you've been breaking the law. Have you gone to jail for it? I haven't.

Speaking of breaking the law, the authority figures do it too:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/todayinthesky/2014/03/27/busted-police-allege-lax-theft-ring-stole-from-fliers-bags/6949949/
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/dozens-baggage-handlers-involved-lax-theft-ring-police-article-1.1737407

Trusting wealth with strangers is a risky proposition... that's why Bitcoin is such a brilliant technology.