Does libertarianism have an alt-right problem? – The Washington Post – Washington Post
Writing in the Daily Beast, Matt Lewis suggestsa disproportionate number of alt-right leaders claim to be former libertarians. Exploring why this might be, he identifies several possibilities, and in the process gives libertarians some things to think about.
Among other things, Lewis notes that the Ron Paul campaign and movement was heavily influenced by paleo-libertarian types, such as Lew Rockwell, who have long been critical of immigration and multi-culturalism. Its worth remembering that Rockwells circle eagerly embraced Pat Buchanans first presidential run in 1992 and stayed the course even after Buchanan turned away from antiwar and anti-government themes and began stressing cultural issues. For some self-described libertarians, Buchanans embrace of the culture war was a feature, not a bug, for (in their view) one problem with big government is that it tends to help the wrong people.
Lewis also considers whether some folks who are predisposed to find libertarianism attractive are also predisposed to be seduced by the alt-right. For such folks libertarianism may lose its appeal when they discover the alt-right offers an angrier or more outrageousideology to embrace.
One factor Id add (and that weve discussed on Volokh before) is the misplaced affinity for the Confederacy among some libertarians. War tends to increase the growth of government, and some libertarians note that the federal government grew during the Civil War. This leads some to the (terribly mistaken) conclusion that the Confederacy was somehow the more libertarian side in that conflict. This idea is reinforced by revisionist historical accounts that try to claim the war was really over tariffs (a claim which used to be taught in some high schooltextbooks, especially in the South), or that President Abraham Lincoln had a particularly monstrous record on civil liberties. Neither claim is true. The South explicitly seceded over slavery, and however bad Lincolns civil liberties records was, the Souths was far worse (and was worse even when one tries to discount slavery). [For more on the problem of misplaced Confederate sympathies among libertarians, I recommend this 2013 BHL post by Jacob Levy.]
Lewis closes by suggesting that libertarians (and conservatives) become more vigilant about associations with white supremacists. Hes right. I would also suggest that conservatives and libertarians rethink their embrace of controversialists, particularly on college campuses, as this feeds the alt-right beast. Libertarianism may not be responsible for the alt-right, but its fair to ask whether enough libertarians have done enough to fight it within their own ranks.
Continue reading here:
Does libertarianism have an alt-right problem? - The Washington Post - Washington Post
- British politicians are turning me into a libertarian - The Critic - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Our Libertarian moment is coming. Why opposition will weather it better | Opinion - The Topeka Capital-Journal - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Libertarian Populism Killed the Spending Bill - The American Conservative - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Analysis | Will Trump have a Libertarian in his Cabinet? - The Washington Post - December 18th, 2024 [December 18th, 2024]
- Reports of the NC Libertarian Partys death have been exaggerated - Carolina Journal - December 18th, 2024 [December 18th, 2024]
- Time Reflects the Revolution of Libertarian Liberalism: Trump and Milei on the Global Stage - InfoNegocios Miami - December 14th, 2024 [December 14th, 2024]
- ARGT: Riding The Libertarian Wave Of Economic Revival - Seeking Alpha - December 12th, 2024 [December 12th, 2024]
- The Washington Post's Kate Cohen Discovers Inner Libertarian - RealClearMarkets - November 28th, 2024 [November 28th, 2024]
- Heres to hoping Trump delivers on some of his Libertarian promises - OCRegister - November 23rd, 2024 [November 23rd, 2024]
- Publish more libertarian and conservative voices, and more Cameron Smith columns | Letters - Tennessean - November 23rd, 2024 [November 23rd, 2024]
- Liberal, conservative and libertarian students discuss the state of the country after election - Wyoming Public Media - November 16th, 2024 [November 16th, 2024]
- Expecting pardon from Trump, libertarian writer pleads guilty in Capitol riot case - WUSA9.com - November 16th, 2024 [November 16th, 2024]
- ITS BEEN THE HONOR OF MY LIFETIME TO BE THE LIBERTARIAN CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT - Chase Oliver - November 14th, 2024 [November 14th, 2024]
- 2024 Election Wrap Up - Libertarian Party of Michigan - November 14th, 2024 [November 14th, 2024]
- RFK Jr., who dropped out of presidential race in August, received more votes in Alabama than Green Party, Libertarian Party combined - Yahoo! Voices - November 14th, 2024 [November 14th, 2024]
- Who is Chase Oliver? What to know about the Libertarian candidate appearing on US ballots - USA TODAY - November 8th, 2024 [November 8th, 2024]
- Colorado fights Libertarian Party lawsuit seeking hand count after leak of voting-machine passwords - Washington Times - November 8th, 2024 [November 8th, 2024]
- How the Libertarian presidential candidate could be a spoiler for Trump - Washington Examiner - November 8th, 2024 [November 8th, 2024]
- Excluding the Libertarian may have saved Miller-Meeks in IA-01 - Bleeding Heartland - November 8th, 2024 [November 8th, 2024]
- Who is Chase Oliver, Libertarian candidate garnering attention in the US elections? - Firstpost - November 8th, 2024 [November 8th, 2024]
- Colorado Libertarian Party calls for hand count in lawsuit over leaked voting-machine passwords - Washington Times - November 8th, 2024 [November 8th, 2024]
- Opinion: Masks are over, and so is the Libertarian Party in Indiana - IndyStar - October 31st, 2024 [October 31st, 2024]
- Mailer in CD-3 appears aimed at boosting Libertarian candidate - The Durango Herald - October 31st, 2024 [October 31st, 2024]
- Raw interview with Bernard Johnson, Libertarian candidate for U.S. Representative, District 19 - MyFoxZone.com KIDY - October 31st, 2024 [October 31st, 2024]
- Meet the Libertarian running for Congress in IN-3 - WANE - October 28th, 2024 [October 28th, 2024]
- Q&A: Gideon Oakes, Libertarian candidate for Public Utilities Commission - News From The States - October 16th, 2024 [October 16th, 2024]
- Libertarian Donald Rainwater thinks he can win it all in 2024 - WTHITV.com - October 9th, 2024 [October 9th, 2024]
- Libertarian Rainwater thinks he can win it all in 2024 - pharostribune.com - October 9th, 2024 [October 9th, 2024]
- Libertarian Donald Rainwater thinks he can win it all in 2024 - Chronicle-Tribune - October 9th, 2024 [October 9th, 2024]
- Harry Bronson, candidate for NYS Assembly; the state of the Libertarian party; How to make college more accessible: coming up on... - October 4th, 2024 [October 4th, 2024]
- Opinion | Vivek Ramaswamy Is No Friend of the Libertarian Movement - The Wall Street Journal - October 1st, 2024 [October 1st, 2024]
- Libertarian Party has the right platform to restore America -- Tim Johnson - Madison.com - September 22nd, 2024 [September 22nd, 2024]
- Lyon Countys current sheriff will appear on November ballot as Libertarian candidate - Dakota News Now - September 22nd, 2024 [September 22nd, 2024]
- N.H. Libertarian Party encourages 'assassination' of Harris, drawing scrutiny from state, federal authorities - WBUR News - September 19th, 2024 [September 19th, 2024]
- Feds aware of' NH Libertarian Party's post glorifying killing of VP Harris - NBC Boston - September 19th, 2024 [September 19th, 2024]
- N.H. Libertarian Party shares, deletes post on X endorsing the assassination of VP Harris - The Boston Globe - September 19th, 2024 [September 19th, 2024]
- Libertarian Party NH Posts Position on Political Assassinations - InDepthNH.org - September 19th, 2024 [September 19th, 2024]
- New Hampshire Libertarian Party shares and deletes post that suggests assassinating Harris would be heroic - The Independent - September 19th, 2024 [September 19th, 2024]
- Lyon Countys current sheriff will appear on November ballot as Libertarian candidate - KTIV Siouxland's News Channel - September 19th, 2024 [September 19th, 2024]
- Libertarian Party of New Hampshires Post on X Urging Assassination of Harris Prompts Visit From FBI - The New York Sun - September 19th, 2024 [September 19th, 2024]
- Demands for investigation after NH Libertarian Party shares threatening Harris - AlterNet - September 19th, 2024 [September 19th, 2024]
- Libertarian candidates for Congress will not be on Iowa ballots after final court decision - KCRG - September 14th, 2024 [September 14th, 2024]
- Iowa Libertarian Party appeals to Supreme Court to have names on ballot - WHO TV 13 Des Moines News & Weather - September 14th, 2024 [September 14th, 2024]
- Newscast 9.12.2024: Libertarian congressional nominees won't be on Iowa ballots; College enrollments up at all 3 Iowa public universities &... - September 14th, 2024 [September 14th, 2024]
- Libertarian will run write-in campaign - Southeast Iowa Union - September 14th, 2024 [September 14th, 2024]
- New IMF chief negotiators leave Libertarian gov't reassessing the turf - MercoPress - September 14th, 2024 [September 14th, 2024]
- Meet the gay, gun-toting libertarian whos giving Trump a run for his money in swing states - Reckon - September 12th, 2024 [September 12th, 2024]
- Libertarian candidates for Congress will not be on Iowa ballots after final court decision - WOWT - September 12th, 2024 [September 12th, 2024]
- Iowa Libertarian Congressional candidates say the race isnt over - KCRG - September 12th, 2024 [September 12th, 2024]
- Iowa Supreme Court: Libertarian candidates for Congress wont be on the ballot - The Gazette - September 12th, 2024 [September 12th, 2024]
- Libertarian candidates for Congress will be left off Iowa ballots after final court decision - Houston Chronicle - September 12th, 2024 [September 12th, 2024]
- Chase Oliver seeks to build Libertarian Party through White House run, targeting ballot access wins - 11Alive.com WXIA - September 12th, 2024 [September 12th, 2024]
- Iowa Supreme Court rules that Libertarian candidates can be kept off the ballot - The Center Square - September 12th, 2024 [September 12th, 2024]
- Libertarian candidates for Congress will be left off Iowa ballots after final court decision - The Caledonian-Record - September 12th, 2024 [September 12th, 2024]
- Libertarian Congressional Candidates Lose Bid To Be On Iowa Ballot - iHeart - September 12th, 2024 [September 12th, 2024]
- Iowa judge rules against putting Libertarian candidates on the ballot - ABC 6 News KAAL TV - September 12th, 2024 [September 12th, 2024]
- Iowa Supreme Court rejects Libertarian Party bid to appear on November ballot - kwwl.com - September 12th, 2024 [September 12th, 2024]
- Iowa judge rules against Libertarian candidates, keeping their names off the ballot for Congress - News-Press Now - September 12th, 2024 [September 12th, 2024]
- Iowa judge rules against Libertarian candidates, keeping their names off the ballot for Congress - The Associated Press - September 8th, 2024 [September 8th, 2024]
- Iowa Judge Rules Against Libertarian Candidates, Keeping Their Names off the Ballot for Congress - U.S. News & World Report - September 8th, 2024 [September 8th, 2024]
- Iowa judge rules against Libertarian candidates, keeping their names off the ballot for Congress - KCCI Des Moines - September 8th, 2024 [September 8th, 2024]
- Iowa judge rules against Libertarian candidates, keeping their names off the ballot for Congress - ABC News - September 8th, 2024 [September 8th, 2024]
- Iowa judge rules against Libertarian candidates, keeping their names off the ballot for Congress - Local 5 - weareiowa.com - September 8th, 2024 [September 8th, 2024]
- OPB Politics Now: Why Oregons Republican Party is so focused on the tiny Libertarian Party - Oregon Public Broadcasting - September 8th, 2024 [September 8th, 2024]
- Libertarian Candidate for State Treasurer Hopes to Give the People a Window into the Treasury - Arkansas Money & Politics - September 8th, 2024 [September 8th, 2024]
- Iowa judge rules against Libertarian candidates, keeping their names off the ballot for Congress - The Caledonian-Record - September 8th, 2024 [September 8th, 2024]
- Iowa court heart arguments over Libertarian candidates ballot access - ABC 6 News KAAL TV - September 8th, 2024 [September 8th, 2024]
- Iowa judge rules against Libertarian candidates, keeping their names off the ballot for Congress - Globe Gazette - September 8th, 2024 [September 8th, 2024]
- Iowa judge rules against Libertarian candidates, keeping their names off the ballot for Congress - LocalNews8.com - September 8th, 2024 [September 8th, 2024]
- Iowa judge rules against Libertarian candidates, keeping their names off the ballot for Congress - Oil City Derrick - September 8th, 2024 [September 8th, 2024]
- Libertarian candidates argue to judge to get back on Iowa ballot. When will a ruling come? - Des Moines Register - September 6th, 2024 [September 6th, 2024]
- Libertarian candidates in Iowa fighting to place their names on the ballot - WQAD Moline - September 6th, 2024 [September 6th, 2024]
- I want to provide an alternative to voters: Libertarian nominee Chase Oliver | The Hill - NewsNation Now - September 6th, 2024 [September 6th, 2024]
- Current Lyon County Sheriff allowed to appear on ballot as Libertarian - KCAU 9 - September 6th, 2024 [September 6th, 2024]
- Current Lyon County Sheriff allowed to appear on ballot as Libertarian - KELOLAND.com - September 6th, 2024 [September 6th, 2024]
- Judge gives Libertarian Party a court win, temporarily halting ballot certification - KGAN TV - September 6th, 2024 [September 6th, 2024]
- Hearing held for sheriff to be allowed as libertarian candidate - Dakota News Now - September 6th, 2024 [September 6th, 2024]
- Iowa Libertarian Party granted a temporary injunction on ballot approval - UI The Daily Iowan - September 6th, 2024 [September 6th, 2024]
- Libertarian Sid Daoud might be an election spoiler. He doesn't care. - Daily Inter Lake - September 6th, 2024 [September 6th, 2024]
- Libertarian candidates for US Congress removed from November ballot in Iowa - The Associated Press - August 31st, 2024 [August 31st, 2024]