Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Donald Trump and the Great Man Theory of Government

Richard Ebeling emails:

Dear Bob,

I participated in the March 22, 2016 “Libertarian Angle,” webinar sponsored by the Future of Freedom Foundation, with the Foundation’s president, Jacob G. Hornberger, on the topic: “Why are People Supporting Trump?”

The focus this week is on the reasons behind the surge of support for Donald Trump for the Republican Party nomination for the presidency of the United States, including among some libertarians.

The frustration, disappoints, and anger against “establishment” politicians, special interest group corruption using government for their own benefit, the sense that economic conditions are at a minimum stagnating rather than improving, and fears of cultural change have all resulted in people responding to the rhetoric and “political imcorrectness” of Donald Trump.

However, behind Trump’s rhetoric and political incorrectness is little that a friend of freedom should find appealing. He proudly declares how he has used government connections and “deals” to gain favors for his businesses and how he considers eminent domain a “wonderful” use of government power against the interest of legitimate property owners,

Trump has also declared that no changes should be made to Social Security and Medicare, with funding to maintain these “entitlement” programs being assured through the miracle of making America a “winner” that is “strong” and “huge” in its successes. However, how this will be brought about is left to the listeners imagination, other than that he thinks other nation’s take advantage of America, so he will impose import taxes and other impediments to international trade and commerce; a sure policy for economic hardship for American taxpayers and consumers, regardless of what Trump may suggest.

 He has also shown little regard for the constitution or protection and respect for civil liberties involving the media or in the treatment of those suspected of terrorist attacks or threats. This is matched by a “great man” theory of government, which implies that all that is needed is to follow Trump down a road that leads away from a rule of law to a law of men – in this case, one man, Donald Trump.

An election of Donald Trump to the presidency of the United States would offer little in the way of a hope for individual liberty and limited government, but would threaten greater losses or further weakening of many of the freedoms already under attack from political power.

The webinar runs for about 30 minutes.

Best,
Richard

3 comments:

  1. If he said stuff like he wants to change Social Security he could not be elected. He is smarter than most of the Libertarians who would tell all and not get elected and therefore can make no changes or progressions toward true freedom. I'm new here, and you two sound like the mainstream media, sad.

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    1. It sounds like you would prefer politicians lying to you and pandering for your vote!

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    2. Well, this is what they all do, but no, this is not what I want, I want to see a candidate who understands they cannot possibly do all things at once, and if they foolishly say too much, they will never get elected. The smart thing is to leave Social Security alone until other more important things have been accomplished such as getting the government off the backs of businesses and cutting waste. The whole Libertarian agenda is simply too much for most people to digest and accept all at once. It shouldn't be but it is. All people would like more jobs created and I think everyone would like to eliminate waste. These are things people will elect someone on if they believe the candidate is able to do this.

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