Friday, May 2, 2014

Should I Change My Strategy with Regard to Rand Paul?

Douglas Delgado-Landaeta emails:
I know you like to criticize Rand Paul on pretty much any non libertarian stand he has. To be honest, I do not think it has had any effect on his aspirations. We can judge that by the following fact: he is one of the leading possible candidates for the 2016 GOP nomination, then many people find him appealing (even judge Napolitano endorses him).

We both know, as Etienne de La Boetie stated, the masses do not think for themselves. I have heard from different libertarian talk heads that the liberty movement is growing, but I honestly do not believe so; the reason being that how can it be growing and Obama is being reelected, Piketty's book is #1 on Amazon, Krugman still has a job, the Fed is fine, Hillary leading over Rand, etc?

Have you thought about changing your strategy? Have you thought about inviting him to your radio show and point out his weaknesses? I have never been a fan of Rand, I was once a fan of Ron, but I'm an Austro-Anarchist, so I don't believe in a limited government like Ron and Rand do. Comparing Rand to his dad hasn't worked. Remember: The masses do not think for themselves. We need a drastic change in our marketing strategy if we want to convince the people that the government is an immoral institution.
First, Chris Rossini, the executive producer of The Robert Wenzel Show, has contacted Rand Paul's office a number of times in  attempt to get him on the show, but without any luck.

As far as my strategy, it has nothing to do with attempting to change Rand's mind. There is more of a chance that I will be canonized a saint then there is of my changing Rand's mind. Neither is my goal to somehow convince Rand's followers that they should dump him off, naked, during a winter snowstorm, in New Hampshire's, mostly government owned, Pondicherry Wildlife Refuge.

The advancement of liberty should be viewed as a very long project having nothing to do with the aspirations of current political opportunists. I merely use opportunists, such as Rand, as tools with which I can contrast them with pure libertarianism.

If by sticking to PL, I am able to reach one, two or three people through  my writing, who are able to advance the libertarian torch in a powerful way, beyond anything I write, and I also reach another, say, ten people,who are not as gifted but still carry can carry a workman's load worth of effort in the advance of liberty, and then influence a larger number of foot-soldiers, then I would consider my writing a spectacular success.

Delgado-Landaeta is very correct, the masses do not think for themselves. In different ways, the great economists and social scientists, Murray Rothbard, Ludwig von Mises and Friedrich Hayek, recognized this. The move to a libertarian society will only be achieved by capturing some currently unknown  proportion of the greater intellectual crowd, who come to appreciate the principled, and correct stand of PLs, and who then broadcast that message to other intellectuals and the masses. This will not happen before the sun sets tonight. Indeed, the timeline is unclear, as Austrian economists know, there is too much uncertainty in the world to attempt to predict when such an outcome might occur. That is why it is important that every PL attempts to secure an individual free life, within the current state apparatus. Only then should one join the greater battle for overall liberty. The battle, itself, should be fun, energizing and joined with a thirst to intellectually destroy the enemies of liberty. Rand is just one good target, among many.

10 comments:

  1. Robert, very well said. I have learned to enjoy the journey and not just placing my hopes in the destination.

    I will only suggest that progress is being made on several fronts. The state is being questioned more and more - witness the polls on subjects like 911, Syria, Russia, even central banking, etc. Even on mainstream TV and radio, there is more openness to questioning certain aspects of the narrative.

    It may not be pure libertarianism, but questioning the myths of the state can only help.

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    1. There has indeed been a major shift in the polling in the last decade or so on the issue of firearm rights, the NSA, the Fed, foreign wars, etc. It has been pretty amazing to watch, especially the Fed stuff. Whoever says the liberty movement is not increasing has not noticed how the ideas are taking over, even in watered down forms - but they are an issue now, unlike in the past when they could be safely ignored.

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  2. DDL wonders:

    "I have heard from different libertarian talk heads that the liberty movement is growing, but I honestly do not believe so; the reason being that how can it be growing and Obama is being reelected, Piketty's book is #1 on Amazon, Krugman still has a job, the Fed is fine, Hillary leading over Rand, etc?"

    The liberty movement can absolutely be growing while all of these take place.

    The reelection of Obama can be explained by the well-deserved demise of the Republican party. Gary North stated at one time that there are not enough liberty minded individuals to get a candidate elected, but there are enough to punish candidates and cause them to lose. I believe that this is the reason the Republicans have lost the last two Presidential elections.

    Little known facts...Romney lost Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida by fewer votes than Ron Paul received in the respective primaries in those states. That doesn't prove anything, but it sure is interesting. Also there were 2.5 million FEWER votes cast in 2012 than in 2008. Obama received 3.6 million FEWER votes in 2012 as opposed to 2008...so much for a mandate. People are losing faith in the system (which is good). Why do you think that the Republicrats all tell people to get out and vote, doesn't matter who, just get out and vote?

    There are only a handful of elected individuals, Democrat or Republican, who have any problem with the Fed.

    As far as Piketty, I would be interested to know how many people who have purchased the book have actually read it. An NPR segment last week covering the "rock star" reception Piketty received at Berkeley was hilarious, as the reporter covering the hundreds of students who turned out could not find a SINGLE person who has actually read the book!

    I think Rand is doomed. The neocons will NEVER trust him, and will try to destroy him in the primaries. While he will receive support from a portion of his father's base, he will not get the young people, and will certainly not have the moneybombs, etc.

    The liberty movement collects supporters here and there, but doesn't lose them. It only increases. Who knows how long it will take, but it will happen.

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  3. The world, by and large, used to tolerate chattel slavery, and now does not. There is hope, though it may take much more time for economic enlightenment to pervade.

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  4. Robert,

    You endorsed Murray Sabin. Therefore this post from you makes zero sense. You are nothing but a statist shill who needs to be purged from PL.

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    1. Purged?

      You sound like some of those "humanitarian free staters" I've been reading about,

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  5. First, although I have provided extensive coverage of Murray's campaign but I have never "endorsed" him.

    That said, I have regularly said there is nothing wrong with politics if it is used to educate the masses, such as the way Ron Paul did. Rand Paul distorts the liberty message on a daily basis. I may have qualms with a position or two with regard to Murray, but overall he is a very strong advocate for liberty.

    Bottom line: You have no idea as to what you are talking about.

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    1. Ron has created more liberty minded folks all over the world than any american since Thomas Jefferson.

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  6. This reminds me of the essay by Albert Jay Nock, that was published in The Atlantic Monthly in 1936, called "Isaiah's Job". It is a little dismal, when you read it. But, if we stick to its principles, sometimes we get pleasantly surprised.

    http://archive.lewrockwell.com/orig3/nock3b.html

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