Your thoughts on the Libertarian Party's platform?

Machjo

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@Petros. Prostitution and the drug trade are harful to society, not just the individual. Again, there would probably be more money for the destitute in a Libertarian government through voluntary charity rather than corporate subsidies to rich corporations.

The premise behind libertarian economics is that less intervention balances the market and produces prosperity. Do you think libertarians envision stronger or weaker unions in a libertarian order?

(maybe I should have said disorder)

I'd imagine most envision neither, unions not being the government's business. Though I'm sure there are likely different opinions among libertarians.
 

mentalfloss

Prickly Curmudgeon Smiter
Jun 28, 2010
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The Libertarian Party platform says it would cut corporate handouts.

Also, the Libertarian Party of Ontario would de fund abortions, though granted that is irrelevant to a Federal election. But I like these.

Yea no thanks.

It's patently obvious that even with funding, our fossil fuel industry is very dependant on the value of the dollar and the price of oil.

Going completely free market for energy is even worse.


The closer a product or service gets to one's general well being, the more we need to consider public oversight.

The farther away it gets - like luxury trinkets or video games - the more it becomes useful to private industry.
 

Curious Cdn

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They're different.

They both represent "Every man for himself" and "The strongest survive ". Both deny the essential fact of the human species is a social animal by nature (no, didn't say socialist"). We group together and strive to get along with each other and cooperate because it has advanced our species and because our brains are wired that way. Anarchy and Libertarianism are both essentially sociopathic and are, perhaps, symptoms of followers who's brain wiring lies a little outside of the bell curve.
 

Machjo

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Yea no thanks.

It's patently obvious that even with funding, our fossil fuel industry is very dependant on the value of the dollar and the price of oil.

Going completely free market for energy is even worse.

How so? Do you support corporate handouts to the energy industry?
 

Corduroy

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Feb 9, 2011
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I'd imagine most envision neither, unions not being the government's business. Though I'm sure there are likely different opinions among libertarians.

I think you misunderstood me. It's just unions that are not the government's business, but business and the economy itself. Libertarians don't want to deregulate the economy for fun and freedom. They actually believe that the result will be beneficial. The libertarian stance towards unions would probably be to leave them alone, but they would a vision of how leaving unions alone would affect them. Knowing what you know about libertarianism, what do you think that vision would be?
 

Machjo

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Oct 19, 2004
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They both represent "Every man for himself" and "The strongest survive ". Both deny the essential fact of the human species is a social animal by nature (no, didn't say socialist"). We group together and strive to get along with each other and cooperate because it has advanced our species and because our brains are wired that way. Anarchy and Libertarianism are both essentially sociopathic and are, perhaps, symptoms of followers who's brain wiring lies a little outside of the bell curve.

Really? I regularly give to charity. Lower my taxes and I'd give more to charity. If government spending was actually going towards helping the neediest, I'd vote NDP, but doesn't. It goes to special interests instead. I don't volunteer much due to time constraints, but I do give money. Though I'm not ideologically libertarian, I can see it as a good place to park my vote till other parties smarten up. So, am I a sociopath?
 

petros

The Central Scrutinizer
Nov 21, 2008
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So fossil fuel subsidies exist now?

Nice stealth edit.

Of course it's money.

And if you're looking for the numbers, I've already given them to you via multiple reports.

Of you are not satisfied with that then you have to ask Harper because he's not transparent on how much.

What edit? There is zero cash given out. You've repeatedly provided Canadian tax credits listed along with cash subsidies in other countries.

Why don't you ask SLM/BAMCRO what the differences between a subsidy and a tax credit. By your definition every business in Canada is subsidized.

Are you aware all businesses and individuals get tax credits? Very very few businesses get subsidies if they do it's a bail out.

Has oil ever needed bail outs?

The English language can't be bent to suit your needs.
 

mentalfloss

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Petros, you haven't answered my question about Harper admitting that fossil fuel subsidies exist.

Are you saying he's wrong?

How so? Do you support corporate handouts to the energy industry?

Either supportive investment or strict regulation.

We cannot cope with volatility in these markets.

Not unless we develop transporter technology and everyone gets to beam out to a different country at will.
 

Machjo

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Oct 19, 2004
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I think you misunderstood me. It's just unions that are not the government's business, but business and the economy itself. Libertarians don't want to deregulate the economy for fun and freedom. They actually believe that the result will be beneficial. The libertarian stance towards unions would probably be to leave them alone, but they would a vision of how leaving unions alone would affect them. Knowing what you know about libertarianism, what do you think that vision would be?

I'd guess that if employers are overly exploitative, that the popularity of unions would grow. If employers treat workers well, unions would shrink naturally.

Because libertarians are very pro-personal-liberty in principle, I could imagine some libertarians supporting right to work legislation to prohibit a company from making union membership compulsory. On the flip side, because libertarianism supports deregulation, I could imagine some libertarians opposing such laws, since that itself would be a form if regulation. But even libertarians who should support right to work laws would likely recognize that if employers treat workers unfairly, more people would choose to join a union.

Like any other ideology, there can exist divergent beliefs.

The party platform does not mention right to work laws (too controversial within the party?I don't know.)
 

petros

The Central Scrutinizer
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Not unless we develop transporter technology and everyone gets to beam out to a different country at will.

How about we build a state of the art digital reliant pipeline or two. IT girls in heavy industry make triple what you do. Do your kids a favour and move west.
 

mentalfloss

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The best part about the link I posted is that they aren't actually phasing out all fossil fuel subsidies - only 'inefficient fossil fuel subsidies'.
 

mentalfloss

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Back on topic, what the libertarian sect of the con group are loth to admit is how regulations in the banking sector actually helped save our sorry asses in 2008.
 

petros

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The best part about the link I posted is that they about they aren't phasing out all fossil fuel subsidies - only 'inefficient fossil fuel subsidies'.

Best part is it written that way to appease the illiterate.

Back on topic, what the libertarian sect of the con group are loth to admit is how regulations in the banking sector actually helped save our sorry asses in 2008.

Best part of that is it stopped American banks from operating in Canada while Canadian banks bankrolled by massive investments in oil leases bought out US banks and all the mortgages they held at pennies on the at par dollar.

Funny how that works huh?
 

petros

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He needs to appease the illiterate too. It's his job.

He appeased you didn't he?

Bow to your leader when he's in your local park cooking burgers and hot dogs this summer