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June 09, 2006

What Makes a Libertarian a "Libertarian"?

Here's an interesting read. It's a first person POV article by a "libertarian" member of the Maine legislature. Small "L" in this case because he's officially a Republican. What? Well, read this:

"I am a libertarian. I am also a Republican freshman member of the Maine House of Representatives. Some would say that being a libertarian legislator is like being a fish out of water; I would say it’s more like a fish learning to ride a bike. But anything is possible with enough determination."

He was a member of the LP even serving for a time on the the LP National Committtee, until he resigned in disgust over the inter-party squabbling of the late 1990's. And yet he claims the moniker "libertarian" any way.

And as for his principles? Well, he says this:

"My view is that an elected representative has a duty to represent his district first and his personal philosophy second. The people who elected me would be sure not to send me back if I failed to honor this maxim. On some issues, however, my constituents’ opinions are, or seem to be, in such conflict with my own principles that I cannot force myself to participate. One bill brought before the legislature would have required women to be subjected to graphic photos of aborted fetuses before undergoing an abortion procedure. I represent a socially conservative district and had promised to be respectful of issues important to the evangelical Christians in my district. I voted for a bill requiring parental notification when a minor receives an abortion. But I just couldn’t support the 'abortion education' measure, even though the bill had no chance of passing, and I could have voted for it without affecting the outcome. I chose not to be in the chamber for the debate or the subsequent vote."

And if you think that's a stretch, you should see his justifications for his budget ear-mark (i.e. "pork") and drug war votes!

Anyhow I found this article to be kinda of interesting for the way that this legislator "squares the circle" of the seeming contradictions to what (he says) he believes as opposed to how his brand of politics plays out in reality, or to be more blunt: Is it better to be inside the tent pissing out than to be outside the tent and pissing in?

Posted by Ali Massoud at June 9, 2006 11:04 AM

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