Sunday, September 30, 2012

Principles are the problem

I laughed outright at Bryce Edwards' complaint about the Libertarianz

“Part of the problem is that the Libertarianz are just too damn principled, and all about promoting their core ideology," said political commentator and lecturer Bryce Edwards.

At least  they have some principles and ideology to adhere to.

Or would it be better if they had some political wannabe minor celebrities using the party as a personal vehicle. Or a leader who appealed to old ladies and racists. Or embodied any of the new religions like global warming, freedom from genetic engineering or trees before humans. Or provided a hitching post for old religionists who cling to biblical ideas of sin. Or played to separatists and first-people privilege sentiments. Or were such a broad church as to be indistinguishable from the next broadest church.

Are these political entities what Libz should be looking to emulate?








7 comments:

Mark Hubbard said...

You saved me writing a post Lindsay. Save the voter from principled politicians!

Mind you, Bryce calls himself a 'Left Libertarian' ... tell me what that means, because I've not got a clue.

Manolo said...

Principles? What a horrible and disdainful thing!

Julian said...

Well put Lindsay.

James said...

Actually having principals and sticking to them should be the major selling point of a new Liberal party.People do respect those who sick to their guns and do what's right....it shows character.

Richard McGrath said...

Well said Lindsay! Edwards' comments make me feel quite proud.

Dave Christian said...

We engage In political arrangements because we are not all the same but we prefer to live peacefully and cooperatively in spite of our differences. Peaceful cooperation is always and everywhere threatened by people who insist that we should all think like them and thereby implicitly eliminate the need to cooperate with people who are different. Communists, theocrats (including Sharia Law proponents), objectivists. All are at best irrelevant and at worst highly dangerous. It is strange for a party to call itself Libertarianz when it cannot claim the support of persons who consider that the only morally legitimate roll for the state is to keep the peace.

Lindsay Mitchell said...

Your misspelt 'role' has a certain wryness about it.