Thom Hartmann: Is Libertarianism Dead?

[thomhartmann]

With England and Spain in double-dip recessions - and civil unrest from Madrid to Athens - austerity might be coming to an end. But is something else dying along with austerity - and why will it leave the likes of Paul Ryan and Ron Paul in tears?

The Big Picture with Thom Hartmann on RT TV & FSTV "live" 9pm and 11pm check www.thomhartmann.com/tv for local listings

[Lawlbringer]

1. Isn't the American version of Libertarianism (mostly right wing, save for those like Chomsky)

essentially a big joke nowadays?

[patrice]

2. There will always be a minority branch of Libertarians who use that political philosophy

as a justification to do any and ALL of the drugs they want, not just pot. Yes, they'd probably be doing that anyway, but the Libertarian label is a good-housekeeping-seal-of-approval at least amongst themselves.

[Jamaal510]

3. I think it's just RW libertarianism that is fading away.

An increasing amount of people are waking up to the fact that the nation functions more efficiently when everyone works together and for the common good, rather than the laissez-faire system that has kept the poor down and out and pollution worsening.
Left-libertarianism, however, yields a different tale, as more people support same-sex marriage and marijuana legalization than ever before.

[freshwest]

4. +1. But the Left and RW versions seem mixed in some people's minds.

Some left-wing libertarians embrace the right-wing but don't seem to know who they're really kissing up to.