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by refurb 4547 days ago
That's an odd argument to make against libertarians when libertarians support defense spending as a key role of government.

The Highway Interstate system was driven mainly by defense needs. It's also known as the "Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways"[1]

[1]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_Highway_System
4 comments
mpyne 4547 days ago
> The Highway Interstate system was driven mainly by defense needs.

Driven, maybe, but that's not how it's used.

The Internet itself was developed mainly for defense needs too, but now people see it as a rallying point for world citizenry, human rights, etc.

Is that what we'd have to hope for with libertarianism, that enough "defense needs" pop up to allow for adequate public goods to still be created and later be mis-used for a purpose, for which it'd never have been initially funded at all?

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throwaway-65939 4547 days ago
That's an odd argument to make against libertarians when libertarians support defense spending as a key role of government.

It is not necessary to understand libertarianism to bash libertarianism. All you need to know: they're against government doing certain things, therefore they're against government doing any and all things.

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jljljl 4547 days ago
Where does a libertarian draw a clear line between defense and non-defense spending? Couldn't food stamps be considered a defense policy if it ensures an able bodied population of potential conscripts? Where is the philosophical line?
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icebraining 4546 days ago
Why do you believe there must be a line? Eve right-wing libertarians have widely different opinions about the proper role of the State, or even its existence. In any case, I'd say most are not in favor of conscription itself.
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jljljl 4546 days ago
But there has to be a philosophical distinction right? Some way of clearly marking where the state's power ends and individual rights begin. Otherwise libertarianism is just a matter of "I know it when I see it", which means people will twist a philosophy of small government to fit their particular political needs.
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eru 4544 days ago
Food stamps are stupid in any case. Just give them money.
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dylandrop 4546 days ago
when libertarians support defense spending as a key role of government.

Not sure where you're getting this from... even though I'm not a libertarian myself, it seems like most libertarians believe in drastically reduced defense spending. [1]

[1] http://www.lp.org/issues/foreign-policy

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