Signal Intelligence About The LP

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Thursday, December 25, 2008

Testing The Radical Caucus Call For Clarity

http://www.independentpoliticalreport.com/2008/12/update-on-the-libertarian-party-radical-caucus/

The LP Platform says "Government exists to protect the rights of every individual including life, liberty and property." 

The Radical Caucus says "Libertarians must always make clear that the outright removal of the injustice and interference of the State is our ultimate goal."

Let's test that clarity standard.  Is it the position of the Radical Caucus that the LP should officially advocate abolition of all State authority/power to protect the rights of every individual including life, liberty and property?  I.e. should anarcholibertarianism be the official position of the LP?

Specifically, should the LP platform advocate
  • that individuals have a right to renounce their affiliation with any government, and to be exempt from the obligations imposed by those governments?
  • elimination of all restrictions on immigration?
  • that all criminal and civil sanctions against tax evasion should be terminated immediately?
  • repeal of all laws that restrict anyone, including children, from engaging in voluntary exchanges of goods, services or information regarding human sexuality?
  • privatizing national defense?
  • repeal of the Sixth Amendment right of the accused to "have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor"?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Individuals should have the right to renounce their affiliation with any government, and be exempt from the obligations imposed by those governments. That's called freedom of association. If we don't have freedom of association, then we don't have an inalienable right to liberty.

Brian Holtz said...

No, freedom of association is not the same thing as personal secession. Freedom of association is the right to consent to, or decline to consent to, any voluntary association or contract with any other informed consenting adults. Disassociating from the State is different, because the individual's relationship with the State is not nearly as symmetric as it is with other informed consenting adults. That asymmetry is explained at http://knowinghumans.net/2009/01/whence-authority-of-state.html. For more on revolution and secession, see http://ecolibertarian.org/manifesto.