Well, one reason why. Given how the media, encouraged by the politicians, see the political spectrum, any Republican administration will be portrayed as advocating and practicing laissez faire. If it happens with George II, it'll happen with anyone. The result is that when the economy turns sour under a Republican, the laissez-faire administration be blamed. Protests and demonstrations of the facts to the contrary will largely fall on deaf ears.
This is what's happening right now. You will have a hard time convincing someone that the housing and credit problems aren't the result of the free market. The job is not made easier by the "vulgar libertarians" (Kevin Carson's term) who speak as though they believe what we have is a free market.
That reminds me of the book The Last Democrat by the late Bill Bradford. I never read it (saw it advertised in Liberty), but I think the thesis was that Bill Clinton would be the last Democrat U.S. President. Which also reminds me of a prediction made IIRC by Joe Bast of Heartland, that by this or the next election cycle, the two major parties would become fragmented and a libertarian or quasi-libertarian president would be elected.
ReplyDeleteAnother reason: because when we have a Democrat president, the "conservative" half of the country is at least suspicious of the government, ready to pounce, watching for and denouncing every perceived "big government" intiative.
ReplyDeleteWhen there's a Republican in office, their silent as a church mouse. We are all alone in our protests.
And, you can count most of those so-called conservatives among those who foolishly believe that we live in amongst "free market capitalism," particularly when, and often just because, there is a Republican in the White house.
@Anonymous:
ReplyDeleteI've had this discussion many times with my more conservative relatives. Honestly, it's like night and day with them depending on which party is in power at the moment...
Elections are a time when we select which party will screw us less.
ReplyDeleteI've always been very suspicious of partisan anarchists. When are you going to make your followup post, "Why No Democrat Should Ever Be Elected President"?
ReplyDeleteThat goes without saying, but a Democratic administration does not carry the same baggage for free-market advocates. No one will characterize a Clinton or Obama administration as being for the free market and against government intervention. It's unimaginable Bush has been so characterized, and McCain will be too, at least in some ways. That's the danger for which there is no counterpart on the Democratic side.
ReplyDeleteI am not a partisan. I have written that no one is qualified to be president.