So Your Friends Think You’re a Terrible Person Because You’re a Libertarian

The intolerable left-liberal columnist Mike Royko once said, “It’s much harder to be a liberal than a conservative. Why? Because it’s easier to give someone a finger than a helping hand.”

In my secret Facebook group (accessible to the show’s supporting listeners), people are taking turns replying.

My first thought: it’s actually much easier to be a left-liberal than a conservative, because you have an easy-sounding solution to everything.

Someone lacks X? Why, just seize the resources and give him X! Simple.

Another person pointed out that left-liberals in fact give less of their incomes to charity than do the right-of-center people they hate.

Still another said: Really? It’s harder to spend other people’s money?

And yet another said: It’s easier to be a liberal: all you need to do is vote for government to lend a helping hand, instead of doing it yourself.

And we didn’t even get into the broader question of the destructive behaviors and attitudes that the welfare state has without a doubt fostered, with the grim consequences all around us.

Bob Murphy and I discussed this kind of topic in this week’s episode of Contra Krugman, the weekly podcast I do in addition to my daily Tom Woods Show.

Krugman in effect asked this week: given how awesome government is, who would ever want to cut it back and why?

This is what I mean. The situation is portrayed as: why, some people need things, and the state can get them those things, so only a terrible person would want to limit or eliminate the state.

Enjoy:

http://contrakrugman.com/ep-79-since-government-is-awesome-where-and-why-would-you-cut-the-budget/

P.S. I’m organizing an escape room outing in Seattle on May 19 (I’m speaking there the next day) for any of my supporting listeners. My treat. If you are or become a member of that program and would like to join me, send a note to [email protected] and we’ll put you on the list.

I have enough for one room already; I can probably take another six or seven people and do another one, but that would be it.

If you don’t know what an escape room is, Google it. :)