Jesse Ventura Speaks of Torture

[oladub]

Bats, I read 'Atlas Shrugged' many years ago but I don't remember that it contained the concept of collectively defending 'our interests abroad via military means'. The objectivists instead retreated to their own community thus denying corporate socialists of the ability to harnass their abilities. The problem with your definition is that "our interests" can be whatever those in power want them top be. It might be a better definition of the neocon foreign agenda. Here is a definition of objectivism. I don't think it matches you definition. http://www.answers.com/topic/objectivism

Libertarian is the opposite of authoritarian. Politically, left is the opposite of right. The authoritarian/libertarian spectrum is on one axis while left/right is on the other axis. Leftists tend to be socially libertarian and economically authoritarian. Rightists tend to be more socially authoritarian and economically libertarian.

One problem with your point #2 is that those in power fight too many wars to fulfill their wish list of whatever they consider to be in their interests. They run into someone else who is also willing to wage wars for things that they consider to be in their interest. Libertarians, and I would think objectivists, would instead negotiate mutually agreeable settlements and then start working on their own better solution. For instance, when oil was about $40/barrel Bin Laden said the west should be paying about $117/barrel. The price of oil eventually went over $117 even though we fought wars for our interests. Had we paid more for oil to start with, we could have since gone a long way toward developing energy efficient vehicles and other energy sources with the money we instead spent on those wars.

Jesse is probably more of a social libertarian than an economic libertarian but is more of an economic libertarian than most Democrats. When Jesse was governor of Minnesota, social services and education were not damaged. He approved spending money on light rail. The big change he brought to government was that he questioned a lot of spending that was in the interests of special friends of Democrats and Repoublicans. He broke up the clubbiness and sweeheart insider deals. He and his family were harassed and threatened. The Democrats and Republican establishments mutually hated him. Their attack dogs were the press. I expect a Ventura presidency would follow similar lines. Special interests would run into some libertarian financial sreens delivered to them by a Teddy Roosevelt presona. I doubt that the bankers would like Jesse asking them questions.

[rb336]

If people who call themselves "objectivists" followed that definition, I would have no problem with them. the vast majority of them that I have met [[as well as Ayn Rand) tend to throw out objective data that contradict their core dogmas and think that any thinking that doesn't conform to their dogma is "irrational" or "illogical" or "faulty"

In otherwords, Objectivist "logic" is the most purely subjective system I have yet to come across

[otter]

Oladub,

Good post - but it may have had more complexity in it than bats can handle in one post

O.

[d.mcc]

As someone who is very left leaning myself, I can definitely see the appeal of Jesse Ventura. No one, including myself is completely one-sided on the political slant. I consider myself a left-leaning AMERICAN. I side more with those on the left simply because they represent my views more than those on the right. That being said, I don't vote straight ticket, and I have no trouble voting my conscious rather than what some political party tells me to vote. Jesse is an American. He's a veteran, and a VERY smart man who speaks his mind. While I don't agree with all of his viewpoints. I agree more with him than I disagree with him. I would vote for him and not thing twice about it.

[ccbatson]

Oladub...you are making the classic mistake of relying on the fictional material as opposed to the core philosophical works. Read "Capitalism, the Unknown Ideal" and "The Virtues of Selfishness" to get the right idea.

Libertarian is anti authoritarian, perhaps to the extreme of bordering on Anarchy. Not bad things, BTW.

[Lorax]

Oladub...you are making the classic mistake of relying on the fictional material as opposed to the core philosophical works. Read "Capitalism, the Unknown Ideal" and "The Virtues of Selfishness" to get the right idea.

Libertarian is anti authoritarian, perhaps to the extreme of bordering on Anarchy. Not bad things, BTW.

Sounds like a prescription for disaster to me.

By the way, are those titles written by "liberatarians?" If so, I have no interest in volunteering for brainwashing.

[mjs]

Lorax, I've got to hear what category you believe describes your beliefs and what socio-political books you've read and liked.

[Jimaz]

Jesse Ventura on Democracy