Ask a Libertarian: Am I just a Republican who smokes pot?

Welcome to Ask a Libertarian with Reason's Nick Gillespie and Matt Welch. They are the authors of the new book The Declaration of Independents: How Libertarian Politics Can Fix What's Wrong With America.

Go to http://declaration2011.com to purchase, read reviews, find event dates, and more.

On June 15, 2011 Gillespie and Welch used short, rapid-fire videos to answer dozens of reader questions submitted via email, Twitter, Facebook, and Reason.com. In this episode, they answer the question:

How do I know I'm not just a Republican who likes smoking pot?

For the complete series, go to http://reason.com/archives/2011/06/10/ask-a-libertarian and Reason.tv's YouTube Channel at http://youtube.com/reasontv

Produced by Meredith Bragg, Jim Epstein, Josh Swain, with help from Katie Hooks, Kyle Blaine and Jack Gillespie.

Comments

[rather]

Otto, you can also ask your master sugarfree what you are.

[Michael]

How many times is Nick going to change his shirt throughout this series?

[Brett L]

He just keeps going back and forth between overshirt on and overshirt off.

[Michael]

It looks like he's alternating between two collared shirts; one that's plain black and another featuring a silk screen straight out of Jersey Shore.

The last video should be done bare chested.

[Hugh Akston]

He'll be wearing The Jacket in the last video.

and nothing else.

[MWG]

FTW!

[Fist of Etiquette]

I assume at some point there will be a video with Gillespie wearing Welch's glasses.

[Ska]

As long as Welch isn't rocking his hair I can deal with that.

[Fartriloquist]

Just? JUST?

[Richard Head]

transcripts would be nice

[CE]

You might be, but I'm not.

[mofo]

Ok, what is your take on the US federal reserve and central banking in general?

[Troy]

Fuck Nick. I've heard of 5 o'clock shadow, but you have hair by brunch.

[Troy]

Oh, I am a libertarian that like to smoke pot.

[Oso Politico]

Or just a plain old pot smoker who doesn't give a fuck.

[Aresen]

How about a liberal who doesn't like spending other people's money or telling them what is good for them?

[JW]

Wait, there's pot smoking involved? Why doesn't anyone ever tell me these things?

[Aresen]

It is a compulsory part of the initiation process.

Also, you buy a round for the house.

And supply the pizza and brownies.

[Grandpa Whithers]

"brownies"

RACIST!

[H man]

A Republican that doesn't believe in Jesus.

[Sudden]

I believe in David Koresh.

[Juice]

I came from the left (sorta). I never voted Republican (or Dem, actually) until 2008 when I voted (my only time) for RP in the primaries.

[Lord Humungus]

I'm an ex-pot smoker who was once a Socialist turned Republican and then became a Libertarian.

[R C Dean]

I don't know that I ever really stopped off at Team Red. I was pretty much apolitical/Blue-symp until I Saw The Light and became a libertarian.

Kind of a Road to Damascus type deal. ClintonCare is what did it for me.

[Lord Humungus]

I was largely apolitical until the "enlightenment" of college. The usual lefty politics where I didn't think the Democrats (at the time) were left enough.

Then I got married, had a kid and had to start paying property taxes. I started swinging fiscal conservative, wondering where in the hell all of this money of mine was being spent.

9/11 came along and that solidified my "Team Red" leanings - at least temporarily - that era seems filled with madness everywhere. However as time went on, I started having disagreements with some of the SoCons, Neocons and others...

So now I'm in the ultimate dweeb camp - lulz.

[JW]

I was a Kennedy Democrat, parroting everything I heard and read in the news, until I was working with a libertarian in the early 80's. We argued constantly, for years, and then one day, *ding*, a light went on in my head.

Been a libertarian since and to this day and remain very good friends with that libertarian co-worker. Hell, I was an usher in his wedding!

[R C Dean]

Am I just a Republican who smokes pot?

I dunno. Are you?

[AA]

I thought we were Gay/Bi Republicans who smoke pot.

[Ken Shultz]

I'm definitely a libertarian, and I don't want to smoke pot either.

But just for the suggestion hat? As sort of an emblem for libertarians who do want to smoke pot responsibly...

You guys might consider swapping the gargoyle on the shelf behind you for a bong. Or better yet? You could modify the gargoyle--and turn it into a bong!

That gargoyle wants to be a bong--I can just tell.

[scarpe Nike Store]

is good