Is John Bolton a 'hawkish libertarian'?

The words "libertarian" and "John Bolton" are not typically contained in the same sentence, unless that sentence also contains phrases like "virulently disagrees with," or "WTF?" Still, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations is both a lower-tier potential presidential aspirant and a willing debater, so on The Independents last night we had the weird idea to ask the mustachioed hawk some questions about domestic policy, on issues such as spending, entitlements, gay marriage, prostitution, and more. Some of the answers may surprise you….

We didn't ask about the drug war, since he railed against legalization in a prior episode. Also on the show last night was a favored segment among the Hit & Run commenter crowed, "Two Minutes Hate":

Comments

[fish]

Isn't John Bolton fairly sanguine about anything domestically as long as we continue to murderdrone Afghan weddings?

[Cytotoxic]

Okay he isn't all bad.

[fish]

http://instantrimshot.com/

[Cytotoxic]

Nope. Drugs are a litmus test and Snowden's another. He's libertarian-leaning on some issues, which makes him better than a large number of Congress critters and probably Christie however.

[Sevo]

..."better than [...] Christie however."...

Now, THERE's a low bar!

[RJ The Terrible]

There are Red and Blue Team members worse than Christie.

Sincerely,
-The Lower Bar

[Aresen]

John Bolton is as much a libertarian as Keith Olbermann is.

[Brett L]

I forget, is this more or less libertarian than Bill Maher?

[Brandon]

Less. Which is almost not at all.

[Fist of Etiquette]

I can't speak intelligently on this episode as I was busy watching Marc-Andre Fleury retaliating against his own team for letting him hang out to dry for two periods.

I believe John Bolton will never be president. Why should I change my mind on that? He's the one who sucks.

[Suthenboy]

If you weigh all the pros and cons of any potential pol, Bolton is definitely near the top of the list. The drug war thing is a deal-breaker for me though.

[Some call me Tim?]

The problem I have is that he doesn't come across as caring too much in the areas where I agree with him, so I suspect he would be ready to do some horse-trading and sellout on those issue to get his way in areas where I STRONGLY disagree.

[Jerry on the sea]

Is he more or less libertarian than Greg Gutfeld?

[Jackand Ace]

Seriously, Matt? Is he a hawkish libertarian? That's like asking if Bernie Sanders is dovish libertarian. In fact, if that's the litmus test, at least Sanders would fall in line on most of the social issues which Boulton wouldn't.

You'll let anyone in as long as they are tough on only non-military spending.

[RJ The Terrible]

Hawkish Libertarian smells like Jumbo Shrimp

[Almanian!]

I see you conveniently left out that Jon Bolton is also THE PRESIDENT OF REDEYE already, Matt. Convenient!

Otherwise, yeah, he's pretty much a douche and I don't agree with him on much of anything, his milquetoast responses on some questions not withstanding.

NEXT!

PS It appears that Almanian will be running for President again in 2016. I'm already stealing two planks from my fellow Reasonoids, sort of, so suck it: 1) No, fuck you, cut spending 2) Freedom does NOT mean asking permission and following orders.

More to come. Cause I know you want it....

[Medical Physics Guy]

Only if he waxes up that 'stache and twiddles it evilly...

[paranoid android]

If Bolton happens to hold some views on certain issues that libertarians would broadly agree with, then that is a coincidence, not evidence that Bolton is some kind of libertarian.

His positions on the drug war and government killing power are proof positive that whatever animates his views, it is not a dedication to principles of non-aggression and allowing people to peacefully determine the course of their own lives.

[GILMORE]

Wildly Hawkish!

I have a habit of "Google Image"-searching random phrases and seeing what their visual feedback is.

This one was ....odd.

I got a Smith's album cover, Star Trek, some (obviously) pictures of birds, Rand Paul(?), Shinzo Abe, John McCain, Rick Santorum, John Wayne from The Green Berets, and this inexplicable picture =

http://acriticalmoment.com/wp-.....orten2.jpg

[Almanian!]

That picture is so fucking awesome it washed away a WHOLE DAY of stupid and fucked up from me.

Thanks, GILMORE!

*skips away happily - no homo*

[Dances-with-Trolls]

No.

Next question.

[Sevo]

..."We didn't ask about the drug war, since he railed against legalization in a prior episode."...

Hey, if he's a prez hopeful, give him a chance to talk out of both sides of his mouth!

[Corning]

among the Hit & Run commenter crowed

Are we crows now?

A murder of commenters?