New Hampshire to Anoint a Second-Place Finisher, Censorship at Mount St. Mary's, Liberal War on Science: P.M. Links

• Trump is going to win New Hampshire, but who's coming in second?

• Is there a libertarian case for Bernie Sanders? I personally think so.
• The Liberal War on Science: Politicizing transgender kids' health.
• An impressively brazen act of censorship at Mount St. Mary's: the president straight-up fired professors who disagreed with him.
• The Federalist's Ben Domenech is a national hero.
• Reason will host several panels at the 2016 International Students for Liberty Conference. Check them out.
• Watch my interview with Mary Koss—debunker of the serial campus rapist theory—below.

Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

…but who’s coming in second?

Dignity.

[Citizen X]

Silly Eugene. There’s no way in hell dignity is coming anywhere near this electoral cycle.

[Chipper Morning Wood]

Dignity is a good porn star name.

[Trigger Warning]

Dicknity?

[Rufus The Monocled Derp Slayer]

Hello.

Elon Musk faces margin calls that could sink Tesla.

Also. Best name yet: Elon Icarus Musk.

http://seekingalpha.com/articl…..oans?ifp=0

[RAHeinlein]

Squawk Box has been setting this up for the past two weeks – my sense is trying to avoid investor lawsuits…

[Jerry on the rocks]

Tesla chairman and CEO Elon Musk has pledged 7.4 million shares of company stock to secure personal loans worth about $1.6 billion.

That’s a lot of hookers and blow.

[WoodchipperPatriarch]

Couldn’t happen to a nicer crony cunt.

[TheZeitgeist]

One thing I believe Musk could monetize (if he has not already) is some part of his stake in SpaceX.

[Chipper Morning Wood]

You’re a husk, Musk.

[Juice]

It’s the only thing he’s got going that’s worth a shit anymore.

[Ted S.]

Alt-text.

[Scarecrow & WoodChipper Repair]

I don’t see your point.

[BigT]

“who’s coming in second?”

Ewwww, sloppy seconds!

[Mad Scientist]

..but who’s coming in second?

No, What’s on second.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Is there a libertarian case for Bernie Sanders?

The libertarian case for socialism? I knew this whole thing was a ruse.

[Brochettaward]

It’s like Robby wants us to hate him. The hair pulls me in, but his constant nod to progressives and soft libertarianism pushes me away.

[RAHeinlein]

Libertarian and Bernie in the same sentence goes far beyond a nod. I honestly thought the link was a joke..

[Brochettaward]

Robby wrote an article last week where he wrote that Sanders may be awful on domestic policy, but so is everyone else so maybe libertarians should consider him. It is, unfortunately, no joke.

[Domestic Dissident]

This is about as shocking as the sun rising in the east and setting in the west.

[Chipwooder]

And yet people are surprised when the cosmotarian meme has legs

[Auric Demonocles]

As a former Vermont resident, I find his premise so offensive it might even be worse than his lack of alt-text.

[Tonio]

Sanders will be unable to implement his policies without congress, so there’s that.

Sanders is less likely to lead us into any wars, but is also unlikely to get much respect (aka fear).

[Brochettaward]

I actually have little doubt that Sanders would be a one-term president regardless. 12 years of Democrats would be associated with 12 years of economic malaise and gridlock. But, frankly, I’d rather not test it or see 4 more years of this crap.

The article Robby linked to is a joke. If you value personal liberties as much as economic ones, it argues, you should consider Bernie. You know, because there’s a difference between the two and Bernie totally isn’t looking to carve up the first amendment, and won’t pander and go after the second. The argument is I should favor Bernie because he’s basically not rabidly anti-immigrant.

Yet, Bernie IS anti-immigration and always has been. He’s only softened somewhat on that position to run for office here recently. He called open borders a Koch brothers/neoliberal plot. He’s out of his mind. He’s bad on every liberty issue and would massively expand the state.

There is no personal liberty issue that Bernie doesn’t suck on.

[PapayaSF]

I actually have little doubt that Sanders would be a one-term president

I’m not sure either he or Hillary have enough years left to even complete one term….

[some guy]

Sanders seems to be pretty fit. Hillary might already be dead. Maybe the Hat is controlling her from the inside…

[some guy]

I see no evidence that Sanders would even entertain going after the 2A, especially not after being elected.

Of course there isn’t a difference between “types” of liberty, but the rest of the country sure acts like there is, so that’s the world we live in.

As others have said, he can’t expand the state much without Congress and he won’t have Congress. A vote for Bernie is a vote for gridlock. But it might also be a test of what the presidency really does to ideology. Bernie would probably be the most principled person to win the office so it would be interesting to see what the office did to him, as a person.

Not that I’m voting for him, of course. I’m just saying I can see the argument that, all things considered, he is the least terrible option remaining in either major party.

[RAHeinlein]

Bernie-as-principled is a myth. He has changed positions on multiple issues and is essentially a whore to public-sector unions.

[some guy]

He has changed positions on multiple issues

Such as? The only one I can think of is sort of shifting a bit on gun control.

and is essentially a whore to public-sector unions.

He’s always been a whore to unions. This is one of his principles.

[JW]

Can we just settle on that he and every other candidate is a whore?

That way, we can stop being surprised when they don’t bang you and steal your wallet instead.

[Chipper Morning Wood]

Why do you guys keep insulting honest hard-working whores by comparing them to politicians?

[Brochettaward]

Immigration being another. You know, the major area where he supposedly beats his Republican competition.

This is a guy who called open immigration a neoliberal plot all of a few months ago. He was attacked by the left mildly and began to ‘evolve’ on the issue. He has always been opposed to immigration, and he will be especially opposed to the immigration of skilled labor.

[Bubba Jones]

Public sector unions are the source of most evil in this nation.

[BigT]

You know who else stuck to his principles.

[JW]

Any theories, hunches or guesses about what President X will or won’t or can or can’t do after being elected are null and void.

Anyone still harboring the fantasy that a politician will act morally and in the best interest of the country, once dug in like a tick in the office, needs a severe reality check.

[Chinny Chin Chin]

He’ll likely have the opportunity to appoint Supreme Court justices, so there’s that, too.

[Charles Easterly]

Only ones which will overturn Citizen’s United, from what I remember him saying in the last “debate” with Clinton.

[SIV]

Jeb! wants to overturn Citizens United too.

[JWW]

Yeah, but there is far less a chance that Jeb! will be President than there is that Bernie will be.

[SIV]

I’m not so sure about that. The Dems don’t want to run Bernie. The Reps still want to run Jeb!.

[Bubba Jones]

6 of them?

[SusanM]

John “Penaltax” Roberts was Dubya’s pick. Just sayin’

[BearOdinson]

With Cruz we are more likely to get a Scalia or maybe even a Thomas (as good as you will ever see on SCOTUS in terms of libertarian leaning). With Bernie, you KNOW we will get a Ginsburg (downright evil) or Sotomayor (just fucking stupid).

[SusanM]

I think it’ll depend on where congress is once the opportunity arises.

[Chipper Morning Wood]

Sotomayor has been good on civil liberties. She votes against cops every time.

[JeremyR]

Except you know, guns.

[Old Man With Candy]

4A yes. 1A, 2A, no.

[Bubba Jones]

Roberts gutted madicaid expansion.

[Mickey Rat]

He might be able to kill freedom of speech if one of the Citizen’s United majority goes toes up during the next administration.

[waffles]

Robby, I understand you need to keep getting invited to the cool parties, but come on man!

[Scarecrow & WoodChipper Repair]

Everything in context. I won’t vote for him, but he’d never get a Republican Congress to pass any of his economic manglings and he’s not as big a chickenhawk as almost everybody else. The only place he could act with repercussions is appointments, especially judges, and even there, I think a Republican Congress would balk at most of his choices and he would be the one to cave.

Almost all remaining Republican candidates are awful in every respect except possibly the judiciary, and a Republican Congress would not only roll over and offer their tummy for tickling, they’d egg him on.

And Hillary has so much experience finding and hiding skeletons that she’d be a disaster even with a Republican Congress.

[OneOut]

Scarecrow a Republican Congress is not something that can be counted on for longer than one term at a time.

I wish you would look closer at Cruz. He is a confirmed and proven Constitutional conservative and is the closest thing to a libertarian candidate that has ever had a legitimate chance to win and certainly doesn’t fit you description of awful

He is the only politician in my life time who’s pre election rhetoric matched his post election actions to a T.

[Zeb]

There could maybe be a case to be made that he would be the least bad person to vote for from a strategic point of view. But I’m not playing that game. I won’t vote for someone I can’t support for what they say (which is why I’m not bothering anymore). Bernie’s anti-libertarian in almost every way.

[Los Doyers]

Why can’t the libertarian case be to simply not vote?

/revolutionary

[Scarecrow & WoodChipper Repair]

Because there is no “the” libertarian case. Even this FA simply said “a” libertarian case.

[TheZeitgeist]

The Liberal War on Science: Politicizing transgender kids’ health.

I blame climate change.

[Tonio]

[golf clap]

[Jerry on the rocks]

Talking about climate change: Australia Cuts 110 Climate Scientist Jobs.

The science is settled!

[WoodchipperPatriarch]

96 percent!

[Scarecrow & WoodChipper Repair]

Heck, you beat me. I guess that’s settled!

[Old Man With Candy]

I linked that this morning. No H/T? You suck.

[JWW]

The scientists deserved that soo much. Do you suppose they’ll become more skeptical of the current science now that they’re out of work?

[Citizen X]

Is there a libertarian case for Bernie Sanders? I personally think so.

Your hair, on the other hand, is a Gary Johnson booster all the way.

[Bobarian (Would Chip Her)]

Robby’s Hair is so dreamy!

[Robby's Hair]

I approve of this message.

[Fist of Etiquette]

…the president straight-up fired professors who disagreed with him.

He didn’t think they should steal office supplies.

[Catatafish & Woodchips]

His alleged quote regarding a plan to dismiss low-performing freshmen:

“This is hard for you because you think of the students as cuddly bunnies, but you can’t. You just have to drown the bunnies ? put a Glock to their heads.”

I’m equal parts mortified and entertained.

[Bobarian (Would Chip Her)]

Now I want fried rabbit. Not a big fan of rabbit stew.

[BigT]

“This is hard for you because you think of the students as cuddly bunnies ATM machines to be milked for every cent to pad your pensions.

[rts]

World’s fastest mobility scooter hits record 107.6 mph

[Citizen X]

I’m almost positive that guy shops at the Walmart near me.

[Florida Man]

Not a mobility scooter Guiness you fools I don t even why… Neat though.

[Brett L]

No, it’s cool. It only goes 37.5 with a normal mobility scooter user on it.

[TheZeitgeist]

That’s like from handy-parking spot to discount DVD bin at Wal-Mart in only 2.2 seconds or so. Progress.

[DEG]

Obama signs executive order on cybersecurity

Warning: auto-play video

President Barack Obama Tuesday signed an executive order establishing a federal privacy council to ensure all of the administration’s branches are using the best, most secure practices when safeguarding individual employees’ information, as well as government data.

Does “all of the administration’s branches” involved the Department of State?

[Citizen X]

Something something barn door, something horse ran away, something something barn burned down.

[Brett L]

I hear item 1) prevents cabinet level secretaries from hosting their own email servers.

[PapayaSF]

federal privacy council

More jobs for buddies!

[bassjoe]

Second in the new first.

[Rich]

I actually heard some pundit claim that Clinton losing by single digits would be a victory for her.

[Tonio]

Participation trophy!

[Fist of Etiquette]

If you’re Lance Armstrong’s runner up.

[Ted S.]

Or Suzette Charles.

[TheZeitgeist]

If you’re Lance Armstrong’s runner up.

A Freudian slip about all the cheating?

[Fist of Etiquette]

THERE’S NOTHING FREUDIAN ABOUT IT THAT WAS THE JOKE

[TheZeitgeist]

Don’t try to mansplain your way out of this one.

[Frankjasper1]

If it is close i would say it is a win for her. Iowa i would say as well. These two states both have the most friendly demographics to Sanders.

[DEG]

Obama budget proposals

Budget proposals of U.S. presidents are almost always described as dead on arrival in Congress. The budget proposals of outgoing presidents might best be described as dead before departure.

Even though Republicans have been dismissive of his last budget in office, President Obama on Tuesday laid out what ideally he would like to do as a coda to his eight years in the White House.

Obama’s $4.15 trillion budget would make a host of new investments, but also reduce debt as a percent of the economy over 10 years, according to White House estimates.

Here are just some specific ideas on his wish list, in no particular order:

The list is good for a laugh.

[Rich]

I got a laugh from the title: 10 things Obama would do if only he could

[Ted S.]

Number 6 will astonish you.

[DEG]

It is rather astonishing. I thought he hated bitter clingers.

[Scarecrow & WoodChipper Repair]

No. 10 is the eye-roller.

[Juice]

The only one that isn’t retarded is #4.

#10 is downright laughable. Not reduce the debt, just keep it stable. While submitting a $4.1T budget.

[Brochettaward]

It would make a host of new investments, but totally cut the deficit in 10 years time! Like every other government projection of the budget.

[Bobarian (Would Chip Her)]

C’mon it would totally cut the increase in deficit in 10 years. If you take the derivative out enough steps, spending looks flat.

[Catatafish & Woodchips]

Number 3: “I want to expand federally funded babysitting.”

[Jerryskids]

I hope things improve, that these particular hateful, lazy republicans start to behave and become more civil and decent and conduct their business in a civilized manner and finally work for all of the people in this country and not only for themselves.

Regardless, I know a democrat will still be better than any of the republicans. I will never consider voting for any of the current batch of evil republicans running for president; they all are habitual liars, hatemongers, lazy, indifferent to most people in the country, greedy, selfish with a sense of entitlement that most decent folks wouldn’t dare approach.

Said by a Daily Kos commenter with no sense of self-awareness whatsoever wrt the incredibly racist GOP who won’t even consider the President’s budget proposal simply because Obama’s a Negro.

[JWW]

Well, I guess CNN Money has completely been sold off to the DNC. Most of the time the financial side of the news networks is a bit more conservative than the pure news side, but not in this case.

[BigT]

Obama’s Top ten ways to ensnare more people in dependency and suppress initiative:

[Juice]

$4.15 trillion budget

Hoe Lee Sheet that’s fucking huge

[Rufus The Monocled Derp Slayer]

And as discussed in other thread, it’s pathetic a socialist is more popular than any libertarian candidate leaving us to debate whether there’s a ‘case’ to support that hobo.

Awful.

[TheZeitgeist]

If only the Republicans fielded Michelle Bachmann coronation style, and if only Rand and Gilmore (playing O’Malley) dared compete. That is how Republicans can end up with libertarian candidate using this cycle’s Donkey adventure into socialism as blueprint.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Watch my interview with Mary Koss…

Good Gawd, Roberto. Next time you’re fixing yourself up for a video, move your head a little closer to the comb.

[Citizen X]

YOU LEAVE ROBBY’S HAIR ALONE.

[Robby's Hair]

He’s brazenly riding his manatee into a world of hurt.

[Anomalous]

He looks like Richard on Silicon Valley.

[DEG]

Iran wants to be paid for oil in Euros

Warning: Auto-play video

Iran is ready to sell its oil to the world again, but it wants to be paid in euros, not dollars.

Over the weekend, a top official at Iran’s state-owned oil company said the country had a strong preference for euros.

“Our top priority is to receive cash and oil [payments] in euro,” Safar-Ali Karamati, a deputy director at the National Iranian Oil Company, told an Iran news outlet on Saturday.

[Brochettaward]

Obama really is a master negotiator.

[Illocust]

Probably an attempt to fracture the oil market payment methods more than a statement of relative strength (can’t imagine a clear eyed dictator betting on the European Union right at this moment).

[Brett L]

Why would they want a currency that has weakened 20% against the standard? Sure, get Euros for your oil. Lock it in for 40?/bbl. That way when it stabilizes at $37, they’ll be about right.

[Charles Easterly]

Iran wants to be paid for oil in Euros

Am I the only one who is having trouble reading this sentence?

I can only make out “Iran soon to be linked to impending terririst attack on the Homeland?”

Wait…. It’s becoming clearer now… “New intelligence reveals Iranian stockpile of Weapons of Mass Destruction.”

Hmm…. “Iranian plot to sneak nuclear dirty bombs into Israel and USA discovered. President vows robust action.”

/readjusts tinfoil hat

[BigT]

Euranium coins, as agreed by Uncke Sambo.

[SIV]

Is there a libertarian case for Bernie Sanders?

“When you’re young, you’re thinking: ‘Where are the boys? The boys are with Bernie,’ “

[Brochettaward]

Gilmore did a great take down of Mary Koss earlier. Reason needs to vet the people they go to bat for. Her case here may be right and she may be getting wrongly attacked, but don’t paint has a champion of truth in the college rape crisis.

[John]

Wow that was brutal.

[Crusty Juggler]

Brochetta and Gilmore sitting in a tree…

[Rich]

“Cities need to get guns out of [the] ? hands” of persons who are “male, minority, and between the ages of 15 and 25.”

Guess who said that?

[Brett L]

Bull Connor?

[Rich]

You’re pretty close.

[Florida Man]

Irish.

[Tonio]

Yes, Connor is an Irish name.

[BigT]

Wow! Bloomie!

http://www.breitbart.com/big-g…..ownership/

[Scarecrow & WoodChipper Repair]

Australia Cuts 110 Climate Scientist Jobs
Because the science is settled!
Ha ha! They’ve settled themselves out of work!
I wonder how many will change their tune juuuuust enough to stay employed.
I guess an optimist might claim this proves how noble their intentions are.

[Tonio]

Previously covered in the comments several times, but still lulzworthy.

[Brett L]

Maybe we could get the Cleveland Browns to let everybody down again.

[Scarecrow & WoodChipper Repair]

Jerry’s post was 4:44. Nyaah nyaaah!

[Brochettaward]

If as a libertarian you think there is a case for Bernie Sanders, you aren’t a libertarian, Robby. It’s that simple. You are simply socially liberal and economically illiterate. You also don’t comprehend how ‘economic’ rights are closely intertwined with the good ‘civil’ rights. You can’t have civil rights without economic rights.

[MJGreen - Docile Citizen]

It’s so simple you don’t even need to hear his argument.

[Brochettaward]

I have heard the argument. I’ve seen it on here, I’ve seen it in the article in question. It’s awful. Bernie won’t start a war, isn’t a drug warrior, and is nominally not opposed to brown people crossing the border. That’s it.

We are then left to count on Congress giving Bernie the middle finger on every economic policy and ignoring the vast amount of damage he can do through executive order.

You are basically saying let’s just gamble that Bernie won’t get anything done economically and elect Bernie. Really, it’s a soft sale on Bernie’s economic policies. I also see no reason Bernie would be more successful on domestic issues than Obama with a GOP Congress. It’s an asinine argument.

[Rufus The Monocled Derp Slayer]

Didn’t they make this mistake when they endorsed Obama?

Think of it. Instead of just selling LIBERTARIAN candidates regardless of their ‘Get me into cocktail party’ index score, they pimp for left-wingers who don’t hold a single libertarian principle. That Grandpa Gulag wouldn’t start or war or that Congress would (and it’s a big if especially if Bernie proves himself a skillful bully knowing how to work the system like his pal Obama) keep in him in check ARE NOT reasons to make a case for the guy.

His economic positions and all around populism I consider to be abhorrent.

[John]

Its funny how the “but he is good on this and won’t do too much damage on the other stuff” argument is only made in favor of left wing candidates.

[BigT]

Yes. Robbie is preparing the libertarian excuses for Trump.

[Scarecrow & WoodChipper Repair]

One of the alternatives is a Republican Congress giving a Republican President everything he wants, then egging him on to stop being weak and soft. Do you really think that’s better?

There are no good alternatives. Some are ess evil than others in certain ways, but in balance, they are all so nasty that it doesn’t matter.

[coloraDOOM]

That line of thinking should end at either “the libertarian case for no one” or “the libertarian case for the libertarian”

[Chipwooder]

I don’t think Congress would give Cruz anything close to what he wants, given how much they personally despise him.

[Catatafish & Woodchips]

When you look at his raging protectionist boner (quickly, then avert your eyes), you can’t even say with a straight face that he’s “nominally not opposed to brown people crossing the border.” He may not be saying it out loud but the voices in his head are definitely screaming: THEY TERK URR JERBS!

[MJGreen - Docile Citizen]

I thought he was saying it out loud, at least last summer.

[Catatafish & Woodchips]

I think you’re right on that.

[Bubba Jones]

You don’t have to build a wall when all jobs are Union shop.

[MJGreen - Docile Citizen]

There you go. See? Now you’re addressing the argument. And I largely agree with you.

It does not make Robby “economically illiterate,” or unable to comprehend that economic rights are not distinct from civil rights.

[SIV]

Just because they work here doesn’t mean they’re “libertarians”. Remember Dave Weigel?

[Brochettaward]

And this is how I view Robby. He is a culture warrior guy and does well enough in that area, but as I view it, the people trying to sell Bernie are just trying to downplay the economic aspect which they themselves are probably soft on or don’t believe in.

I’m far more concerned about economic freedom than civil liberties at the moment. Especially when undercutting the former also involves undercutting the latter.

[Bubba Jones]

Proof that there is no such thing as a libertarian. Just people who want the freedom to do their own shit.

[Atanarjuat]

^that’s retarded.

[Crusty Juggler]

The Federalist’s Ben Domenech is a national hero.

He finally opened his eyes and saw the truth.

[Anomalous]

I watched that.last night. Watters did not come out of it well.

[Almanian's Rusty Woodchipper]

I saw the show. Didn’t think it was that big a deal. A bit overdone by Domenech, and Watters just smiled wanly. Much ado about nothing.

[Crusty Juggler]

Then I hope you appreciated my attempt to make fun of Ben’s tiny eyes.

[Seguin, the Mighty Monoclops]

In case you didn’t see it below…EPA attempts to ban anything fun on four wheels.

[Rich]

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed a regulation to prohibit conversion of vehicles originally designed for on-road use into race cars.

I thought the Department of Justice *already* prohibited race cars.

[Seguin, the Mighty Monoclops]

Listen, if we weren’t a nation of cowards, we would’ve already had a conversation about race cars.

[Bubba Jones]

Wtf. I have to buy a brand new race car? No one can afford a brand new race car.

[John]

Fuck Obama.

[MetalBard]

I really want to start using his name as a swear word, and hope that it catches on. Can’t we come up with a fun new definition for the word “obama” and start using it?

[Crusty Juggler]

It’s what you do right after you get a case of the “hot preets”

[SugarFree]

It already is a swear word: “Obamacare.”

[Seguin, the Mighty Monoclops]

Bold move, asking to give her an Obama on the first date.

[Michael]

How about the poop that clings to the hairs as it’s being expelled and goes slightly sideways?

[Michael]

I can’t believe I just typed that.

[Crusty Juggler]

Fly that freak flag. Let the poop jokes flow through you like 2am Cincinnati chilli.

[Mad Scientist]

It’ll never ever ever happen.

[Seguin, the Mighty Monoclops]

The fact that they are even floating the idea is pretty jacked up though. Must be some serious derpthink going on at EPA headquarters.

[Mad Scientist]

When is there not serious derpthink going on at EPA headquarters?

[Michael]

Pollution-wise, how much of the total that is sent into the atmosphere globally by all industries and activities every day is owned by hobbyist cars that get taken to track day a few times a year – something like one one-thousandth of one percent? Could the EPA possibly make it any more clear which demographic they’re targeting with this?

[Bubba Jones]

0.42%

[gaoxiaen]

It seems that tractor pulls will still be legal.

[Rasilio]

“Is there a libertarian case for Bernie Sanders?”

No.

What there is however is a libertarian case for Sanders of any of the other major party candidates left in the race. Which is not to say any libertarian should vote for him just an acknowledgement that someone from the group of Hillary, Bernie, Trump, Cruz, and Rubio is going to be the next President and out of that list it isn’t too hard to argue that Bernie represents the least bad option.

[Brochettaward]

There’s no argument for Bernie. None. Especially if you look past his recent words. Even the article Robby linked to could only put to immigration policy relative to the Republican field.

Ted Cruz is a very smart guy. In general, he is for shrinking the federal government right now. I’d roll the dice with him than go with four years of an open socialist who is anti-first amendment and wants to offer free everything.

[Rasilio]

In general he is for shrinking the Federal Government, unless you mean shrinking the military, or you mean shrinking the surveillance state, or you mean shrinking the government intrusions into our bedrooms, etc.

So yeah if you offer me a choice of ending Obamacare, Ethanol subsidies and a few cuts around the edges to some government agencies that shouldn’t even exist or ending the drug war and not getting involved in another shooting war in the mid east forgive me if I seriously consider the second option to be the better one.

[Brochettaward]

Where has Bernie come out for ending the drug war? And if you end the drug war, but replace it with a massive new regulatory regime that ends up having some of the same costs, how the hell is that a victory? Even the article Robby linked to simply makes the much humbler statement that Bernie will re-schedule marijuana through executive order, but that’s barely a victory at all. It hardly offsets every other stupid idea that comes out of his mouth.

Then there is the argument that Bernie will gut the surveillance state. Again, based on what? Obama made that a centerpiece of his 2008 campaign, and how did that end? Below, the point has been made that these were the same arguments of 2008 made on Reason. Little kids who stick their hands into the fire learn not to do it again. Apparently, some of you don’t.

Bernie isn’t as likely to start a war. That’s really all you’ve got.

[coloraDOOM]

And his record of war isn’t what an anti war person should hold up as stellar. It’s ok. But not constant.
Some of Obama pretty election points
“Iraq over on day one”-still there.
Patriot act- worse now than in 08
Drugs- more raids for pot dispensaries than bush

[BearOdinson]

Bernie is in no way going to end the drug war. And, in all seriousness as much as I am for complete sexual freedom for adults, how does the President have anything to do with that? And I think it MORE likely that Bernie would get us involved in war because he is going to be so completely inept in dealing with foreign governments.

[grrizzly]

The surveillance state will not be shrunk because the American people don’t care about this issue. I thought I had the lowest opinion of America after Snowden’s revelations. I was wrong, my opinion went even lower when I realized that nobody cared.

[Mickey Rat]

A candidate looking to take down free speech is least bad? Makes one wonder what your priorities are.

[Bubba Jones]

There is a libertarian case for using Bernie to damage Hillary and then putting him in a wood chipper.

Which is obviously some sort of sustainable golf reference.

[Always a Carl, Never a Clyde]

The Chrome Web Store may have even better comments than YouTube:

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IT PASSED MY NORTON ANTI-VIRUS SO I RECOMMENDED IT FOR THOSE WHO ARE JOBLESS, COZ IT HAS NO EXPIRATION DATE, AND UPDATEABLE.
I AM LEE SALEN-GA, QUANTUM AMATEUR PHYSICIST. DISCOVERER OF THE [SALEN-GA PHYSICS EFFECT]- THAT THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS VISIBLE LIGHT.
I ALSO DISCOVERED THE ELECTRIC CELL BATTERY IS REVERSE LABELED, SO I DISCOVERED THAT THE PROTON IS NEGATIVELY CHARGED.
I ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THE GLOBALLY ROUND EARTH IS QUANTUM LOCALLY FLAT, BY THE[ GOOGLE/ SALEN-GA QUANTUM TANGENT THEOREM ]. ILLUMINATI CONTROLLED MEDIA CENSORED THE SCIENCE NEWS ON THE[GOOGLE/ SALENGA SCIENCE AND MATH DISCOVERY SERIES ] ABOUT ME. DOWN WITH THE WORLD PARASITE MONARCHIES AND THE ILLUMINATI MATRIX.

Ajith Ram

which place are you from and your fb id pls

[Crusty Juggler]

Nice, but to compare it to the youtubes it needs to be…Irish’ed up.

[LynchPin1477]

I ALSO DISCOVERED THE ELECTRIC CELL BATTERY IS REVERSE LABELED, SO I DISCOVERED THAT THE PROTON IS NEGATIVELY CHARGED.

He discovered a real effect there, but it’s just a historical accident

I ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THE GLOBALLY ROUND EARTH IS QUANTUM LOCALLY FLAT

I don’t know what “QUANTUM LOCALLY FLAT” means, but it’s true that the for a sufficiently local patch of Earth, the curvature is negligible.

. DISCOVERER OF THE [SALEN-GA PHYSICS EFFECT]- THAT THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS VISIBLE LIGHT

I have no idea on that one, but he has a blog

[Brett L]

If he’s so smart, why can’t he discover the fucking caps lock key?

[waffles]

Can’t you see? We’ve been doing it all wrong! CAPS is actually negatively charged. He is typing correctly and we are all wrong!

[BearOdinson]

I always hated this part when I taught AP Physics.

OK kids we are going to learn about the Right Hand rule, and “conventional current” so you can pass the AP Exam. But it is all fucking backwards!!!

[Always a Carl, Never a Clyde]

And speaking of insane ranting:

Sicario takes what would have been a great emotionally complex female protagonist and undermines her via repeated victimization and abuse.

Guess who?!

[MJGreen - Docile Citizen]

How dare you, hiding it behind an archive.is url.

The abuse and victimization is the whole point of Sicario. It’s not like a male protagonist would’ve stood tall and won the war on drugs.

[MJGreen - Docile Citizen]

Sjors Houkes ?@bekokstover ? Oct 3

@femfreq I just came back from seeing it, and that was exactly my perception. Also having only 1 female character does not help.

Rebecca ?@sinisterkid92 ? Oct 3

@bekokstover @femfreq yes, this was the primary problem. A more diverse cast would lessen the impact of one woman being beaten down

I do pity these people.

[Always a Carl, Never a Clyde]

And finally, speaking of YouTube comments:

UGH. I am so sick of people saying Scott should have wound up with Knives. NO HE SHOULD NOT HAVE.

1. He never liked Knives in the first place, he was just dating her to be in a relationship. The movie made it very clear early on that the relationship was one-sided.
2. Knives is a psychotic stalker who started imitating Scott’s new girlfriend and dating his best friend, then tried to kill Ramona, and never learned anything.
3. After Scott spent all this time developing a relationship with Ramona and becoming a better person because of it, you think the logical conclusion is for him to ditch her?! What kind of emotionally-unsatisfying bullshit storytelling is that?! That would be like if Pam from The Office left Jim right before their wedding and went back to her ex. That’s like “ending of How I Met Your Mother” bad!
4. No. That is NOT true love staring him right in the face. That is a psycho teenage girlfriend who won’t even let you speak to other girls staring him right in the face.?

Simmer down. Though, you know what side I’m on…

The Godfather is way better than this film, for sure.?

[LynchPin1477]

Is there a libertarian case for Bernie Sanders? I personally think so.

I don’t. There might be a socially liberal case, which overlaps with the libertarian case on policy goals, but not on the philosophy (and probably process).

[BearOdinson]

But I don’t socially liberal doesn’t overlap on libertarian policy goals in most cases.

Not guns.

Maybe gay marriage, but a libertarian policy goal is to get the state out of marriage altogether. LIberals aren’t calling for that. And libertarian policy goals are that private business shouldn’t have to cater to anyone they don’t want to. Liberals are very against that.

Abortion? There are hard core pro-choice libertarians, a few hard core pro-life libertarians and many of us who lean to one or the other. Find me a leading Democrat who isn’t for completely unrestricted abortion.

4th Amendment? Yeah if you are a minority. If you are a white heterosexual male, FUCK YOU!

War on Drugs? Yeah Bernie is going to end the war on drugs. Whatever you are smoking pass it around!

Prostitution? Progs are going just as hardcore against hookers as the religious right. All in the name of sexual trafficking and feminism.

[LynchPin1477]

OK, so maybe my comment is a few decades out of date. So there is even less of a reason to vote for Bernie.

[BearOdinson]

I think we are in violent agreement! 🙂

[SIV]

An impressively brazen act of censorship at Mount St. Mary’s: the president straight-up fired professors who disagreed with him.

Private school.

This is the policy the fired-prof was protesting. I agree with the uni president

“This is hard for you because you think of the students as cuddly bunnies, but you can’t. You just have to drown the bunnies ? put a Glock to their heads.”

[Brett L]

Back away, Lenny. The bunnies don’t need your kinda cuddling.

[Seguin, the Mighty Monoclops]

Can I also have the lettuce? Because they’re brothers.

[MetalBard]

A libertarian case for Sanders? Maybe, but only if the Republicans control the House and Senate. If Sanders is the socialist zealot he claims to be then neither him or the Republicans will be able to get their agendas through, and we’ll have a nice stalemate in Washington for the next 4 years. Hard to grow government if you can’t get anything passed, and if he really is anti-war, and not just anti-republican wars we’ll be able to avoid more of these pointless middle east conflicts.

And yes I am looking at this through rose-colored glasses.

[LynchPin1477]

Hard to grow government if you can’t get anything passed

Your naivete is both heartening and tragic

[MetalBard]

Well those rose colored glasses have some pretty thick lenses. Come on. Can’t I be naively optimistic?

[SugarFree]

Is there a libertarian case for Bernie Sanders? I personally think so.

The yokels just filled their outrage spank bank for 10 years.

[Rich]

Now, SF — it *might* be an allusion to a casket.

[SugarFree]

I personally think Robby is trying to get SIV so excited that SIV just rips his tiny little dick right off.

[SIV]

Shut up and vote Trump, comrade.

[SugarFree]

Finally, some honesty.

[John]

It sucks when they turn out to be right about so many things doesn’t it? A reason writer is saying that voting for an avowed socialist is compatible with libertarian principles. You tell me why the Yokuls are wrong about the reason staff.

[SugarFree]

If it’s so horrible here, why do you guys stick around?

Try and come up with an answer shrike and Tulpa haven’t already used.

[John]

Because someone has to hold them to a standard. And most of us stay here because we have a crush on you anyway.

Beyond that, I am still waiting for you to explain why we are wrong. Please tell me how socialism is compatible with Libertarianism. I am all ears.

[waffles]

And most of us stay here because we have a crush on you anyway.

Aye.

[Rasilio]

It isn’t.

However given the reality that the next President will be one of these 5…

Bernie
Hillary
Trump
Rubio
Cruz

Can you honestly make the case that when all issues are considered Bernie might not be the “most” libertarian option?

Who from that list clearly and unambiguiously is better for Freedom?

[John]

Can you honestly make the case that when all issues are considered Bernie might not be the “most” libertarian option?

When I realize that Bernie wants to repeal the first Amendment and if elected President would likely have the ability to appoint the necessary Supreme Court Justices to do that, the case pretty much makes itself.

And neither Rubio nor Cruz want to start a trade war. And Bernie is every bit as pro closed borders as Trump.

Let me type it in all caps so maybe this time you understand, BERNIE IS A COMMUNIST. I know he claims to be a socialist but that is just a polite way of saying communist. Unless they bring back Joe Stalin, voting for Bernie will never be the libertarian option.

[Rasilio]

No they just want to start shooting wars and I am well aware of what Bernie is. If you haven’t picked up on it I have at no point advocated for Bernie as a Good choice or a pro liberty candidate what I have done is to point out that all of the other potential choices are very very close to if not equally bad or worse.

Lets face it outside of Johnson who might pull 2% of the vote there isn’t a good libertarian option. There are people like Hillary who are bad on every single issue from a liberty standpoint and ones like Cruz and Bernie who are good on a few and bad on everything else but of the 5 who stand a realistic shot of being the next President the “best” from a libertarian perspective is pretty clearly somewhere between Cruz and Sanders

[John]

No they just want to start shooting wars and I am well aware of what Bernie is.

Other than bombing ISIS, who are actually at war with the US, who does Cruz and Rubio plan to bomb? You guys are just insane on this issue. The Iraq war just robbed you of the ability to think rationally about the subject.

And maybe you missed it but Communists have a nasty habit of starting wars once they run out of other people’s money. You are a first class rube if you think Bernie won’t get us into a war once it suits his purposes and it will suit is purposes.

[BearOdinson]

In addition, even if he honestly doesn’t want to start a war, he will probably end up backing us into one because he will be so phenomenaly incompetent in dealing with foreign governments.

[WoodchipperPatriarch]

Bernie Sanders is the absolute worst for Freedom. He wants to control EVERYTHING. That means drug war escalation, single-payer healthcare, property confiscation, giant screens in every home, re-education camps, and the absolute repeal of the Constitution. Because the Constitution is completely incompatible with socialism.There is no one worse for freedom than Bernie Sanders.

[MetalBard]

Cause whats more libertarian then criticizing a libertarian magazine when one of it’s writers endorse someone profoundly un-libertarian?

[SugarFree]

There’s criticizing and there’s whining. It’s the whining I’m sick of. Angry ranting is even better than the mewling.

[John]

So you are whining about other people’s whining. Is that metawhining?

[Almanian's Rusty Woodchipper]

It’s whining all the way down

[Brochettaward]

If by yokel you mean someone who cares about economic liberty more than maybe getting pot re-scheduled, then sure.

[SugarFree]

No, by yokel I mean the small cadre that only seem to comment here in order to bitch about the place.

There is no libertarian case for voting for Sanders because not voting is preferable to voting for him or Trump or Hillary or Cruz or any of the others left.

[John]

There is no libertarian case for voting for Sanders

If you agree with us, then what are you bitching about?

[SugarFree]

I’m bitching about having to listen to you bitch. I’m metabitching.

[John]

So Robby should get a pass for saying one of the dumbest things ever published here?

[SugarFree]

Nope. Tear him up now. Just stop bring it up. It just gets so old.

[John]

Sure it gets old. But what is really getting old is the staff’s determination to constantly confirm the bitches.

[Don Escaped Texas]

^ I will be stealing that………metabitching.

[Catatafish & Woodchips]

Just retcon the shit out of this thread and be done with it, SF.

[SugarFree]

For the last fucking time… I am not The Monitor.

[Almanian's Rusty Woodchipper]

We know – you’re that Slash Porner. We’re clear. Crystal.

[Catatafish & Woodchips]

And not to be confused with The Watcher:

“Uatu, or Crusty Juggler as the inhabitants of Earth call him, sits upon his perch in the Blue Area of the Moon, observing intently the actions of these semi-evolved simians called humans, with a particular focus through the windows of women that any rationale galactic being would rate as a “3” but Uatu maintains – with a straight face and unfurrowed gigantic brow – that “he would.”

[Crusty Juggler]

Is this an elaborate bald joke? Not cool, bro.

[ant1sthenes]

No, voting for Trump is the best, insofar as it will apparently keep Reason neck deep in pageviews for the next four years.

[John]

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02…..IFTTT&_r=2

David Brooks pens a love letter to his beloved Obama. My God are these people stupid. They are just vile, ignorant and stupid people.

No, Obama has not been temperamentally perfect. Too often he’s been disdainful, aloof, resentful and insular. But there is a tone of ugliness creeping across the world, as democracies retreat, as tribalism mounts, as suspiciousness and authoritarianism take center stage.

Obama radiates an ethos of integrity, humanity, good manners and elegance that I’m beginning to miss, and that I suspect we will all miss a bit, regardless of who replaces him.

I leave it to you guys to figure out how to play the three dimensional chess necessary to reconcile those two paragraphs.

[Brett L]

If only you hadn’t made daddy mad, he wouldn’t have hit mommy!

[John]

America just wasn’t worthy of such a great man.

That is what that ass clown actually believes.

[Rich]

Obama radiates an ethos of integrity, humanity, good manners and elegance

[John]

My favorite part is “manners and elegance”. Even the straightest man has the occasional man crush, but Jesus Christ I am starting to wonder if Michelle isn’t going to have Brooks banned from the White House. The man seems to be romantically in love with Obama and not in any kind of a healthy way.

[Charles Easterly]

Ack!

[Anomalous]

How could anyone type that without convulsive laughter?

[MetalBard]

Obama always campaigns against the effects of his own actions and because of that he never gets blamed for it. He will stir up tribalism and divisiveness, and insult every single person who didn’t vote for him by calling them bitter clingers and at the same time will make comments akin to “There is no red America, or blue America there is only America” or some other such nonsense. How can he get blamed for divisiveness when he is speaking out against it?

That’s Obama’s game. Thats why he never gets blamed for anything he does, and thats why his moronic supporters are still in love with the idiot.

[Trouser-Pod (The blowhard)]

Just remember: Brooks is an anagram of Skroob

Suck it in deep, David.

[Chipwooder]

His ability to type while having his nose buried up Obama’s ass is unparalleled.

This Obama’s just our sort of chap, old sport!

[Rufus The Monocled Derp Slayer]

Pretty clownish indeed.

Market the David Brooks line of gag balls, gimp gear and accessories.

[Catatafish & Woodchips]

“…as democracies retreat, as tribalism mounts, as suspiciousness and authoritarianism take center stage.”

WHICH TOTES HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH OBAMA.

[BearOdinson]

I have hated David Brooks for some time, but this is almost the worst case of a supposed “conservative” sucking off a liberal as I have ever seen.

An ethos of integrity? What world is he living on?
Good manners? Because he bows to every world leader and takes selfies at funerals?
Elegance? i mean FFS, this is truly mind-blowing.

“But there is a tone of ugliness creeping across the world,” By Odin’s eye the world has always been full of ugliness. And it always will be. And to the extent that it is expanding, it is because of one fucking ideology, that Obumbles seems hell bent on defending no matter what.

[Old Mexican Mighty Aggressor]

Obama radiates an ethos of integrity, humanity, good manners and elegance that I’m beginning to miss, and that I suspect we will all miss a bit, regardless of who replaces him.

“Of course he looks so honest! Do you know any dishonest-looking con-men?” – Tom Baker, the 4th Doctor.

[BearOdinson]

David Brooks is literally the worst kind of “conservative”. Even though he isn’t personally religious, he is almost as socially conservative as a Mike Huckabee or Rick Santorum. He may be only moderately pro-life, but ban the video games, ban the pornz, regulate the internet, sex should only be for marriage (yeah pro gay marriage, but only because he doesn’t like gay guys having sex with a bunch of other guys). Meanwhile, ban the guns, “if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear”, is “compassionate” (as long it means other peoples money), and wants to expand government. Oh sure, something something something free market, but regulate, regulate, regulate.

[The Immaculate Trouser]

The libertarian case for Bernie Sanders

The conservative case for Barack Obama

…yet those progressive cases for Ted Cruz or Donald Trump seem very thin on the ground. Funny, that.

[Mickey Rat]

How is someone Brooks describes a disdainful and resentful also radiate good manners and elegance? These are polar opposites.

[John]

Is there a libertarian case for Bernie Sanders? I personally think so.

So Libertarianism, in Robby’s view is compatible with socialism? And you people wonder why so many of us think of the Reason staff as Progressives who like to smoke dope.

[Domestic Dissident]

And then when the Brooklyn Bolshevik drops out, we’re going to get months of “Here’s why Hillary maybe isn’t as horrible as you think” pieces, and then he goes out and votes for Hillary (probably in both Washington D.C. and whatever state he’s still claiming residence in), and then he lies through his teeth and gives us all a cock and bull story about how he voted for Gary Johnson, or didn’t vote at all.

[John]

I hear Matt Welch has always wanted to vote for a woman for President.

[Old Mexican Mighty Aggressor]

I honestly read that “I hear Matt Welch has always wanted to vote as a woman for President.”

[John]

He can vote as whomever he identifies.

[PapayaSF]

I think it’s insane to think that someone who stayed at a Stalinist kibbutz in the ’60s, honeymooned in the USSR, was chummy with Cuba and the Sandanistas, and AFAIK has never repudiated any of that, is anything but the opposite of a libertarian. Any of his opinions on police abuse or eminent domain or whatever pale to insignificance next to all that, not to mention his “free everything/moar taxes” proposals.

[MJGreen - Docile Citizen]

So Libertarianism, in Robby’s view is compatible with socialism?

Yep! That’s exactly what he’s saying. Hit the nail on the head.

[John]

Words have meanings you half wit. If socialism is not compatible with Libertarianism, then there can be no Libertarian case for an avowed socialist candidate. How can an ideology make a case for someone who is a confirmed believer in another totally incomparable ideology.

Jesus Christ Green if the KKK came out for gay marriage and legal pot would there be a libertarian case for them too?

[BiMonSciFiCon]

The Federalist’s Ben Domenech is a national hero.

You’re only saying that because he has you on the Federalist Hour so often.

But actually I tend to agree. I like the Federalist Hour.

[waffles]

I’d would probably support Bernie to get laid too Robby. But I’m waffles and I don’t write for a libertarian blog.

[Charles Easterly]

And don’t you go changin’, waffles.

[Mazakon]

Is there a libertarian case for Bernie Sanders? I personally think so.

To which the case for anarchism just got so much more dreamy.

[GILMORE?]

“Is there a libertarian case for Bernie Sanders? I personally think so.”

So surprise, much intrigued, faces shocked.

The detailed case is…. forthcoming? or is that it.

[SIV]

They’re gonna be fighting so hard over who gets to write it that it will have to be an unsigned editorial.

[GILMORE?]

Obama = ITS TUESDAY BITCHES I NEEDS 4 TRILLION DOLLARS TO SPEND

[Old Mexican Mighty Aggressor]

Obama knows exactly what he’s doing!

[GILMORE?]

Headline = Place Says it Wants to Metaphorically Possess Other Place

[John]

Tragic but at some point they will get tired of killing each other. Until then, there isn’t much we can do.

[GILMORE?]

My point was rather that headlines are often terribly-written

“Damascus Aims to Capture Aleppo” doesn’t really mean anything on the face of it.

“Assad Begins Offensive Against Largest Rebel-Controlled City” makes far more sense.

[Old Mexican Mighty Aggressor]

Is there a libertarian case for Bernie Sanders? I personally think so.

“You’re being Punk’ed!”
“Turn around and look over there. You’re on Candid Camera!”
“You should see the look on your face when I said that! Ha ha!”

[BiMonSciFiCon]

“Is there a libertarian case for Bernie Sanders? I personally think so.”

I would make the case as follows: (1) he’s unlikely to start any new dumb foreign wars, (2) the Republicans aren’t going to lose Congress any time soon, and therefore Bernie won’t get his legislature passed and (3) I can’t come up with a third but these things come in threes.

Personally I don’t think it’s great. But given the crap we have left post-Rand, I can (read: CAN, not would) make an argument that a Bernie administration with a Republican congress would be better for liberty than Rubio/Cruz/Trump with an R congress.

That said, given the power of the executive branch these days, I don’t want to find out what President Bernie would do with executive power. So I reject the libertarian case for Bernie. But I think there’s one to be made.

I’m not saying this is Robby’s case. He and his hair can speak for themselves.

[John]

2) the Republicans aren’t going to lose Congress any time soon, and therefore Bernie won’t get his legislature passed and

Since when did you guys suddenly get all of this faith in the Republicans’ ability to stand up to a Democratic President and not sell the country down the river in the name of civility? Did you see the budget that came out of the Republican controlled Congress last October?

[Trshmnstr, terror of the trash]

Not only that, but the next president probably gets 2 or 3 SCOTUS appointments… Do you really trust Bernie Sanders with appointing 1/3 of the Supreme Court?

[BiMonSciFiCon]

No. That’s probably the strongest point against him.

[GILMORE?]

“he’s unlikely to start any new dumb foreign wars, “

never mind the war at home.

[Rasilio]

3) He might not be able to shut down fedgov’s surveillance of it’s own citizens but he will almost certainly not expand it.
4) He might not be able to end the drug war but he will absolutely scale back some of it’s worst abuses
5) He can’t fix the police brutality problem but he probably will at least attempt to put some level of accountability into the police by investigating more Use of Force cases as civil rights violations.
6) He is not a conservative who is going to use up all of his political capital on a moronic and quixotic quest to reverse culture war losses by either attempting to ban Gay Marriage or Abortion
7) Lets face it, we are heading into another major recession that is almost certainly getting blamed on the next President (and it will be 100% certain if that President is a Republican), whose economic policies do you want blamed for that? A Socialists? Or a sort of kind of capitalist (since that is the best the Republicans can muster)

[GILMORE?]

“” we are heading into another major recession that is almost certainly getting blamed on the next President (and it will be 100% certain if that President is a Republican), whose economic policies do you want blamed for that?”

This has got to be one of the stupidest arguments i’ve ever seen.

How about not worrying, “who gets blamed”, and elect a president who will shrink the federal government and lower taxes? – i.e. = actually do something positive for the underlying economy, rather than worry about some bullshit political ‘blame’

[Rasilio]

Sorry, that option sailed when Rand ended his campaign.

There is not a single candidate in the race with any hope of winning even a single delegate that will shrink the Federal Government.

Sure there are some who will grow it a little slower, well not some just 1 really (Cruz) but not a single one of them will actually shrink it.

[Trshmnstr, terror of the trash]

He might not be able to shut down fedgov’s surveillance of it’s own citizens but he will almost certainly not expand it.

Haaaaaaaahahahahahahaha. A socialist not expanding the surveillance state? Might as well just vote for the flying unicorn or the rainbow-farting space tiger. They’re just as real as a privacy focused socialist.

[Chipwooder]

I do find it touching on this thread how many people think that a Socialist will NOT do everything he can to consolidate and expand the power of the state.

[Old Mexican Mighty Aggressor]

The Federalist‘s Ben Domenech is a national hero.

“I’m Jesse Waters and this is my world!”
“Well, I’m Ben Domenech and this is my fist!”

Yeah, baby!

[John]

Jesse, you have for months been singing the praises of the most identity-politics candidate in this race: Donald Trump,”

What he said was retarded. Trump attracts more minority votes than any other candidate. Just because you don’t like Trump doesn’t mean every single slur applies to him.

[Old Mexican Mighty Aggressor]

Re: John,

What he said was retarded. Trump attracts more minority votes than any other candidate.

Yep. For instance, Hispanics love Trump. He told me so himself.

[John]

So black voters don’t count now? And I personally know at least one Mexican who loves the guy. Not every Mexican is a card carrying La Raza member. Some of them do think for themselves.

[John]

Google Trump support from minorities. I would give you the links showing his support among blacks and Hispanics both but the reason server just won’t take the links.

I ask you again, how is Trump an identity politics candidate? Dommech is a fucking retard who apparently thinks anyone who lives outside the beltway is an “identity”.

[Mazakon]

There is definitely some truth to this. From my experience, there are also quite a large number of women supporting him.

[GILMORE?]

FBI Pretends to be Technically Incompetent In Order to Demand Ban on Consumer Encryption

[GILMORE?]

Smoking in the Boys Room

“A Maryland volunteer teacher and choir leader charged with sexual abuse and child pornography directed children in sexually explicit videos filmed in a school bathroom, according to court documents released on Tuesday.

The suspect, Deonte Carraway, 22, of Glenarden, is charged with 10 counts of felony child pornography, sexual abuse of a minor and second-degree sexual offense, according to the documents filed in Prince George’s County District Court.

The charging documents said Carraway “directed” at least 10 children ranging in age from nine to 13 during the school day at Judge Sylvania Woods Elementary School in Glenarden.

Police discovered about 40 videos showing the children performing sexual acts on each other or alone as Carraway instructed them.”

[Trshmnstr, terror of the trash]

Is there a libertarian case for Bernie Sanders? I personally think so.

This is what fuels all the cosmo v. yokel bullshit. I could write a more convincing article about the libertarian case for Trump*, but here we have a bunch of leftitarian journalists slobbering on the knob of a fucking socialist.

*which is fucking laughable, but no more laughable than penning an article about the libertarian bona fides of a fucking 1930s socialist.

[GILMORE?]

European Union In Review = “Sucking Balls“, Say Founding Members

[See Double You]

The Federalist’s Ben Domenech is a national hero.

You know who else was called a national hero?

[WoodchipperPatriarch]

The guy who bashed Aldrin’s mailbox?

[buybuydandavis]

So the case against Cruz is that he is against open borders, wants our fight against barbaric back to the cave theocratic totalitarians to actually be effective, and is friendly to Christian conservatives.

Oooh, sounds like Da Debil!

[Rasilio]

You missed the fact that Cruz is Pro government surveillance, pro cop violence, Pro big government when it comes to policing, jailing or bombing things and so on.

Sure on economics Cruz is clearly the best but claiming to be “small government except the military and surveillance” is just another way of saying “Big Government”.

[John]

You missed the fact that Cruz is Pro government surveillance

So Cruz filibustered about the NSA in some other universe? If you don’t like Cruz, that is fine. But can you at least not like him for positions he actually holds?

[Michael]

Cruz is an opportunist that would do anything to take a swipe at the Obama administration. He may have sided with Paul on the issue, but I highly doubt he would have done the same during a Republican administration. Paul stood on principle while Cruz simply took the opportunity to grab some of the spotlight.

[John]

So in other words Micheal you don’t like Cruz and assume everything he does that is good is done for some nefarious reason. You are of course free to believe that but you should understand your argument seems to say more about you than it does about Cruz.

[Juice]

No one actually likes Cruz and, yes, everything he does is for himself.

[buybuydandavis]

The real problem with Cruz is that Trump is right – the Democrats would inevitably challenge his eligibility to be President and they might win, which would be a disaster for democracy in America.

[GILMORE?]

For people who think that Reason’s ‘cosmo’, left-leaning-drift is actually a ‘long-game’….

i.e. – a strategic effort to appeal to younger people in an attempt to “grow the brand” – something actually directly suggested by Robby and others at times they’ve been criticized…

….i’d ask = Is there anything to suggest that its *working*?

[Irish ?s ESB]

Progressives have gained immense power by actively refusing to make concessions to anyone. Libertarians making concessions to progressives will just mean libertarians become more like progressives. You don’t move those cultists to your way of thinking by becoming more like them.

[Irish ?s ESB]

Example: I am an atheist. Let’s say hypothetically I joined the Church of Scientology based on the logic that, from the inside, I could make the Scientologists become more like atheists.

How likely am I to succeed?

[The Immaculate Trouser]

Honestly, it’s even worse than that.

It’s like pretending that by merely being a foot soldier among many of the group, you’ll influence them to do what you want.

This has never happened and is bad strategy.

It is like suggesting that atheists take over the Catholic Church, but never getting any of them in the priesthood and just having all the atheists sit through Mass faithfully every week.

At best, this is a strategy to inadvertently convert all your atheists into Catholics. That’s all you’re doing.

[PapayaSF]

The same way that Henry Ford’s foundation became a supporter of every cause he would have hated: slowly, over time. “Any organization not explicitly right-wing sooner or later becomes left-wing.” ?Robert Conquest

[John]

Progressives have gained immense power by actively refusing to make concessions to anyone.

That is completely untrue. Progressives have gained immense power by constantly making concessions and concealing their long term goals. Progressives are masters of the art of making concessions and pushing the ball a little further up the field knowing they will come back later to do the same thing.

Libertarians are complete political failures because they wont’ make concessions and are constantly refusing short term gains in hopes of some day getting the Libertarian moment that will never come.

[Irish ?s ESB]

False. Progressives never concede any ground they’ve already gained. What you’re talking about is the progressive tendency for fake ‘compromise’ where they’ll say things like “we want a gun ban, you don’t want a gun ban, therefore if we ban some guns it’s a common sense compromise!” Of course, that’s not a compromise because progressives get closer and closer to their goal.

Conservatives and libertarians giving in to these fake compromises is what got us where we are today.

[John]

WRONG. Progs never concede ground once they gain it but they are happy to compromise and take small gains where they are available. Progs have long supported Democratic candidates who were not progressive because doing so moved the ball a little further.

Libertarians never do that. They are forever looking for the home run while progressives are hitting singles and kicking their asses.

[Trshmnstr, terror of the trash]

It’s all about the definition of compromise… Progs are great at framing the issue such that their compromise is a small step in their direction (because their more radical elements want a huge step in their direction). When the compromise position is a gain for them, they’re already winning.

The opposite is the case for the conservatives. They suck at framing, so they’re always labeled as extremists because they won’t take the “compromise” that slowly erodes their positions.

[John]

Exactly that.

[PapayaSF]

Exactly. Fabian socialism worked. We need a Fabian libertarianism, but there are too many purists.

[coloraDOOM]

Im young. I don’t know exactly how I got to Reason. I found libertarianism through Ron Paul in 08, but wasn’t sold. From there it was learn liberty and a mix of cato, random groups on facebook, and campaign for liberty. I’m sure they’ve posted reason articles. Which got me here. But I really landed in libertarianism from an economic side. I was already socially “I don’t care, leave me alone” but that might have been from my youth in a small town.

[buybuydandavis]

The case for Bernie ignores the reality of federal government power today.

The Federal bureaucracy is the primary means of advancing progressive power. They can control and crush free enterprise without any help from Congress.

Sorry for the bad news but we’re just pretty fucked.

[buybuydandavis]

Sorry forgot about the Supreme Court as another primary means by which progressive theocracy is advanced.

That the article doesn’t take into account the power of either the federal bureaucracy or the Supreme Court shows how much reason has gotten Proggy Friendly.

[GILMORE?]

The libertarian case against Bernie, as short as possible =

– economic liberty underpins all other liberties
– he will enlarge federal power immensely and the GOP wont stop him
– he’ll put the Supreme Court in the hands of the Left for the rest of our lives.
– not only will he have zero ability in reducing the US involvement in war – He will attract it like a bugzapper.

[John]

– economic liberty underpins all other liberties

Yes it does but good luck getting the pot, Mexicans and ass sex wing of the Libertarian movement to understand that reality. I swear to God some of them would happily go into slavery if it came with a free supply of pot and porn and access to a taco stand.

[MJGreen - Docile Citizen]

Or they realize that economic liberty is not on the table, while pot, Mexicans and ass sex are.

[buybuydandavis]

Oh yeah a Bernie Supreme Court would be a disaster. And we’re actually close to having a majority to roll back some aspects of federal power.

[Irish ?s ESB]

I don’t understand the argument that Bernie Sanders means less war.

Sanders is a head in the clouds, loony idealist. Do you think he’s going to pay any attention to the actions of the CIA or the NSA or the military? I don’t. They’ll be running roughshod over the whole planet and Bernie will be too busy warbling about the need for free master’s in literature programs to pay any attention to it.

Furthermore, every despot on the planet will rightfully see Bernie as incredibly weak. I think you’d see a lot of militarism out of Middle Eastern countries and Russia and China if Bernie were president. We might not be the ones bombing people, but I don’t think that will be much solace when Russian tanks roll into Finland.

[John]

You are exactly right Irish. But remember the people who say that live in this fantasy world were only the US starts wars and the US can avoid war simply by choosing not to start one.

[Old Man With Candy]

He already said he wasn’t going to pull out of Afghanistan. And he refuses to answer anything else. Draw the appropriate conclusion.

[John]

My favorite part is how they are all convinced Bernie would be against the surveillance state, because power hungry Marxist pieces of shit like Bernie have such a great reputation for respecting privacy and freedom once they get into office. And I am sure Bernie would totally respect privacy and rights when he tried to engage in the kind of massive wealth redistribution and government regulation of economic freedom he plans to do.

[Rasilio]

“he will enlarge federal power immensely and the GOP wont stop him”

Name a candidate with any shot whatsoever of winning that won’t.

“he’ll put the Supreme Court in the hands of the Left for the rest of our lives.”

And the right is so much better? Which side gave us Kelo? Lets face it, there is not a single candidate left in the race that any libertarian would ever want nominating Supreme Court Justices because they ALL suck on Constitutional issues.

“not only will he have zero ability in reducing the US involvement in war – He will attract it like a bugzapper.

Attract it like a bug zapper or actively pursue it worst case scenario he is still no worse than the competition.

So far at this point I have yet to see a single argument against preferring Bernie to the other options that hasn’t amounted to wishing a candidate who doesn’t exist were in the race with a chance to win.

I still challenge anyone to name a specific individual from the 5 who could win and explain why that specific individual is better because saying “anyone is better” is just being a fucking moron because Hillary is quite clearly worse in every single way.

[Chipwooder]

I don’t think any of the others, lousy though they are, would expand the government and spend money to nearly the extent of Sanders.

[PapayaSF]

Hillary or Bernie would certainly make terrible SC appointments. Any Republican, including Trump, has at least a chance of not making terrible SC appointments.

[kbolino]

Which side gave us Kelo?

Majority: Stevens, joined by Kennedy, Souter, Ginsburg, Breyer
Concurrence: Kennedy
Dissent: O’Connor, joined by Rehnquist, Scalia, Thomas

You tell me…

[GILMORE?]

I think any argument based in a “BUT THEY’RE ALL BAD” is fundamentally stupid.

they’re not. Sanders is an order of magnitude worse than any republican in his desire to Federalize every problem in America.

[lap83]

Seriously, things can get a lot worse

[The Immaculate Trouser]

Hell, let’s just talk social policy:

The man’s campaign issues page states that Sanders wants to:

*Expand non-discrimination laws to include sexual orientation and gender identity, as well as adding teeth to all non-discrimination laws
*Ban on religious objections to secular law
*Equal Pay for Equal Work
*Ratify the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
*Protecting the rights of gays around the world (“non-interventionism” going out the window for that one, apparently)
*Ban various forms of supposed discrimination on the part of banks towards LBGT and others
*Expand funding for PP
*Expand Title X
*Gun control

In contrast, the following is displayed prominently on Ted Cruz’s site:

*Federalization of gay marriage policy as was the case less than 4 years ago
*Defunding PP
*Over-the-counter contraceptives
*Anti-Partial Birth Control
*Federalization of abortion policy
*Border control
*Religious exemption to contraceptive mandate
*Right to public use and public display for religious groups
*Pro-RBKA

Of the two lists, which one would libertarians prefer to see enacted?

[Overt]

If many of the people pushing Bernie here were honest, they would still choose Bernie in this case. Because they dislike social conservatives and anything that solely increases their liberty is uninteresting at best and helping the bad guys at worst.

[Hank Phillips]

Observe that of Klansman Cruz’ nine points, national socialist Positive Christianity eugenics and nativism covers every item except possibly the goofy acronym. In hoping the GOP gets humiliatingly defeated I am not in favor of Bernie, but simply against nationalsocialism. I will vote libertarian, cackle if the old coot wins, and soldier on.

[Crusty Juggler]

Nikki has competition: Lansing boy sacrifices birthday bash to thank police

Bordua, who turns 11 on Monday, said police have been viewed in a bad light through news of deaths at the hands of officers, despite the good work of many.

“It feels like they get bullied bad like I do,” the soft-spoken Bordua, wearing a T-shirt reading “I Am the Future,” said before today’s program. “I just wanted to do this for them.”

“It’s a tough thing to be a police officer,” Wriggelsworth said at the ceremony. “This is the proverbial hug that we need.”

[Old Man With Candy]

“Hugs, not drugs.” Awwww.

Say, does he have a little sister? Asking for a friend.

[lap83]

Well it’s not like he has any friends to invite

[Juice]

Officer Wriggelsworth ? No.

[SIV]

So when is Reason going to launch the reversed upper case “R” logo ?

[kbolino]

What does “Ya-eason” mean?

[lap83]

Is there a libertarian case for Bernie Sanders? I personally think so.

I don’t know what’s worse – the idea of Robby feeling the Bern or that it’s in his usual annoyingly humble way.

“I mean you guys are like entitled to your opinion but I like just really feel that Bernie is libertarian. Sorry but that’s just what I think”

It’s also possible that Robby is the most masterful troll at Reason

[Crusty Juggler]

It’s also possible that Robby is the most masterful troll at Reason

A very plausible theory.

[lap83]

I actually started to suspect that when his number of clickbait titles increased after more commenters started complaining about them. So is Robby a cartoon character of a Millenial or a brilliant satirist? I’m hoping for the latter. But maybe the hair makes me optimistic.

[Crusty Juggler]

I actually started to suspect that when his number of clickbait titles increased after more commenters started complaining about them.

I noticed that as well. I mean, I am not going to call him a master anything, but I think he likes to get the kids all riled up, which I appreciate.

[GILMORE?]

“Robby is the most masterful troll at Reason”

I suspected he was purposely inserting typos last week.

his game is deep

[Crusty Juggler]

I will wait until he writes his piece as to why he thinks there is a libertarian case for Sanders before I foam at the mouth. Then again I put all of my money into L.A. Gear, so I have been wrong before.

[GILMORE?]

” I put all of my money into L.A. Gear, so I have been wrong before.”

oh, i laffed

It reminds me of a joke i wanted to play on a friend, by bombing his car with “Failed election/issue bumper stickers” from the past 20 years. It was more of a concept than a practical thing, but the idea was compelling. like, Dukakis 88, Nader 2000, Kerry 04.. .. Ethanol! THE CHOICE OF THE FUTURE…. One Yugoslavia, United!… I HEART Drum & Bass…. Keep Marriage Straight!…. SAY NO TO FLUORIDE. ..

[Crusty Juggler]

I still think John Edwards has a chance

[Zeb]

To be charitable, I suppose you could make a plausible argument that Sanders would be the least worst person to have in office, assuming that none of his insane policies would possibly be implemented. I don’t know if that’s much of a libertarian argument.

[EscherEnigma]

Mount St. Mary’s is a private university. So frankly, I can’t be arsed to care about what they do. Like all the other private universities, it has exceptional leeway to fuck over it’s student and faculty over arbitrary things.

[andythomas12501]

Up to I looked at the draft which was of $7319 , I be certain …that…my neighbour was like they say realie receiving money part time at there labtop. . there moms best frend started doing this less than and just paid the mortgage on their apartment and bought a gorgeous Lexus LS400 . site here……..

Click This Link inYour Browser….

???? ? ? ? http://www.Wage90.com

Up to I looked at the draft which was of $7319 , I be certain …that…my neighbour was like they say realie receiving money part time at there labtop. . there moms best frend started doing this less than and just paid the mortgage on their apartment and bought a gorgeous Lexus LS400 . site here……..

Click This Link inYour Browser….

???? ? ? ? http://www.Wage90.com

[Hank Phillips]

The YAF intern evidently still hasn’t looked up “liberal” in the dictionary, much less seen the American Liberal Party platform that spearheaded the the repeal of prohibition.

[lukashik]

The technology is so developed that we can watch videos, live streaming, TV serials and any of our missed programs within our mobiles and PCs. Showbox
All we need is a mobile or PC with a very good internet connection. There are many applications by which we can enjoy videos, our missed programs, live streaming etc.

[WoodchipperPatriarch]

That’s fucking ridiculous. Each person should have the right to choose for himself, between a race car, a rally car, a muddin’ truck or a hovercraft.

[coloraDOOM]

My JJ 2.0’S are great in the powder.
I do need a new ski for the non powder days. Having 117 underfoot feels like I’m on pontoons in the early winter.

[BearOdinson]

Skiing. Is that a euphemism for the Devil’s threesome?

[Brendan]

I’m sick of his shit too. I think it has to do with the cult that has formed around him and the company AND the rent seeking his company engages in.