How Will Reason Staffers Vote in 2020?

A survey of presidential preferences and regrets

Since 2004, Reason has surveyed its staffers on how they plan to vote in national elections. We do this in a spirit of transparency. There is a pernicious idea that if journalists don't disclose their biases and preferences, then perhaps they don't have any. But we think it's better if the people who read, watch, and listen to Reason know where our contributors are coming from, even by the imperfect metric of electoral preferences.

Traditionally, this survey yields a high percentage of nonvoters and Libertarian Party voters, and 2020 is no exception on either score. Our Democratic and Republican voters typically describe themselves as reluctant backers, seeing their candidate as a lesser of two evils; Joe Biden's showing this year is similar to Barack Obama's among staffers in 2008.

As each Election Day draws near, Reason receives a bumper crop of emails, tweets, and comments. This year, each day's harvest includes notes accusing us of being in the tank for Trump and just as many accusing us of stumping for Biden.

Reason is not on anybody's side in this election or any other. This is, in part, because we are published by a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and therefore don't endorse particular candidates. But it's also because we don't think one party or person ever fully embodies the things that are important to us, including individual liberty, free markets, and the rule of law. (As our election-issue cover stories make clear, both of the major candidates fail on that front in important ways.) We continue to look outside of politics for meaning and hope.

Nothing in what follows should be construed as an official endorsement of any candidate or cause. These are the personal views of individual participants and not the institutional views of Reason or Reason Foundation. Legalese aside, we hope what follows is interesting and informative. —Katherine Mangu-Ward

Check out our past voting surveys from 2004, 2006, 2008, 2012, and 2016.

MIKE ALISSI
Publisher

Who do you plan to vote for this year? Jo Jorgensen. Some of my libertarian friends plan to vote for Biden because they view Trump to be a unique existential threat to liberty. I think that underappreciates the audacious scope of the Biden agenda, which would bring a daily onslaught of new initiatives and regulations from every corner of the federal bureaucracy aimed at controlling the personal and economic choices we make on virtually everything. These ideas aren't just rhetoric from a blowhard. Depending on what happens in the Senate, they're likely to become law, undermining economic growth and moving us backward on First and Second Amendment protections, school choice, property rights, consumer freedom, campus due process, worker freedom, energy choices, and so much more. Expect endless new opportunities for adversarial encounters between citizens and law enforcers on every level. Jo Jorgensen is the only candidate who champions liberty and reflects my views. 

If you could change any vote you cast in the past, what would it be? Jimmy Carter in 1980, my first vote. That was the most important election of our lifetime, of course. My lefty friends and I viewed Reagan to be a unique existential threat to America. I should have voted for Ed Clark.

PETER BAGGE
Cartoonist

Who do you plan to vote for this year? Jo Jorgensen. I have no problem with her at all. I hope she wins!

If you could change any vote you cast in the past, what would it be? John Kerry. I'll never vote for a major party candidate ever again.

ERIC BOEHM
Reporter

Who do you plan to vote for this year? I am currently not registered to vote in Virginia, where I live. If I change that before the election, I will vote for Jo Jorgensen—unless I believe there is a chance that Joe Biden will somehow fail to win Virginia, in which case I will vote strategically and reluctantly for Biden.

If you could change any vote you cast in the past, what would it be? I can't imagine thinking a single vote is valuable enough to spend time regretting.

CHRISTIAN BRITSCHGI
Associate Editor

Who do you plan to vote for this year? No one. Both Trump and Biden are awful enough that I can't imagine voting for either. While I wish Jo Jorgensen well, the cost of figuring out which state I'm still registered in and how exactly I'm supposed to cast my ballot during COVID exceeds any benefit I'd get from supporting her doomed presidential bid.

If you could change any vote you cast in the past, what would it be? My first vote was in local Boise elections in 2011, where I recall ticking the box for a bunch of city council candidates I knew nothing about. It was an irresponsible thing to do, and I was rewarded when the council shortly thereafter passed a sweeping smoking ban. If I could do it over, I would have stayed home that election as well.

ELIZABETH NOLAN BROWN
Senior Editor

Who do you plan to vote for this year? I just registered to vote in my home state, Ohio, where I'm living for the next few months. I plan to cast a ballot for Jo Jorgensen and Spike Cohen this November. As libertarians seem to have less and less in common with either Democrats or Republicans, I've started to shed earlier apathy about Libertarian Party politics and become more convinced that we do need a viable electoral vehicle of our own. 

If you could change any vote you cast in the past, what would it be? This will be my first time voting in a presidential election since 2008, when I voted for Barack Obama. I think that vote was a desperate plea for an end to the Bush era more than anything else. Obama's presidency did that in some important ways, and failed to in many more. I don't regret that vote, but the Obama era did become a good lesson in what "hope and change" looks like in practice.

C.J. CIARAMELLA
Criminal Justice Reporter

Who do you plan to vote for this year? Joe Biden. The nationalists said the libertarian-conservative consensus is dead, and I take them at their word. Also, Stephen Miller is a white nationalist.

If you could change any vote you cast in the past, what would it be? I haven't voted in a presidential election since 2004. I guess I would take that one back and not vote, because I was young and dumb instead of old and dumb.

SHIKHA DALMIA
Senior Analyst

Who do you plan to vote for this year? I will cast my ballot for Joe Biden in Michigan, a swing state, because there is no bigger libertarian cause right now than to prevent Donald J. Trump from getting re-elected. He is a proto-authoritarian who digs dictators such as the Philippines' Rodrigo Duterte and who glorifies state violence.

Trump launched his first election campaign by stoking racial hatreds, and any hope that the responsibility of governance would temper him was dashed as he dehumanized immigrants and demonized opponents. His zero-tolerance border policies have resulted in unspeakable human rights abuses, his economic nationalism is no better for the cause of free markets than Biden's supposed socialism, and his fiscal irresponsibility has been worse than his predecessors'. But his most dangerous trait by far is his open contempt for the institutions that check executive power and hold it accountable. Those institutions have contained some of his worst impulses in his first term. They may not be able to withstand another four years of continued assaults.

If you could change any vote you cast in the past, what would it be? If memory serves, I have voted in three presidential elections since I obtained naturalization: for Republican George W. Bush's re-election in 2004 (against John Kerry), for Libertarian Gary Johnson in 2012, and for Democrat Hillary Clinton in 2016 (against Donald Trump). Of those, the only one I know I'll never regret is the one for Johnson.

ZURI DAVIS
Assistant Editor

Who do you plan to vote for this year? I will be voting for the Libertarian Party's Jo Jorgensen. I will candidly admit that I spent much of my 2019 preparing to vote for certain Democratic candidates should they have won the party's nomination. In the end, Jo Jorgensen's principles and empathetic outreach during the emotional yet important Black Lives Matter moment solidified my desire to vote my conscience and not my disappointment with the current president, particularly his poor public treatment of important black figures and his failure to stand firmly on Charlottesville when his condemnations would have made the most impact.

If you could change any vote you cast in the past, what would it be? The 2016 election was the first presidential election in which I qualified to vote. Since I am satisfied with my decision to vote for Gary Johnson over some of the most-hated presidential candidates in modern history, I would probably change the vote I cast for Sen. Rand Paul in the Republican presidential primary. I was excited to vote for the Kentucky senator because of his stance on criminal justice reform, but I was extremely disappointed to see that strong legacy shelved to confirm, of all people, Jeff Sessions.

BRIAN DOHERTY
Senior Editor

Who do you plan to vote for this year? I don't vote.

If you could change any vote you cast in the past, what would it be? Never having voted, I have no regrets. 

NICK GILLESPIE
Editor at Large

Who do you plan to vote for this year? I'm voting for Jo Jorgensen, the Libertarian candidate, because she comes closest to representing my political views.

If you could change any vote you cast in the past, what would it be? I would not change any of my votes. In 1984, the first presidential election in which I could vote, I voted for Walter Mondale because I admired his honesty that he would raise taxes to reduce the deficit, which was projected to be the then-massive sum of $184 billion, or about 5 percent of GDP. Since 1988, I have voted for the Libertarian candidate, even when I did not particularly care for the nominee. It's far more important to me to vote for a third-party candidate, doing whatever small thing I can to help support a wider array of voices in national politics, than to vote for a winning candidate.

KATHERINE MANGU-WARD
Editor in Chief

Who do you plan to vote for this year? I don't vote, and I won't this year, even though I am reliably informed by my Instagram and Twitter feeds that this is the most important election of my lifetime. Again. 

I do, however, plan to complain, both pre- and post-election. Because that is my job as a political journalist and my duty as a citizen. It's important to hold elected officials accountable when they screw up—and no matter who wins in 2020, he's going to screw up for sure—but a trip to the ballot box every couple of years is a largely ineffective way to do that.

If you could change any vote you cast in the past, what would it be? I am not sure whether I have ever voted. If I did, it would have been because I succumbed to peer pressure in 1998, the first year I was eligible. If given the opportunity to travel back in time, I would pop into 1998 to be sure that I did not vote in that election, largely to secure my status as a gold star nonvoter. And then I would kill Hitler, I suppose.

JUSTIN MONTICELLO
Senior Producer

Who do you plan to vote for this year? I've come to think of voting as the equivalent of those fake steering wheels on tourist boats that exist to keep children busy with the illusion that they're steering the ship. Since I have no interest in wasting my time, being laughed at by those in power who are wise to the scheme, or helping legitimize a pointless and fundamentally corrupt enterprise, my mail-in ballot and I will be staying home.

If you could change any vote you cast in the past, what would it be? I regret ever having registered to vote. I did so for the first time as a teenager in my home state of New Jersey at the urging of my neighbor, who was running for reelection to our town council. I haven't lived in the state for over 15 years, and despite my best efforts to have my information removed from local voter rolls and databases, I still get several phone calls every week at 7 a.m. PST from New Jersey political campaigns. I sometimes wonder how much of the spam I have to trawl through every day can be traced back to that original sin of sharing my contact information with the government.

JOHN OSTERHOUDT
Producer

Who do you plan to vote for this year? Political representation is illegitimate in theory and a sham in practice. I don't plan to vote for anyone.

If you could change any vote you cast in the past, what would it be? In 2016, I took the time to research every candidate for every position on the ballot. What a waste of time that was.

ROBERT POOLE
Director of Transportation Policy

Who do you plan to vote for this year? Because I live in Florida, likely again to be a swing state, I am planning to vote for the lesser evil, though the Libertarian Party candidate would be far better. But our next president will be either Biden or Trump, an even worse choice than Hillary or Trump (and last time I proudly voted for Gary Johnson and William Weld).

This time around, both parties have been transformed. The Democrats are a far more collectivist party whose environmental, transportation, spending, and judicial policies would have devastating long-term effects on this country. The Republicans have become a populist, anti-trade, anti-immigrant, and big-spending party. But despite wishing the Republicans would receive a massive shock that would return them to a more free market approach, I will select GOP/Trump as the lesser evil. This is because of the need to continue with a Supreme Court that upholds the written Constitution, but also because of better environmental, regulatory, and transportation policies and staffing of the relevant agencies.

If you could change any vote you cast in the past, what would it be? I don't regret any previous presidential votes, which have been mostly for the Libertarian Party's candidates, beginning with a write-in vote for John Hospers in 1972.

MIKE RIGGS
Deputy Managing Editor

Who do you plan to vote for this year? While I would like to see a President Jo Jorgensen, I will settle for not having to live another four years under President Donald Trump. I will cast my first ever vote for president for Joe Biden in the battleground state of Pennsylvania.

I think Trump is a symptom, not the root cause, of our current dysfunction. I absolutely do not support the Democratic Party writ large. Democratic management of the city of Philadelphia, where I live, is shockingly bad.

But as much as I fear what the Democrats might be able to do tomorrow, what Trump has done the last four years concerns me more. He appears to have no ideology, no patience, and very little wisdom, and I do not get the sense that he understands or appreciates what I love about America. That may all be true of Biden too—I do not know his heart—but the fact that all the Biden voters I know are holding their nose when they punch in his name hopefully means his leash will be shorter.

If you could change any vote you cast in the past, what would it be? I voted for the first time in the 2018 midterms, and I do not regret using that opportunity to rebuke Republican xenophobia.

SCOTT SHACKFORD
Associate Editor

Who do you plan to vote for this year? I'm voting for Jo Jorgensen and Spike Cohen for president and absolutely no other human beings on the ballot whatsoever. As is typical here in California, the ballot initiatives are much more important and impactful than the candidates.

If you could change any vote you cast in the past, what would it be? I don't think I've voted for a major candidate who has actually won since Bill Clinton's second term, so I don't really have to contend with buyer's remorse.

STEPHANIE SLADE
Managing Editor

Who do you plan to vote for this year? I am a true undecided: I've been vacillating between sitting out this election, as I did in 2016, or voting for Joe Biden. The strongest argument for the latter choice is that it's an opportunity to support the repudiation of both Trumpism and the Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wing of the Democratic Party. That's a hell of a good value for a single ballot.

If you could change any vote you cast in the past, what would it be? I have generally abstained whenever I haven't seen a clear reason to support one candidate or the other, so I can't think of a vote I would change if I could.

ROBBY SOAVE
Senior Editor

Who do you plan to vote for this year? I might have voted for Joe Biden if he chose Tulsi Gabbard as his veep, but he didn't, so I'm voting for Jo Jorgensen. I wish Justin Amash had opted to run, because I would prefer the Libertarian Party to have a candidate with political experience and name recognition. That said, Jorgensen recognizes that the government's coronavirus response "has been the biggest assault on our liberties in our lifetime," which is more than sufficient to earn my vote in these insane times.

If you could change any vote you cast in the past, what would it be? I voted for Gary Johnson in 2016, but if I could do it over I might be tempted to cast a write-in vote for David French, just as a screw-you to the Drag Queen Story Hour alarmists—and also as penance for all these tongue-in-cheek Twitter jokes.

PETER SUDERMAN
Features Editor

Who do you plan to vote for this year? I do not plan to vote for anyone, for reasons that Katherine Mangu-Ward laid out in her 2012 feature, "Your Vote Doesn't Count." But also because I regret the one presidential vote I did cast.

If you could change any vote you cast in the past, what would it be? I have voted in a national election only once, in 2004, and thus I have only one possible vote to change. But I would probably change it, if I could. The reason I voted in 2004 was mostly because I failed to vote in 2000—when I was a Florida resident living out of state while attending college. You may remember there was some fuss about Florida during the 2000 presidential election, including a fair amount of concern over absentee ballots. So I felt some pressure not to allow that to happen again. I voted for George W. Bush. That didn't go so well either. If I had to do it over again, I would decline to vote.

JACOB SULLUM
Senior Editor

Who do you plan to vote for this year? Texas has stringent requirements for absentee ballots, notwithstanding COVID-19, so I may not vote at all. But assuming I do, the choice is obvious: Jo Jorgensen. Given the odds, voting is best viewed as an expressive activity rather than an attempt to influence the outcome, and I have no interest in expressing whatever horrifying message would be implied by a vote for Trump or Biden (although I am morbidly curious to see what a second term for Trump would mean). 

If you could change any vote you cast in the past, what would it be? After toying with Gary Hart, I for some reason ended up voting for Walter Mondale in New York's 1984 Democratic primary (the only time I've been a registered Democrat). I was young and ignorant.

JESSE WALKER
Books Editor

Who do you plan to vote for this year? I live in Maryland, where trying to have an impact on which candidate carries the state is the ultimate act of futility. I will cast a protest vote for Jo Jorgensen, which is also futile but doesn't feel as dirty.

If you could change any vote you cast in the past, what would it be? As a high school senior, I was eligible to vote in the 1988 primaries but skipped them. Given which candidate I was rooting for at the time, this was a shame: I lost my chance to be the only Reason staffer who has cast a ballot for Jesse Jackson.

ZACH WEISSMUELLER
Senior Producer

Who do you plan to vote for this year? It makes me a little queasy, but I'll be voting for Joe Biden, primarily for three reasons: (1) A feeble president Biden seems like an opportunity to erode the power and glamour of the dangerous cult of the presidency and also push socialists, nationalists, and identitarians back to the margins, creating space for a more libertarian-friendly coalition to emerge. (2) Trump was an even more selfish and incompetent leader than I thought he'd be, he seems willing to stoke chaos to hold onto power, and I'm sick of talking and hearing about him. (3) The Libertarian Party doesn't have a clear electoral strategy or even sense of purpose and continually seems to miss golden opportunities.

If you could change any vote you cast in the past, what would it be? I've always voted for Libertarian presidential candidates and never felt bad about that. I just hope I don't regret my first lesser-of-two-evils vote this year.

MATT WELCH
Editor at Large

Who do you plan to vote for this year? Jo Jorgensen. If it was going to be close in my state, I might have considered holding my nose and voting for the person most likely to supplant the eminently fireable incumbent. But New York has chosen the Democrat by at least 16 percentage points in every presidential election since the end of the Cold War, so I prefer to add votes to the party that aligns much more with my values.

If you could change any vote you cast in the past, what would it be? In 1988, my first election, I lived in the swing state of…California? (That's how old I am.) I did not remotely like or even take seriously Michael Dukakis, but I had whipped myself up in a collegiate fever to believe that George H.W. Bush was the real CIA-fabricated Dark Lord and must be stopped at all costs. Silly in retrospect. I vowed then to never vote for candidates I actively dislike, a commitment I've mostly kept to since.

LIZ WOLFE
Staff Editor

Who do you plan to vote for this year? I live in New York City, so my vote thankfully does not matter one iota in an ocean of progressives. I will not vote this year, since Jorgensen has squandered her opportunity to win libertarianism new converts—despite this botched pandemic reminding us that politicians are incompetent, self-serving, or both. Trump has been a tremendously terrible president if you care about immigration and free trade, and Biden is just a pliant, unprincipled career politician (and former drug warrior) who will do nothing for freedom. No to everyone.

If you could change any vote you cast in the past, what would it be? I am very young and have few voting-related skeletons in the closet. I'll keep it that way by not voting!

Comments

[6cc2d28]

Beltway libs abound

[loveconstitution1789]

Funniest thing is they admit that Libertarianism is NOT popular at unreason.

Based on the articles that these unreason staffer oversee, Libertarianism has not been popular here for decades.

Since Trump will be reelected.

[StackOfCoins]

I'll (humanistically, nondenominationally) pray for you.

[R Mac]

ITT, Lying Jeffy admits his TDS is more important than his “deep, fundamental” belief in individual liberty.

[The White Knight]

What are you going on about? Almost all of them are voting for the Libertarian candidate.

[The White Knight]

Here I tallied it:
9 for Jo
8 not voting
3 Biden
1 Trump
3 undecided or have registration issues

[Bereft-the-Left 2]

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[Bereft-the-Left 2]

Here is my list - with summary (and notes):

MIKE ALISSI - Jo Jorgensen
PETER BAGGE - Jo Jorgensen
ERIC BOEHM - Jo Jorgensen (Considered voting for Biden)
CHRISTIAN BRITSCHGI - None
ELIZABETH NOLAN BROWN - Jo Jorgensen
C.J. CIARAMELLA – Biden ("The nationalists said the libertarian-conservative consensus is dead, and I take them at their word."– Dumb. Classical liberalism is now conservatism. That which is to be conserved is classical liberalism. And classical liberalism has more in common with conservatives today than progressive democrats)
SHIKHA DALMIA – Biden (Zero surprise - disconnected from reality - blind to the activities of the left)
ZURI DAVIS - Jo Jorgensen (Considered voting for Biden)
BRIAN DOHERTY - None
NICK GILLESPIE - Jo Jorgensen
KATHERINE MANGU-WARD – None (Has never voted – ridiculous)
JUSTIN MONTICELLO – None (regrets ever registering – ridiculous)
JOHN OSTERHOUDT – None (Thinks voting is a sham)
ROBERT POOLE – Trump (Thinks Trump is anti-immigration – what policies are anti-immigrant???)
MIKE RIGGS – Biden ***(Libtard)*** “but the fact that all the Biden voters I know are holding their nose when they punch in his name hopefully means his leash will be shorter.” - ??? No it doesn’t!
SCOTT SHACKFORD - Jo Jorgensen
STEPHANIE SLADE – Biden (Actually thinks AOC and Biden aren’t on the same side – Hilarious)
ROBBY SOAVE - Jo Jorgensen
PETER SUDERMAN – None (thinks your vote doesn’t matter)
JACOB SULLUM - Jo Jorgensen
JESSE WALKER - Jo Jorgensen
ZACH WEISSMUELLER – Biden (Lists 3 unreasonable, dumb reasons why)
MATT WELCH - Jo Jorgensen
LIZ WOLFE - None

11 for Jo Jorgensen
7 not voting
5 Biden
2 Considered voting for Biden but chose Jo Jorgensen
1 Trump

Numero Uno!:
Bunch of lefttards here, that think they are "libertarian." Let me clue you in. The left are the party of taxation. And the % tax you pay is the % slave you are. The left is the party of big government, more regulations, more social services, socialism, bigotry/intolerance, anti-gun for citizenry, anti-freedom marxists. They think "equality" means steal from the rich and give to the poor. They are equality extremists to such a degree they become racists without knowing it. And make no mistake, they are extremely authoritarian. The left, particularly from the activists and the elected activists (such as the squad) are looking to put you in line, and by force if necessary. They will do it with "votes" and then the state will enforce it with "guns." Just look at the current taxes. Trump got in office and immediately passed tax cuts. Biden said on the first day he will "repeal" the tax cuts.

Dos!:
You guys are right. Your votes don't matter. Your votes don't matter because you are voting 3rd party, and mathematically, coupled with psychology, and given our current cut-throat attitude between parties, in a majority-take-all system, the votes will naturally gravitate towards to major opposing parties. The solution is a Rank Choice Voting System ideally, or at least a Weighted Voting System which should be supported by everyone (except the establishment).

Tres!:
I see above Trump described as a "unique threat to liberty." Which is comical, given my explanation in my first point above. A Biden administration is looking to pack the court and take a huge whopping s*** on the separation of powers by making the court partisan. The only reason the Trump administration is able to ram-rod all these justices down the hatch is because Harry Reid (A democrat!) took a huge whopping dump on the filibuster for justices. Federal Power is supposed to be gridlocked and unable to do anything. It was designed that way until "progress" thinking democrats thought it was time to forcefully usher in the utopia of "progressivism" by not "conserving" what the conservatives advised should be conserved.

[m4019597]

I appreciate your tally. Helps make it clearer that Reason staff are largely separated from reality, with about 9 exceptions to varying degree.

[The White Knight]

Curious that you counted, say, Boehm, who isn’t registered to vote, as a vote fir Jo. I didn’t count it as a vote if the person isn’t really going to do it.

[The White Knight]

Hmm, I just straight up did the math. No commentary, no inserting my biases or commentary.

Seems like you have a boner for proving how the Reason staff are a bunch of awful leftists.

Love that CACLL punching bag, ENB, clearly states she’s voting Libertarian.

[Nemo Aequalis]

I'll say it again. "Classical" liberal is a subterfuge. Liberals are liberals. Period.

[Zeb]

No, classical liberalism is the basis for our whole society, the western values that make it work, respect for the individual, rule of law and the presumption that government should stay out of people's way unless it has a compelling reason to get involved. The American brand of conservatism is very much grounded in liberalism. The alternatives to liberalism are anarchy or one form of tyranny or another.

[Sarah Palin's Buttplug 2]

Liberalism is a political and moral philosophy based on liberty, consent of the governed and equality before the law.[1][2][3] Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but they generally support free markets, free trade, limited government, individual rights (including civil rights and human rights), capitalism, democracy, secularism, gender equality, racial equality, internationalism, freedom of speech, freedom of the press and freedom of religion

Yes, that's me. I reject conservatism and progressives.

[Hit]

Is that before or after you fuck their children?

[D-Pizzle]

And you pay your bets promptly and never sock, right "moneyshot"?

[JesseAz]

Well, you only reject the first. Let's be honest. You condone and quietly applaud the latter. Like most of the other leftist libertarians here. You just lie to yourself.

[Sarah Palin's Buttplug 2]

Wrong. I have said many times here that Bernie Sanders policies are even worse than Trumps.

[Tulpa]

Right but you're a known liar.

[Dariush]

>”... Bernie Sanders policies are even worse than Trumps.”

What is your policy on kiddie porn and why didn’t you stay off the site when you where banned for posting kiddie porn links? You think anybody gives a shit about your dumb smooth brained political opinions knowing how big of a sick fuck you are? When you’re old you’ll be running around too, like Joe Biden, sniffing kids. Go fuck yourself you fucking deviant.

[Sarah Palin's Buttplug 2]

Eat shit, you liar.

And fuck your hero the Dotard.

[Marshal]

That's not true. The problem is essentially none of the people who call themselves liberals are actually liberals.

As for Reasoners: they're mostly coasters who aren't stupid enough to accept the left's economic program. But as they're culturally left they trust the left's framing [conservatives are conservative because they're racist, not because they believe government should be making small adjustments instead of trying to reorder society and ruining people's lives in the process].

This explains why they continually fall for the left's hysterical interpretations.

[rferris]

Why do these people work at what is supposed to be a Libertarian magazine???

No wonder they are so blind to the good Trump has done, I guess they only read the NY Times to form their opinions.

It is getting hard to remain a supporter of Reason. Trump is a blo-hard and rude guy, but he has done more for freedom and Liberty than any president in my lifetime.

Why doesn't the staff at reason publish a list of Trump's accomplishments that Libertarians approve of, there are MANY!
All we get from these rich pampered bozos are reformed leftist talking points.
Too mush hobnobbing with typical California leftists and media has corrupted Reason to the point that it is becoming worthless to any but leftist leaning people who think they are still Libertarians.

[Bereft-the-Left 2]

Why do these people work at what is supposed to be a Libertarian magazine???

They are leftists that want free trade and pot. J/k(mostly)

Too mush hobnobbing with typical California leftists and media has corrupted Reason to the point that it is becoming worthless to any but leftist leaning people who think they are still Libertarians.

I mostly come here to troll them and bash the unreasonable with my reasonable.

I am amazed there are left leaning libertarians period. How can you be libertarian but support gun control???? How can you be libertarian but support socialist taxation redistribution schemes? How can you be libertarian but support the green new deal, packing the court - making the court partisan, raising taxes to unprecedented levels, increased spending, more covid19 restrictions/regulations, building a "fairer" economy where fair means marxism/equity/equality extremism. Increased social services - expanded healthcare. Climate and environmental Justice???? Standardized government education (aka equality extremism). None of these things are "libertarian" and the democrat party are NOT the party of live and let live.

[BigT]

How can you be libertarian but support gun control?.....

You can’t. Most of these writers are using the label libertarian as a mask to deflect criticism of their sympathy for authoritarian, collectivist policies. Since Trump came on the scene, their inability to separate the unsavory character of the man from his libertarian policies has caused them to slip some Orange Man Bad into every piece they write. It’s sad how far this once interesting and challenging portal has become a home for those infected with TDS .

[Gray_Jay]

Libertine, not Libertarian.

[Bill Godshall]

As one who has voted in every primary and general presidential election since 1976 (when I voted twice for Ford), I was extremely disappointed reading the anti Trump slurs and the predominately "I don't really care who wins" attitude and voting records by Reason staff.

As a libertarian atheist from the swing state of PA who has never voted for (but always liked) the Libertarian party presidential candidate, I think Trump has been the most libertarian president in my lifetime.

While Trump is a crude and rude narcissist, and I disagree with his policies supporting the War on Drugs, abortion bans, and
proselytizing the US as a nation "under god", he's provided leadership on dozens of other policy achievements, including improving the economy, reducing unemployment, slashing unwarranted and costly regulations, defending the rule of law and law enforcement, criminal justice reforms, international peace agreements, holding other countries financially accountable, and challenging the disastrous policy goals of left wing socialists, environmental whackos, Antifa and BLM.

[Chipper Morning Wood--------------------------------------------------------------------------]

So much butthurt and disbelief in these comments that only a couple of the Reason staff are voting for Biden. So much butthurt and disbelief.

[Tulpa]

Why are you criticizing you own posts fake Chipper.

[What's that smell?]

How Will Reason Staffers Vote in 2020?
Short version; "With tears in their eyes, sucking their thumbs, and a dildo planted firmly up their asses. They will all pull the 'D' level and vigorously masturbate later"

[Jackwagon]

6cc2d28,

Agree completely.

I thought Reason was dedicated to Free Markets & Free Minds, yet many of the staff are voting for a candidate that is almost completely opposed to both of those ideals. I get voting for Jo Jorgensen, and I'm not sure who that helps, but Biden getting elected will reduce both free minds and free markets. I'm very disappointed in the Reason staff, I wonder if they believe anything they write.

[Bereft-the-Left 2]

Free minds?
Go to a university today, as a head coach and wear an OANN tee-shirt, on a private fishing trip, unaffiliated with the university, and have that photo posted to your facebook, only to get docked 1 million dollars and a year from your contract. The Spanish inquisition (leftists) then jumps in and demands you confess so all can be forgiven. And so they confess, and they plead, and they apologize again and again. And they submit and repeat again and again that which is demanded they speak. To embrace an ideology (such as we live in systemic racism, etc). Submit, and they might keep you around. Where a CNN shirt? No ******* problem! The left has enslaved and purged the universities of any voice other than their own, and now it’s indoctrination time. You will repeat what they say. Learn it. Speak it. Believe it. Repeat it. Or you will be punished. This is the left. Super Libertarian right?

Free Markets?
The left never believed in free markets. The left never believed in freely managing your own income. The left believes in a form of new, neo-marxism. Gone are the days that the government runs private industry or otherwise “seizing the means of production.” Instead, they will seize all the money, and then redistribute it to their liking. And some of that money will go to some means of production more than others. It’s like Marxism Laundering!

And free markets and free minds are just the little things for them. They want to usher in a green new deal. They want to usher in a gun free paradise. And they seem to inherently believe people are naturally good and naturally friendly, and it’s not these people’s decisions that are the problem, it’s the existence of guns. It’s that they are oppressed, marginalized. They are “victims” of the system. And thus the system must be knocked down, and we can start with the ******* statues. Maybe follow up with the supreme court, the presidency, redesigning law enforcement. And sweeping change all over everything. And we are going to ******* do it with “votes” and who is going to enforce it? People with guns, in uniforms. This is the left.

[Mother's Lament]

who is going to enforce it? People with guns, in uniforms.

This is only two or three years away.

The Covid restrictions plus President Harris mean open season on everything that the left doesn't like. We can look at deBlasio and Cuomo's New York today for a post-Trump preview of the nation next year. In four years the US will be unrecognizable.

[CE]

Wow, lots of votes for Jorgensen and None of the Above, a handful of votes for Biden. Not one vote for Trump.

If this is any indication, enthusiasm for Biden is abysmally low.

[Vulgar Madman]

I bet one or two actually are voting for Trump.

[Bereft-the-Left 2]

I bet 7 or 8 of them are voting for Trump, and they were intimidated with political correctness to write they were in support of Jo Jorgensen and Biden.

All of them are probably conspiring right now to eliminate Robert Poole (the lone Trump voter) with a bike lock to the head, or perhaps to simply "Reginald Denny" him. And most importantly, I think the grossly uneducated writers and editors at, ironically, "reason.com" need to stop what they are doing, go home, and read Demons by Dostoevsky, asap.

[Granite]

This^
But your red ink is kind of irritating. Are you anti black or something?

[Michelle Obama]

It’s racism.

[CLM1227]

Support for indigenous people's day.

[Mother's Lament]

All of them are probably conspiring right now to eliminate Robert Poole (the lone Trump voter) with a bike lock to the head, or perhaps to simply “Reginald Denny” him.

We laugh, but there'll be millions of “Reginald Dennys” this time next year, with the tacit approval of both the media and the Party.

[mamabug]

At least two said they were voting for Trump. Your speed-scanning needs some work.

[CE]

in fairness to me, I usually just read the headlines and then go to the comments

[Cyto]

At least you read the headline...

[docduracoat]

I would not be sad if Reason got rid of the articles entirely.
I also, look at the headlines, glance at the article and go straight to the comments.
Cutting out the middleman of the actual article would improve the magazine

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

Wait, I only caught one vote for Trump, let me re-speed scan.

[mad.casual]

I counted Poole and Riggs.

Poole's vote for Trump required some set theory:
Good Evil
Trump v. Clinton > Trump v. Biden

[Nemo Aequalis]

Yeah, Riggs not so much:

Who do you plan to vote for this year? While I would like to see a President Jo Jorgensen, I will settle for not having to live another four years under President Donald Trump. I will cast my first ever vote for president for Joe Biden in the battleground state of Pennsylvania.

[mad.casual]

And, of course, my scanning skipped the 'not' in Riggs' comment.

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

Thank you. Yeah, we have one MAGA staffer.

[Nail]

Only Robert Poole said he's voting for Trump, though he buried it like 2 paragraphs down.

[Illocust]

Yeah, I noticed how much explanation he had to give for his vote before he'd say it. I don't blame him, but I don't think it will help the backlash he gets for it.

Robby is the surprising one, though I do agree that Tulsi gabbard would have been something worth considering, but I would never have considered her as a possibility for Biden's VP. Dems hate her.

[Mother's Lament]

Poor Poole's persona non grata at Reason now.

Good luck finding a new job outside of McDonald's either, in today's political climate.

[Zeb]

He's Reason Foundation. I don't think the magazine editors are in charge of that.

[Mother's Lament]

Maybe they'll have a little insurrection a la New York Times and vote him off the island, like with James Bennet.
Shikha and Ciaramella crying that they don't feel safe around an actual fascist.

[Zeb]

You have a rich and active imagination. I'm not sure how close to reality it is, though. I've seen no reason to believe that anyone at Reason wants to enforce ideological purity like that.

[StackOfCoins]

Robby wanted the sexy VP, and I don't blame him one bit. It would probably tip me towards Biden too.

[Tulpa]

Fuck you Race Bannon is banging.

[StackOfCoins]

Ok I laughed. He's handsome; I guess if Tulsi was open-minded I'd invite him too.

[Zeb]

Poole said he was voting for Trump.

[BestUsedCarSales]

I actually don't know his opinions well, since as Transportation Director he's relatively niche compared to the myriad of editors.

His book a few years ago was a good policy piece though, if you happen to be interested in possibly moves towards pay-roads and other means of congestion management.

[Bluwater]

Poole is Reason's "black friend" that they really don't hang out with.

Someone on staff noted that there's not a single right of center contributor here, and that looks bad for Reason being politically neutral. So they call the transportation guy who hasn't been published on Reason since 1/2019 [and previously got an average of 3 non-political articles per year]... cuz they need a token MAGA guy to promulgate the theory that they aren't politically biased. Let's not pretend that when your staff makeup looks like it does that "not endorsing" any candidate is synonymous with political neutrality.

As for the "comments that accuse us of being in the tank for Trump and just as many accusing us of stumping for Biden." Bullshit! That sentence must be for those ONLY reading this article and never the comments. Either that or it's some sort of weird virtue signalling. Out of curiosity, which article would anyone ever say that is covering for Trump? I have no recall of anyone seriously suggesting that Reason is in the tank for Trump unless perhaps there were a couple of leftists who just didn't think Reason went far enough.

[Mother's Lament]

Robby might be lying.

Boehm, Shackford, Slade, Sullum and Britschgi are obviously lying.

Welch, Suderman, KMW and ENB are most definitely lying and are trembling with anticipation for President Harris's administration to punish the wicked and the unbelievers.

Shikha is telling the truth in Reason for the first time in four years.

Nobody could read a Ciaramella column and not know he would delightedly pull the lever for whomever the DNC offered.

Nick is probably the only one who will actually vote Jorgensen.

[SQRLSY One]

Holy shit, Batman, HOW do you know all these things?!?!

WHO calibrates your tin-foil hat?! I wanna go there too; mine is BADLY in need of re-calibration!

PS, which stocks are going up big-time soon?

[Mother's Lament]

Orangemanbad, Sqrlsy.

[Tulpa]

Fuck off racist.

[Granite]

Igor son of a bitch sqrlsy - how’d you get out?

[Granite]

You
Not Igor
No idea why Igor was even mentioned.
I blame sqrlsy

[Zeb]

"Obviously"? I can't recall any of them saying anything positive about Biden. You can hate Trump and still not be a Democrat, you know.

[Mother's Lament]

Funny that I didn't even mention Biden, but you just obviously assumed none of them would be voting for Trump.
Why is that?

[Sarah Palin's Buttplug 2]

We know you're here to pump Trump 24/7. You just showed up since he was elected.

[Mother's Lament]

That's rich coming from a Media Matters fifty-center like you, Plug.

[JesseAz]

You didn't answer his question.

[Zeb]

I don't actually assume anything about how any of them will be voting. I will take them at their word. My assumption was that most people making comments critical of the Reason staff think they are all secret Democrats. If that isn't you, I apologize for making an unfair assumption.

You did say "President Harris", which is an implied mention of Biden when talking about Welch, Suderman, etc.

[Mother's Lament]

My assumption was that most people making comments critical of the Reason staff think they are all secret Democrats

No, you're right.
I actually totally think that (except for the "secret" part).

[JesseAz]

Most of them admit to coming from democratic ideologies in this very article in fact!

[Zeb]

So what? People change. And should be congratulated for it when they change for the better. I grew up with basically the usual default left-liberal assumptions. I got over it. That's a good thing.

[Tulpa]

You didn't though. You just represent that you did, then you start listing your views and it's obvious you have very little insight.

"So what? People change"

And progs lie. As a tactic.

[Tulpa]

"Sorry, you didn't" was actually the correct answer.

Feel free to cut and paste it so you can use it instead of the one you tried.

[Zeb]

That doesn't seem like an answer to the question he asked which was "why is that?"

I didn't say he mentioned Biden either, and my assumption turned out to be correct, so fuck off and tend to your knitting.

[The Sandman]

"That doesn’t seem like an answer to the question"

Who said anything about a question fuckhole?

"Funny that I didn’t even mention Biden,"

Learn to read dumbass. God how are you so stupid.

[CLM1227]

They ARE secret democrats. Nearly every single vote for Jo Jorgensen expressed previous voting choices for liberals and preferences for Democrat party/Biden over any kind of conservative view. One voted for Mondale because he said he'd raise taxes! I though trad libertarian were unreasonably anti-tax, and that's in the exact opposite direction.

But maybe you just read enough to see who they are voting for and didn't catch their reasons. The reasoning is what outs them.

[loveconstitution1789]

How can one be a Democrat when the Democratic Party has ALWAYS been the Party of slavery. Always.

[BigT]

Yes. Slavery today has morphed into high taxes, government programs that make people gov dependents, wealth redistribution, affirmative action, over-regulation, Obamacare, government schools, student loan programs, NSA, TSA, etc. It’s more like serfdom or indentured servitude.

[Sarah Palin's Buttplug 2]

But you're just a garden-variety Aborto-Freak conservative. What do you know about how libertarians think?

ENB is voting for Jorgensen. You, John, Jesse, LovesTrumpsTinyMushroomDick1789 etc are all conservative trolls taking a break from Bratfart.

[Mother's Lament]

Fuck off you fat, pudding-finged pedophile.

[JesseAz]

Says the self admitted leftist.

[Just Say'n]

Ciaremmelli is the "criminal justice reporter" who was super pissed that Roger Stone wasn't going to serve seven years in prison for lying to the FBI about something that wasn't even a crime.

Only in Koch world do white liberals get rebranded "libertarian-y".

[Chipper Morning Wood--------------------------------------------------------------------------]

Why would they lie? That's insane.

[Tulpa]

Yeah no one in journalism would ever get in any trouble with their peers for their politics lolololol

God you're dumb fake Chipper.

[BigT]

If their lefty neighbors get wing that they’re voting for Trump they would be cancelled from the neighborhood. For Biden they would be admitting their real bias.

[CE]

And while voting may be mathematically a waste of time, if large groups of libertarian leaning voters voluntarily give up their right to vote, it only lends more power to the authoritarians.

Politicians aren't like your teeth -- ignore them and they won't go away.

[Juice]

it only lends more power to the authoritarians

nah

[Nonstopdrivel]

Who do you plan to vote for this year? No one. Both Trump and Biden are awful enough that I can't imagine voting for either. While I wish Jo Jorgensen well, the cost of figuring out which state I'm still registered in and how exactly I'm supposed to cast my ballot during COVID exceeds any benefit I'd get from supporting her doomed presidential bid.

Wow, Little Britches. Do you have the faintest clue what a milquetoast, limp-wristed, lily-livered pussy you sound like? You're an embarrassment to our generation and to libertarianism in general.

[Pepin the short]

Journalists are small people devoid of real convictions.

ENB votes based feelings as referenced by her Obama vote on “hope”.

[Eric]

Lol. Do you realize how “limp-wristed” internet “tuff-gais” sound to those of us who remember having to back up your words with your fists?

[Nardz]

Says the little bitch who begs the editors to SWAT commenters he doesn't like.
Fuck you, pussy.

[Martin Short]

those of us who remember having to back up your words with your fists?

Name the time and place you pathetic little bitch. Not a joke.

[Eric]

Lol. So much tuff-gai.

[Lenard]

You skeered.

[JesseAz]

You literally started the exchange dummy.

[Eric]

It’s true. I’d better de-escalate this or I’m gonna get my clock cleaned by one of these anonymous bad assess.

[Larry C.]

You could always stop running and deflecting and just accept. Then it wouldn't be anonymous and you wouldn't be a pussy that is making excuses.

[M Riddle]

Ok you're that guy that says "wanna go" then spends 10 minutes bitch whining and danicing around before threatening to call the cops if you actually have to go.

[Hank Ferrous]

Sure seems like it.

[Eric]

Ok fine then. You’ve all got me cornered. Let’s fight. How do I do it internet tuff-gai style?
Typing Contest? Mom’s Basement Decorating Contest? Best Mac & Cheese recipe?
How about COD Warzone? (I’ll meet you at the firehouse in Promenade East and we’ll settle this once and for all!)

[Just Say'n]

Eric is so scared he's pretending he can't read!

"How do I do it internet tuff-gai style?"

"Name the time and place you pathetic little bitch"

[M Riddle]

Ok I should have said 20 minutes.

[Granite]

Fucking pussy - look at him backpedaling

[Max Damage]

"Eric
October.12.2020 at 2:05 pm
Lol. Do you realize how “limp-wristed” internet “tuff-gais” sound to those of us who remember having to back up your words with your fists?"

If they don't they can read your posts and see your limpness.

Come on. Back up your words with your fists like you said you do. Stop punking yourself.

[R Mac]

Damn Eric, you should probably just apologize for embarrassing yourself.

[Nail]

Wow. This is embarrassing af, I’m surprised they actually felt comfortable publishing this.

[JesseAz]

Same lol. It's a lot of ex democrats who still lean that way.

[JesseAz]

One other note. Tons of emotive language in their statements.

[Mother's Lament]

I noticed that too.
Heavy on feelings, low on material facts.

[Jim Logajan]

Yes, the bulk of Reason staffers seem to admit to emotion driven decision making. The same emotional rationalization seems to appear among some article commenters. My own prioritized issue cross reference table yields a preference for Jorgensen, Trump, and lastly Biden. Trump trumps Biden on SCOTUS and regulatory issues, and on all the rest like trade, crime, and immigration (legal and illegal) the two seem equally weighted. Trump has been claimed to be a tyrant but I have not seen any citizen I know subjected to said tyranny in any specific way, while I do know many who have actual harm to show for tyranny at the state level.

[Overt]

Indeed, ever since Biden promised to Tariff Harder (TM), really the only issue he is more libertarian on is Immigration. As much as I want less restrictive immigration, from wars to regulations, to lockdowns- Trump wins hands down.

Hell, even Trump did (mediocre) criminal reform, while all Obama *and Biden* could do was have a beer. In a pure pro-con analysis, Trump comes out strong. The reason he loses to them is all his delivery.

[chemjeff radical individualist]

It is not just "delivery". It is about the man himself.

We are not being asked to vote for an abstract policy platform. We are being asked to vote for a specific person. And Trump is a horrible human being, regardless of his politics. I would not vote for Trump if he had the platform of Milton Friedman, because I do not trust Trump to govern with any semblance of wisdom, and the last four years has demonstrated this aptly. He is a narcissistic clown and I am embarrassed that the few policy items with which I agree with him are associated with him in any way.

[Tulpa]

"And Trump is a horrible human being, regardless of his politics."

Ladies and gentlemen, Jeff FINALLY admits the truth.

He hates Trump personally and doesn't care about his politics.

Jeff has been lying about this for 4 years.

[RabbiHarveyWeinstein]

Which of course means that Jeff is completely incapable of seeing issues clearly, as he admits but refuses to accept.

[R Mac]

I don’t call him Lying Jeffy for nothing.

[chemjeff radical individualist]

When have I ever attempted to conceal that I loathed Trump?

And, you are misrepresenting me (par for the course, I know). Trump the person is horrible REGARDLESS of his politics. There are many policy positions that Trump holds that I actually agree with. But I will never vote for Trump because I will not support him the loathsome human being. If Trump died tomorrow and it was Pence on the top of the ticket, that would make me MORE likely to vote for Team Red because at least it wasn't a waste of human skin running for office. I'd probably still vote for JoJo, but the chance of me voting for Team Red would go from 0% to >0%. Get it now?

[Tulpa]

Bro you're a fucking liar no one cares what you think.

[Tulpa]

"And, you are misrepresenting me"

By quoting you.

Ladies and Gentlwmen, Jeff has fucked up so badly that he is accusing his own words of misrepresenting him.

He said he "would not vote for Trump if he had the platform of Milton Friedman, " but somehow I am misrepresenting that he made it about his butthurt feelings for Trump and not issues.

[RabbiHarveyWeinstein]

He's misrepresenting you? Fuck you Jeff.

 Tulpa
October.12.2020 at 4:08 pm
“And Trump is a horrible human being, regardless of his politics.”

Ladies and gentlemen, Jeff FINALLY admits the truth.

He hates Trump personally and doesn’t care about his politics

chemjeff radical individualist
October.12.2020 at 6:43 pm
When have I ever attempted to conceal that I loathed Trump?

And, you are misrepresenting me (par for the course, I know). Trump the person is horrible REGARDLESS of his politics. There are many policy positions that Trump holds that I actually agree with. But I will never vote for Trump because I will not support him the loathsome human being

Looks like you got caught lying about being misrepresented (par for the course, I know). I mean, you admitted exactly what he said.

Yoy just hate that the truth about you is out and that Tulpa pointed it out.

[chemjeff radical individualist]

The lie is the claim that I don't care about Trump's politics. I actually agree with many things that Trump stands for. But he will never get my vote because, again, I am not being asked to vote on an abstract policy platform, I am being asked to vote for a man. And I will never support that garbage human being. So I absolutely do like the idea of lower taxes. But I do not support Trump as the vehicle to deliver them.

[The Sandman]

"Get it now?"

I do. You were accused of ignoring the issues and voting based in personal animus, and you agreed that was true while whining that you were being misrepresented, which was false.

[Roberta]

This was the problem with Howard Stern for governor of NY too. But some of us were attracted to him for exactly the reasons others were repelled by him. So with Trump.

[R Mac]

Nobody cares Lying Jeffy.

[RabbiHarveyWeinstein]

chemjeff radical individualist
October.12.2020 at 3:34 pm
It is not just “delivery”. It is about the man himself.

We are not being asked to vote for an abstract policy platform. We are being asked to vote for a specific person. And Trump is a horrible human being, regardless of his politics. I would not vote for Trump if he had the platform of Milton Friedman

Principals before Principles, very progressive of you.

[Sarah Palin's Buttplug 2]

This is that emoting Ken is constantly hitting you with.

[chemjeff radical individualist]

Ken has no leg to stand on. He is the site's biggest emotional hypocrite as he pretends to be this stoic figure like in some Ayn Rand novel but instead wants to hide behind the skirts of Daddy Trump to save him from the big bad Antifa Monster hiding under his bed. Ken is full of it.

[Mother's Lament]

Nice fanfic.
Does Sqrls have big pecs and a manly jaw in your imagination too?

[Tulpa]

"He is the site’s biggest emotional hypocrite"

Now you're whatabouting Ken?

Because his emotions don't cancel yours fatty.

[DesigNate]

Hahahahahahahahaha

[Pepin the short]

You calling anybody emotional is amazing. All you do is emote

[JesseAz]

No, it is about the policy. The fact that you think it is about the person, while ignoring all of the issues with the Biden's on a personal level, is hilarious.

[chemjeff radical individualist]

The truly amusing part, for a Team Red hack like yourself, is how easily you have adopted the Team Blue playbook of the late 1990's when they were defending Clinton's philandering and contemptible conduct. Then, they would defend Clinton no matter what because he had the right position on abortion (in their view). You are doing the same exact thing. Trump could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and he'd still have your vote because policies. When exactly did Team Red go from "character matters" to "I don't give a shit about character"? Hmm?

[Mother's Lament]

There's a lot of people on 5th Avenue I'd like to see Trump shoot TBH.

[Overt]

So you are telling me you won't vote for ANY politician then? Because as near as I can tell, if you only care about how good a human being they are, then no politician should be acceptable.

[Nardz]

JoJo the blmantifa ho is up to chemjeff's systemically racist standards

[chemjeff radical individualist]

I have minimum standards. Trump is far, far beneath them.

Let me ask you: would you vote for Jeffrey Dahmer if he had Milton Friedman's platform? Or does a person's character actually matter?

[Sevo]

"I have minimum standards..."

If that were true, you fail.

[Tulpa]

I'm hiring a fucking employee to do a job, I care fuckall about his "character" I care about results.

The President isn't supposed to be your boyfriend.

[DesigNate]

Is he going to fuck and eat our enemies?

[Tulpa]

APPEARANCES!!!

[Overt]

"would you vote for Jeffrey Dahmer if he had Milton Friedman’s platform?"

I suppose I care about results. So no, I wouldn't vote for Dahmer because a guy who eats and consumes people isn't going to get me my reduced government.

On the other hand, I find Trump to be a milquetoast liberal dressed in Red clothing. He is a charlatan who has doffed his pro gun-control, pro-universal healthcare bonafides to go in hot and heavy on other populist issues. This is why I don't like him.

On the other hand, I do like the results. Trump has been better on wars than the Obama Biden administration was. He has been better on Criminal Justice than Biden ever was.

And spare me the "loathsome" nonsense. We have 40 years of Biden warmonging, sniffing girls, locking up blacks, and apologizing for real, actual racists and segregationists. We have his son getting rich in exactly the places Biden has held political power. So what is it that Trump did that Biden hasn't been doing for 40 years of government power? The only real difference is that Trump talks worse, and pisses off your side. That's it. It is only style.

[chemjeff radical individualist]

I suppose I care about results. So no, I wouldn’t vote for Dahmer because a guy who eats and consumes people isn’t going to get me my reduced government.

No no, you are trying to have it both ways. The question I posed posited that Jeffrey Dahmer had Milton Friedman's platform. So THIS Jeffrey Dahmer is going to give you reduced government, and he's a cannibal. Vote for him, or not?

And no I will not spare you the "loathsome" nonsense because Trump deserves every word of it. Biden is not a saint but he is a better human being than Trump. Hell, probably about 90% of the people in the phone book are better human beings than Trump. He is a lying conman idiot xenophobic demagogue. He is your idiot Uncle Fester who does nothing but watch Fox News all day and repeat every idiotic conspiracy theory on your Facebook page, but this Uncle Fester has *actual power* and harms people with that power. He does not give a shit about anyone else except himself, not even his own family. He must be the center of attention and will make sure everyone knows it. And this is not even getting into his sexcapades. I would not hire him to mow my lawn.

The only real difference is that Trump talks worse, and pisses off your side.

No that's NOT it. When did Biden, or ANY other politician, cheat on his wife? Multiple times? With multiple wives? And pay a hooker? And then pay off the hooker with hush money? In the middle of a political campaign? When does Biden, or ANY other politician, tweet excessively and demand to be the center of attention no matter what? When does Biden, or ANY other politician, so excessively and thoroughly demagogue foreigners and wrap themselves in the flag so shamelessly and blame outsiders for all of the country's problems? There are some jingoists out there, but Trump really takes the cake.

You want to believe that Trump is just like every other politician but just open about his rank behavior. No, that is the cynicism talking. Trump is just rank, and he drags everyone around him down into the mud trying to get them to justify Trump's own awful behavior.

[R Mac]

Lying Jeffy has to say Trump is as bad as a fucking cannibal to justify being controlled by his TDS.

[chemjeff radical individualist]

I did not say Trump is as bad as a cannibal. I am making a point, that Overt understood and responded to in good faith. Take your bad-faith trolling elsewhere and let adults have a discussion in peace for a change.

[R Mac]

“So no, I wouldn’t vote for Dahmer because a guy who eats and consumes people isn’t going to get me my reduced government.”

This is Overt making fun of your dumb question dummy. And you didn’t even realize it, lol!

[Overt]

"So THIS Jeffrey Dahmer is going to give you reduced government, and he’s a cannibal."

Pretty weak sauce captain. A man who murders and eats people is so far beyond the pale that he isn't going to achieve what I want him to. But for the sake of argument- if I thought this guy was going to achieve my aims through some Democrat-like ability to spout the socialist platitudes that would get the media to look the other way, yeah I would probably not vote for him.

So you got me, Chemjeff. I have my limits...except wait.

"Biden is not a saint but he is a better human being than Trump."

And here is where we are, just making value judgements. Biden literally excused Segregationists. He apologized for them. He carried water for them. He helped them push their agendas. Some of those agendas included passing bills that locked up countless blacks. Countless blacks, some of whom Trump helped free.

Trump didn't lock these people up. He was busy cheating on his wife.

Yeah they are all shitheads. Big, entitled shitheads who would spit on both of us just as soon as stumble over our injured bodies in the street. I have no illusions that Trump is anything but a charlatan, as I said. Indeed, I think he is an odious womanizing prick. Just. Like. Biden.

" When did Biden, or ANY other politician, cheat on his wife?"

Oh really? How old are you. May I direct your attention to one Mr Bill Clinton? Anthony Weiner? Hell, even Biden has been accused of such. There are so many of these fucking womanizing shitheads that it becomes impossible to keep count. Impossible. But for some reason, Trump is the one to single out. What makes his infidelity suddenly more important than a long line of cheating shitheads? You and I both know: he doesn't support your politics.

Let's just review for a second: In the 90s and early 2000's, Biden and the Clintons were happily enjoying their Grift. Clinton possibly raped someone in office, and then perjured himself to avoid showing a pattern of exploiting young women under his control. His wife was complicit, helping to destroy the characters of anyone who dared complain about this. And by the way, it set the feminist movement back by about 20 years as they tried excusing Bill's excess. Advance into the later 2000's and we have Biden supposedly groping a subordinate, along with plenty documented creep factor. We have several other Lefty power brokers (Weinstein, Epstein) pushing this further. Meanwhile, all these assholes are starting wars, entrenching the deep state, enriching their families, and eroding our freedoms.

Trump was cheating on his wife and running a reality TV show. Yes, spare me your "loathsome". It doesn't even compare.

[Bluwater]

Oh for fucks sake? How many people do you actually happily do business with who wouldn't meet this "minimum standard" you claim, but never bother to check out? Probably most of them if truth be known because you get butt-hurt and offended so easily. I dare you to check out your landlord, the guy that owns or is the CEO of the grocery store you frequent, who the city hires in your name with your taxes [presuming you pay any], runs the gas station where you fill up your tank. Yet these people have far more impact on your personal life and you have full control over whether you do business with them. You're a lying hypocrite.

And no, I didn't care what Clinton did in his private time either unless it potentially opened him up to extortion. Under your theory, Jimmy Carter basically tanked the nation but was an amazing president.

[chemjeff radical individualist]

When the grocery store CEO has the power to confiscate my paycheck and send me to war, then maybe I'll have the same scathing words for the CEO that I do for Trump.

And what EXACTLY is your argument here? That everyone is trash, so elect the trashiest one to be in charge?

[R Mac]

“and send me to war,”

Here, Lying Jeffy exposes that his TDS is so overpowering, that he thinks Trump will reinstate the draft, and send even fat asses to war.

[R Mac]

“How many people do you actually happily do business with who wouldn’t meet this “minimum standard” you claim, but never bother to check out?”

Yeah but do they kill and eat people? Checkmate.
-Lying Jeffy

[chemjeff radical individualist]

he thinks Trump will reinstate the draft, and send even fat asses to war.

Not what I said, Troll Mac. He has the POWER to do so. I said nothing about whether he will or won't exercise that power.

[Sevo]

"It is not just “delivery”. It is about the man himself.

You.
Are.
STILL.
Full.
Of.
Shit.

[chemjeff radical individualist]

Well, it is Sevo.
I support low taxes. I support getting the military out of foreign wars. I support cutting spending (something that Trump claims to support in some theoretical sense, anyway). I support reducing regulations. I would prefer having more right-leaning judges than left-leaning judges, all things considered. And if it was not a waste of human skin like Trump running on the Team Red ticket, that person would have a more serious consideration from me for my vote. But not Trump, not ever. He is a con-man grifter, he is a reality TV clown, he divides the country and pits Americans against each other by not even trying to act as a president for everyone, he lies as easily as he breathes, he is an ignoramus (one of your favorite words), he doesn't even pretend to educate himself about important issues, he is an extreme narcissist, when the world isn't talking about him, he is compelled to change the subject to make sure everyone in the universe is talking about him, he is a demagogue who doesn't even realize how dangerous his demagoguery is, he is a xenophobic idiot, and that is just off the top of my head. I would consider voting for a Generic Republican Candidate who had Trump's positions, but I will not vote for Trump ever.

[Mother's Lament]

Jeff's not keen on the least warmongery President ever because he says mean things on Twitter.

[Tulpa]

Fuck deconstructing the regulatory state, Trump is crude.

[chemjeff radical individualist]

Let me ask you what I asked Overt.

If Jeffrey Dahmer had Milton Friedman's platform, would you vote for him?

No I am NOT saying Trump is a cannibal. I am pointing out however that character matters.

And it is not just that he says "mean things on twitter". It is because Trump himself is a horrible human being and his tweets ILLUSTRATE that.

[R Mac]

Here’s Lying Jeffy again comparing Trump to a cannibal, while lying about comparing Trump to a cannibal in the very same thread. He’s a prolific liar!

[Mother's Lament]

If Jeffrey Dahmer had Milton Friedman’s platform, would you vote for him?

No, because Dahmer was a fucking cannibal, Jeffrey.
You know who wasn't a cannibal? Trump.

Now explain to me sending mean tweets to millionaire Marxists and billionaire oligarchs is the same thing as killing and eating people.

Fucking demagogue.

[R Mac]

Lol. Comparing Trump to Hitler got old for Lying Jeffy, so he went with a cannibal.

Join us back here next week, where Lying Jeffy will compare Trump to Pol Pot! Until then boys and girls, try not to be as stupid as Lying Jeffy!

[Nardz]

Chemjeff's position is so illogical, he has to fantasize about what-if-Trump-as-cannibal to justify it.

[chemjeff radical individualist]

I am NOT saying Trump is a cannibal. I am making a point about how voting for a person based on policies alone is not justifiable, that the character of the individual matters. The good-faith commenters here like Overt understand it and respond appropriately. The bad-faith trolls who have nothing to do intentionally lie about it and use it to smear me. Trolls like Troll Mac and Fascist Nardz are the ones who make this place into a dumpster fire. Just go away and find somewhere else to bother people.

[Mother's Lament]

I am NOT saying Trump is a cannibal. I am making a point about how voting for a person based on policies alone is not justifiable

No, you were equivocating rude tweets with killing and eating people.

[Ignore me!]

Biden is also a horrible human being who struggles to articulate coherent thoughts on his best days. Harris is a nightmare who has laughed at the idea of upholding the Constitution. As bad as Trump can be, the Democrats have used him as an all-purpose excuse to hold the country hostage, justify/ignore widespread destruction and violence, and attempt to get a senile puppet elected they don't even want to allow out in public. The moralist/emotionalist argument for Biden is stupid. Biden is a moral and intellectual black hole.

[newshutz]

I personally know one person that was deported to Somalia for behavior in his youth, that he had long outgrown by the time Trump took office.

[Granite]

It’s a bunch of PC pussies who are too scared to tell anyone they’re voting trump - just like 50% of America.

[burserker]

if these 'journalists' ever need to find another job in the industry, they better kiss some donkey ass. they are about as libertarian as the BLM guy in austin, tx with the AK that got a dirt nap. not surprised with all the biden votes, the articles from reason continue to get more and more emotional, and less libertarian logic

[Quo Usque Tandem]

So they are all going to vote for pro regulation, pro gun control, champion of the 94 Crime Bill, and likely to pack the SCOTUS with more of the same because Trump.

[Martin Short]

because Trump.

No, they would have done that anyway, as they did in 2016, 2012, and 2008 when they first started doing these articles.

[Nemo Aequalis]

Embarrassed in front of whom? Right-libertarians are all but extinct. And they have no reason to be embarrassed in front of left-libertarians. This is the future of the libertarian movement.

[NashTiger]

Its worse than I thought
Reason is staffed by a bunch of former Kerry, Mondale, and (gulp)Jesse Jackson voters

[loveconstitution1789]

Most unreason staff don't even know what Libertarianism is because they cant get past their Party of Slavery ideals.

Its why Libertarianism is NOT represented here except in the comments.

[Chuck P. (The Artist formerly known as CTSP)]

I would have liked to know if Rommelmann is voting. Her coverage in Portland has been most enlightening and I am curious if her vote reflects what she seen there.

[Sometimes a Great Notion]

Not on the staff, unfortunately. She's an independent contractor.

[Mother's Lament]

Go figure. The only genuine libertarian writer (aside from Stossel and occasionally Nick) isn't on the payroll.

[Quo Usque Tandem]

Dalmia: I will cast my ballot for Joe Biden in Michigan, a swing state, because there is no bigger libertarian cause right now than to prevent Donald J. Trump from getting re-elected. He is a proto-authoritarian who digs dictators such as the Philippines' Rodrigo Duterte and who glorifies state violence.

Wow, you'd think she was going on about Cuomo. Or Whitmer. Or Phil Murphy. Apparently she actually believes the Democratic ticket is "libertarian."

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

Libertarian Marxism.

[Granite]

I like your comments a little more each day DR

[Mother's Lament]

And yet if you asked her for a concrete example of why or how Trump's a proto-authoritarian, she wouldn't give you one. Because it's all a big pile of innuendo and assumption and implication used to assert opportunistic outrage.

[Á àß äẞç ãþÇđ âÞ¢Đæ ǎB€Ðëf ảhf]

Every politician is proto-authoritarian. If you need proof of that, you are beyond hope and certainly not libertarian.

[Mother's Lament]

Thanks for the platitude, but do you even know what we're talking about?

Shikha: I will cast my ballot for Joe Biden in Michigan, a swing state, because there is no bigger libertarian cause right now than to prevent Donald J. Trump from getting re-elected. He is a proto-authoritarian

How is Trump a bigger "proto-authoritarian" than Biden? Or fucking Harris for that matter whose DA record is nothing but a boot stamping on a face.

[Sarah Palin's Buttplug 2]

She would reply that Trump's policy of rounding and detention of families and forced separation of the children would be proto-fascist.

I'm more of a free-trader, low deficit/spender classic liberal - just answering because she won't.

[Mother's Lament]

Fuck off you fat, pudding-finged pedophile.

[damikesc]

"She would reply that Trump’s policy of rounding and detention of families and forced separation of the children would be proto-fascist."

A policy started under Obama/Biden, mind you...

[Sevo]

"Biden incorrectly claims Obama administration didn't separate families"
[...]
"The Obama administration did not separate families as a matter of policy, as the Trump administration did as part of its “zero tolerance” border policy in 2018, but separations occurred on a case-by-case basis for parents being prosecuted on more serious charges than illegally crossing the border or in cases when an adult was suspected of not being a child’s parent, according to CNN.
Children were also placed in cages in some cases under the Obama administration, and Obama-era images of children in such structures have been mislabeled as occurring under the Trump administration on several occasions."
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/461230-biden-incorrectly-claims-obama-administration-didnt-separate-families

Don't you have some kiddies to diddle, you lying piece of lefty shit?

[Sarah Palin's Buttplug 2]

Oh and

MIGRANT CARAVAN!
SHIT YER PANTS, BOYS!

is how I make fun of the white nationalists.

Still the massive deficit is my big gripe.

[Tulpa]

Ok Jackand Ace.

[Ignore me!]

Trump's authoritarianism is scattershot and often involves flailing reactions to perceived offenses. It also is likely as not to end with a Twitter storm, not affect actual policy. He also does not always act in an authoritarian fashion. Some of his policy positions are quite good.

The Democrats have a long wishlist of items that are authoritarian to the core, not "proto" at all, and they intend to enact every last one of them. Biden will be a rubber stamp for all that if elected. It's ridiculous to think Biden improves on Trump in any way, and in many ways he's far, far worse.

[JesseAz]

Shikha would point to borders and immigration numbers. That's her only concern.

[Bluwater]

That and anything anti-Trump, and anything anti-Modi, Prime Minister of India, whom I'm sure so many Americans give a damn about. How she ended up as a senior analyst at Reason Foundation is a mystery. Her only criticism of the left is reserved for how they let Trump get elected.

My only question as to her motivation here is how many of her relatives she wants to dump into the US systems.

[DesigNate]

She would. It would be about immigration because that’s her hobby horse.

[Terry Anne Lieber (Don't Feed Tony)]

Shiksa is as retarded as ever.

[Quo Usque Tandem]

I too live in MI and I will make certain I cancel out one Biden vote; my treat Shiska.

[R Mac]

#metoo

[Á àß äẞç ãþÇđ âÞ¢Đæ ǎB€Ðëf ảhf]

Read again, especially what you quoted. Nothing there claims Dems are libertarian. All she said is that defeating Trump is the biggest libertarian cause. That itself is a lie; why did you have to lie when you had the goods in what you quoted?

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

[Trump] seems willing to stoke chaos to hold onto power, and I'm sick of talking and hearing about him.

Without disrespecting anyone's voting choice, this is just ridiculous.

[Zeb]

Yeah, I don't get it. The objections to Trump are so vague. I'm also sick of talking about and hearing about Trump. But that's not really relevant. What has he done or is he likely to do that is really so bad? He says a lot of ridiculous things, but as far as I can see, actual policy decisions and actions are well within the normal range of political discourse in the US. There is plenty to dislike about him for a libertarian. But that's true of every major party candidate.

[Bluwater]

And minor one.... including the LP.

[JesseAz]

The Russian conspiracy was totally about order and not chaos.

[Eric]

What’s not to get? While I agree that Trump’s actions don’t equal what comes out of his mouth or phone, his lack of respect for American institutions concerns me. It’s those institutions that will stand as a bulwark against a malignant authoritarian, be they from the right or left. Populism is a dangerous path and history shows that once entrenched institutions are removed their is little stand in the way of a tyrant.

[DaveSs]

The institutions are the mechanism by which authoritarianism will be imposed.

[Eric]

Said every tyrant ever.

[Tulpa]

Could you TRY to make sense at least idiot.

[Zeb]

Fair enough. But I see the left as a much bigger threat to the institutions that keep this country a decent place than Trump is.
Only one side of the political debate is openly calling for court packing and destruction of traditional family structures and "the patriarchy" (which as far as I can tell just means "Western civilization".) And this year, between the covid freakout and BLM, the left has really lost it. They need at least another 4 years out of power and hopefully some adults will take charge.

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

Trump disrespects the deep state, the unaccountable intelligence agencies, and the DC swamp in general. The Democrats, on the other hand, disrespect the Electoral College, the First and Second amendments, our international borders, private property and earned wealth, you right to defend yourself against an angry, marxist mob... I could go on.

Which group would you rather see have any power?

[Zeb]

Right, so Trump wants to disrupt the institutions that libertarians have generally not held in very high regard (to say the least).

[Nardz]

Eric begged Reason editors to dox and SWAT me.
But he's totes concerned about institutions as a bulwark against tyranny...

[Eric]

“Flag your comment” !=“Dox and Swat” and you’re still here, and still unimportant enough for them to give a shit I suppose. I guess you’ll have to up the impotent rage to eleven kid.

[Nardz]

You didn't flag my comment, you begged the Reason editors to dox me and contact the police department to Red Flag me.
You better pray every remaining second of your pathetic boot licking life that me and people like me are and remain as "impotent and unimportant" as you hope we are.
I hope "your" kid finds a masculine figure in his life to guide him, because all you've got are hysterical feelings and not enough intellectual capacity to process them.
Or you could stop being selfish and do the right thing for your family: kill yourself.

[Eric]

I said eleven. That’s barely an 8 on the impotent rage scale. Here’s some fuel: Go look in the mirror for 5 straight minutes. Then get back to me. I’ll wait.

[Jormungand the Midgard Serpent]

Link it then.

[Hank Ferrous]

If Nardz is telling the truth, and there is compelling reason to think he is and you are not, then your 'Said every tyrant ever' comment really is self-referential, isn't it? Is the impotent rage comment as well?

[Nardz]

Of course it is, look how flustered he got

[Nardz]

http://reason.com/2020/09/30/tuesdays-debate-demonstrated-that-donald-trump-wants-this-election-to-become-a-chaotic-mess/#comments

[Nardz]

Eric
September.30.2020 at 9:48 am
People need to make sure to flag this comment. I don’t know how to throw a red flag on this guy but I hope someone at Reason sees this and contacts authorities.

[Just Say'n]

So Eric was lying here too.

[Eric]

You’ve got me. I’m a tyrant (and a self-loathing progressive). I should never have challenged someone as well-esteemed as the venerable ‘Nardz’. He is a man of upmost character. He loves America so much he donates at least 16 hours per day educating us here at H&R on every...single...thread. Forgoing love, a job, friends and a life whatsoever. His contributions of “kill yourself”, & “die in a fire” desperately repeated ad nauseam in hopes that we would just better ourselves. Thank you for helping me to see the light. I’ll go...

[Nardz]

Bye

[Sevo]

"I’ll go…"

Please, fuck off and die. Make your family proud.

[Eric]

I was just joking. Nardz, you’re the gift that keeps on giving. How could I leave you? You complete me. We need each other.

[Just Say'n]

"I was just joking"

So you're a liar too.

[Nardz]

"We need each other."

No, I do just fine without your presence. You really don't add anything except begging other people to get State authorities to assault someone else's civil rights.

[R Mac]

That is pretty fucked up that he did that. Truly exposes his authoritarian inclinations.

[Granite]

Go kill yourself eric. There’s no excuse for that shit.

You represent the worst that humanity has to offer. I hope all your kids don’t grow.

[chemjeff radical individualist]

But I see the left as a much bigger threat to the institutions that keep this country a decent place than Trump is.

Well IMO claims like this really ought to be a lot more nuanced.

There is the "institutional left" who thinks that if this new agency or this new bureau is created, then that will bring about utopia on earth. Basically, technocrats. They aren't going to tear down institutions, they want to create more of them.

Then there is the more "revolutionary left" like the cosplayers in Portland. Yes they have a lot of wacky and ridiculous beliefs. They should stay far far away.

I think it's safe to say that Biden isn't on the "revolutionary left" side of things.

[Eric]

This is a good point and I was trying to make it below to Paul. Joe Biden does not represent Antifa or any other leftist mobs that are a threat to American institutions. His nomination is a repudiation against people like AOC.
Trump himself is one of the most prominent voices against our institutions. There is a big difference.

[Tulpa]

"This is a good point"

Lol Jeff agreeing with himself.

Sad.

[Sarah Palin's Buttplug 2]

Biden doesn't represent BLM, Antifa, the Defund Police crowd, or the Bernie/AOC left but conservatives can't run on Trump's record so they have to demonize Biden as far-left.

Fat Rush (King of the Rednecks) Limbaugh gave them this failed strategy.

[Tulpa]

Fuck off Jackand Ace.

[Hank Ferrous]

Biden has adopted, as he always does, the views that he thinks will get him what he wants. Thus, a another more stringent gun ban, the green new deal, issuing a denial of Antifa's 'realness.' To claim Biden doesn't represent these groups may be true to some degree, but it is far from true.

[burserker]

90% of biden voters represent blm, antifa, defund the cops, and bernie marxists. he is a career politician with zero priniciples, and from the looks of things won't be able to run again in 4 years...

[Overt]

"His nomination is a repudiation against people like AOC."

That is crazy. He had Bernie endorse him. He picked Kamala Harris as his running mate. It isn't a repudiation, it is putting lipstick on a pig. Biden is the Weekend at Bernies corpse put up in front of the country to continue the charade that they haven't gone full on marxist. But you cannot look at his platform without realizing that the party has shifted drastically to the left- pulled there by Sanders and Warren, and cheerlead along by Harris and her other second-tier team.

[Eric]

I wasn’t trying to defend Biden or the Democrats. But they could have selected Bernie. That would have been a much stronger indication that the plurality of Democratic voters were in a “burn it down” mood.

[Bluwater]

Actually, no.... with Bernie, they would have had to do it in the open and suffer the political consequences. Biden can't find his pants in the morning and is still running for the Senate when he's not promising to cure cancer and telling black people how to be black. Biden gives the real power brokers cover so when there is fallout, they can blame it on his shit for brains at whatever time it becomes necessary to institute a fall guy. And I'll guarantee that they have his name on a confession on January 20th when he was signing "inauguration papers", with a date and details to be filled in later. Fuck, with him, I'm not yet convinced they didn't take Colonel Klink's monocle away and trade it for hair plugs.

[chemjeff radical individualist]

He had Bernie endorse him.

How many Republicans who claimed to loathe Trump winded up endorsing him in 2016 and working with him now? Hmm?

It's about power. It's not about ideology.

He picked Kamala Harris as his running mate.

You think Kamala Harris is an AOC clone? Kamala Harris is the type of prosecutor that AOC rails against.

[Juice]

His nomination is a repudiation against people like AOC.

That's why he's running against the Green New Deal.

[Bluwater]

While he's running for it on his website. When you take all sides on a position, nobody can hold you to a damn thing.

[Inquisitive Squirrel]

His nomination is a repudiation of AOC? Is that why he choose Harris and has AOC and Sanders as advisors?

Please, just put down the kool-aid.

[Eric]

I stand by it. Biden’s a centrist. Bernie would have been an embrace of socialism.

[Lenard]

"I stand by it."

Ok it's your funeral.

Biden won't be running anything. So his centrism, such that it is, is meaningless.

[Eric]

What does that have to do with anything I’ve said?
You all are looking so hard for a leftist boogeyman to burn here that any counterpoint must mean that the poster is fucking Mao and Che’s love child.

[Max Damage]

"What does that have to do with anything I’ve said?"

"His nomination is a repudiation against people like AOC."

Are you actually retarded?

[R Mac]

Yes, he is.

[Inquisitive Squirrel]

Yet he's not, no matter how many times you say it. He may have been 20 years ago, but he is certainly not now.

[damikesc]

"Biden’s a centrist."

...compared to what other nominee?

[Eric]

Bernie, no?

[damikesc]

He just signed on to support his policies and named a far leftist to be his VP. I'm not seeing this difference you seem to see.

[Pepin the short]

Has he come out for or against the green new deal?

Biden has no thoughts of his own. He is a figurehead. A figurehead at the will of media and far far left socialists.

[Ignore me!]

This, totally. The Democrats have been by far the greatest enablers of political and social chaos since Trump got elected. Trump doesn't come anywhere near their level.

[Ignore me!]

This was meant to go to something Zeb said, not in any way to any of Chemjeff's bullshit.

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

Trump’s actions don’t equal what comes out of his mouth or phone, his lack of respect for American institutions concerns me.

As a libertarian, there's a lot to disrespect about American institutions-- especially the ones that have been cemented in place extra-constitutionally by activist and progressive visionaries.

Populism is a dangerous path and history shows that once entrenched institutions are removed their is little stand in the way of a tyrant.

This assumes a lot. I just heard Sen. Mike Lee correctly noted that the United States is not a democracy, but is a Constitutional Republic. Confused blue checkmarks and twitter mobs freaked out. AOC demanded that if the US isn't a Democracy, then "it should be". So again, depending on what institutions and why is the elephant in the living room here.

I'm sorry, but I'm just not convinced that Trump is the unique existential threat to America when staring down Biden's Green New Deal and perma-lockdown attitudes. None of this is to even discuss Democratic governors who, by demonstration have become a unique existential threat to America.

[Eric]

I don’t disagree with you on the threat of the left. But I think that you’re juxtaposing leftist radicals with Joe Biden. It’s not like Trump is trying to play the adult in the room while radicals on the right are calling for a populist revolt. It’s Trump himself who is targeting our institutions, weakening public confidence in any institution that contradicts or challenges him. Can you not see the difference?

[TJJ2000]

...as-if Republican's weren't loaded with enough RINO'S already!!!!

You just as well of said, "Why can't Trump just pussy-out every-time Democratic Institutions/Gangs challenge him... Most of the other RINO'S do..."

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

It’s not like Trump is trying to play the adult in the room while radicals on the right are calling for a populist revolt.

This is the kind of blinders I'm talking about. In my town, they're burning down businesses, taking over public spaces (killing a few unarmed black kids that has conveniently slipped out of the news cycle), demanding a forced redistribution of all wealth and property and have strongly sided with BLM-- not just the slogan, but the organization that wants to destroy the nuclear family and eliminate international borders. My town will support Biden, so by extension, I see the the populist revolt as coming almost exclusively from the left. Whatever popular revolt has come with Trump has occurred mostly at the ballot box, not at the point of a gun or a thrown molotov cocktail.

[Eric]

I’m not going to question your perspective, but I do agree that the blinders we wear affect our view of the world.

[Tulpa]

Yours certainly do at least.

[Granite]

At least he admits he’s as dumb as a horse.

Sorry horses.

[Overt]

"It’s not like Trump is trying to play the adult in the room while radicals on the right are calling for a populist revolt."

Cities were burning down when the Democratic Convention took place, and they could not mention that once. So to the extent that Biden doesn't "Speak for" or "Represent" the leftists, he certainly did not REPUDIATE it as you claim. It took him weeks and a slip in the polls before he would do so.

[Eric]

“ So to the extent that Biden doesn’t “Speak for” or “Represent” the leftists, he certainly did not REPUDIATE it as you claim.”

Where did I say that Biden repudiated anything? I did say that his nomination was a repudiation of people like AOC.

[How much for the cat?]

And you were laughed at for it.

[R Mac]

“Where did I say that Biden repudiated anything? I did say that his nomination was a repudiation”

You should read this back to yourself very, very slowly. Then go play in traffic.

[Inquisitive Squirrel]

I'm so sick of platitudes against Trump.

So please, what institutions are targeted by Trump that bothers you so much?

What institutions have been weakened by Trump?

[Eric]

Seriously? Even those who agree with you upthread acknowledge that he’s targeting institutions. Think of any DC based organization and that’s likely a member of the list.

[JesseAz]

So name one.

[Eric]

CIA

[Inquisitive Squirrel]

Um, I assumed "targeting" was being used as a pejorative. However, it appears that you are using that word to refer to flushing out abuses within institutions like the CIA and FBI. In that case, I am okay with targeting institutions to make sure they are not corrupt swamp pits.

[Max Damage]

Wait I'm supposed to be UPSET that someone in "targeting" the CIA?

Are you drunk?

[damikesc]

"CIA"

The Libertarian case FOR the CIA is...what?

Utterly unaccountable group willing and able to commit crimes and cause massive destabilization globally. Yeah, I have few qualms with critiquing them.

[Eric]

Moved goalposts noted

[Sevo]

Bullshit noted.

[R Mac]

Here, Eric exposes himself as an authoritarian.

[Inquisitive Squirrel]

Curious, what goalposts do you think were moved?

[damikesc]

Eric, where is the problem with Trump "targeting" or even "weakening" the CIA? That's a POSITIVE thing. If he STRENGTHENED it, then you'd have a valid critique.

[Eric]

“Curious, what goalposts do you think were moved?”

Assuming anyone reading this shit show at this point cares, I’ll give this my best good faith go: You’d have to read the whole thread. But to sum up my positions. I’m worried about Trump’s attacks on our institutions. The reason being is not that I love our institutions or even want to defend their actions. Rather, they are what stand as the bulwark against an authoritarian (left or right) seizing power in our country. We need checks and balances against tyranny, and Congress and SCOTUS have become unreliable as they are largely political apparatus’ at this point. Instead, I want to believe that a thoughtful general could refuse to start a war, or that the FBI could, if needed, bring charges against POTUS.
I believe Trump himself has degraded our faith in those institutions and is doing so not out of principle but to weaken them so that they cannot challenge him. As someone who would prefer to avoid a civil war, that concerns me. Someone balked at my assertion that Trump is targeting institutions and asked me to name one. I did (the CIA), and then the goalpost was moved asking me to defend the CIA.

[Tulpa]

"at this point cares, I’ll give this my best good faith go: You’d have to read the whole thread"

So you have nothing and decided to word salad.

[Nardz]

"The reason being is not that I love our institutions or even want to defend their actions. Rather, they are what stand as the bulwark against an authoritarian (left or right) seizing power in our country."

And his go-to was the CIA...
But at least he then mentioned... the FBI.
Wow

[Bluwater]

Eric, that is singularly and unmistakably the most tone-deaf thing you've said yet. Clapper and Brennan targeting the entire population of the US with recorded phone calls, lying about it to Congress and then admitting they lied. Comey who could remember it all when writing a book now can't remember anything other than his opinion about the "investigation" he was running. Brennan now apparently briefing the WH about Hillary Clinton's fraudulent move to discredit Trump and use a constitutionally questionable court to claim a sitting President has committed treason, all the accidentally trashed and crashed hard drives every time a subpoena was issued, and on and on.

These are the institutions that you think protect us from authoritarian rule? You're fucking with us, right?

[JesseAz]

The same institutions that have a near 100 year policy on global interventionism?

[Eric]

Unfortunately, yes. I’m not going to be tricked into defending the institutions and thier actions. Rather, as someone not itching for a civil war, I’d prefer their existence to none.
For examples of countries without institutional presence I’d present most of Africa and 20th century South America. In fact it was a colleague from Argentina who opened my eyes to how easily a country can be seized when there are few institutional forces present to stop it.

[Nardz]

You're not going be tricked into defending the institutions you're actively simping for.
Pathetic

[Bluwater]

"how easily a country can be seized when there are few institutional forces present to stop it."

Yes, and it can also be seized when those institutions are corrupted by powers. And how those institutions keep those who corrupted them in power.

I have full faith and confidence in the boots on the ground in both the CIA and the FBI. I've got relatives that do or have worked there and they are dedicated professionals who keep evil at bay. But they are not the ones who have any knowledge of top level corruption, and they are not the political appointees who bear allegiance to those who in turn, keep them in power.

Seriously, how about a random pick.... Comey replacing Mueller as head of the FBI, and then Mueller investigating Comey's claims as head of the FBI, but couldn't find anything wrong with what Comey did when he used an investigation that he can't remember to benefit the preferred successor of the man who appointed him.

I don't blame you for refusing to "be tricked" into defending that shit.

[Granite]

I’m gonna shit on your grave Eric.

[TJJ2000]

...and yet out of the last 50-years of tyrant fear; President Trump has CUT more government power than any other!!

I really don't get this 'orangemanbad' cult. For supposedly supporters of limited government; these editors wouldn't know a stick if it slapped them across the head.

[Overt]

"Populism is a dangerous path and history shows that once entrenched institutions are removed their is little stand in the way of a tyrant."

Totally agree with you. The problem is that it's populists all the way down. Biden is appealing to the same populist sentiments, just from the other direction. That is why he promised to be just as skeptical on free trade, and had Bernie- the Dem populist spokes-corpse up there endorsing him.

[damikesc]

It seems Reason believes giving the mob what they want is a good policy.

[JesseAz]

My lefty friends and I viewed Reagan to be a unique existential threat to America.

Lol.

[JesseAz]

So out of all the comments. Shikha voted gop once against Kerry. And one trump vote because liberals are bat shit insane. A lot of democratic mentions for votes in the article. So basically the leftist slant of the site is confirmed.

[Quo Usque Tandem]

That it is.

You would want to think that they could put persona second to principles, just this once. I am not voting for Trump because I like him, or that I believe him to be in any way "presidential." I am voting for the Republican ticket because they are the least likely to fuck with me in any given aspect of my life.

[JSinAZ]

Yes. This is how it seems to me. I didn’t vote for Trump in 2016 but I will now. The Democrats have farmed misery for votes in too obvious a way to let the difference go unnoticed.

[chemjeff radical individualist]

In Jesse's world, all but a few people voting for Jo Jorgensen represents a "leftist slant". Got it.

[Tulpa]

Fuck off Jeff.

[JesseAz]

In Jeff's world he can't read an actual comment nor the article to see a lot of past votes for democrats because Jeff is incapable of actual thought or discussion. Btw, you already tried this trick with your sock in the Roundup thread. Stop exposing yourself.

[chemjeff radical individualist]

I didn't comment in the Roundup thread today. I didn't even read it. The fact of the matter is, you will twist everything to support your narrative. When the majority of those who are voting are saying that they are going to vote for JoJo, you still must come in here with some other attempt at goalpost moving to try to "prove" that it's all leftists here at Reason. This time, by focusing on their "emotive language" or something.

[Tulpa]

Sure BrianL.

[Overt]

Chemjeff, do you disagree that the majority of the people on that list have previously voted for Democrats, based on the information they put in their survey?

It is a valid point that a large number of the writers come from the left, just as you do. I came to libertarianism from the right, which is why I do not have the same reflexive need to defend the left that you and the Reason writers have.

I will be voting for Jorgenson this year, but that is despite the writers above who overwhelmingly share a common kinship with the left, and will never see it in their hearts to give the benefit of the doubt to someone coming from the right. And that is a shame, because it is exactly why they have pissed off so many of the commenters here.

[JesseAz]

Jeff spends every waking moment pretending he isn't the left as he defends everything about the left. He won't admit it. He just lied about it when it is obvious where the biases of the writers here are based on this article.

[chemjeff radical individualist]

"Having previously voted for Democrats once or twice" does not make a person "from the left". Please, join us here in the real world, where the word Democrat is not a dirty word.

And by the way I don't actually "come from the left". I also started as a conservative. Not any more, and especially not after Trump.

and will never see it in their hearts to give the benefit of the doubt to someone coming from the right.

What are you talking about? They give the benefit of the doubt to right-wing arguments all the time. They frequently DON'T give the benefit of the doubt to PEOPLE WITH POWER, which is what they ought to do.

[Just Say'n]

"And by the way I don’t actually “come from the left”"

It's just where you landed.

[chemjeff radical individualist]

I'm about as much "on the left" as Nick Gillespie.

[R Mac]

False.

[chemjeff radical individualist]

True, Troll Mac. But what the hell would you know about it? You are too busy trolling and lying and making shit up in order to have fun at others' expense.

[JesseAz]

I know. Your sock did. Using the same type of attack.

[chemjeff radical individualist]

I don't have socks, Jesse.

[R Mac]

But who believes anything you say, Lying Jeffy? Maybe stop lying all the time, and people might believe you don’t sock.

[BrianL.]

No, it isn't. By my count there are 10 voting for Jo Jorgenson and 7 Not Voting. Then 4 for Biden and 1 for Trump. That's not a leftist slant by a long shot.

[Tulpa]

Fuck off also obviously Jeff.

[JesseAz]

Did you bother reading the other portion of the article, about votes they regretted? My god, do any of you lefties even try for honest argumentation? There is a Mondale, there is a Carter, etc etc.

[Zeb]

A lot of people are idealistic left-leaners in their 20s and then grow up.

[Tulpa]

Or are just saying they did.

[TJJ2000]

^This is so very true; I being one of those. It's so easy to be politically stupid and run around yelling what everyone else is/doing. virtue-signalling out of ignorant arrogance and pride (mostly picked up from boredom and public school).

When it comes time to actually 'DO' instead of wave banners and win popularity clown contests the competent (non-idiots) will always swing right. I know working adults who are still left-learners but every single one of them gets their pay from 'gov'. So in their own pride of feeling useful while ignoring the fact they'd be useless in a free-society; they live in a delusional land of the left.

[Bluwater]

Left or right, up or down, there's another thing in play that has nothing to do with growing up, and it's a very human trait - pride.

I know a hella lot of folks who would just never take the bait to grow up and change their mind on something, political or otherwise, because they invested so much of their time, credibility, and energy into being wrongly right, that to change that later in life would require them to admitting they were stupid, wrong, and naive at some point, and in many cases, give up similarly stupid friends for the sake of principle.

You'll know these silly little bastards by the fact that even as fully grown adults, they can't come up with a scintilla of reason why they believe something they say they do or deal with the other guy's argument in any mature way. I still have many of my base beliefs that I did when I was much younger, but they are now nuanced and I will happily and vigorously [if not crudely] debate my view all day long by forming logical arguments and actually dealing with facts and other opinions.

[JesseAz]

They didn't grow up a lot as they still defend a lot of aspects of the idealistic left.

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt that it was a 'trollish' comment given that he noted both Reagan and Trump were 'unique existential threats to America.

[JesseAz]

I won't. No benefit here at all.

[BestUsedCarSales]

It just reads like a joke to me. Especially since the implication is Reagan was not a unique existential threat, and so swallowing his pride and voting for Carter was unnecessary.

[Mother's Lament]

It does demonstrate that the DNC hasn't changed its fearmongering rhetoric over the last forty years though.

[Dillinger]

one of the 1980 debates was on cspan yesterday Carter was wailing about how Reagan was going to destroy Social Security

[Nardz]

Lol

They're really going to do it (this time)!

[Bluwater]

Damn! If only he'd done it, I wouldn't have a lifetime of paying into a system to fund someone else's retirement. My retirement is fully secured if I ever want/need to do that, but not by any government creation, and I'll likely never quit working anyway. Keep feeding crumbs to the minions and they will never see any need to make bread.

[Dillinger]

>>Texas has stringent requirements for absentee ballots, notwithstanding COVID-19, so I may not vote at all.

you are chained to a wall, or it's too fucking hard for you to request a ballot and follow instructions?

[damikesc]

...or is standing in a line to vote just too risky for him?

[Gray_Jay]

I don't get it. I live in Texas, and it took me maybe 10 minutes to vote in person today. Lots of barriers, social distancing, and sanitizer available.

If that's too much of an imposition, screw himl

[BestUsedCarSales]

Should have asked good ol' Ed Krayewski his opinion. I miss him.

[Dillinger]

>>After toying with Gary Hart

and good lord Donna Rice was hawt.

[Jackand Ace]

At the end of the day there is little chance that Gillespie, Tucille and Sullum don’t pull the lever for Trump. Any criticism they’ve had of this guy through 3 years has been tepid at best. And in the meantime no one has done more Than Trump for their core Issues...proliferation of guns, climate change hoax, tax cuts for the wealthy, and the evil that masks pose to civil liberty.

Jo Jorgensen will never do as much For their ideology. Why? Because she can’t win. Trump is CLEARLY their man. If his authoritarian impulses were so threatening to them, they would have warned everyone since 2016. It’s not an issue for them.

[Tulpa]

Fuck off screech.

[Sarah Palin's Buttplug 2]

I'm not 'Jackand Ace' you imbecile. It is not a creative enough handle for me.

IIRC the poster "Joe" from the 2000's came back as Jackland Ace (different spelling).

[Tulpa]

"I’m not ‘Jackand Ace’ you imbecile"

We saw you out yourself Jackand Ace, you fuckwit.

[RabbiHarveyWeinstein]

You obviously are, we saw you fuck up and out that sock.

Even if we hadn't, you running down here to defend the sock that you claim isn't you proves it.

The real Shreek would never do that.

[Jackand Ace]

Haha! You gotta laugh it off. So far I’ve been you, Joe, Screech, and more. It’s a thing around here...anyone who disagrees would just have to be someone from the past who inhabits their so-called minds, day and night.

But I feel bad for you...they’re now going to say you responded to yourself because evil knows no bounds.

[Tulpa]

Ok Shreek.

[Tulpa]

"So far I’ve been you, Joe, Screech, and more."

No, no one has been saying that but you fake Shreek.

[Tulpa]

"So far I’ve been you, Joe, Screech"

Ans it's funny, but you out yourself here by pointing out that your sock, whom you are replying to, isn't Shreek, fake Shreek.

[Mother's Lament]

Fuck off, Buttplug.
You're not fooling anyone with that sock.

[Roberta]

Gee, beats my record. I've been "identified" as, of all people, Mike Hihn. But I have had to work around HyR goofups by taking a few versions of my name, as suggested by the webmaster.

[Jackand Ace]

Ha! I’ll let you know when someone says I’m Roberta. I’m sure that’ll happen soon!

[DesigNate]

Screech, shrike, and buttplug are all the same person you absolute fucking knob.

[Martin Short]

Why do you keep using this sock after you already outed it, kiddie fucker?

[Á àß äẞç ãþÇđ âÞ¢Đæ ǎB€Ðëf ảhf]

SUGGESTION: Next time, include the state and its current polling. It makes a huge difference. If the state is likely to vote one way (CA NY), that provides a moral freedom that swing states don't offer.

[bobby oshea]

Look on the bright side, we should all be pleased that Peter Suderman is not casting a vote.

[Á àß äẞç ãþÇđ âÞ¢Đæ ǎB€Ðëf ảhf]

What, you think voting actually matters? Have you swallowed that KoolAid?

[SIV]

Some of my libertarian friends plan to vote for Biden because they view Trump to be a unique existential threat to liberty.

[Just Say'n]

These friends are the same "libertarians" who supported the Iraq War and voted Clinton.

Spoiler: they're Democrats not anything remotely libertarian about them

[lap83]

You've just never seen them before because they live in Canada, also they're black

[Trumptard]

Honestly, I would rather hear from the commentators. I'll start:

Who do you plan to vote for this year? Jo Jorgensen. I will vote for the candidate I want to win in the Presidential election. Since I think Biden will win the Presidency easily, I am voting for Republicans in the Senate and House races. We do not need the Democrats in charge of all three branches of government, which they will be if they win the Senate.

If you could change any vote you cast in the past, what would it be? I voted for Romney in 2012 because I could not believe how bad of a President Obama was and felt that he desperately needed to go. Plus his undeserved hubris really pissed me off. I should have voted for Johnson.

[Rev. Arthur L. Kuckland]

I'm still voting for mcaffe. He is the only one that can save us from the virus!

[Zeb]

I will only vote for candidates who come out strongly and unambiguously against any future lockdowns, forced business closures or mandates to wear certain facial accessories in response to an infectious disease or anything else. I need to check and see if any such people will actually be on the ballot.

[Union of Concerned Socks]

For me, just see Jesse Walker's entry, verbatim.

[loveconstitution1789]

He never says who he is voting for this election.

He always has word salad nonsense baked into his hack writing.

[Leo Kovalensky II]

He never says who he is voting for this election.

Who do you plan to vote for this year? I live in Maryland, where trying to have an impact on which candidate carries the state is the ultimate act of futility. I will cast a protest vote for Jo Jorgensen, which is also futile but doesn't feel as dirty.

[SIV]

Unlike Jesse Walker, I did vote for Jesse Jackson in a presidential primary. I was residing in a closed primary state and actually had to register as a Democrat just to do it. I'm a serial primary voter and thankfully, most of my legal residence has been in an open primary state where I can choose my ballot right at the polling place.
I voted for Cynthia McKinney at least twice in a Democrat congressional primary. On presidential primaries I've voted for Pat Buchanan, Alan Keyes, Phil Graham and Ron Paul twice. Voting is kinda fun. No confidence in every judge, no school bonds ever, almost always against state constitutional amendments, NO SPLOST (I usually lose on those but it keeps me from welding up a Killdozer). I skipped every presidential general election ballot on purpose between 2004 and 2012. Never voted for a major party potus candidate in the general...

[BrianL.]

Who do you plan to vote for this year? Jo Jorgensen. I also plan to vote for LP candidates for US Senate, US House, Governor and State Representative.

If you could change any vote you cast in the past, what would it be? In 1988 I voted for Mike Dukakis. I was in college and a liberal at the time. I voted for LP candidate for President in every Presidential election since.

[Tulpa]

Ok Jeff.

[SIV]

If I vote I'll vote LP for state offices like Ag and insurance commissioner.

[Leo Kovalensky II]

I plan to vote for Jorgensen. My vote doesn't matter, and it has more power added to the national numbers to show some level of support for libertarianism in general.

If I could change a vote: No vote I've ever cast has mattered and I don't really have any regrets.

[chemjeff radical individualist]

I'm voting for JoJo.

I regret voting for Bush in 2004.

[Martin Short]

You didn't vote in any American election because you are a Canadian from the greater Toronto area, cytotoxic.

[DesigNate]

Cytotoxic.

Now there’s a right proper cunt I have t thought of in years.

[Juice]

I regret voting for Bush in 2004.

What kind of dumb fuck votes for Bush in 2004?

[Leo Kovalensky II]

“There's an old saying in Tennessee — I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again.”

[chemjeff radical individualist]

What can I say. I was younger and stupid. I was listening to way too much right-wing media at that time and I actually bought into the idea that "Kerry would let the terrorists win" to an extent. Believe me, I definitely regret that part of my life.

[R Mac]

So twice in these comments you admit that you’re stupidity is driven by emotion not reasoning. Once in 2004, and again today.

[chemjeff radical individualist]

I admit that I am an actual human being. What motivates you to come to these comments and just post "Lyin' Jeffy" all the time? Is it cold analytical reasoning? Or is it your emotional immaturity?

[R Mac]

It’s because you lie all the time, duh. Now, what motivates you to come to these comments and just lie so much?

[chemjeff radical individualist]

No, Troll Mac, you are an immature dolt who has nothing better to do than to troll the Reason comment forums. Why don't you offer ideas and opinions of your own on some topic? Because that would open yourself up to criticism and trolling and mockery. You don't do that because you are not interested in ideas, only trolling. Stop being such a dickhead and let's have an actual discussion for a change.

[Just Say'n]

It's nice to see that you've at least gotten older.

[SIV]

FUCK, I was totally consuming a news and opinion diet of right wing media but if they told me Bush was going to be shot for treason at dawn. I'd say NO, give him the boats.

W was the absolute WORST US President between Reagan and Trump, fuckin' LBJ bad.

[Just Say'n]

"Radical individualists for Bush" is an oxymoron

[chemjeff radical individualist]

You're right, it is. I was not the same person then as I am now. I started as a standard-issues conservative. I'm now a lot more individualistic.

[Just Say'n]

And a prog.

[chemjeff radical individualist]

How so?

[R Mac]

Except when it comes to people in China. Fuck them, amiright?

[chemjeff radical individualist]

Is this where you misrepresent something I said over a year ago as some attempt at a lame putdown? Let it go, geez.

[Tulpa]

"Let it go, geez."

Hi hypocrite.

[R Mac]

Lying Jeffy: I’m individualistic
Me: Except when you’re not
Lying Jeffy: just let it go, it doesn’t matter that I’m lying.

[chemjeff radical individualist]

Actually, my real problem around here is that I'm too honest. I tell you what I think. I'm a real human being and I sometimes contradict myself and I sometimes forget what my previous position is. I'm not a robot and I'm not some AI computer program.

That leaves easy openings for people like you and other trolls, who don't (for the most part) offer ideas, who don't express what they think, they only come to insult and try to ensnare people in traps. And when one or two of those inevitably works, you then call the honest people "liars" only because you're a troll who doesn't argue in good faith.

So if you want to have a discussion about China, then let's have a good faith discussion about China. But if all you want are gotchas and zingers and one-liners, then go fuck yourself.

And I can predict that Troll Mac's response to this post will be some other lame trolling zinger .

[Bluwater]

If you "forget" your previous position, it's not your position. It's your reaction, which is harder to keep track of. People who have positions based on principles don't forget what those positions are. Ironically, and I'm being totally honest with you, THAT is your biggest flaw, though honesty with yourself might come a close second. It's also what actually gets you criticized the most because reactions are based on emotions, and you treat every subject with how you feel about it. That and with gauged ears or a stick your eye are no way to go through life.

[R Mac]

“Actually, my real problem around here is that I’m too honest.”

Alright, who stole Lying Jeffy’s handle to parody him? Not cool.

[chemjeff radical individualist]

Bluwater, no, that's not it. I don't have rigid micro-positions on every single issue, like "always cut taxes" or "always cut spending". I have broad principles that are then applied to different specific situations depending on the context. And the most important one of those is, of course, preserving and protecting liberty. So, in order to preserve and protect liberty, would it necessarily follow to "always cut taxes" or "always cut spending"? It depends. If the spending is on some boondoggle, then yes, cut the spending. But if the spending is on core national defense, then no, don't cut the spending. And of course the answer is not so clear cut when considering more ambiguous cases. So depending on the situation, applying the broad principle leads to different answers. It is not "reactive emoting", it is applying rational judgment to specific situations. I guess people are expecting the same answer to every question regardless of the situation? I think that is too dogmatic and frankly not rational to not even consider the context of a situation before offering a judgment. I am willing to consider new information and rational arguments for how to apply valid libertarian principles to different specific situations and I may change my mind on how that happens even while being consistent with my principles. That is not "reactive emoting" that is applying sound judgment. Hope this clarifies where I am coming from.

[Á àß äẞç ãþÇđ âÞ¢Đæ ǎB€Ðëf ảhf]

Vote for Libertarian, because (a) it helps them get on the ballot next election without circulating petitions, (b) third party votes are called protest votes, so I will protest, (c) my state is reliably Democratic.

If it were a close race here, I might be tempted to vote against Biden just because Trump's stupidity is limited to economics and foreigners, while the Democrats haven't got a single solitary policy I approve of; everything they plan to do involves ignoring the Constitution and spending like there's no tomorrow.

[Overt]

I am in the same boat. I'll vote JoJo as a protest vote. However, I would also vote for a Reason Magazine that actually took interest in grass roots formation of a Libertarian Party, rather than the sexy but useless presidential election.

If I were in a competitive state, I would probably vote Trump solely for the SCOTUS picks.

[Nardz]

(A) is a valid reason, but if you think anyone other than Trump is a protest vote, you haven't been paying attention.

[loveconstitution1789]

I'm voting Trump.

Republican ticket all the way down.

I plan on helping destroy the Democrat Party.

[loveconstitution1789]

Once the Democrat Party is no longer able to win nationally anymore, then work on getting actual Libertarians into office to challenge RINO spending and endless wars.

[Sarah Palin's Buttplug 2]

Yes, your plan worked so well the Dems took the House in 2018 via a landslide.

[RabbiHarveyWeinstein]

Fuck off Jackand Ace.

[DesigNate]

What fucking landslide?

[Ersatz]

a fever dream i'm afraid. the democratic party isnt going anywhere. you have the whole cultural stew that is america's voice to future and current generations totally invested in the existence of the dems.

[newshutz]

I agree the Democratic Party is not going away, but it might shed leftists if they lose bad enough.

The Republican Party is at risk. Lots of Republicans are furious with their party leadership. Trump is the result of the rank and file rejection of the leadership. The Republican party leadership says one thing to get votes, but the Republicans in office do another.

The TEA party is another symptom of rank and file Republicans not happy with the Republican Party.

I do not see any sign that the Republicans understand why Trump won.

[SIV]

I'm not sure I'm voting this year but I probably will just to vote against Senator Kelly Loeffler. I'm kinda torn between leaving the presidential line blank, that coal mine executive the Constitution Party is running and Donald Trump. I don't want to break my lifetime streak of never voting for a major party presidential nominee in a general election though.

I didn't vote in the 2008 general election. I voted for Ron Paul in the primary and I should have voted for Chuck Baldwin in the general

[Nardz]

Fraud is going to be big in GA, and BidenHarris intends to pack Stacey Abrams onto the Supreme Court.
Vote Trump.

[JesseAz]

The only existential threat I see currently is the adoption of post modernist thought in all of its means and manner, most notably in Critical Race Theory. It is attempting to destroy the belief in objectivity and instead making all arguments subjective which allows the considered elite to change narratives at a whim and without argument or evidence. For that reason, anyone who supports any form of post modernist thinking will not get my support. Unfortunately Jo waded incorrectly into it by supporting anti-racism. Whether done from ignorance or intentionally, both are bad. Only one candidate is actually fighting against this thought, and that is Trump. He has been bad on encouraging spending, but that is mostly the domain of Congress and I will continue to blame them for all veto proof bills as I have for 20 years. I will also continue to not support the establishment at the federal level in particular.

[Nardz]

Well said, and that's why you have to take things like the 2+2=5 argument seriously

[chemjeff radical individualist]

It is attempting to destroy the belief in objectivity

Have you heard of this thing called quantum mechanics?

[Just Say'n]

Yeah, it only works at the qantum level fucktard

[chemjeff radical individualist]

Is someone spoofing nicks again? This doesn't sound like the Just Say'n that I remember.

[Tulpa]

So now we know it was you spoofing Just Say'n.

[chemjeff radical individualist]

And "it only works at the quantum level" doesn't dispute how it thoroughly destroyed the concept of objectivity already.

[The Sandman]

It completely destroys your premise because Objectivity is a construct, not a natural phenomenon, and doesn't occur at the quantum level anyway.

Stop trying to pretend you understand this. You're making me feel embarrassed for you you fucking moron.

[George Lu]

I'm not sure I underatand that... whatever that was.

Objectivity doesn't exist because quantum mechanics does?

Nothing us ever deterministic? You're actually arguing that?

[George Lu]

*understand

[ElvisIsReal]

I'm voting Trump instead of Jo Jo because Harris is that bad. My vote won't matter here in WA.

[Nardz]

It might...

[Sometimes a Great Notion]

Jo Jorgensen. No matter who I vote for Biden wins all electoral votes in Maryland so I at least I can help the LP get ballot access.

[Just Say'n]

Voting Trump. Didn't vote for him last time. I will this time. The only president since Ford to not increase the number of wars overseas. That needs to be rewarded.

I'd vote Jo, but I have no faith that she'd stick with principle. The LP has become the least principled political party largely governed by changing fashions. I have no faith that Jo, in the off chance of being elected, would do anything that contradicts the stated position of the NYT editorial page. She hasn't done that throughout the campaign so why would she start once she's elected?

[SIV]

If I vote 3rd Party anymore it's going to be for the closest thing to a Hoppean An-Cap, which is the Constitution Party. At least it was with Chuck Baldwin and Darrel Castle, not so sure about the WV mine disaster guy.

[Mother's Lament]

I can't vote because I'm not an American.

That said I do think that this election carries the fate of the Western world. If America falls to the Davos crowd then the rest of the Western democracies tumble like dominoes after it.
The only thing that stands in their way is an attention-whoring real estate mogul.

I want to remind you all that Donald Trump:
-negotiated you a new trade deal a dozen times better than NAFTA
-he cut thousands of stupid regulations, more than any president since Reagan
-he started direct talks with the North Koreans for the first time
-he reached a piece agreement with the Taliban
-he decided to pull troops out of Germany and Afghanistan
-he negotiated peace between Israel and Gulf States
-he negotiated peace between Serbia and Kosovo

And he did it all while fighting off a coup.

[Ersatz]

yeah .. but what has he done for us lately! 😉

plus.. he was beaten out for a nobel prize by a corrupt UN organization wasnt he? and we know those Nords never compromise their integrity.

[SIV]

I like his tweets and hyperbole. He hurts the people I want to hurt*, and it's only with words!

(*Fuck you Ken White)

[Jason A]

Living in AZ, I generally vote Lib as the state has been solid red my entire life. This year, I'm really torn. I hate to vote Dem or GOP, but I agree with the commenters, not the Reason staff: Trump > Harris/Biden. While his personality is repugnant, what he actually does, overall, is MORE libertarian than anything we could hope/wish from the Harris/Biden. If 8 years of Obama didn't make that clear, you are a Progressive co-playing a Libertarian.

My first vote was in college, living in MI, for Ross Perot. My only non-AZ vote, as well. It's amazing to me that there wasn't ANY crazy billionaire that didn't want to spoil this election. Of course, you have to have no skeletons in the closet and that makes it pretty hard nowadays with the internet. 🙂

[Jason A]

Grrrr, need an edit button. I'm holding to the last minute to see if Trump can gain a solid advantage in AZ polls. (Yes, polls are BS.) If Biden is winning or polls are tight, I'll probably vote Trump. If polls improve for Trump, I vote JoJo.

[Nemo Aequalis]

Every presidential candidate I've voted for since 1976 has lost. Every. One. Of. Them.

This time, I'm voting for Biden!

[Roberta]

I'm no registered to vote. Since I moved to NJ in 2016, I've wanted to take a break from the politics I was so active in back in the Bronx.

But I like Trump. On getting favorable policy done overall he's the best for libertarians probably since Eisenhower, i.e. my entire life. I'm sure the HyR staff sees that but have orders to lie about it. We have it so good with Trump, it would be quite in vain to hope for much more. About the best we could hope for would be to be better on issues Trump's bad on for liberty, but given the law of averages the chances are overwhelming that anybody who'd be better on those would be worse on more issues. You wouldn't trade away a .386 batter with 50 home runs and a stellar record in the field for someone who was able better to hit a couple of pitchers in the league.

Stylewise, it also amused me that he brought out the worst in his detractors. That act's worn thin by now, but although it's lost its amusement value, it certainly doesn't bother me.

[Roberta]

As to a vote I regret, I wish that on the Bronx Conservative Party screening committee I'd voted "NOT minimally acceptable" for a certain candidate for US House. I'd been swayed by our chairman that he'd run a substantial campaign if elected; he didn't. And he was a political doofus.

[Roberta]

Actually I more regret all those years of voting for LP candidates, which of course includes a lot of internal voting too, because in retrospect it turned out bad to encourage libertarians to get or remain involved in LP. It's a dead end.

[Bluwater]

I'm happy to see someone else around here finally reach that conclusion. 50 years later and still pulling a whole 1-2% is just pathetic and there's no reason to keep this dog on life support. It's an embarrassment to anyone who doesn't have their head in the sand. Aside from having the reputation as a loser and no vetting standards for candidates, the mistake here is building the organization from the top down. As such, the idea of worthy candidates is long past possible, as one should be able to guess by watching Amash run like hell from any nomination and settling for a never-was-anything from 24 years ago and a dog named Spike.

Libertarians can easily reform a party in the same way Tea Party almost did [though nobody grabbed the helm]. In two years, though not a legit party, they still put dozens of people into higher office than the LP did in it's prior 40 years.

[????]

I was set to I was set to vote for Jo, but suddenly my state was in play, so I'm switching to Joe. Center left is closer to libertarian than wing nut right. I don't have any particular regrets about votes, but I'd certainly encourage my younger self to pay more attention to down ballot races if I could.

[Rev. Arthur L. Kuckland]

The handful that said they would vote for Biden because trum isn't libritarian enough should write for a different magiziene. Expecially the Truely retarded Zach, who's reason is that Biden is feeble. If you vote hoping the person doesn't make it through then you are voting for the VP. Harris is literally pure evil from a libritarian perspective.

[Sarah Palin's Buttplug 2]

You're full of shit. Anyone who is paying attention to the deficit ballooning from $500 billion to $3.1 TRILLION would find reason in that alone to vote the Con Man out.

Now he is saying he wants MORE in round 2 than Congress does.

[Á àß äẞç ãþÇđ âÞ¢Đæ ǎB€Ðëf ảhf]

And every single Dem candidate wanted to spend more than has been spent so far. Please be consistent.

[Sarah Palin's Buttplug 2]

But I want gridlock so nothing passes. See 2013-2016.

Gridlock = GOP House and Dem PoTUS.

[RabbiHarveyWeinstein]

But you lie.

[Overt]

SPB- I interrupt my ignoring of you to call you a lying asshole.

If you truly "wanted" gridlock, you wouldn't have been in the comments during the Obama reign calling the GOP terrible for failing to follow Obama's lead. You had nothing but contempt for the "gridlock" they gave, and your shilling is worse than anyone else here given how transparently, obviously, verifiably untrue it is to claim otherwise.

Christ, you are terrible.

Back on the plonk list.

[Sarah Palin's Buttplug 2]

I called out the GOP for killing Obama's main deficit reduction plan.

The GOP are liars and grifters. They killed it. (some progressive Dems helped kill it).

Only Tom Coburn (RIP) voted for it. Mr Conservative he was. They don't have anymore like him. Just Trump grifters.

[R Mac]

“The GOP are liars and grifters.”

No Lying Jeffy said he’s NOT still a Republican. That was way back in 2004.

[TJJ2000]

"Obama’s main deficit reduction plan" LMFOA!!!!
Section 1; Take the deficit from $500B to $1.5T in less than a year.

[Bluwater]

"Obama's main deficit reduction plan". You know every once in a while I have a moment where I think that someday you'll emerge from your shit for brains phase and say something meaningful and true. And then you spoil it by saying some shit like that. Cutting military spending while using 3x that amount to cover your pet projects, is not a debt reduction program. Obama once said that debt is interesting, but completely irrelevant, as you can always print more,

[Nardz]

Eunuch tried this shit too, so I looked it up.
The only samples of R House + D President we have in the last 70 years are 1995-2001 and 2011-2017.
Much too small a sample size to arrive at any legitimate conclusions.

[Tulpa]

And you're Jackand Ace fake ahreek.

[StackOfCoins]

I noticed this too. Zach's rationale is a big fail, unless he really likes Kamala. Now if Tulsi were VP, I would vote Biden for the same reason. In a "Tulsi vs. Trump vs. Biden" scenario Tulsi is the clear winner for me.

Kamala is a nightmare scenario, literally the worst possible outcome, and practically guaranteed if Biden wins.

[Roberta]

I took it he meant a feeble-minded Biden would hang on for 4 years without being declared incompetent, and would do nothing.

[Sarah Palin's Buttplug 2]

So the Reason staff is far more libertarian (almost all voting for Jorgensn) than the Peanut Gallery in the H&R comment section is.

But we knew that.

[Quo Usque Tandem]

I live in MI and, for a change this time around, I'm not throwing my vote away.

[chemjeff radical individualist]

The only vote that is thrown away is the vote that doesn't reflect your authentic beliefs.

[Tulpa]

So you're voting for Marx.

[Martin Short]

I authentically believe you're a worthless subhuman cunt, cytotoxic.

[chemjeff radical individualist]

It's time for your nap.

[Tulpa]

Fuck off Brian.

[Mother's Lament]

But he's right.

[Quo Usque Tandem]

"doesn’t reflect your authentic beliefs."

Actually it does; so two birds one stone.

[R Mac]

Lying Jeffy lies about being a libertarian so much, he believes it, then assumes real libertarians believe what he does. Which is really absurd after he just admitted that his hate for Trump clouds his judgement.

[chemjeff radical individualist]

Unlike you, asshole, I DON'T assume that every other libertarian is the same as me. I am absolutely fine with genuine libertarians of all types. What I can't stand are the people who disagree with the two-party consensus on like one or two issues and then say "hey I'm a libertarian now!" No, you're basically just 90% of a Team Red/Team Blue bot. To be a genuine libertarian, one has to believe in liberty for its own sake on a deep, fundamental level. That is non-negotiable. If a person is going to come in here and suck Trump's dick but then pretend to be a libertarian because "hey I like legal pot" then GTFO back to Team Red.

[TJJ2000]

Ever read the platform and GOP and compare it to the Libertarian platform? Short of "one or two" issues they are exactly the same.

Perhaps you're fairly judging team red by their RINO members; which then would make complete sense; but we've got Rand Paul, Ron Paul, Ted Cruz and even Trump (more libertarian than the RINO'S like McCain).

[????]

I see republicans on the same page in regards to gun control.
They pay lip service to reducing the deficit, but have become bigger spenders than dems.
They're on the wrong side of drug policy, abortion, LGBT issues, the death penalty, and mass surveillance.

[TJJ2000]

Of; the (5) listed. Most are taken in a misconception fashion.
Champions "right to try" drugs.
"shouldn't subsidize abortions or force doctors to work against their religious principles."
"People or State (Not the federal gov) should determine what 'marriage' is but to pretend it's between man and a goat is just stupidity at its finest?"
"A focus on internet freedom"

[R Mac]

You admitted your hatred of Trump is more important than your libertarianism. That sure is a deep and fundamental!

[mad.casual]

almost all voting for Jorgensn

This must be some of that critical race theory math. By my calculation, less than half are voting for Jorgensen.

Trump:2
Biden:4
Jorgensen:11
Abstain/NOTA:7

Moreover, Boehm's stated preferences are revealing. The majority of Reason writers aren't voting for Jorgensen because they think she'll win and, in effect the magazine has elected Joe Biden pretty much the way the majority of the electorate doesn't vote for anyone but the duopoly candidate with the most votes still wins.

[SIV]

You're under-counting the Biden support. Count the "strategic leaners": Slade, Welch, Britches etc.

[mad.casual]

“strategic leaners”

This is what I mean when I reference Boehm's "I'd only vote Jorgensen if it didn't matter, otherwise, Biden" revealed preferences. A majority of those voting for Jo are doing so knowing their votes don't matter, otherwise, Biden. So, even if we take them at their word that Jorgensen doesn't matter, they still elected Biden.

Ranked choice would make it more explicit that they were voting for Biden, but this is Reason (*drink*), they wouldn't do anything as silly as ranked-choice mock elections.

[Ersatz]

Actually, this is a great idea and a good way for them to present their choices for the next election. present it in the form of a ranked choice ballot. Then we get true transparency.

But i think that it would be too revealing and so would never even be considered. I could be wrong.. .it is reasonably brave to reveal your pref here given the commentariat.

[mad.casual]

I am currently not registered to vote in Virginia, where I live. If I change that before the election, I will vote for Jo Jorgensen—unless I believe there is a chance that Joe Biden will somehow fail to win Virginia, in which case I will vote strategically and reluctantly for Biden.

I think this is the most honest thing Boehm has written for this magazine. It's a convoluted way of saying he'd vote for Biden and actually shits on the LP, but... it's Boehm.

[JesseAz]

It's the same take as most of the left leaning libertarians on here. The only ones who claim they always vote LP are those who are in safe blue districts. They are all likely past Democratic voters just like Reason's staff admits here in this article. They have no actual convictions, they just have a safe vote where they can act contrarian. They are too dumb to see the actual problems with Democrats currently and basically ignore it, condoning it through silence. See Jeff as a glaring example.

[Overt]

I voted for Bush in 2000 in CO, but then spent a decade in CA where I could throw my vote away on the libertarian. I was back in CO for the 2012 vote, and it broke me to vote for Romney. It was the last thing I did for the party before leaving for good.

If I actually had to do ranked voting, Trump would ultimately get my vote, merely due to SCOTUS picks and pretty much nothing more. (I like the noise he makes on wars and de-regulation, but I just cannot tell how much actual movement he has made there.)

[Cyto]

On wars the difference is massive.

How many times did the establishment scream because he refused to use the military?

Remember how they wailed about his Russian ties when he didn't send more troops to Syria? When he pulled out? When he didn't attack Turkish troops? When he decided not to attack Iranian bases because it would cause too many casualties?

How many countries has Trump not been bombing?

The only counterfactual you could offer is Clinton. She has loudly said she would have done the opposite on all of those things.

[Ersatz]

Rather than have a question asking which vote you regretted... it should be a question to the tune of , which result that doesnt reflect your voting intentions stated here would you most easily be ok with?
THAT would be significant transparency. I think most here believe they know what the answers for most would be.

[Juice]

I honestly don't see how someone can know who Biden is and what he's been about for the past 40 years in government, then watch him "speak" and dodder around like an old man on his way to the retirement community and then cast a vote for him. Especially knowing who's pulling his strings and who can't wait to replace him once he's in office.

[R Mac]

They agree with the people pulling his strings: Davos globalists.

[mad.casual]

I honestly don’t see how someone can know who Biden is and what he’s been about for the past 40 years in government, then watch him “speak” and dodder around like an old man on his way to the retirement community and then cast a vote for him.

I'm the other way. I agree that Biden is a doddering old fool but my vote against him actually has little to do with him. He's a figurehead and, probably more than any other candidate in recent history represents a vote for the larger and more overtly authoritarian and socialist powers backing him.

I don't as much mind Joe Biden as Joe Biden. I mind the fact that the media and the intelligence community has unequivocally bent the knee to Chinese authority and unequivocally executed a soft coup against a sitting US President. Biden wasn't an active participant, but he was along for the ride. Even if I give him full faith and credit as a libertarian candidate and drink whatever koolaid Ron Bailey drank that convinced him Biden wouldn't ban fracking, it still makes him little more than a puppet being used to gain more power. Worse than Gary Johnson who, while he possibly would've won on decriminalizing pot and maybe done something to end foreign conflict, would've still (knowingly or not) sold free speech, gun rights, Title IX reform, school reform, police reform, foreign IP theft, immigration/welfare reform, judicial nominees at all levels, etc., etc., etc. under the table. Not Biden's fault, not Johnson's fault but less/unelectable nonetheless.

[Nardz]

"Biden wasn’t an active participant"

Disagree.
He's the one who came up with the Logan Act excuse to go after Flynn.
Flynn, the incoming NatSec advisor, who terrified the corrupt intel/stasi apparatus.
Getting him out was pivotal to the coup.

[mad.casual]

Disagree.
He’s the one who came up with the Logan Act excuse to go after Flynn.

I didn't mean to say he had no part, just that he wasn't in the driver's seat and/or setting himself up to reap the winfall the way Obama, Comey, HRC, etc. were. I don't consider Biden to have been instrumental in the coup.

[Nardz]

Fair

[Sarah Palin's Buttplug 2]

The strongest argument for the latter choice is that it's an opportunity to support the repudiation of both Trumpism and the Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wing of the Democratic Party. That's a hell of a good value for a single ballot.

Agreed. A centrist like Biden disappoints the most people. There is merit in that.

[Rev. Arthur L. Kuckland]

Biden a centrist and your not a pedo. Can we add any more dishonest statements?

[Sarah Palin's Buttplug 2]

Biden told the Bernie people to 'Fuck You' on Medicare For All (single payer) and I tell you QAnon cocksuckers to fuck off as well.

[Tulpa]

Biden also told black people they were "predators" and put them in jail for 5 decades.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cnn.com/cnn/2019/03/07/politics/biden-1993-speech-predators/index.html

[Sarah Palin's Buttplug 2]

Yeah, he has some right wing tendencies.

I especially love it when progs complain about his bankruptcy bill and support of fracking on private land.

[Tulpa]

"Yeah, he has some right wing tendencies."

So he has those AND he calls blacks "predators" too?

Daaaaaamn.

[Sarah Palin's Buttplug 2]

Some of them are predators.

Your "point" means nothing here. Tony might care. No one else will.

[Tulpa]

You obviously do it's why you keep seething at me about it.

[mad.casual]

It's not their fault that those poor predators aren't as smart as white kids.

[Hank Ferrous]

Your assertion that racism is a right-wing tendency is no more than that, an assertion based in bias.

[Sarah Palin's Buttplug 2]

It is the very definition of right wing.

Right-wing politics represents the view that certain social orders and hierarchies are inevitable, natural, normal, or desirable, typically supporting this position on the basis of natural law, economics, or tradition.

[The Sandman]

I don't see anything at all about power dynamics, which is what racism is.

Racism dumbass. Try to keep up.

[Ersatz]

i cant see any utility in responding to a comment like that. whats the point? if someone maintains imaginary facts or associations between facts ... what is the endgame of engaging them?

[The Sandman]

Why do you hit a heavy bag when it doesn't fight back?

[Nardz]

Because heavy bags are racist?

[Martin Short]

Biden told the Bernie people to ‘Fuck You’ on Medicare For All (single payer)

It's literally in the party platform, but OK

Green New Deal, government-funded post-birth abortion (infanticide), "Antifa doesn't exist", "clap you stupid bastards", "dog-faced soldier pony", "poor kids are just as smart as white kids", "first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy" centrist ol' Biden lmfao

[Sarah Palin's Buttplug 2]

So you're an Emo-prog.

It figures.

[Tulpa]

And you're Jackand Ace, fake screech.

[Martin Short]

Also, Stephen Miller is a white nationalist.

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha, a Jewish white nationalist.

Hey, remember a few weeks ago when pointing out George Soros' own words where he said his time collaborating with the Nazis and confiscating property from other Jews was the best time of his life was rabid anti-Semitism?

Good thing there's no bias in this cum sock of a magazine, hey cytotoxic?

[Sarah Palin's Buttplug 2]

Go back to Bratfart then.

[Tulpa]

Fuck off fake.

[JSinAZ]

He’s not wrong.

[Sarah Palin's Buttplug 2]

Soros was 13 and out to save his life by cooperating.

He has since spent billions fighting fascism and socialism.

Wingnuts use your childish ploys.

[Tulpa]

"to save his life by cooperating."

Ah so not just a Nazi but an active collaborator. That's way worse.

[Martin Short]

Go back to your darkweb pedophile pic trading ring you piece of shit kiddie fucker.

[Union of Concerned Socks]

I've come to think of voting as the equivalent of those fake steering wheels on tourist boats that exist to keep children busy with the illusion that they're steering the ship. Since I have no interest in wasting my time, being laughed at by those in power who are wise to the scheme, or helping legitimize a pointless and fundamentally corrupt enterprise, my mail-in ballot and I will be staying home.

This is the most persuasive paragraph on how to vote I've read in twenty years.

[mad.casual]

I disagree. Not that I disagree with abstain/NOTA, but because Monticello strikes me as the goth teen vaping in the corner at Disney complaining about all the supposed "fun" that everyone else is having.

And I say this as someone who hates Disney, has done the full day open-close at the park, and wrote Ron Paul's name down for 2016.

[Juice]

and wrote Ron Paul’s name down for 2016

felt good?

[mad.casual]

Every single time I get to ask someone how many EC votes Gary won.

*cackles and spins wheel to aim bumper car at next target*

[Union of Concerned Socks]

It's funny how you had to say something about the author. I didn't even notice who wrote it.

[mad.casual]

I don't recognize Monticello by name. It just seemed like everyone else managed to say "I don't think my vote would make a difference and that voting is a bit pointless." and Monticello essentially said "People who vote are idiotic children."

[SIV]

Katharine,

There is a shit-ton of (mostly Democrat) major party presidential general-election voters (and "strategic leaners") on the masthead of your "libertarian magazine". Time to make some cuts. Fire 'em all, but especially that douche-bag Peter McSuderman for voting for GW Bush in 2004. Oh, and fire whoever re-hired Riggs too.

[R Mac]

It’s not her decision to make. The people funding this rag like it this way.

[RHN]

Yes, let's vote in warmongering, police stating Biden over Trump to save liberty. Gotta get back to the glory days of liberty that occurred under the Obama/Biden administration, only this time with the added benefit of Red Guards burning our businesses down and getting us fired (jailed?) for calling people gay on the internet.

Trump is the only modern president not to start a war. Biden has voted for every blood soaked military engagement he could for 47 blood soaked years. A libertarian debate about the benefits of Trump vs. Biden should start and stop here.

Trump cut taxes and regulations and says he's going to cut more. Biden promises to raise taxes and impose regulations. As a small business owner struggling under the libertarian paradise of a blue state lockdown, I wish I could slap the cocktails out of the hands of every smug retard who shilled for Biden in this article.

Trump is disastrous on the national debt. Biden will be more disastrous.

Trump has given the Second Amendment deep paper cuts. Biden will put it to the shredder.

Vote for Jorgensen if you want, but I fail to see any -- ANY -- legitimate libertarian reasons for supporting Biden. In consideration of the massive leftward lurch of the Democrat Party, Trump doesn't have to be a good person or a libertarian president to get my vote. He just has to be in these psychopaths' way.

For the love of god will you assholes go work for Newsweek.

[Sarah Palin's Buttplug 2]

THEY IS COMING FER YER GUNS AND BIBLE BOYS!

[Rev. Arthur L. Kuckland]

I believe those are listed as the dems party platform. If the dems say that is their goal, thinking they want to take away guns and religion isn't paranoia, its comprehension.

[Tulpa]

That should appeal to your progclivities.

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

I remember when Obummer got elected and everyone mocked 2nd amendment supporters... then they came for our guns...

[Just Say'n]

Eh..Trump has imposed more gun control than Obama ever did. 2nd Amendment is not a good argument in Trump's favor at all. Mitch McConnell is the only reason why we don't have federal red flag laws right now

[Lenard]

You're gonna need more than assertions buddy.

[Lenard]

Ok so I looked, and I have to disgaree. Trump has a very mixed record. Obama is a straigjt gun grabber and acted like one. The claim that "Eh..Trump has imposed more gun control than Obama ever did" is vacuous hyperbole.

[Sarah Palin's Buttplug 2]

Trump banned bump stocks. Obama banned nothing. Obama expanded carry onto Amtrak and into national parks.

[Just Say'n]

Hate to agree with buttplug, but he's right. Trump banned bump stocks via FUCKING EXECUTIVE ORDERS. Illegal, in my opinion, regardless of what tortured logic the courts come up with to validate his action. And Trump voiced support for federal red flag laws after the school shooting in Florida. The only thing that prevented that from getting passed was McConnell refusing to call the Senate back in session

[Max Damage]

Ok, now read my link of all of Obama exectuive orders.

Then feel free to admit you're both wrong.

Here I'll make it easy.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2013/01/16/here-are-the-23-executive-orders-on-gun-safety-signed-today-by-the-president/#4ff9347d2312

[Trail Runner]

It takes a particularly ignorant and mendaciois individual to look at Obama vs Trump on guns and think what Just Say'n/SPB posted.

[Just Say'n]

OK I guess I was wrong and stupid to believe SPB. One look at all those executive orders and it is obvious that Obama is terrible on gun control.

I was completely wrong.

[Just Say'n]

I didn't say that fuckstick

[Just Say'n]

Stop stealing my handle you fucking loser.

[Hank Ferrous]

Do you think #9 impacted AG Holder and POTUS Obama, given Operation Fast & Furious?

[Max Damage]

Or this one which also destroys your narrative.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_control_after_the_Sandy_Hook_Elementary_School_shooting

[Linh]

Hate to agree with buttplug, but he’s right.

No he's dead wrong and so are you.

[Trail Runner]

"Trump banned bump stocks via FUCKING EXECUTIVE ORDERS. "

Obama made your doctor a reporter for those very same red flag laws you hate so much.

He also issued " a Presidential Memorandum directing the Centers for Disease Control to research the causes and prevention of gun violence."

and this

"Address unnecessary legal barriers, particularly relating to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, that may prevent states from making information available to the background check system"

But hey fuck Big Brother like ubiquitous surveillance of gun owners, Trump banned bumpstocks.

[Tulpa]

Hey look Shreek is spoofing Just Say'n.

You know you sound nothing like him right?

[RabbiHarveyWeinstein]

Why are you stealing Just sayn's handle buttplug?

[DesigNate]

Cause he’s a piece of shit.

[Max Damage]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.vox.com/platform/amp/2016/1/4/10708324/obama-gun-control-executive-order

"So Obama is now acting on his own — with executive actions."

[Linh]

Just Lie'N isn't gonna like that.

[Just Say'n]

I already admitted I was completely and totally wrong.

[Sarah Palin's Buttplug 2]

Not a single ban. (same link)

It does not appear that any of the executive orders would have any impact on the guns people currently own-or would like to purchase- and that all proposals regarding limiting the availability of assault weapons or large ammunition magazines will be proposed for Congressional action.

"No impact" on current or future ownership.

Fuck, you wingnuts are grasping.

[Tulpa]

So wait it's better because he used unconstitutional executive orders?

You progsuckers are desperate!

[RabbiHarveyWeinstein]

“No impact” on current or future ownership."

vox.com

[Just Say'n]

Because constructing an illegal database based on doctors and rando reports is so laudable.

[Overt]

There are some really surprising takes here. For example:

ENB: "I've started to shed earlier apathy about Libertarian Party politics and become more convinced that we do need a viable electoral vehicle of our own."

Why is this woman working here if she has had a complete empathy about the Libertarian Party politics? Only now is she thinking about a viable electoral vehicle for libertarians? Perhaps if Reason wants to have impact, it should be selecting for writers who ARE looking to improve the Libertarian party. *shrug*

Mike Riggs: "I will cast my first ever vote for president for Joe Biden in the battleground state of Pennsylvania. I think Trump is a symptom, not the root cause, of our current dysfunction. "

This one is REALLY bizarre.

If you want to know how the populist uprising put Trump in charge, you need look no further than the Obama/Clinton/Biden machine that gave lip service to the Occupy movement while taking millions of dollars from the foreign entities they were supposed to be monitoring on our behalf. Entire swaths of our citizenry have been shut out by the Elites in power. These Grifters and Cronies have supported the left and right, creating an entrenched system of privilege.

Trump won because a significant portion of our populist looked at Clinton and decided that she was part of that entrenched elite. Her Clinton Foundation scams, and email server law-breaking, and promise to break the back of blue-collar energy workers while funneling money to the next Solyndra- these things convinced enough people that she was part of the root cause that Riggs laments.

Now, Biden may have people fooled. But he is absolutely part and parcel of the same root cause. He has enriched his family on the Government dime. Those interests leave us obsessed with tiny countries like Ukraine and Syria. Why? Because they get rich on our tax dollars. If you think voting for Biden will end that, you are NUTS.

[Operator Six]

What's even more bizarre is that Mike Riggs has worked for the legalization of marijuana. How does THAT square with his endorsement of Biden/Kamala Harris?

[Halcyon Orbital Co.]

Where is he based? He probably already got his and moved on.

[Halcyon Orbital Co.]

[phone]

Ok that's Orlando and the suburbs. He got some Trulieve Granddaddy Purp and said fuck the rest of us.

[Operator Six]

My mistake. That was Families Against Mandatory Minimums. Same difference, it was a bit too close to 1620.

[Operator Six]

How can ANYBODY at Reason vote for Kamala "Straight to Jail" Harris?

[mad.casual]

Isn't Mike Riggs the one who's schtick is renegade history? It seems anti-thetic that he'd favor Biden over Trump.

IMO, Trump's orthogonality is more like (e.g.) Lysander Spooner than any othe President in the last half-century (or more).

[TJJ2000]

The power of the press, "Trump is an evil, Nazi, racist dictator!!!"...
Sheeple, "Yeah!!! Trump is evil."

Reason - "Because?"
Sheeple, "X,Y,Z B.S. Narrated faulty lying story posted by media."
Reason - "But the left wants MORE x,y,z, B.S."
Sheeple, "Yeah, But Trump is evil."
Reason - ........... Repeat, repeat, repeat... Till the lie becomes truth.

[Rev. Arthur L. Kuckland]

I love when the left calls people nazis. Warren and Sanders were the only 2 arguing for more nationalism and more socialism

[Juice]

they view Trump to be a unique existential threat to liberty

they view Trump to be a unique existential threat to liberty

pathetic

[Juice]

they view Trump to be a unique existential threat to liberty

My lefty friends and I viewed Reagan to be a unique existential threat to America.

pathetic

[Just Say'n]

Biden's support for every war for the past forty years and authoring the crime bill is not a "unique threat" in their opinion. Which means they're white liberals and nothing more.

[mad.casual]

In their meager defense, Biden *is* really just yet another in the unending march of threats to liberty. Really more of a corpse for the real existential threats to step over if you want to get all truthy about it.

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

I like how Biden's doddering around is seen as a positive in that he can't do that much damage while he's, you know, doddering around.

It's like no one can see into the DNC swamp tricks that a seriously mentally enfeebled Biden will be manipulated by an entrenched group of highly placed mandarins.

[Fist of Etiquette]

It's surprising how those calculations don't seem to include the Trump administration's incompetence on implementing its least desirable policies, or that, doddering or not, Biden and his people are dragging decades of equally destructive ideas with them.

There are at most four more years of Trump (and he would surely lose even more mid-term seats) against a possible eight or, hell, even sixteen of Biden/Harris. Crazy.

[Nardz]

If Biden were to win and resign, Harris could serve his remaining term as president and still run for two more terms herself...

[Rat on a train]

They need to keep Biden around for two years:

No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once.

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

And a packed supreme court that only REAL libertarians see is a good idea.

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

Mr. President, if you could come this way, we need your John Hancock on a few documents...

[MattXIV]

The most interesting part of this is the 2004 votes for Bush from Dalmia and Suderman. It undermines the case that they are crypto-libs and while bolstering the alternative explaination that they are idiots.

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

Christopher Hitchens supported both George W. Bush and the Iraq war...

Things were... tricky with GWB. It's probably no accident that so many neo-cons who were derided by the Democrats found themselves in the warm embrace of the modern left.

[Just Say'n]

Shikha calls herself a "neocon libertarian" so her votes for war criminals like Bush and Biden are consistent

[Just Say'n]

Oh damn, that's Cathy Young. My bad. I got confused

[Nardz]

I think she calls herself a progressive libertarian.
And Bush was definitely a progressive.

[Just Say'n]

So am I.

[Just Say'n]

Jackass Tulpa.

It doesn't matter if you say you're voting Trump. Thou shalt not disagree with God Emperor Trump. Pathetic

[Just Say'n]

Stop stealing my handle Buttplug.

[Tulpa]

"Jackass Tulpa"

Oh fuck you idiot, do you see a lower case L? Do you see a hair space?

No. Whoever is fucking around with your screen name ain't me.

So suck my fucking dick.

[Just Say'n]

Ok so I checked for you Just Say'n, since you're a lazy idiot who jumps to easy conclusions, and it turns out...

Your name isn't protected. There can be several people with "Just Say'n" and the system doean't show it as taken.

Congrats. You fucked up and made a fool of yourself.

[Tulpa]

And now that I've demonstrated how you were stupid and wrong, you can apologize.

You won't. You're a fucking bitch. But a man could.

[Nardz]

Just Say'n is still a lot better than a lot of people here

[Tulpa]

I'm not convinced either of them are the real one, but they can both suck my dick.

[Union of Concerned Socks]

The most interesting part of this is the 2004 votes for Bush from Dalmia

Bush was always very pro-immigration.

[Just Say'n]

"The libertarian case for voting for a man who has supported every war for the past 40 years and authored the crime bill, because no one in Koch world is libertarian in the slightest"

Is a pretty good summary of this article

[SIV]

Biden is literally the architect of systemically racist authoritarianism in the modern day federal judicial system, but hey! gotta stop TRUMP, so he's the clear social justice-libertarian choice.

[Juice]

for Republican George W. Bush's re-election in 2004 (against John Kerry)

After calling Trump a proto-authoritarian, you say you voted to re-elect Dubya? You're simply clueless and have terrible judgement.

[The New Number Two]

Shikha is supporting Biden over the Libertarian in the race. Color me shocked.

[How much for the cat?]

I count at least 3 of the abstainers as not credibly abstaining.

[Operator Six]

I think every fake libertarian who answered they would vote for Joe Biden, be asked to respond to this quote from the Norwegian who nominated President Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize:

"Indeed, Trump has broken a 39-year-old streak of American Presidents either starting a war or bringing the United States into an international armed conflict."

[Ken Shultz]

They hardly even acknowledge President Trump negotiating and signing a peace deal with the Taliban. Last week, President Trump said he would have all our troops in Afghanistan withdrawn by Christmas--meaning he plans to withdraw them from Afghanistan completely regardless of whether he wins in November.

They were't scheduled to come home until the end of April.

[StackOfCoins]

I'll believe it when I see it Ken. He said he was going to end Afghanistan years ago.

[Mother's Lament]

He's being trying, but your Democrats made it illegal in July:

On July 1, 2020, the Dem controlled Armed Services Committee overwhelmingly voted in favor of an amendment to restrict President Trump's ability to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan.

[Marshal]

That may all be true of Biden too—I do not know his heart—but the fact that all the Biden voters I know are holding their nose when they punch in his name hopefully means his leash will be shorter.

This is probably the most obviously stupid statement included. Biden has essentially every institution in America pushing him to be more extreme. Trump has them all fighting against him.

Consider the giveaways Biden will enact for covid, burdening the private sector even more to ensure government workers are protected. Consider what the Green New Deal will do to the economy.

Biden will trigger incalculable and permanent economic damage. This is why he's the Chinese preference.

[cmcclung]

To Reason and it's readers. Reason claims to be not partisian however anyone with any common sense can see they are leaning left almost all of the time. What a shame that they have allowed lefties to infiltrate a once good organization. I will not renew my membership.

[Marshal]

The strongest argument for the latter choice is that it's an opportunity to support the repudiation of both Trumpism and the Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wing of the Democratic Party.

This runs a close second for stupidity though. Since Biden endorsed AOC's signature issue why would a vote for him repudiate her? What you vote for an empty vessel you get whatever gets put in front of him. People like to pretend Obama was a moderate, but the Title IX Inquisitions and the current BLM/Antifa are a direct result of his empowering the far left. Biden will be worse since he has always been a rubber stamp.

[Nardz]

AOC endorses and campaigns for Biden.
When you repudiate someone's political wing, they don't campaign and endorse you - didn't see Bush out there shilling for Trump, did you?

[Sarah Palin's Buttplug 2]

Biden didn’t endorse AOC’s GReen New Deal, idiot. Just don’t bother if you can’t get the simple stuff right.

[Cyto]

It is directly on Biden's web site, for crying out loud. He even brought it up in the mudwrestling event they called a debate.

[Sarah Palin's Buttplug 2]

Joe Biden Ditches Bernie Bros at Debate: Denounces Medicare for All, Defund the Police, Green New Deal

https://www.breitbart.com/2020-election/2020/09/29/joe-biden-ditches-bernie-bros-debate-denounces-medicare-for-all-defund-police-green-new-deal/

He came up with his own version at 1/50 the cost.

[Just Say'n]

"Starving the poor with increased costs on food, housing, and transportation will definitely help the climate or something"

Imagine thinking that the only bad part about the Green New Deal is the cost

[Sarah Palin's Buttplug 2]

Biden's plan is a $2 trillion infrastructure subsidy - about 1/50th the scope of AOC's absurdity.

Or about the same as round 2 of the Trump Welfare and Virus Handout Plan.

But wingnuts lying about him adopting AOC's plan won't work. It is downright FALSE.

[Just Say'n]

And we should beleive you, a known pedo who has lied about paying a trivial bet for a decade.

[Just Say'n]

It's not a lie. He scrubbed it after the debate

[Sarah Palin's Buttplug 2]

He came out with his plan in July, you moron.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/biden-unveils-2-trillion-climate-plan/

$2 trillion. Less than Trump has pissed away on virus handouts so far.

Consider this a free education. I won't bill you this time.

[Just Say'n]

Stop stealing my handle to talk to yourself asshole.

[Cyto]

The trump-pelosi handouts have been almost indefensible.

If we had known that 8 Trillion was in the offing, we could have hired a million people to protect all the over 65 people in the country and an army of health workers for tracking and tracing and quarantine.

Sure, everyone would be going nuts about the nazi trump regime, but we would have saved trillions.

[Nardz]

Yea, but politicians gotta get it for their cronies instead

[Sarah Palin's Buttplug 2]

The trump-pelosi handouts have been almost indefensible.

Wow. A rare admission that they both share in the blame.

[Just Say'n]

Yes that is rare that you admit Nancy had any culpability.

[Marshal]

I see you're one of the idiots.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/politics/policy-2020/climate-change/green-new-deal/

Biden endorsed the idea to left wingers, and now he's trying to claim he didn't to appeal to the middle. It's a trick the left taught Yasser Arafat so it has a distinguished history. At least in Arafat's case he speaks in different languages to people who don't know have at least some excuse.

[Ersatz]

^was tempted to repy to that earlier^ glad someone did
it seemed to be a comment in need of some 'alternative analysis'

[Fist of Etiquette]

A surprising number of Biden voters.

I'm beginning to think in my swing state that if I vote 3rd party I might be throwing my vote away.

[Nardz]

Vote Trump.
All other doors lead to totalitarianism.

[Mark Question]

Horseshit. Totalitarianism is just what we need to stop the Marxist poison.

[Just Say'n]

I hope this remark is in jest as you shouldn't be surprised, Fist.

[SIV]

Vote Trump Twice, Fist. At the least you'll cancel Riggs.

[LauraZ 2]

I find it incredibly sad and rather shocking that so many people associated with the reason foundation and reason magazine don’t exercise their constitutional right to vote.

[Just Say'n]

"Muh..vote harder. My war criminal is better than your war criminal"

[SIV]

Lol!

I find it sad and shocking that they do. KM-W and Doherty have principles. I think one or more of the video guys do too but fuck them, learn to write!

[GraniteLiberty303]

Who do you plan to vote for this year? Jo Jorgensen. Voted Libertarian across the ballot. I live in Colorado, wanted to help the Party's vote totals out here. Trump was my second choice.

If you could change any vote you cast in the past, what would it be? I voted for Kerry in 04, he didn't win so I don't really regret it, also I still dislike Dubya. I do regret my vote for Gary Johnson in 2012. His campaign was so bad in 2016 it made me want to take back my 2012 vote.

[Marshal]

Lastly:

It's interesting how many Reasoners admit to falling for the quadrennial left-wing hysteria. But they're always back for more.

"I had whipped myself up in a collegiate fever to believe that George H.W. Bush was the real CIA-fabricated Dark Lord and must be stopped at all costs. "

"My lefty friends and I viewed Reagan to be a unique existential threat to America. "

[mad.casual]

It’s interesting how many Reasoners admit to falling for the quadrennial left-wing hysteria. But they’re always back for more.

And against the popular/narrative grain no less. It's not like Bush or Reagan were like "We should really hew closer to the CIA's ideals." or "Here's the Neocon New Deal." or "I'm gonna pack SCOTUS." or "Interning the Japanese was a good idea." or "We should emulate Russia/China/Sweden's socialist democracy." the way Roosevelt, Bernie, or Biden has. Certainly Reagan and Bush had their authoritarian positions, but they weren't the existential boogeymen that the left painted and continue to paint them as.

It's like their bias is implicit to their nature and even if pointed out to them and even acknowledged, they aren't going to change their ways or learn anything from such revelations.

[Cyto]

Anyone who would even consider a vote for Biden/Harris cannot lay claim to being a libertarian. This one is not close.

I can see being strongly opposed to Trump. But Biden/Harris have strong anti-liberty records and even stronger anti-liberty promises for the future.

You can make the libertarian argument for Trump. Or against Trump. He has a pretty good sized stack on both counts.

You can make the libertarian argument for Jo. Or you can make an argument for Jo with reservations.

But Biden has proven to be absolutely horrible on justice, corruption and worst of all, they subverted the government to attack the civil liberties of political opponents. And Harris has a really good chance at being even worse than Biden on all counts. And they both have allied themselves with the absolute antithesis of libertarianism.

There really is no excuse on this one.

[Mobilito]

Well said...Biden/Harris = open door for redistributionist schemes

[wreckinball]

Agree if you're voting Biden you are not libertarian.

[Mobilito]

How about a simple TLDR grid? Maybe some statistics by ethnicity, gender, state, level of education, major in college, trends?

[Cyto]

LOL

[Just Say'n]

Here's the statistical breakdown:

People who claim to be libertarian and receive paychecks from the Kochs have a 100% likelihood to be unprincipled commentators largely regurgitating the NYT editorial page

People who claim to be libertarian and do not receive paychecks from the Kochs have a 100% likelihood to roll their eyes when reading 90% of articles printed in Koch outlets

[MarianneP]

How can Reason hire anyone that would vote to destroy the country by voting for Biden?

[SIV]

$$$

It's not even like they're good writers

[North49]

Wow!
"Libertarians" who are voting for Biden
"Libertarians" who don't know anyone who's not voting Jo or Joe
"Libertarians" who were inspired by Jo's support of identiterian Marxism
I have not and will not vote for Trump, but the TDS is SO tedious! No new forever wars alone makes Trump the clear lesser of evils for those biden "Libertarians". Trump a tyrant? How about biden being directly involved in using the state intelligence apparatus to spy on the opposition candidate and falsify evidence against them in an attempt to overthrow the duely elected president? How about his administration illegally spying on *every* American for years? Or authorizing extra-judicial assassination of American citizens??? Trump has rolled back the worst excesses of title 9's war on due process, passed the first meaningful criminal justice reform, repealed the unconstitutional individual mandate in obamacare, has fought unconstitutional overreach of petty (real) tyrants putting whole states under house arrest by fiat, and promised to make school choice a centerpiece of his next administration. Despite his many, many faults and failings, no reasonable libertarian could argue that biden and then harris (because, let's be real) would be better for the liberty agenda.

This article is the perfect encapsulation of why I canceled my Reason subscription. Get some real Libertarians writing for you again and I'll be happy to reevaluate my subscription status.

[Cyto]

How does a staff filled with people who live in the news and particularly in political news miss this?

Biden/Harris is worse than a Haldeman/Eirlichman ticket, just on a corrupting government front.

Even if it was only the Flynn frame up, that would be more than enough to disqualify Biden. And the second Backpage.com prosecution was more than enough for Harris to be a solid "no" for any true libertarian.

Nothing in the two Trump impeachment attempts is even remotely close to just the Flynn case. And Flynn is a minor footnote on the Obama subversion of the government.

[Sarah Palin's Buttplug 2]

Trump was caught bribing the Ukrainian government to falsely accuse his political opponent (Biden) of graft and doing it with taxpayer money.

That is the epitome of corruption. He deserved impeachment and conviction.

[Sevo]

"Trump was caught bribing the Ukrainian government to falsely accuse his political opponent (Biden) of graft and doing it with taxpayer money."

How often does a lying piece of lefty shit repeat a lie before that lyin piece of lefty shit thinks others will believe it?

[The Sandman]

"He deserved impeachment and conviction."

Well he got one, and the same authorities said the other one was nonsense.

Sorry that upsets you.

[Mother's Lament]

Not even the DNC believes that anymore, Nuttplug.

[Just Say'n]

Sheldon Richman was the sole writer at Reason that wrote against the Iraq War. He now works at a libertarian publication. Koch world replaced Richman with self-described "neocon libertarian" Cathy Young who also writes for whatever the Weekly Standard rebranded itself as (I don't remember what stupid name they came up with). Not to mention that former Reason writer and longtime antiwar activist Justin Raimondo received no eulogy in Reason, but did receive one at National Review, The Spectator, Counter Punch, and The American Conservative.

National Review has more antiwar writers than Reason for fuck's sake. Pathetic

[lap83]

I have no beef with libertarians voting for the libertarian candidate or not voting (although I think some of the latter are fibbing) but if you vote for Biden you're either a raving moron or goose-stepping prog

[XM]

"While I wish Jo Jorgensen well, the cost of figuring out which state I'm still registered in and how exactly I'm supposed to cast my ballot during COVID exceeds any benefit I'd get from supporting her doomed presidential bid."

Gee I wonder why libertarians won't actually win any important elections.

[Mother's Lament]

It's okay, because Britschgi isn't actually a libertarian.

[Joe M]

There's something incredibly depressing about seeing that not even the staff of the libertarian magazine of record can muster up a consistent Libertarian vote.

If these people, ostensibly some of the most liberty-loving people around, don't think it's worth it to vote LP, what hope is there? We're seeing such tired canards as wasted vote syndrome and lesser of two evils being spouted by the choir itself.

[Rat on a train]

ostensibly some of the most liberty-loving people around
I see your problem.

[R Mac]

If we keep telling people that Reason is no longer a libertarian publication, eventually people will stop being disappointed by all the non-libertarian writing.

[SIV]

Dave Weigel and Julian Sanchez used to work here. I got no problem with non-libertarians writing for a libertarian magazine but don't mistake them for libertarians. Christ, Noah Berlatsky's had a byline here a few times.

[RichShepJCNJ]

This is a fair point, but a lot of stuff goes into (or might go into) making up one's mind. If there were a large, large bet placed on Biden here, all other things considered, Biden it would be.

Cheers!
Rich Sheppard JCNJ

[XM]

Few in the center right will accept Marxist society ruled by racial jacobins if that results in unlimited drugs and immigration. But that’s essentially the libertarian argument for Biden.

Trump is a blowhard and an egomaniac and his protectionist policies are suspect. But it’s not him or the maga crowd burning down cities or sending infected people to nursing homes. The crime and poverty level in democrat stronghold were bound to attract bad policing as well as other consequences.

Seriously if a libertarian is voting on the lesser evil, what is the argument for Biden? He’s half senile and the successor is a “cop” and a Marxist. The same forces that conspired against trump are now exploring ways to remove Biden with the 25th amendment. You trust the country with these people?

Yes I know it’s tough for reason to take the L on the Russian probe and impeachment. You refused to cover this subject as unredacted info continues to shine light on what was indeed a soft coup attempt. But it’s true - the dems near unchecked power in government to carry out witch hunts and their donors who run big business, media and tech are their vanguards.

[chemjeff radical individualist]

Marxist, Marxist, Marxist!

You do realize that your overuse of the Marxist epithet can backfire on you when people realize that Joe Biden is not, in fact, a Marxist?

[R Mac]

He called Harris a Marxist, not Biden Lying Jeffy. I would tell you to read posts more carefully, but you admitted your TDS clouds your comprehension, so I won’t bother.

[chemjeff radical individualist]

She's not a Marxist either.
The point is, the word Marxist is thrown around far too loosely and will backfire.

[Mother's Lament]

The fuck she isn't, and her DA record demonstrates she is an authoritarian at that.

[chemjeff radical individualist]

You do realize that "Marxism" has a specific definition, and is not just a general-purpose epithet like "doody-head"?

Oh she is absolutely an authoritarian. No question about that. But she's not a Marxist. And furthermore continuing to throw around that word will backfire on ALL of us, when people realize that by electing Democrats, we DON'T actually get some Soviet totalitarian hellhole, they come to the inevitable conclusion that "hey, if they're calling this 'Marxist', it's not so bad, let's have some more 'Marxism'!"

[Titus PUllo]

bolshevik seems to be more descriptive

[Mother's Lament]

Her policy statements read like they were copypastad right out of a Frankfurt School pamphlet, you stupid fuck.
It's like she's a muppet and Foucault or Marcuse have their hands up her ass.

There's more to Marxist theory than Council communism or Lenin, you ignorant prat.

[SIV]

Ask Kneepads' daddy if she's a fuckin' Marxist

[chemjeff radical individualist]

Oh wait never mind.
YOU don't have a point because you come here to insult and troll.
Why do you even bother?

[R Mac]

Lying Jeffy lies about what XM said, then says it doesn’t matter, because that’s not the point.

[Mother's Lament]

No, that's you.
That's all you fucking do here. Classic fucking distraction techniques right out of your fifty-center handbook.

Now it's time for you to fuck off, Jeff. I mean it you disgusting piece of shit. Go back to Huffpo or Kos or wherever the fuck you slithered from.

[R Mac]

Quora, he came from Quora. With his lover Mike Liarson. I wish he would have gone back there like Mike did after we broke him.

[StackOfCoins]

So I actually read the article.

1 for Trump
4 for Biden
10 for Jo
6 Abstentions

Stephanie Slade demurred, saying she would either abstain or vote for Biden, so she is not counted.

Better than I had hoped for, but still not great. It could have been worse, assuming everyone is being honest. I could see some last-minute defections for Biden from the more emotional staffers.

[StackOfCoins]

Whoops. 8* (eight) abstentions.

[R Mac]

If your using this as an indicator of why the writing here has become what it has, I think you might as well count Slade as a Biden vote. Especially because that’s how she’s really gonna vote. Which means half as many votes for Biden as Jo.

[H. Charles Foster, III]

I have some, likely sad maybe disturbing, news for the people at Reason. Of those who said you're libertarian, the majority of you are sadly not. And you can't even rationally explain how you line up with libertarianism.
Number one case in point: there is no one who honestly believes they are a libertarian that could ever vote for a party whose party platform has always been (in the last century) the expansion of government and government control of personal choices. Hate to break it to you, abortion isn't a "personal" choice. "Personal" denotes individual, ie. ONE'S SELF. And I'll bet dollars to donuts those here who feign libertarianism but vote Democrat only claims that they are libertarian based on two reasons: Abortion and Drug Use. That unequivocally, absolutely DOES NOT make you a libertarian . It makes you a Democrat. So stop being dishonest with your readers and yourself.

[lap83]

"And I’ll bet dollars to donuts those here who feign libertarianism but vote Democrat only claims that they are libertarian based on two reasons: Abortion and Drug Use"

Don't forget open borders

[Mother's Lament]

For Reason writers libertarianism is a way of announcing that you’re a contrarian, but that you’re socially left and totally cool with the way that sex and drugs works for the American upper-middle class elite.

[Aspiring Statesman]

The next question should be how Reason staffers (registered where Senate seats are up for election) will vote for US Senate. I'm very curious to know whether they're as blue-wave as they sound in this article or if they'd strategically split their ballots so the progressives might not pack the court (adding 6 judges) and Senate (adding new blue states DC + PR + dividing Cal 3 ways = +8 Democrat senators).

[RichShepJCNJ]

This is a good point, but likely just getting folks to reveal the ticket-top preference was a cat-herd-style effort. But these races matter too, "big time."

Rich Sheppard, Jersey City

[Ilya Shlyakhter]

Purpose of elections isn't to get a record of everyone's innermost wishes; it's to make collective decisions. If your innermost wish is for someone we've already made a collective decision not to elect, putting that wish on paper does nothing to guide the collective decision we're still making.

[wreckinball]

So give me one libertarian position that Biden takes on anything ?

Trump has lower taxes and reduced regulations.

FFS Biden wants to send folks money based on the color of their skin.

[I, Woodchipper]

Some of my libertarian friends plan to vote for Biden because they view Trump to be a unique existential threat to liberty.

how could anyone possibly come to this conclusion, IN COMPARISON TO BIDEN? It makes no sense. It's willful ignorance.

[I, Woodchipper]

Shikia: because there is no bigger libertarian cause right now than to prevent Donald J. Trump from getting re-elected

How do they even come up with this stuff? Biden literally plans to institute lockdowns, reshape the economy Stalinist-style with a Green New Deal, and more. He also, by the way, intends to police the border as aggressively if not more so. WTF

[chemjeff radical individualist]

Well I see we are in peak election season when commenters are unironically comparing Biden to Stalin.

[Response]

Very surprised by these choices. I wouldn't vote for Biden or Trump. But if a gun were pointed to my head, I'd vote for Trump.

If Trump being an asshole and troll are biasing Reason staffers against him, then there is no hope for Libertarians as that's considered inherent in our makeup by most non-Libertarians.

[Slocum]

I'll be voting for Jo Jorgenson. I do live in a 'swing state' but that's irrelevant -- it sure isn't going to be swinging on my one little vote. One way or another, I'm going to get it good and hard like everybody else, but I sure as hell don't have to be complicit.

Five votes from the staffers for Biden!!!? Holy crap. There is literally NOTHING about Biden or his massive government platform that is libertarian other than 'not Trump'. On top of which -- he won't rule out court packing. That's truly 'end-of-the-republic' stuff. Even the lack of a 'hell no!' response is dangerous, since if Biden doesn't do it, his maybe-I-will-maybe-I-won't-do-you-feel-lucky-punk stance it makes the prospect thinkable and more likely in a future admin. WTF Reason?

[NoVaNick]

Like voting, there’s not really much point in adding my comment to 600+ others, but here it is. I voted for Jo Jorgensen since Virginia is 100% going for Biden and voting is now merely an act of virtue signaling. If I lived in a true swing state, and Biden had not picked Kamala, I might consider voting for him only to reset things. I don’t think Biden himself would be that bad, but Kamala and the progs will be wearing the pants we know.

[Paul Deeb]

Jo Jorgensen is basically a lefty Democrat. Her position on immigration is with Bernie. I don't want Bernie and I don't want the USA to turn into Mexico. So I won't be voting for yet another terrible Libertarian Party candidate. I will throw away my vote for Clifton Roberts of the Humane Party as his ethics is closest to mine. I.e. he actually has ethics.

[Bill Godshall]

I don't understand how anyone who claims to be a libertarian could even contemplate voting for Biden/Harris.

Although Trump doesn't support some libertarian principles and policies, Biden and Harris oppose virtually every libertarian principle and policy.

[NoVaNick]

Good point, Bill. But having Trump as POTUS has not helped the libertarian cause much when it gets grouped in with massive spending, white nationalism, etc.

[jonnysage]

So glad I canceled my Reason sub and rarely frequent the site anymore. This is the cherry on top which explains the downfall of the company.

I will be non voting for all federal offices. And never voting for a Partisan again for any office. None of the above was the only valid answer to this poll.

[ecerv]

I get the Jorgenson votes, even though I'm not sure how truthful those people were in saying so, but to vote Biden over Trump is insane. The Dems are so much further from the Libertarian Party than the Repubs. I can't stand all the obvious negative personality traits of Trump, but this will be a different world if the Dems get the presidency, the Senate and retain the House. And it's world that no libertarian would ever sign up for. Maybe Trump wouldn't have been as bad had the Dems not try to disrupt his presidency from day one.

[Titus PUllo]

Getting an opinion writer gig is hard..so define yourself as a "cosmo" libertarian..get a gig at Reason and still be invited to your woke friends urban parties..and be the "different one"..eccentric and interesting and maybe get laid. This seems to be the main reason why so many Reason staff work at Reason. No serious libertarian lives in NYC for sure...

I worked with the Reason Foundation in 1991 when the firm I was at was working with the LA Airpot Authority to privatize LAX...I found the foundation folks to be very helpful, smart, and very libertarian...Reason today seems to be a place lefties can get a job.

Time to first the staff and put some Mises Caucus folks in charge..

[Sanem]

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[Generalissimo]

What an embarrassing cadre of retarded emotion-based children.

How in Hell's name did Reason end up with an entire staff of anti-Libertarian progtards? Who is responsible for staffing as they should be fired first.

Are there any real Libertarian magazines or websites because this group is a joke.

[RichShepJCNJ]

Thank you Reason bosses and workers for the policy and undertaking of revealing voter preferences. While some might scoff at the preponderance of "whoever the heck" isJo Jorgensen (offspring of a former Washington "Football Team" quarterback)? The spelling might be off, but why not? Still it makes one consider who that person might be, and learn therefrom.

Kudos to Ms. Mangu-Ward for forthrightly dispensing with the entire business but reserving her "learned" complaining.

Rich Sheppard, Jersey City

[RichShepJCNJ]

In the interests of fairness, let's just say medical issues make it very difficult to vote. But would vote in favor of the candidate who most respects the US Constitution. And will constantly complain nonetheless. Hopefully not annoyingly.

Rich Sheppard, Jersey City

[RichShepJCNJ]

In reading some comments, it seems that there are complaints about "woke" libertarianism and "Brooklyn-style" excessively-free-thinking types rampant at Reason.

Won't get in that scrap, but it would seem the entire point of "Free Minds & Free Markets," would WELCOME all types advocating same? So what if they're occasionally navel-gazing and too-enjoying of "au current" Freedoms? Is there such a thing?

Rich Sheppard, Jersey City

[jonnysage]

They're arguing for restricting freedom, ala Democrats. If they supported Gop it would be the same.

[sticks]

Worst chat room ever!

[drisco304]

To summarize: Some will vote for Joe Biden because, although he is likely to lead to a completely authoritarian one-party socialist state that will destroy the country, they really don't like Donald Trump, the reason being, um, the reason being, um, the reason being, well they just DON'T. So there, TRUMP (stomps feet).

[Matt Ross]

All those Biden votes just convinced me to cancel my subscription. I've been subscribed to Reason since 2006 and seeing not one but a half dozen of its editors supporting Joe Biden's authoritarian, collectivist, gun control, judicial activist, corrupt establishment agenda fills me with disgust. Biden was VP when the NSA was spying on us and you somehow consider Trump an existential threat to liberty? You're fools. The manner in which the Democrat establishment's Orwellian influence over US intelligence and the media has grown over the past decade is a dire threat that trivializes anything Trump stands for.

[Matt Ross]

I've been subscribed to Reason since 2006. I just read your article where half your editors said they intended to vote for Joe Biden, the most corrupt authoritarian statist to run for the Presidency since LBJ. You aren't Libertarians anymore and I'm not going to keep supporting you. Trump gave us three originalists supreme court justices and you dumb fucks are supporting the corrupt spook who presided and lied to the American people as the NSA violated the constitution. By standing for Biden you've taken a stand for gun control, socialism, the Orwellian intelligence community, the military industrial complex, war, cronyism, corruption, and a stand against the constitution the bill of rights and the American people. I've watched Reason be infiltrated by progressive leftist post modern intersectionalist garbage and I'm done with you.

Cancel my subscription and refund my money.

[dchang0]

Funny that Mike Riggs thinks Biden's leash will be shorter relative to the voters. The truth is that Biden's asshole will be wider due to the puppetmasters' hands all being shoved up in there while he's alive and coherent enough to withstand the 25th Amendment.

Biden would not be POTUS even if elected. It's the Democrat establishment behind the scenes, all of whom have NO LEASH AT ALL relative to the voters.