The stopped clock is right!
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The stopped clock is right!
Stop the presses: Rick Santorum is right here:
"I don't think the libertarians have it right when it comes to what the constitution is all about . . . or when it comes to our history," Santorum said at the Pennsylvania Press Club. "When there are clear wrongs in society, injustice in society - sure, you handle it at the local level if you can - but when the local and state governments are in cahoots with the injustice, then the federal government has to step in and do something."
As hard as I might try, I can't really find anything to disagree with there. That's what baffles me about Rand Paul's initial comments on the Civil Rights Act of 1964 -- why all the concern about the rights of a corporation like, in the case of segregated lunch counters, Woolworth, when the rights of individuals were being trampled on because of the color of their skin. I know the Declaration of Independence isn't quite as sacred as the Constitution these days, but it's hard to be engaged in "the pursuit of happiness" when folks aren't serving you lunch. But then seeing the rights of corporations and looking past the individuals is what the modern conservative movement -- libertarian or not -- is largely all about.
As for Santorum, the problem is he also believes "the federal government has to step and do something" in your bedroom, too, or in the Middle East in ways that are counterproductive.
Comments (20)
Once again, Will answer me what has been accomplished by forcing racists to take minorities money? The Constitution protects the peoples rights from the gov't, not private citizens. You don't have a right to be served (no shoes, no shirt, no service). The Civil Rights Act was correct to end gov't discrimination in regards to the public sphere.— RG- Man, I hope the lenders get rid of this blog.— BlairW
- Wow! According to RG, some black cop, who would be refused service by a racist store owner, should risk his life to protect the beloved property rights of that very same store owner. I'd love to see RG explain to someone, who suffered discrimination for years at the hands of "private citizens," how the Civil Rights Act did him/her a grave injustice. It is simply mind-boggling how ideologues can take fundamentally sound libertarian philosophy and distort it to such heights of extremism.— Talking point sleuth
I am sure RG would be perfectly happy to be refused service or membership in a club because of his libertarian views, which would seem to be more just to me than refusing service or membership because of the immaterial feature of skin color.
Always amazes me that those who defend a racist business's right to discriminate, like RG, are those who themselves will never be discriminated against by the same business. I have no doubt that if they themselves were the victims, they would be insisting something be done. Today's Tea Partiers, for whom the rights of business and profits are sacrosanct over the rights of individuals. Doesn't sound very libertarian, does it?- "I am sure RG would be perfectly happy to be refused service or membership in a club because of his libertarian views, which would seem to be more just to me than refusing service or membership because of the immaterial feature of skin color." Ahhh, those big tent liberals. Yes, private institutes can discriminate against me, which means I get to take my money elsewhere. Boohoo. In your world, can a black storeowner refuse service to a kkk member?— RG
- "some black cop, who would be refused service by a racist store owner, should risk his life to protect the beloved property rights of that very same store owner." Yes, the cop is forced to risk his life. It wasn't a choice to become a police officer, in which the risks-rewards were weighed. The victim mentality again. "sound libertarian philosophy and distort it to such heights of extremism." Yep, its extreme to say the government shouldn't be able to dictate what citizens do with their own property. Otherwise, we get wonderous decisions like Kelo, banning of transfats, etc. All because big brother knows best.— RG
- "Doesn't sound very libertarian, does it?" Because you have no idea what libertarianism is.— RG
RG, answer honestly....why was it a good thing to ban segregation in the public sector?- Because government is the sole provider of some of those services. Through thsi monopoly, they are infringing on minorities rights. When the private sector does it, no matter how abhorrent it is, it is at least based on the principles of freedom of association, freedom of contract, and property rights. And while discrimination against AAs was especially vile, it was not unprecedented. Italians, Irish, etc were also discriminated against by the private sector.— RG
- And as an FYI, a similar Civil Rights Act from 1875 was deemed unconstitutional, as SCOTUS ruled that Congress didn't have the power to regulate the behavior of individuals. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_Rights_Act_of_1875— RG
- Also, please note that RG has no problem with a "private citizen" utilizing publicly supplied utilities, publicly built roads, and publicly funded police, to support their lifestyle - but amazingly doesn't think that in return, the public has a right to demand that the same workers that provide those services not be denied access to businesses that serve the public. Truly amazing. According to RG, it is perfectly fine for a business owner to rely on a black policeman to protect his business and his family even while discriminating against that black policeman and his family. Libertarian lunacy at its finest, ladies and gentlemen.— Talking point sleuth
- Oh, and birdie, before you start whining in support of your misreading (I'll be generous and assume it wasn't mischracterization) - that I was trying to say it was all Bush's fault, I'll repeat my post from downstairs --snip-- Agreed - Obama's response to this crisis has been sorely lacking. It is amazing, however: despite that official investigation after official investigation on the response to Katrina found that failures on multiple levels contributed to the extent of the problem - Republican toadies STILL line up to defend the unarguably inadequate response by the Bush administration. And of course, mirror, rudy, and batboy lead the charge. Hilarious. --snip--— Talking point sleuth
- "that in return, the public has a right" In return, those members of the public pay taxes for these services that gov't has insisted on having a monopoly over. On top of that, I paid taxes from 18-21 for said services, yet I couldn't go in a bar, although said bar's owner benefited from those gov provided services. Another argument fail from TPS.— RG
- Smokers pay taxes, too. Why is it ok to ban that from restaurants, etc?— RG
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