3/25 Issue: Ack, the socialist is back in the KFP!!

[FTL_Ian]

3/25 Issue:  Steve Lindsey needs to go away!  This time out, his article is not even labled as "Socialist Viewpoint".  On the same page as Russell's excellent (and wonderfully sarcastic) essay on Eminent Domain, Mr. Lindsey stinks it up with his "Betrayal of Berlin" where he calls for the state to sieze control of the paper mill!

I suggest if you're going to allow him some of your precious page space, at least write a pro-Liberty rebuttal to his crazy claims!  He makes outrageous claims about "social responsibilites" that go unchallenged!  Is this what we want people reading??   ???

[Kat Kanning]

Why don't you write a response to him, if you're that upset about it.

[Atlas]

heheh

[tracysaboe]

Yup, write a letter to the editor.

Tracy

[FTL_Ian]

Rebuttal to "Betrayal of Berlin"

The last issue of the KFP, to my disgust held another opinion piece by raving socialist, Steve Lindsey.  In case you missed it, Mr. Lindsey bemoaned the closing of the paper mill in Berlin.  According to Mr. Lindsey, the closing of the mill is akin to "slitting the town's jugular vein".  He then goes on to call for the state government to sieze control of the mill!

I was shocked to see this blatantly anti-freedom perspective in the Keene "Free" Press.  The page it appeared on was otherwise great.  It included a wonderfully sarcastic attack on Eminent Domain by Russell Kanning.  Confusingly, Mr. Lindsey's article sat next to it, stinking up the entire reading experience.  Lindsey's article was not labeled, "The Anti-Freedom Viewpoint", therefore readers new to the ideas of Liberty would have been confused by its haphazard inclusion.  It deserves a rebuttal.

First, Lindsey seems to believe that once a business opens up in a town it has to stay there, especially if it was successful for a while.  Lindsey doesn't understand business.  Would he insist that a typewriter manufacturing plant be forced to stay open because they provided jobs for decades?

Business open, businesses close.  They close for a variety of reasons.  Perhaps the product was not in enough demand anymore.  Perhaps the competition did it better.  Perhaps the government strangled them with too many regulations.  It's good when businesses close.  It means it wasn't working out, and now all those people can go do something else, or better yet, start their own businesses.

Unlike government, which takes money by force, business has to persuade you to voluntarily use their products and services.  Fraser Paper couldn't do it effectively.  Do you think the government can run the paper business better?

The answer is no.  Government doesn't do much of anything effectively, except destroy your liberties.  In this case, Mr. Lindsey wants the state government to sieze control of the mill!  Here's the translation:

Lindsey wants to tax you and pay the 250 mill workers to produce products that the market doesn't want.  Even if the market wanted them, who the hell is Lindsey to demand that you pay to keep a business' doors open?  He's a socialist, that's who.  He thinks government forceful redistribution of wealth is okay.  Do you?

Liberty loving Americans should oppose forced wealth redistribution.  The KFP should be embarrassed for printing an article advocating violent socialism without an "Anti-Freedom Article" disclaimer and a rebuttal right next to it!

Ian Bernard
Host, Webmaster - "Free Talk Live"
http://freetalklive.com

[FTL_Ian]

Thanks for the encouragement.   

[d_goddard]

Rebuttal to "Betrayal of Berlin"
...

Hey! This is good stuff!

Maybe someday in the not-too-distant future, we'll get the spectacle of Ian giving his opinion as testimony before the NH State House. Now that would be cool!   

[FrankChodorov]

this just once again points out the difference between traditionalists and libertarians within the conservative movement.

non-localized markets tend to destroy community and traditionalists view local communities as an essential factor for leading a virtuous life within a strong family structure.

[Kat Kanning]

Thanks, Ian.  It'll go in the next issue.   

[Pat McCotter]

this just once again points out the difference between traditionalists and libertarians within the conservative movement.

non-localized markets tend to destroy community and traditionalists view local communities as an essential factor for leading a virtuous life within a strong family structure.

Huh?

[Dreepa]

Thank you Pat because that was my thought exactly.

[tracysaboe]

Rebuttal to "Betrayal of Berlin"

The last issue of the KFP, to my disgust held another opinion piece by raving socialist, Steve Lindsey.  In case you missed it, Mr. Lindsey bemoaned the closing of the paper mill in Berlin.  According to Mr. Lindsey, the closing of the mill is akin to "slitting the town's jugular vein".  He then goes on to call for the state government to sieze control of the mill!

I was shocked to see this blatantly anti-freedom perspective in the Keene "Free" Press.  The page it appeared on was otherwise great.  It included a wonderfully sarcastic attack on Eminent Domain by Russell Kanning.  Confusingly, Mr. Lindsey's article sat next to it, stinking up the entire reading experience.  Lindsey's article was not labeled, "The Anti-Freedom Viewpoint", therefore readers new to the ideas of Liberty would have been confused by its haphazard inclusion.  It deserves a rebuttal.

First, Lindsey seems to believe that once a business opens up in a town it has to stay there, especially if it was successful for a while.  Lindsey doesn't understand business.  Would he insist that a typewriter manufacturing plant be forced to stay open because they provided jobs for decades?

Business open, businesses close.  They close for a variety of reasons.  Perhaps the product was not in enough demand anymore.  Perhaps the competition did it better.  Perhaps the government strangled them with too many regulations.  It's good when businesses close.  It means it wasn't working out, and now all those people can go do something else, or better yet, start their own businesses.

Unlike government, which takes money by force, business has to persuade you to voluntarily use their products and services.  Fraser Paper couldn't do it effectively.  Do you think the government can run the paper business better?

The answer is no.  Government doesn't do much of anything effectively, except destroy your liberties.  In this case, Mr. Lindsey wants the state government to sieze control of the mill!  Here's the translation:

Lindsey wants to tax you and pay the 250 mill workers to produce products that the market doesn't want.  Even if the market wanted them, who the hell is Lindsey to demand that you pay to keep a business' doors open?  He's a socialist, that's who.  He thinks government forceful redistribution of wealth is okay.  Do you?

Liberty loving Americans should oppose forced wealth redistribution.  The KFP should be embarrassed for printing an article advocating violent socialism without an "Anti-Freedom Article" disclaimer and a rebuttal right next to it!

Ian Bernard
Host, Webmaster - "Free Talk Live"
http://freetalklive.com

Hey, that's good.

Kat can you print this in the next issue? You'd done what, 3 issues now? It's time you started a letter to the editor section.

Tracy

[tracysaboe]

Thanks, Ian.  It'll go in the next issue.   

YAY!

[tracysaboe]

this just once again points out the difference between traditionalists and libertarians within the conservative movement.

non-localized markets tend to destroy community and traditionalists view local communities as an essential factor for leading a virtuous life within a strong family structure.

Huh?

Just ignore him. As you said, he's been brainwashed, he can't help himself.

Tracy

[FrankChodorov]

this just once again points out the difference between traditionalists and libertarians within the conservative movement.

non-localized markets tend to destroy community and traditionalists view local communities as an essential factor for leading a virtuous life within a strong family structure.

Huh?

Just ignore him. As you said, he's been brainwashed, he can't help himself.

Tracy

the point is that traditional conservatives have always known that global markets destroy local community.