Your opinion of Libertarians

[The Duke]

I have a very positive view of libertarians, its their ideas that bother me.

Every libertarian I know is a decent fellow, responsible hard working citizens who obey the law.  The trouble is they think everyone else is capable of being a decent person too, and it just ain't so.

Most people are ignorant, mean spirited, irresponsible, and selfish.  95% of the population could not function in a libertarian society, because they are not ready, and never will be ready, for the kinds of freedoms they would have.

Since most libertarians are in the 5% of decent people, they don't quite get this.

[The Duke]

Every libertarian I know is a decent fellow, responsible hard working citizens who obey the law.  The trouble is they think everyone else is capable of being a decent person too, and it just ain't so.

Since when? First off, we wouldn't be for guns if we weren't aware of this - criminals fall into the 'not decent' category. Second, we're for limited government power, because greater power results in more corrupt politicians, who also fall into the 'not decent' category. Need I go on?

Reliance on private charity for social welfare?  End to the drug war?

[The Duke]

My interaction with libertarians has led me to believe that they think people can take care of themselves.  So to leave people to taking care of themselves will leave society better off.  I don't think yoou are advocating things that you think will make people worse off simply because of some academic principle.  If you do believe that, it would come as a surprise to most here.  Many times, you've made long, in depth posts about how less government control will leave us better off.

So I think its fair to say that most libertarians think that most people can take care of themselves.

I disagree with this starting point, and think that most people need some kind of guidance from authority.