Is Libertarianism the future of America?

[LBJ Revivalist]

Do you believe the Libertarian view of government--that most regulation needs to be done away with, and that programs like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid need to be phased out/eliminated--will triumph and come to define America in the next few decades?

Will we see, in say the next 50 years, the elimination (or real gutting) of most if not all of the New Deal/Great Society Programs?

[opebo]

We will almost certainly see the killing of poors, but not the 'freeing' of private behaviors.

[Tetro Kornbluth]

´Return´? It never had one. At least not in the way of modern "libertarianism" (a strange creation of the Cold War and post-New Deal right-wing crankishness) believes.

Yet I think the answer could be "quite possibly" depending on what happens over the next 10-15 years.

[Mississippi Political Freak]

I hate to say this, but unless the GOP/tea party movement experience major defeats at the next few election cycles, fiscal libertarianism (low tax, minimal regulations, distrust in governments  and advocacy of maximum individual/corporate profiteering over higher public interests) would be here to stay, as this strain of thought is in sync with the aspiration to become rich (The "American Dream") and innate human greed present in many Americans.

[tpfkaw]

I think we should lock Straha and MD90 in a room together and refuse to let them out until they've written a Thomas Friedman book.

[Ban my account ffs!]

I hate to say this, but unless the GOP/tea party movement experience major defeats at the next few election cycles, fiscal libertarianism (low tax, minimal regulations, distrust in governments  and advocacy of maximum individual/corporate profiteering over higher public interests) would be here to stay, as this strain of thought is in sync with the aspiration to become rich (The "American Dream") and innate human greed present in many Americans.

You assume the "American dream" is to become rich.

To me the American dream is feeling secure in your life and finances while being able to pursue your dreams/goals.  This doesn't necessarily mean becoming rich.  Let's not be ridiculous.  But, in my opinion, it means equal opportunities and a fair deal that keeps me from slipping through the cracks if my idea fails... without necessarily rewarding failure.

For someone born with major mental retardation.. perhaps the American dream is holding a job and living semi-independently even if they will require social/governmental support for their entire life.

The American dream is as diverse as the people who dream it... we don't achieve those dreams by rewarding the already rich and ensuring that they stay rich while you stay poor (as we currently do).  Instead, we should be providing equal opportunities for everybody... and that involves more than "wellp... you're born... good luck!  And don't mind the jackboot on your neck!"

[dead0man]

I hate to say this, but unless the GOP/tea party movement experience major defeats at the next few election cycles, fiscal libertarianism (low tax, minimal regulations, distrust in governments  and advocacy of maximum individual/corporate profiteering over higher public interests) would be here to stay, as this strain of thought is in sync with the aspiration to become rich (The "American Dream") and innate human greed present in many Americans.

"innate human greed present in many Americans"....really?  It's not present in many humans.....just Americans?

[RI]

Hopefully if either party swings libertarian, the other with react and swing communitarian. I can only hope, I guess. If not, for whatever reason, it would be a grim outcome.

[All Along The Watchtower]

I hate to say this, but unless the GOP/tea party movement experience major defeats at the next few election cycles, fiscal libertarianism (low tax, minimal regulations, distrust in governments  and advocacy of maximum individual/corporate profiteering over higher public interests) would be here to stay, as this strain of thought is in sync with the aspiration to become rich (The "American Dream") and innate human greed present in many Americans.

"innate human greed present in many Americans"....really?  It's not present in many humans.....just Americans?

It's present much more so in Americans.

But that has more to do with economics than with "human nature."

[Torie]

No.

[dead0man]

I hate to say this, but unless the GOP/tea party movement experience major defeats at the next few election cycles, fiscal libertarianism (low tax, minimal regulations, distrust in governments  and advocacy of maximum individual/corporate profiteering over higher public interests) would be here to stay, as this strain of thought is in sync with the aspiration to become rich (The "American Dream") and innate human greed present in many Americans.

"innate human greed present in many Americans"....really?  It's not present in many humans.....just Americans?

It's present much more so in Americans.

But that has more to do with economics than with "human nature."

Well it can't be caused by genetics (for reasons I hope I don't need to go into) so it must be an environmental thing.  Do you think there is something special in American water that isn't present in say, Canadian water?  Something we watch on TV they don't watch on TV in, say, Australia?  Maybe our public schools?  Baby formula?

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

the New Deal programs will not exist in their current form in 50 years, but that will have more to do with changing economic realities than with libertarianism in any strict sense.
for libertarianism to be the future there must also be an expansion rather than a contraction of civil liberties, and in that sense i think you will have a mixed bag.

[All Along The Watchtower]

On the OP:

Libertarianism isn't a viable political ideology in an increasingly inter-connected society.

[milhouse24]

I want to see more health care monopolies and corporations running america.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

I want to see more health care monopolies and corporations running america.

you can only have so many monopolies.

[The Vorlon]

There are going to have to be very, very substantial changes to the ways American social programs like Medicaid/Care and Social security are structured.

This is not speculation, this is demographic and economic inevitability.

The US is nearing European levels of social spending while maintaining taxation levels far below European levels.

This cannot go on forever, eventually you reach the limit of you "credit card"

There will be real and substantial change in the next 10 years, the question before the people and on the table for the President and the Congress is who will drive that change, and whose values will it reflect?

If the "change" is done at the point of a metaphorical shotgun when foreign lenders lose faith in the US economy then yes, the "change" may not be fully consistent with American values, if aggressive action is taken soon, the US likely still has a window of a few years where the needed changes can be done in a way that is driven by the people in the United States rather than than US creditors in China and Saudi Arabia.