[ExI] Libertarianism wins again...

[Dan]

I'm not sure there's one libertarian agenda -- aside from pushing for the core libertarian principle of non-initiation of force.
 
But, in this respect, the strict libertarian view on drug re-legalization is not pragmatic* and it's certainly not about taxing the drug trade. Instead, it's about allowing people to do as they please with their bodies, including injesting chemicals you and others might not approve of.
 
Regards,
 
Dan
 
* Actually, the non-libertarian argument for an end to drug prohibition is that such prohibition doesn't work, makes things worse, and has other side effects. Implied in this view is that drug prohibition would for be fine and dandy if only it worked. In other words, whatever curtailment of freedom one desires is okay as long as one can achieve it. And one merely runs a cost-benefit analysis. That is not a libertarian view of things.

From: Kelly Anderson <kellycoinguy at gmail.com>
To: Dan <dan_ust at yahoo.com>; ExI chat list <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org>
Sent: Wednesday, July 20, 2011 12:47 PM
Subject: Re: [ExI] Libertarianism wins again...

2011/7/20 Dan <dan_ust at yahoo.com>:
> And the drug cartels are creatures of the state. Were it not for the drug
> war and very strict gun control in Mexico, people wouldn't be killing each
> other in such large numbers over who gets to sell recreational products in
> this or that area.

This is a major point on the libertarian agenda. Get rid of the
prohibition against drugs, and legitimize the cartels as legal
businesses, tax them, and move on trying to educate people not to use
drugs, even though they are now legal. Just as we do with cigarettes
and alcohol. It gets rid of the requirement for guns (how many armed
guards do you see at your local corn field?) and removes an important
profit center from organized crime.

I think we could all agree at least that organized crime is bad... and
it is not a huge difference between the organized crime in Mexico and
Russia, and that in Washington DC... sigh.

-Kelly
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