To a big chunk of the left – and not a few on the far libertarian fringe – America is the worst thing ever.<\/p>\n
I don’t bother prodding “progressives” too hard on the subject – why bother?<\/p>\n
But with Wahhabi Libertarians, I’ve had a bit of sport asking “OK – if someone gave you an airplane ticket and told you to go somewhere with greater regard for personal liberty and freedom, all and all, where would you go?”<\/p>\n
When I get an answer – and it’s a minority that actually tries – it’s usually someplace that’s made a big splash legalizing marijuana or raw milk or hemp jeans, or some other such vital freedom.\u00a0\u00a0 Almost inevitably, a quick examination shows the place they want to move crushes free speech, has a confiscatory tax structure, bans civilian gun ownership, has indulgent police powers, or some such.\u00a0 The exception – the current Libertarian parlor subject, “Liberland<\/a>“, a small “libertarian state” on the Danube between the Czech Republic and Croatia – would seem to be on the brink of being repoed by the Croatians.\u00a0 And a liberty that can’t be defended is only a liberty until someone bigger and nastier takes it away (which is among the subjects of a certain book released last month<\/a> and currently priced to move)<\/p>\n Anyway – the US takes its shots from the left, the right, and the none-of-the-above.\u00a0 Including yours truly, at times.<\/p>\n