Libertarians for Obama

Those of you who really know me know that I lean more than just a little toward the Libertarian side of things.

While I believe the government needs to offer assistance (and tax breaks) to those who really need it, I don't believe that the government needs to be involved in all that we do.

This comes out most when I talk about abortion or gay rights, but there are many other instances that I believe it still holds true.

Should there be laws that dictate right and wrong on the most obvious level, such as murder? Yes. Should marijuana be treated as a more addictive drug than cigarettes or alcohol? Not so much.

Should we pay taxes? Yes. Should we bail out major corporations with our hard-earned money to ensure their CEOs go home with a profit? Again, not so much.

Should the government tell business owners that they can't allow smoking on and in their property? No. But then again, I'm a smoker and I sure would love to have a cigarette at a restaurant.

Those are just a few of the reasons I check out Reason's Hit and Run blog, which lead me to Terry Michael's "The Libertarian Case for Obama".

He lays out seven reasons a Libertarian shouldn't be entirely afraid of an Obama presidency.

Here's a taste with number 6 on the list:

6. R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Yes, we need to restore America's reputation around the world. Anybody who's traveled beyond the Atlantic and Pacific in the past eight years knows America needs a makeover. Whatever you think of Barack Obama—unless, like the mindless U!S!A! crowd, you don't care what the world thinks—he will restore much of the goodwill we have lost when he raises his hand on January 20, 2009. That's significant for libertarians who believe in the importance of the nation most committed to free markets and free minds—ours—leading by example. More-of-the-McSame in foreign policy is something we can't afford.

If you somewhat agree or, at the very least, are interested in ideas that don't always fit the status quo in American politics, check out the article and the blog. Both are exceptional and may cause you to think about things in a new way. It certainly happened to me.

L.

PS--If I ever get a chance to yell U!S!A! at an event, you'd better believe I'll be screaming my head off while punching my fist in the air. I'm not that far Libertarian...just yet.