Libertarian view

Libertarian candidate proposes withdrawal from the Middle East
John Stossel likes Libertarian candidate
Neal Boortz likes Johnson but is going to vote for Romney
Ok, surprise, surprise, my admittedly progressive friend out west likes the Libertarian Party candidate, former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson. Hey, I guess, what’s not to like? … He is a libertarian.
All right, I admittedly call myself a libertarian at times, but that is because I really can’t categorize myself as much else. The thing I do like about Libertarians is the philosophy that the government should, basically, just butt out of people’s lives and let them get on by themselves. Unfortunately, that sounds awfully hard-hearted to the progressives and what used to be known as liberals, but what the heck? What do I care? I’ve run my race, did my bit for God, King (or is that “President”) and Country, paid into the system like a good troll and whatever. Unfortunately, I do care.
However, I part company with the Libertarians when they start spouting what, for the lack of a better term, is isolationism. Sorry, guys, but that ain’t gonna work, no matter how we try. We tried that back in the 1930s and we got burned big time.
Now, I am not a big fan of the current binges toward nation building either. Americans, ala the Ugly American book from the 1950s, have a long track record of mucking that up. Nor am I big on intervening in every little conflict that comes along … at least not with American troops. I guess we could pay some mercenaries, but the progressives would have a hissy fit on that (I just finished a sci-fi book on just such a concept, well sort of … it was nakedly based on the past 10 years, but transferred to another world for literary license … it was not kind to liberals and progressives … and definitely not Islamic jihadists).
Still, one does have to face reality and that reality is that the U.S., regardless of whether you like it or not, has the most capable military in the world as well as the military that is most capable of functioning efficiently forward deployed. While that is great, in one sense, it also has a downside and that downside is that other nations look to all that power and ask, nay beg, for help with the pirates, bandits, thieves and other assorted tyrants and bad guys out there.
Unfortunately, something that Mr. Johnson and other Libertarians rarely recognize is that in our interdependent global marketplace, it is in our own enlightened self-interest to quell certain disturbances and restrain some parties from acting on their darker designs. In other words, the U.S. is repeatedly called upon and needs to use its strength to act as global constable and fire brigade.
Not that we asked for the job, per se, but unless we want to hand the world over to those who want to have total chaos so they can prey on others, or turn the reins over to Chinese, who at the moment seem to be waiting in the wings – although they have a way to go on their capabilities of projecting power, given another 10 or 15 years, they probably will get there, then the “we are going to pull out of everywhere and tend to our own knitting here in North America” attitude really isn’t going to work.
I suppose that it could work, for a little while, assuming that we could find the resources we need inside our borders (like that is going to happen) and borrow enough money to reestablish the industrial base that would keep our military at the pinnacle of today’s war-fighting food chain. However, I doubt that either of those conditions could ever be met. AND our standard of living would take a major hit without imports.
However, it is a very seductive fantasy, but – I hate to even draw this parallel – but the world economy is a bit like a row of dominoes. Knock one or two over and you get a cascade effect. You don’t think so? Then you need to really take a much better look at the events of the past four or five years.
The question, of course, is how you keep those dominoes from falling? Unfortunately, withdrawing back into your castle is not the answer nor is trying to please everybody and yayhoo in the neighborhood. Maybe someday, the world will be like that, but I doubt even my grandchildren will see a world like that.
Which brings me back to my usual solution: We have to find ways to convince very self-centered, greedy and power-hungry individuals and nations how it is in their own enlightened self-interest to act like civilized people, rather than raving maniacs.
Anybody got any good ideas? Nobody seems to like mine.
Oh, and my current view on the current presidential race: Definitely undecided.
Obama is a walking disaster in so many ways.
Romney can’t seem to get his act together, so he is not much better.
Johnson, ain’t no way on God’s green earth that he will win … whether you like him or love him … and a vote for him probably will help get the disaster re-elected.