President Trump once stated: “‘tariffs’ is the most beautiful word in the English language.” I was a fervent supporter of the recent candidacy of my fellow New Yorker (he hails from Queens, I’m from next door Brooklyn), but I beg to differ with him on this issue.
I sometimes support Trump (in his battle with Harvard) and sometimes oppose him (tariffs). I support him vis a vis Hillary, Biden, Kamala. That is incompatible with libertarianism?
Dear Bubba: Yes, Donald is no Ron Paul. No Murray Rothbard. No Javier Milei. However, I VASTLY prefer him over Kamala and Hillary. Best regards, Walter
My dear Walter I wish I could understand why you are such a supporter of the Donald? It didn't make since to me in 2016 and it certainly doesn't make sense here in 2025!!
very few mistaken positions in political economy? I guess you dont count his outright lies on spending cuts or reducing the scope or size of govt, and it is within your political economy to make the government more competent? I dont think he has a political philosphy. He just made a bunch of promises to get in. He is a typical left conservative socialist in his politics but with zero consistency. It is a wonder how many libertariams fell for this shmuck. He is a high roller and promoter, thats his skill, and he is obviously good at it.
Walter, you're a genius; the president is not. You're a professor; the president is a businessman turned politician. The tariffs didn't work the first time, but he and his followers believe that they have been cheated because China sells us cheap tchotchkes. Better more expensive tchotchkes made by robots. Thanks for your excellent work, of course.
Look at what I wrote to WB earlier. I think Walter is wrong for supporting Trump. I don't think a person like Walter who self professes to be a libertarian should support a statist like Trump because in weakens his argument for a libertarian society. A free society that believes in the NAP, property rights, and freedom of association.
I will definitely read what you wrote but as voters our choice is binary. I do not agree with views that voting for evil or less is still voting for evil because it abdicates choice. I take the position that voters must make tradeoffs based on all the variables.
I am not a fan of Trump given his worst decision to levy punitive tariffs—tariffs are bad full stop.
Walter’s voluminous writings defend a free or unhampered market.
But I don’t particularly love the enthusiasm Walter expresses for Trump but I do understand it.
All evil should be pointed out. Nearly all politicians are evil. Gladly, because of the internet we can see the hypocrisy in the elected official. The political system is not there for you to "vote" someone into office that will "fix" anything!! It is there to give you the illusion that you can. Liberty is a hard item to attain. I do not think, in fact I know that you are not going to get liberty through the political process!! Achievement in a liberty society is going to have to come from education and the people, and not through political decrees.
If WB's voluminous writings defend a free or unhampered market, he needs to write that way all the time.
Please do not take this in a personal way, I love Walter. I just wish he would give up on Trump.
I agree with you 100 percent. I am a huge fan of Lysander Spooner. Hopefully you have read some of his essays—The Lysander Reader is a must read with an introduction by George H. Smith.
As for Walter (who I don’t personally know), his writing shows him to be a tolerant person (provided that individuals don’t tread on him) who would gladly see government abolished for anarcho-capitalism.
Dear Mitchell: Thanks for your kind words. Greatly appreciated. Best regards, Walter
you are not going to get liberty through the political process?
CONGRESSMAN Ron Paul, a POLITICIAN, converted more people to libertarianism than anyone else, with the possible exception of Ayn Rand!
Well we didn't "get" liberty through him, but he VASTLY improved its prospects
I sometimes support Trump (in his battle with Harvard) and sometimes oppose him (tariffs). I support him vis a vis Hillary, Biden, Kamala. That is incompatible with libertarianism?
Dear Bubba: Yes, Donald is no Ron Paul. No Murray Rothbard. No Javier Milei. However, I VASTLY prefer him over Kamala and Hillary. Best regards, Walter
Dear Daniel: Thanks.
Dear Bubba: Why?
How can you think Trump wants to make America great again? Trump at best is a grand marketer selling the people that will listen to him a bunch of BS. Here is some evidence from today- https://mises.org/mises-wire/trump-building-bigger-deep-state-help-libertarian-peter-thiel?utm_source=MI+Subscriptions&utm_campaign=f44e2a64a2-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_02_29_06_22_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-0aec14e5f3-230132872
My dear Walter I wish I could understand why you are such a supporter of the Donald? It didn't make since to me in 2016 and it certainly doesn't make sense here in 2025!!
very few mistaken positions in political economy? I guess you dont count his outright lies on spending cuts or reducing the scope or size of govt, and it is within your political economy to make the government more competent? I dont think he has a political philosphy. He just made a bunch of promises to get in. He is a typical left conservative socialist in his politics but with zero consistency. It is a wonder how many libertariams fell for this shmuck. He is a high roller and promoter, thats his skill, and he is obviously good at it.
Walter, you're a genius; the president is not. You're a professor; the president is a businessman turned politician. The tariffs didn't work the first time, but he and his followers believe that they have been cheated because China sells us cheap tchotchkes. Better more expensive tchotchkes made by robots. Thanks for your excellent work, of course.
Obviously dated (Trump/Musk bromance has ended) but still spot on!
I disagree with you.
Please tell me why you disagree.
Look at what I wrote to WB earlier. I think Walter is wrong for supporting Trump. I don't think a person like Walter who self professes to be a libertarian should support a statist like Trump because in weakens his argument for a libertarian society. A free society that believes in the NAP, property rights, and freedom of association.
I will definitely read what you wrote but as voters our choice is binary. I do not agree with views that voting for evil or less is still voting for evil because it abdicates choice. I take the position that voters must make tradeoffs based on all the variables.
I am not a fan of Trump given his worst decision to levy punitive tariffs—tariffs are bad full stop.
Walter’s voluminous writings defend a free or unhampered market.
But I don’t particularly love the enthusiasm Walter expresses for Trump but I do understand it.
All evil should be pointed out. Nearly all politicians are evil. Gladly, because of the internet we can see the hypocrisy in the elected official. The political system is not there for you to "vote" someone into office that will "fix" anything!! It is there to give you the illusion that you can. Liberty is a hard item to attain. I do not think, in fact I know that you are not going to get liberty through the political process!! Achievement in a liberty society is going to have to come from education and the people, and not through political decrees.
If WB's voluminous writings defend a free or unhampered market, he needs to write that way all the time.
Please do not take this in a personal way, I love Walter. I just wish he would give up on Trump.
I agree with you 100 percent. I am a huge fan of Lysander Spooner. Hopefully you have read some of his essays—The Lysander Reader is a must read with an introduction by George H. Smith.
As for Walter (who I don’t personally know), his writing shows him to be a tolerant person (provided that individuals don’t tread on him) who would gladly see government abolished for anarcho-capitalism.