Is the libertarian think tank Cato Institute a socialist/communist organization?

American said:

I think you make a good point. Sometimes I wonder who hates Republicans more, Democrats or Libertarians. Libertarians (the pothead and anarcho types) hate Repbulicans because they feel their existence keeps Libertarians from the prominence they are due.

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Libertarians hate Republicans for a few reasons.

1) The Republican party is socially conservative, which is in direct oppostion to libertarian social ideas.
2) The Republican Party continually promises "smaller government" and "fiscal conservatism" but all we get is an ever expanding federal budget.
3) The Republican Party has embraced neo-conservative foreign policy again a position that is in direct opposition to the libertarian posiiton of non-interventionism.

Of the three reasons I outlined, number two is my biggest issue. At least the Democrats are honest enough to more or less openly embrace big government. Republicans keep saying one they agree with us and then do the opposite.

Even the Tea Party, which I had so much hope for, is mostly full of hot air. They say they want to cut government, but polls show Tea Partiers don't want the military or entitlements cut. That's 2/3 of the freakin' budget! What exactly do they want to cut?

Just to add more fuel to the discussion

Why I Pick on Republicans by Laurence M. Vance

Goshin said:

Simple.

Soros is liberal Democrat.

The Cato Institute is libertarian. Libertarian, as a third party, sucks more votes away from Republicans than Democrats.

Soros aids libertarian think-tank -> fewer votes for R.

At least, that's probably what he thought when he did it.... assuming the decision wasn't made by some flunky rather than Soros personally.

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Based on the last few presidential elections, the Libertarian Party brand is so worthless that they are not sucking votes from either party. They are not even a pimple on the ass of the body politic.

pbrauer said:

Embarrassing moment? :lamo Not on you life pal, my tongue was firmly placed in my cheek when I started this thread. It's not about Cato, but (((GB))).

Glenn Beck *Now Entangled In Soros Web | Media Matters for America

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I do not consider Glenn Beck a popular representative of modern American libertarian thought. Stossel (who's a bit of a yellow journalist) is more close to being the nationally-televised representative of modern American libertarianism. Beck is an idiot, in my personal opinion.

And what amazes me is that Soros actually made such a donation. Doesn't that upset you, or liberals in general?

haymarket said:

The CATO Institute is proof that both Hell and the Devil exist.

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Right. Comparing the leading institute for individual freedom to the most wicked angel ever thought up in the history of human mythology. Do you care to make a point worth debating?

Goshin said:

Simple.

Soros is liberal Democrat.

The Cato Institute is libertarian. Libertarian, as a third party, sucks more votes away from Republicans than Democrats.

Soros aids libertarian think-tank -> fewer votes for R.

At least, that's probably what he thought when he did it.... assuming the decision wasn't made by some flunky rather than Soros personally.

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I disagree. I think Soros was genuine in his appeal to support a institution dedicated to civil liberties. As a liberal democrat, Soros probably has a bunch of different views regarding which civil liberties are worth protecting, but perhaps he wasn't directly involved in this decision.

American said:

I think you make a good point. Sometimes I wonder who hates Republicans more, Democrats or Libertarians. Libertarians (the pothead and anarcho types) hate Repbulicans because they feel their existence keeps Libertarians from the prominence they are due.

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I've never seen Libertarian "hatred" towards republicans from the Libertarian media that I'm exposed to. But judging by your statement and the general disagreements between conservatives and libertarians, it would appear that conservatives hate libertarians. To conservatives, we're nothing but drug-addicted, sodomizing, gay, atheists promoting anarchy. But personally, this libertarian views the positive before the negative when engaging any liberal or conservative in a debate. I do not automatically start at the bottom with insults and presumptions, but at the top with academic dialogue and courtesy.

American said:

Finally, after 500 years, they get one single freaking libertarian (running as a Republican) into office. Either their platform sucks or their candidates do. Constantly pissing and moaning, besmirching Republicans and acting like Republicans are worse than Democrat have gotten them the reward they deserve. Don't confuse most libertarians with constitutionalists. IMO libertarians like Rev are more like constitutionalists (e.g., Tea Partiers), but some of the others are crazy anarcho malcontents who spend their days bashing the Republican Party and smoking pot.

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Hey AMERICAN, let me emphasize something...

CONSERVATIVE SCHOLARS AND/OR ECONOMISTS DO NOT EXIST. Every conservative's favorite economist is a libertarian. They derive their entire opinions regarding economics from the libertarian movement. Milton Friedman, Friedrich Hayek, Ludwig von Mises, Murray Rothbard, the Chicago School of Economics, the Hoover Institution, etc.

Conservatives, it appears, do not have an original idea regarding economic decisions. They're charlatan libertarians in economic thought and nationalistic Machiavellians in political thought.

Does Glen Beck profess to be a nut case?
Maybe he should, the the extremists would then leave him, the liberals might just listen and give him a chance.
I have visited their(Cato) site and see nothing communistic about them..
And, if done right, I favor a national ID system.
Hopefully, we do have the quality of government people to administer it.

ElijahGalt said:

I've never seen Libertarian "hatred" towards republicans from the Libertarian media that I'm exposed to. But judging by your statement and the general disagreements between conservatives and libertarians, it would appear that conservatives hate libertarians. To conservatives, we're nothing but drug-addicted, sodomizing, gay, atheists promoting anarchy. But personally, this libertarian views the positive before the negative when engaging any liberal or conservative in a debate. I do not automatically start at the bottom with insults and presumptions, but at the top with academic dialogue and courtesy.

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You are wrong, I think most libertarians are whining malcontents who have no sellable platform. They don't get voted in for a reason. Their social platform doesn't agree with most Americans. They have liberals to take care of pot and gay rights, what do they need libertarians for? Conservative Republicans did let down their constituents under Bush, because Bush thought it would politically smart to spend money thinking it would kill the issues for liberals. That didn't and doesn't work. Giving away money is a fool's errand.

American said:

You are wrong, I think most libertarians are whining malcontents who have no sellable platform. They don't get voted in for a reason. Their social platform doesn't agree with most Americans. They have liberals to take care of pot and gay rights, what do they need libertarians for? Conservative Republicans did let down their constituents under Bush, because Bush thought it would politically smart to spend money thinking it would kill the issues for liberals. That didn't and doesn't work. Giving away money is a fool's errand.

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Your entire justification for shunning libertarianism is its unpopularity with voters. As if the popular whims of the majority is all that is needed to stir reform in the right direction. Let me remind you that what is right is not always popular and what is popular is not always right. You neglected to respond to my point about libertarian scholars. It is my understanding that libertarians, in general, are far more interested in economic studies as opposed to political battles. This is why you find a relatively large number of libertarian institutes and a large number of libertarian economists. As I stated earlier, the conservative's favorite economist is almost always a libertarian. Whether that libertarian is Milton Friedman or Friedrich Hayek is irrelevent. Conservatives reflect back on their classical liberal roots to understand economics.

This is a ridiculous question. A libertarian is the polar opposite of a communist or socialist.

Anybody who said "yes" to this question should research the definitions of these words.

Why do you focus on chiding Beck so much when you could at least be discussing the damned think-tank and its scholars?

ronpaulvoter said:

This is a ridiculous question. A libertarian is the polar opposite of a communist or socialist.
Anybody who said "yes" to this question should research the definitions of these words.

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Not really.

ronpaulvoter said:

This is a ridiculous question. A libertarian is the polar opposite of a communist or socialist.

Anybody who said "yes" to this question should research the definitions of these words.

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StillBallin75 said:

Not really.

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RPvoter is wrong strictly on terminology. Libertarianism is the polar opposite of totalitarianism, not necessarily "socialism" or "communism" though every communist country in existence has been a totalitarian state.