Falsely Called Freedom Part 7: A Summary of Libertarian Process

The rise of complex conspiracy theories has divided our country.  There is a counter narrative, known only to a select few who insist that reality can only be known when interpreted through this narrative.  The result is that their choices and statements seem counterintuitive, at best, to others.  Ironically, behind Q-anon, Pizza-gate, and Obama-gate is […]

Falsely Called Freedom Part 6: Libertarianism’s Philosophical Hypocrisy

The entire argument of Libertarianism is built on assumptions about motives.  The argument runs- people only do things out of self-interest.  Therefore, people will only elect people from whom they stand to gain, and politicians will do whatever they need to stay in office.  This locks them in a mutable indebtedness to, the politician must […]

Falsely Called Freedom Part 5: “Right to Work” As A New Enslavement

A great example of double speak is that of the “Right to Work” states.  Interference in the “free market” is perceived by libertarians anything that challenges the right of the wealthy to their wealth. This is way they can run on “tax breaks” but only give them to the wealthiest while raising them on the […]

Falsely Called Freedom Part 4: Libertarian “Economic Freedom” as Defending the Wealthy

The reliance of the Virginia School upon the Mont Pelerin Society and the work of F. A. Hayek, and Milton Friedman reveals the depth of its foundational false dichotomy, “Should government control markets or should markets control the government?”  Uncontrolled government places political power and public decisions into the hands of the politically connected.  Uncontrolled […]

Falsely Called Freedom Part 3: Libertarian “Freedom of Choice” as Costly Racism

One of Libertarianism’s key ideas is ‘freedom of choice’.  School choice in particular reveals that this idea is rooted in the ideal of keeping races separate and controlling who gains the benefit of the states tax revenues.  This came to the fore in the issue of Brown vs. the Board of Education which declared that […]

Falsely Called Freedom Part 2: Libertarian Understanding of Freedom

In the mind of the Virginia school, economy is a form of exchange while politics is a form of coercion.  True liberty can thus only be economic freedom.  Free markets, they argue, will create free people.  Their concern is that an electorate will elect politicians that promise to do the will of the people.  Then […]

Falsely Called Freedom: The Racist Roots of Libertarianism

The Virginia school of Economics would lay the foundation of Modern Libertarianism and the Tea Party Movement by creating an understanding of “liberty” quite unlike that of the framers.  Claiming to be constitutionalists, they might be better connected to the dissenting voice of the post-Constitutional generation, John Calhoun.  Based on the work of James Buchanan […]

Xenophiles?

In translating 1 Timothy, I came an attribute necessary to those in Christian leadership- they should be “xenophiles.” This is generally translated “hospitable” but we might better say, “a lover of the stranger”. In the ancient Jewish context, the “stranger” usually refers to one from beyond our borders and culture. In today’s political atmosphere that […]