Seymour’s a what?

3 weeks ago 4

ARTICLE AD BOX

NOT SURE ABOUT YOU, but it looks to me like a whole lot of the commentariat are melting down about David Seymour becoming Deputy Prime Minister — despite the role being as much use as a glass eye at a keyhole.

The most absurd critiques, and here I'm looking at Wee Willie Jackson and Mihinarangi Forbes, goes at him for being "a libertarian." Which poses some kind of a dangerous threat, apparently, despite libertarians famously not caring what goes on behind your closed doors.

You can just watch Jackson, especially, foaming at the mouth over the weekend:

"David Seymour is an extremist ...

"his far right libertarian 'solutions' ...

"his Free Market Libertarian extremism ...

"David is a dangerous libertarian extremist ...

"David Seymour is a very dangerous libertarian extremist."

Etc.

Wow.

At least Willlie seems fully aware of hyperbole.

But is Seymour really a libertarian?

And if so, how would that be a threat to anyone?

It's pretty clear his critics have no idea, since they can't articulate any.

After all, what is it to be a libertarian?

The most topical answer comes from Javier Milei:
What's a libertarian?
Someone who believes in unrestricted respect for the life projects of others.A libertarian is someone who believes in unrestricted respect for the life projects of others. It's damned hard to see how that's a threat to anyone.

Unless, that is, your life project is like Willie's, which is to place your snout permanently into a race-based trough.

Click through for video ...

ANYWAY, TO FURTHER ASSIST poor Mihi and Wee Willie, who remain confused on this point, Javier Milei explains in the video above the difference between right wing, left wing, and libertarian. (Maybe Mihi could use it in her next scare story re-running her vacuous Atlas conspiracy):

Interviewer: What is it to be libertarian? ... Why do you define yourself as a libertarian?

Milei: I define it for you by default [by opposites].

What would someone on the right be like? Someone who doesn't mind who you trade with -- is a liberal economically speaking -- but it bothers him who you get into bed with. Who is a "cultural conservative."

Int.: Repeat that?

Milei: A right-wing person is someone who is economically liberal, someone who doesn't care who you trade with, but cares who you sleep with. Who is a "cultural conservative."

Int.: Okay. I get it.

Milei: On the other hand, a left-wing person is liberal culturally --- they don't care who you get into bed with -- but is interventionist economically; they don't let you trade with whomever you want.

So, what would a libertarian be?

Someone who believes in unrestricted respect for the life project of others. [W]ho believes consenting adults can get into bed with whoever you want -- with every one you want.

Int.: Is that how a libertarian thinks?

Milei: Exactomento.

And obviously you can trade with whoever you want.

Int.: You are libertarian then?

Milei: Exactomento.

So in Spanish ...