Why Libertarians Should Support Bernie Sanders in 2020

Libertarians claim to want small government.

Bernie is possibly the best chance for that to happen.

This sounds ridiculous, but it's actually true.

Because even though Bernie advocates for things like universal healthcare and free college, he would have no ability to make either of those things a reality as president.

Only the congress could pass a law establishing universal healthcare and free college.

What Bernie could do as president would be to promote a less aggressive and therefore less expensive foreign policy.

The US currently spends somewhere around $1 trillion on "national security". As president, Bernie could help to reduce that gargantuan amount by decreasing US military intervention overseas.

Another area where Bernie could help to promote libertarian values and small government would be in the area of civil liberties.

For decades, Bernie has been a consistent and vocal defender of civil liberties. As president, Bernie could help reform the US surveillance state and the US war on drugs, both of which Bernie opposes.

A Bernie presidency could mean less war, less spying, and less imprisonment. That would mean smaller government, less taxes, and more liberty.

 

There's a lot of disagreement over what 'optimal government' means. However, I think you've derived a logical conclusion. Despite that disagreement, its clear that folk can unite around the need to minimise hawkish foreign policy. Controlling the military industrial complex is crucial for any shift to a limited government ideal. Its crucial for minimising government waste. Its also crucial for a lefty re-focus on ethics.

 

AGREED. I’m probably closest to a libertarian in terms of my values. I will likely vote for Bernie in 2020 for all of those aforementioned reasons.

The dems will lose if they run Biden. And I’ll vote libertarian again if they do.

I love it when family members blame me in part cuz I voted for Gary in 2016. Them shocked and appalled Trump one. My only response, “YOUR SOLUTION WAS CLINTON?!” Both equally garbage.

 

Are you a Dnc worker are something? Why two posts about pretty much the same thing today?

 

I believe that if we westerners can fix our foreign policy - which is costing us outrageous amounts of money - then many of the areas of economic disagreement between libertarians and democratic socialists would be less fraught and problematic, since there would be far more money leftover for purposes of balancing social welfare and maintaining relatively low taxes. It is possible for the US to have a robust social weflare system AND relatively low taxes, but we have to fix our foreign policy first. Trump promised to do that but failed miserably. It's time to give Bernie a chance.

 

Exactly right.

Just think of this: If the US had listened to Bernie in 2003 and stayed out of Iraq, this country would be two trillion dollars richer than it is right now. And thousands of Americans would still be alive, to say nothing of the Americans who were maimed or psychologically crippled by the war in Iraq. That alone makes Bernie one of the closest things to a libertarian candidate we have.

 

Because Trump has stabbed me in the back too many times. I defended him again and again and again because I believed he might put America first. Instead, he's handed the government over to Bolton and Pompeo whose entire lives revolve around pimping out the US military out to the highest bidders. This country cannot afford another catastrophic war in the Middle East. The last one cost us over two trillion dollars and counting. You want to talk about high taxes? Then just look at how much tax money the government is wasting on wars and covert operations.

 

He wants your guns. No deal.

 

Only the congress can pass additional gun control laws.

 

Read: "I've got a phone and I've got a pen."

- B. H. Obama

 

Did Obama use his phone and pen to create new gun control laws? Do you think Bernie is like Obama?

 

Precedent. Bernie can't get his draconian gun wishes through Congress (he wants a federal "assault rifle" ban and a federal "high capacity magazine" ban), so he declares a "national emergency" with his pen. Law-abiding citizens like me take our down to the local police station, probably get fingerprinted, forced to sign something under penalty of perjury that we don't have any more "mean looking black rifles." Yeah, a real libertarian that hardcore Marxist is.

Hey, guess who's NOT turning in his modern sporting rifle...

 

C'mon... you don't actually think Bernie would do that. And would you actually turn in your guns if something like that did happen?

 

Yeah there's a good idea.

If you're a libertarian, vote for the opposite of that.

 

It just shows how dumb these people are and why nobody should take any of them seriously.

If you are a libertarian and you like Bernie, you are confused...

 

Except on foreign policy and civil liberties, Bernie isn't the opposite.

If you really wanted to vote for the opposite of libertarianism, you'd vote for Trump.

 

If you are a libertarian and you like Trump, you are confused.

And on foreign policy and civil liberties, Bernie is one of the most libertarian candidates there is.

 

Bernie is an isolationist xenophobe?

Hard to believe a global socialist is an isolationist.

Hes a Democrat

 

Sure, if by adopting ideas from Communist China and Cuba you mean civil liberties.

 

No, that's Trump.

Bernie is someone who believes in diplomacy and engagement with the world.

Libertarians aren't isolationists. Trump is the one who wants to isolate the US, with his stupid protectionist policies, his draconian immigration policies, and his endless warmongering.

 

Why would a "libertarian" support a "socialist"?

Socialism is just a step towards communism and if you don't believe me, just imagine a Democrat saying government is to small. You can't...

If you are a real libertarian and you support Bernie, you're a joke.

 

Bernie is running for president, not dictator. He has no power to change the laws or the economy. But he does have the power to end the wars and to end mass surveillance.

 

You saying trump is like Ron Paul? An isolationist xenophobe?

Translation... bending the knee

If libertarians aren't isolationist, why do they want to be left alone?

 

Yeah he just wants to really bad, so we should give him more power so that they don't happen.

Brilliant.

 

I don't know. Why would a libertarian support a fascist like Trump?

I already explained my position: On foreign policy and civil liberties, Bernie is quite libertarian. Real libertarians don't fixate on economic policies alone. Theirs is a comprehensive view of society.

If you are a real libertarian and support Trump, you're an even bigger joke.

At least Bernie is libertarian on foreign and social policies. And those issues are important to real libertarians.