Wednesday, November 8, 2017

Do "Rand Paul's broken ribs prove the weakness of libertarianism"?

Libertarian Hero Meets The Justice Of The Streets (Err.. Suburbs) | Above the Law - Elie Mystal:

November 8, 2017 - "Senator Rand Paul was tackled by his own neighbor [who] broke five of his ribs. Paul, apparently, was riding around on his lawn mower with noise canceling earmuffs. He never saw or heard his neighbor who tackled him to the ground, causing him serious injuries....

"The thing everybody knows about Rand Paul is that he’s a libertarian and 'libertarian' always sounds like a fine legal and political theory to people who haven’t thought deeply about how to live with others.

"'You can do what you want and I can do what I want and, so long as we’re not hurting anybody, the government can do nothing.' It’s … cute, as theories of social interactions go. It’s not a workable basis for law and governance.

"Rand Paul’s broken ribs prove the weakness of libertarianism. According to reports, Rand Paul likes to grow pumpkins on his property. You might like pumpkins, but to some people, pumpkins are kind of big and ugly and, stinky.... Reports also indicate that Paul makes his own compost (also stinky) and 'has little interest for neighborhood regulations.' This, my friends, is what libertarianism looks like in practice. I’ll grow what I want, put trash where I want, and maintain my space however I want....

"Of course, the neighbors, who in the instant case had to live next to Rand Paul’s pumpkin spiced compost heap for 17 years, are left with little recourse. In Libertarian Land, all of the legal regulations that might restrain Paul’s behavior do not exist. They don’t believe in 'zoning'.... But without laws, we are in the state of nature. And in the state of nature, if you keep growing smelly pumpkins and throwing your yard clippings all over the place, somebody is going to tackle you and break your ribs....

"Rand Paul’s broken ribs are a goddamn case study in why we need regulations.... To live in a Libertarian society is to never know the peace of being able to mow your lawn without keeping your head on a swivel."

Read more: https://abovethelaw.com/2017/11/libertarian-hero-meets-the-justice-of-the-streets-err-suburbs/?rf=1
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