Mark Latham: Finally, someone goes against the herd | Sydney Daily Telegraph:
October 2, 2017 - "For a masterclass in original thinking, I recommend Liberal Democrat senator David Leyonhjelm’s new book, Freedom’s Salesman. It’s certain to get you out of your comfort zone.
"Rare among today’s MPs, Leyonhjelm has a structured philosophy of politics and society. Some of his views — such as drug legalisation, assisted suicide and the abolition of marriage laws — can be seen as radically left-wing. Other policies, such as free trade and small government, are usually associated with the right.
"The consistent thread throughout his thinking is the ideal of freedom or, as he puts it, 'a general distrust of authority'. This is a quintessentially Australian belief. As a people, we don’t like being told what to do. We love thumbing our nose at powerful people....
"But now this national trait is under siege. The spread of the nanny state and political correctness is smothering our anti-authoritarianism. Leyonhjelm detests this kind of government over-regulation and the associated rise of welfare dependency. He endorses Mill’s 'harm principle' as the core of his philosophy.
"In 1859 Mill wrote of how, 'The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilised community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others.' Leyonhjelm wants to return to a time when, 'over himself, over his own body and mind, the individual is sovereign.'
"Thus he sees a legitimate role for government in healthcare, education and defence. But he also mounts well-researched arguments for less state interference in business regulation, corporate subsidies, industrial relations, power generation and environmental control. I’ve been a lifelong supporter of a minimum wage in Australia but Leyonhjelm’s advocacy for abolishing it — to help the unemployed, school-leavers and refugees find jobs — had me rethinking my position....
"Perhaps the most impressive part of Freedom’s Salesman is its comprehensiveness. Not since the time of Gough Whitlam has a federal MP single-handedly constructed such a broad agenda — a complete policy program for his time.... Few Australian politicians speak with such candour....
"Earlier this year I joined his party, the Liberal Democrats, in search of free speech and robust policy debate. On the strength of this book, I’m glad I did."
Read more: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/mark-latham-finally-someone-goes-against-the-herd/news-story/9ee63e640cbc3938322531a4036dc870
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October 2, 2017 - "For a masterclass in original thinking, I recommend Liberal Democrat senator David Leyonhjelm’s new book, Freedom’s Salesman. It’s certain to get you out of your comfort zone.
"Rare among today’s MPs, Leyonhjelm has a structured philosophy of politics and society. Some of his views — such as drug legalisation, assisted suicide and the abolition of marriage laws — can be seen as radically left-wing. Other policies, such as free trade and small government, are usually associated with the right.
"The consistent thread throughout his thinking is the ideal of freedom or, as he puts it, 'a general distrust of authority'. This is a quintessentially Australian belief. As a people, we don’t like being told what to do. We love thumbing our nose at powerful people....
"But now this national trait is under siege. The spread of the nanny state and political correctness is smothering our anti-authoritarianism. Leyonhjelm detests this kind of government over-regulation and the associated rise of welfare dependency. He endorses Mill’s 'harm principle' as the core of his philosophy.
"In 1859 Mill wrote of how, 'The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilised community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others.' Leyonhjelm wants to return to a time when, 'over himself, over his own body and mind, the individual is sovereign.'
"Thus he sees a legitimate role for government in healthcare, education and defence. But he also mounts well-researched arguments for less state interference in business regulation, corporate subsidies, industrial relations, power generation and environmental control. I’ve been a lifelong supporter of a minimum wage in Australia but Leyonhjelm’s advocacy for abolishing it — to help the unemployed, school-leavers and refugees find jobs — had me rethinking my position....
"Perhaps the most impressive part of Freedom’s Salesman is its comprehensiveness. Not since the time of Gough Whitlam has a federal MP single-handedly constructed such a broad agenda — a complete policy program for his time.... Few Australian politicians speak with such candour....
"Earlier this year I joined his party, the Liberal Democrats, in search of free speech and robust policy debate. On the strength of this book, I’m glad I did."
Read more: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/mark-latham-finally-someone-goes-against-the-herd/news-story/9ee63e640cbc3938322531a4036dc870
'via Blog this'
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