There’s a certain sort of person who agitates for the legalization of marijuana, which is an ostensibly libertarian move granting more freedom to an activity that proponents says is more benign than alcohol. But interestingly, the same type supports the nascent movement to regulate food and food constituents that are deemed abhorrent (trans fat, sodium, etc.). This strikes me as a contradiction, though I grant that the issues involved are not precisely alike.
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I don’t think you are here correct. I’ve never known a libertarian (as I very nearly am) to support the regulation of food and food constituents. Do you have any examples?
On marijuana, a libertarian might say “Look, outlawing marijuana hasn’t gotten us very far. The border is aflame in drug wars, and there are scores of addicts, still. Let’s try something else.”
By: Nic Miller on October 25, 2010
at 2:50 pm
On the other hand, if something once thought harmless is discovered to be deadly (asbestos), the regulation of it is quite necessary. With Trans Fats, the lines are admittedly blurred by such indicators as “Increased Risk of Heart Failure” etc.
By: Nic Miller on October 25, 2010
at 3:05 pm
I’m not claiming that these people are libertarians, just that they seem to be inconsistent. Actually, these types are typically liberal, in my experience.
By: Byran on October 26, 2010
at 7:32 am