In Response – How Much Does Punditry Matter? – The Daily Dish | By Andrew Sullivan

How Much Does Punditry Matter? – The Daily Dish | By Andrew Sullivan.

Ironically, the conclusion I find incorrect. Democrats are as authoritarian as most Republicans. In Fact, more so. Consider the current regulation of smoking (outdoors), transfats, sugars and a whole host of “vices”. While many of the attacks have found an unfortunate champion in Mayor Bloomberg, nationally it is the Democrats who are the driving force in eliminating our freedoms.

Regardless of the rhetoric, it was originally the GOP that drove integration. It is the GOP that has and continues to support responsibility, self-determination and economic vitality through free markets.

The LGBT community has made headway throughout the political spectrum and will continue to do so, there will be continued opposition from elitist Republicans. The recent comments about Ann Romney not having worked a day in her life are not libertarian, they are elitist Democrat. Is a woman who works for free at home for 50 – 90 hours a week any less of a person than a woman who works 50 – 90 hours a week for 30, 50, 100, or 1,000K? I think not. Is a man who stays at home any less than a man that works for money? I think not. I couldn’t do it personally whether married as I am now to my beautiful wife, who has stayed at home, gone to college and worked for pay, or as the husband of a husband who gets paid. That’s the point. Republicans by and large support freedom to make these decisions as adults.

As a nation of incalculable rights for citizens, we must examine every new law in light of rights first, and the public good second. Yes, rights come before the public good. Otherwise rights will become enumerated and we will be a nation subject to the whims of our government. And this too is a reason that while in the short term it may be expedient for libertarians to align left, it is incomprehensible in the long-term since the left will relegate “the public good” above the rights of the individual.