He Gets Serious When He

He Gets Serious When He Gets Mad
As happens at least twice a year, libertarians are attacking conservatives over Lincoln and the Civil War. In a seriously over-caffeinated state last night, I jumped in with the following letter to Junk Yard Blog:

Bryan,

Here’s a non-orthodox, small-l libertarians take on Lincoln, the South, and the Civil War.

Legally, the South was correct on State’s Rights — and that, as we all should know, was the real reason for succession. But to have used that excuse to justify the continued existence of slavery? Unforgivable, inexcusable, hypocritical. The South arguing rights?

The North had to fight, and the North had to win, and I’m very glad we did both.

In that one small sense, Lincoln and George W Bush are alike. I might not care for their domestic programs, but one certainly proved to be the right man at the right time — and the other one might just prove the same.

Let me reiterate that first point. Slaveholders tried to make an argument based on rights? Say it out loud, and with great ingidnance. And, you can use that same line, slightly altered, on anyone trying to preserve their property at the costs of the rights of others. Give it some thought. A bottle of Stoli to the person who can come up with the best modern example of the same hypocracy. And no, I’m not kidding — a real damn bottle.