"What is the future of freedom? Is it the leftist vision of endless government intervention that makes men free from work and responsibility -- not to mention free from having to tolerate the existence of those who have politically incorrect views? Is it a more basic leftist vision, in which men live tribalistically free from both the environmental and spiritual pollution of civilized life and rational thought? Is it a conservative vision based on notions of the common good, limited individual rights, and inherited custom? Or is it a libertarian vision presenting uncompromising individual rights and free markets in all things as in accord with man's true nature? (more...)
From:
HUMAN EVENTS
April 30, 2001
by Joseph A. D'Agostino
Future of Freedom Foundation
"What is the future of freedom? Is it the leftist vision of endless government intervention that makes men free from work and responsibility -- not to mention free from having to tolerate the existence of those who have politically incorrect views? Is it a more basic leftist vision, in which men live tribalistically free from both the environmental and spiritual pollution of civilized life and rational thought? Is it a conservative vision based on notions of the common good, limited individual rights, and inherited custom? Or is it a libertarian vision presenting uncompromising individual rights and free markets in all things as in accord with man's true nature?
"The Future of Freedom Foundation is completely committed to the last version of freedom's future. Says the group's 'Declaration of Principles': 'The United States was founded on the libertarian principles of individual freedom, free markets, private property, and limited government. As the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution reflect, individuals have the natural and God-given right to live their lives any way they choose, so long as their conduct is peaceful. It is the duty of government to protect, not destroy, these inherent and inalienable rights.'
"Said Jacob Hornberger, founder and president of FFF, 'We have a conservative bent in that we focus on the moral and philosophical arguments for liberty.' He explained the difference between the conservative and libertarian movements today. 'I would say the biggest difference is that libertarians apply conservative principles consistently whereas conservatives don't. Conservatives defend Social Security, the public schools, the drug war. None of this can be reconciled with this rhetoric of free markets and private property and limited government.'
"Operating through the IRS, DEA, ATF, INS, FDA, FTC, and a multitude of other bureaucracies, our government has waged immoral and destructive wars on our freedom, our property, and our well-being," says FFF. "It has seduced us into believing that we cannot live without this political paternalism. It has weakened our moral fiber and our sense of self-reliance, self-esteem, voluntary charity, and community."
"Hornberger founded FFF in 1989, in Denver, and then moved it to the Washington, D.C., area in 1993. 'We take a current issue in the news. We have a very active op-ed program,' he said. 'We have an Email Update. For example, we commented on the China situation from a libertarian perspective, that is, it's time to dismantle the empire and bring the troops home.'
"One major area of difference between most libertarians and most conservatives is immigration. FFF favors open borders. Hornberger dismissed concerns that the historic melting pot had stopped working with the rise in levels of immigration and the triumph of multiculturalism. 'There is no American culture,' he said. 'There is always the perception that immigrants do not assimilate. At first, people move to Little Italy because they are comfortable there. But by the second or third generation, it changes. Most Italian-Americans can't even speak Italian.' As for how much immigration is enough, he said, 'Let the market decide that.'
"One of FFF's scholars, Sheldon Richman, wrote a March op-ed defending the opponents of the death tax against the billionaires who favor it. 'Buffet et al. claim that if estates are not taxed, people like themselves won't give as much to charity. In other words, charity is merely a tax shelter,' he wrote. 'Perhaps they should speak for themselves. In the 19th Century, before there was an estate or income tax, the wealthy gave huge sums to charitable causes of all kinds. In the 1980s, when top income-tax rates were cut substantially, philanthropy soared. Apparently, rich folks give money out of generosity, tax considerations or no tax considerations.'
"'Without a death tax, great fortunes remain in the private sector to be invested in new products and services. The next Bill Gates, Jr., has a better chance of getting rich without an estate tax than with it -- not because he can inherit all his father's money, but rather because no estates would be diverted to wasteful government spending schemes.'
"As part of its very purist libertarian philosophy, Hornberger said, FFF advocates the legalization of drugs. He argued that the drug war is at the root of most of America's violence. 'Legalizing drugs would create a very, very peaceful society,' he said. He also pointed a finger at the public schools. 'I would argue that public schooling is a cause of this problem of violence,' he said. 'This seizure of children at six years old from their families and placing them in government schools for indoctrination is not good for them. And if some child doesn't like it, they put them on drugs.'"
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