In the United States, liberty is always a popular topic as people proclaim their patriotism. Politicians of every stripe claim to stand for truth, justice, and the American way while denouncing their opponents as opposing those principles at every turn. There is no way to honestly deny there is a parasitic political class in this country, but voters imagine they are either net beneficiaries as they celebrate being plundered and tangled in red tape, or noble crusaders against corruption as they turn a blind eye to their own party's sins. Meanwhile, politicians fail to address corporate collusion, warfare abroad, prohibitions at home, taxes on everything we do, licenses mandated for everything not forbidden, and the eternal threat of a cop murdering you with impunity. Why would they? This all benefits them. They can rail against it before every election, and benefit from the power they usurp once in office. Win-win, except of course for those of us in the general population who invariably lose.
Left-wingers: "SeE? CaPiTaLiSm Is BaD aNd We NeEd MoRe GoVeRnMeNt PrOgRaMs To FiX mArKeT fAiLuRe! WhY dO yOu HaTe PoOr PeOpLe?"
The State distorts the market by imposing coercion, resulting in economic instability and massive injustice as a direct consequence. A corporation is first and foremost a government-granted legal status, not a market-driven organization. The Federal Reserve manipulates interest rates and inflates the money supply for the short-term benefit of the political class, driving the wealth gap socialists complain of so much. Public choice theory and the economic calculation problem explain how these central planners and self-appointed experts can't help but make poor decisions even if they aren't corrupt sociopaths. No matter the rhetoric, the result cannot possibly be a net good for anyone, especially the poor.
Right-wingers: "wHy DoN't YoU sUpPoRt ThE tRoOpS aNd PoLiCe? We NeEd ThE gOvErNmEnT tO mAiNtAiN lAw AnD oRdEr Or ThErE wOuLd Be ChAoS!"
If these government enforcers are fighting to protect our liberty, why is our liberty still being eroded by the people who pay them, and why do they enforce laws which violate it? How do you not see the chaos inflicted by the police? Arbitrary laws turn innocent people into targets for government extortion, kidnapping, and murder. Maybe it will at first be used against people you dislike, but the systems you espouse will inevitably be used against you, too. Further, those of you who claim religious motivation for your brand of conservatism are failing to display the fruit of the spirit. In fact, politics is the exact opposite of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Both in unison: "MoVe To SoMaLiA!"
Sigh.
[/rant]