Libertarianism is a form of Marxism?

Boortz linked to this article in "The American Conservative" from his site today. I read it and it sounds to me like the Conservatives are starting to see Libertarians as a viable opponent and are trying to attack the philosophy before it reaches the mainstream. The truth of the matter is that the Democratic Party is falling apart. It lost so much this last election. It then replaced it chairmanship with Howard Dean. Everyone sees the party declining.

However, our political system requires two distinct political parties. Just as when the Whigs disintegrated they were replaced with the Republicans, as the Democrats disintegrate, they will be replaced with the party of choice, Libertarianism. Conservatives must demonize this party while it is in infancy because they understand that if people really understood the philosophy, both conservatives and liberals would flock to the party.

A couple of thoughts on the article:

• The author mischaracterizes libertarians as being a social deviants (drug abuser, sexual eccentrics). This is an attempt to marginilize the philosophy as belonging to those who are outside of the mainstream.
  
  
• It appears as if the author does not think highly of those who work hard and seek to make good choices. He lumps them in with the crazies mentioned above and calls them selfish for wanting to reap the rewards of their hard work.
  

  "While it is obviously fair to let people enjoy the benefits of their wise choices and suffer the costs of their stupid ones, decent societies set limits on both these outcomes"
  

  This quote of his shows clearly that he believes it is good to not be fair. Actually, he argues that society has a moral obligation to be unfair. I think most people can see that this goes against the basic principle that we are taught that if you work hard, you will be rewarded. This guy thinks that if you work hard, you will be rewarded...but if it looks like you are getting rewarded too much, then the best thing to do is for society to step in, decide how much you should be rewarded, and then take any reward you earn over and above that amount.
  
  
• He does make a good point when he points out that libertarians are deluded if they think they can achieve a utopian society based on the libertarian principles. Philosophically pure libertarianism can only work when every member of that society behaves in a moral manner. Our Founding Fathers understood this and said :
  

Liberty is the prevention of control by others. This requires self-control and, therefore, religious and spiritual influences; education, knowledge, well-being.


Lord Acton


The highest glory of the American Revolution was this; it connected, in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity.


John Quincy Adams


Obviously libertarians must ensure that the people have the knowledge, moral fortitude, and mature character to be able to handle freedom. The author is exactly right when he says libertarians must teach people how to use freedom. This means that before liberty can reign in the nation, Christ must reign in the heart. People must first choose to live lives that show the virtues given by the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control). Because we live in a fallen world, these virtues can only be present consistently in a life that has been transformed by Christ.

However, all this said, this does not mean that we shouldn't be trying to move toward a more free society. We are over-taxed and over-regulated as a society right now. The Federal Government is an impediment to progress. I think we need to make some incremental steps to restore freedoms we have lost. We need to repeal the federal income tax. We need to repeal the direct election of senators. We need to add term limits to all federal political offices. We need to get the power to regulate our society as close to the individual as possible.