[608] in libertarians
Re: Harry Browne for President
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Derek Rose)
Tue Feb 7 18:12:18 1995
Date: Tue, 7 Feb 1995 18:18:57 -0500
To: libertarians@MIT.EDU, Raymie Stata <raymie@larch.lcs.mit.edu>
From: Derek Rose <rosed@world.std.com>
>I found this to be interesting and well-written. Enjoy!
>
>------- Forwarded Message
>
>X-Url: http://www.rahul.net/browne/why.html
>
> Why I Am Running for President
> ******************************
> by Harry Browne
> ***************
I have a lot of respect for Harry Browne -- his great book, "How I Found
Freedom in an Unfree World," was among the first few libertarian books I
read, along with Rand and Rothbard. But I don't think I'll be voting for
him.
Senator Phil Gramm (R-Tex.) is the candidate that has me truly excited.
The current Time predicts that probably "the real contest as the battle
progresses" to be the G.O.P. nominee will be between Gramm and Bob Dole
(whom Gingrich has described as a "tax collector for the welfare state").
Gramm is anti-tax, anti-regulation, anti-gun-control, and pro-property
rights. During the health care debate last year he was one of the first
Republicans to question the whole notion of universal care. Instead, he
introduced the Cato Institute's free-market plan into the Senate.
Gramm may not be a perfect libertarian on all issues (e.g., I don't think
he's ever criticized the drug war), but from the looks of it, neither is
Browne. For example, his idea for a flat income tax of 10% isn't all that
much different from House Majority Leader Dick Armey's call for a flat
income tax of 13%. (or is it 18%? He's been on "This Week with David
Brinkely and other places promoting it though). So why not support the
candidate with a chance of winning, and of truly changing the debate?
----------
Derek Rose rosed@world.std.com
