I try to clear the excess text as a courtesy to people who receive the digest 
versions of this forum. 
   
   
  Jim Syler <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: 
  
> >> Umm...Constitutional? Isn't the Constitution an initiation of force?
> >> Isn't any government an initiation of force?
> >
> > Yes, it is. What is your point?

> Well, I'd tell you if you hadn't deleted all the previous discussion 
> below (please don't).

> ::grumble grumble::

> Alright, there it is:
> > While everyone loves power, libertarians are aware that they would
> > fall prey to the same issues and once in power would quickly move to
> > minimize the ability to be corrupt by enacting term limits and putting
> > the country back on solid Constitutional ground such that even the
> > most corrupt President could do little in the way of harming the
> > country. Everyone else would be more likely to slide down the path to
> > totalitarianism if the powers that controlled the state at least
> > agreed with their values to start with.

> Umm...Constitutional? Isn't the Constitution an initiation of force?
> Isn't any government an initiation of force?

> My point is that how could "real" (in your view) libertarians--that is, 
> NAPsters--work to getting this country back on solid constitutional 
> ground? Wouldn't that be a violation of their principles?
   
  I’m not sure how it would be a violation of the principles to get the country 
back on solid Constitutional ground. Working against those things which 
restrict liberty and supporting those things which maximize it is in accordance 
with the principles. Those of us who are anarchists probably fall under the 
definition of “rational anarchist” in that we try to “live perfectly in an 
imperfect world” (Heinlein.) 
   
  While I reject the idea that government can be established by means of reason 
and mutual consent in the scale of which we speak, I am willing to accept the 
imperfect system as outlined in the Constitution. I would not need to use 
aggression against others because there would be no reason for me to be 
directly involved in politics. I believe that most libertarians, at least those 
in support of the NAP, feel the same way. 
   
  Those who don’t support the NAP need to explain to what extent it is moral 
and just to initiate force, and why that extent and not, say, to the extent at 
which socialists or even fascists draw the line. Exactly how much unprovoked 
aggression is moral? 
   
  Cory Nott
   


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



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