"Libertarianism is spreading on our college campuses. An unusually large number of politically-minded, frustrated students, who refer to themselves as the "liberty movement," believe themselves to be part of a rising tide that will restore the country to greatness."
Much of the recent growth in libertarian activism emerged after Ron Paul's 2008 failed presidential bid, when Jeff Frazee, Paul's national youth coordinator, founded Young Americans for Liberty (YAL). Aided in part by the right-of-center activist training group the Leadership Institute and its team of field representatives, YAL now boasts chapters on over 380 campuses and a membership of some 125,000 students. Another libertarian group, Students for Liberty, has since seen exponential growth since its founding in 2008. At the end of 2008, there were 42 campus groups in the SFL network. By 2013, SFL claimed an affiliation with 930 groups worldwide: 767 in the U.S., over 100 in Europe, and a few dozen in Africa, Asia, and Latin America."
Deerson (president of UNC-Chapel Hill's YAL chapter until he graduated in May) credited the growth of the club to the training he received from Students for Liberty and to changing attitudes among students. A handful of studies lend credence to this view. A 2011 study by UCLA scientists found incoming students to have more liberal views, but only on social issues, meaning that there are more students who identify as fiscally conservative and socially liberal--in effect, libertarian. A 2012 survey by the Panetta Institute found that 30 percent of college students have libertarian beliefs. Indeed, the present time seems to be a "libertarian moment" for the entire country, as statistician Nate Silver has suggested."
Minding the Campus via Intapundit
11 comments:
Go team! :)
There is hope.
Given that the Millennials are taking it right on the chin (among other places) just as they start out in life, this is fairly logical.
This country can regain its economic pre-eminence, but not with the Democrats running things.
Libertarians:
"Puttin' on a show - Entertainment!"
Sorry, but to a typical college student, libertarian principle means being able to smoke dope legally. I can't remember where this occurred, but I saw a college forum where a group of "libertarian" students interacted with a prominent conservative spokesperson. I'm not kidding when I say that they didn't have a clue as to how libertarianism could affect speech codes, government run entities, affirmative action, etc.
Sorry, but to a typical college student, libertarian principle means being able to smoke dope legally.
That's a good start.
I'm not kidding when I say that they didn't have a clue as to how libertarianism could affect speech codes, government run entities, affirmative action, etc.
Perhaps they need some people to teach them.
The Republican party will not save America from its downward spiral into statist totalitarianism. Indeed, the Republican party is partially responsible for it.
Libertarianism, or as I prefer to think of it, classical liberalism, is the only hope.
The progressive statist totalitarian left vilify the very word "Liberty".
Lets hope people wake up.
OT:
Good news! The Democrat Protection Racket Media came in big for their party. go team go!
Palladian so succinct.
A woman appears on t.v. local government channel usually with others at a large table. Her voice is damaged. It sounds like it hurts her to talk, yet talk she does, it is uncomfortable listening so she imposes her damaged voice all around. She does most the talking actually, and you realize why her voice is damaged. You sense her damaging her own voice while working through the damage and speaking anyway, persisting even though her instrument has already collapsed, she's not having it, she pushes her damaged instrument further for all to hear her internal struggle as she talks and talks and talks even as her televised voice informs all listeners her body is pleading, "for God's sake, woman, STFU" but she cannot stfu for she is driven.
She is manic who has her hands all over the pot laws affecting them immediately.
I remarked to a cluster of three such millennial types about such recent legislation having to do with countering 2nd hand smoke affecting public 420 gatherings that are popular. It was in the news that day. The three immediately became Alinskites right before my eyes. They generated a litany of similar olfactory affronts that are not legislated but still affect everybody, the hypocrisy evident.
"What about being bbq grills in apartments? "
"What about the Purina factory?"
"What about the pig farms?"
"What about the the Stock show and Rodeos? You can smell that all the way downtown."
I didn't think of any of that.
A little brainstorming party spontaneously sprung up right there from one little remark. They were ready to become political about that immediately. I could see these kids, if not showing up at a townhall, at least shouting at the tv in front of their friends sparking further discontentment with becoming wards of the state.
When they put this together with immigration and their own employment prospects I would expect something approaching an awakening to political affairs beyond the double vacuity of hope and change. (But not really counting on it.)
Wishful thinking.
At least they are thinking about it, unlike most college kids.
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