Libertarianism and Ron Paul

Some food-for-thought articles at Mother Jones Reason related to libertarianism in general and to Ron Paul in particular reflect how large is the blanket of "libertarianism," its internal disagreements and external misunderstandings.

Libertarians Hunt Humans—And Other Tales: The latest hysterical response to libertarian ideas, by David Harsanyi

Sally Kohn writes one of the silliest pieces on the topic I’ve ever read. "...if the self-appointed creators wish it, there would be no restrictions on guns or automatic weapons. Or, for that matter, no prohibition against murder." ... I’ve yet to meet a libertarian who opposes restrictions on homicide. Perhaps I don’t get out often enough. ...

Will Wilkinson Calls Ron Paul "an Embarrassment to the Creed" of Libertarianism by Matt Welch

Today comes further evidence for Doherty's thesis, in the form of a Wilkinson piece in The New Republic titled "A Libertarian's Lament: Why Ron Paul Is an Embarrassment to the Creed." Specifically, Wilkinson is embarrassed about Paul's stances on immigration and civil rights...

...ultimately I'm far more concerned with whether America is getting more libertarian (particularly in its politics and public policy), and in my judgment it most definitely has. And I don't see how you can arrive at that conclusion without giving heaps of credit to Rep. Ron Paul.

The latter article quotes from A Tale of Two Libertarianisms: The conflict between Murray Rothbard and F.A. Hayek highlights an enduring division in the libertarian world, by Brian Doherty, which discusses how

All sorts of intra-libertarian internecine squabbles follow along the same rough lines of the split between the hardcore, no-compromise, anti-statist Rothbardian and the more classical liberal, utilitarian, fallibilist, and prudential Hayekian.