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First question:
Who first influenced you to become interested in libertarianism?
Always been a live and let live kind of guy. With politics the way they are today, I believe, Libertarianism is being pushed to the front of the line. Our government just doesn’t represent the people anymore. They keep calling themselves our “leaders”. This two party political system is CORRUPT and has them convinced we are their subjects, elected to lead. They need to be removed to remind them what it means to represent the people that put them there!
Too much government control as of late mainly with my Governor bringing back mask mandates regardless of vaccination status. I live in NY which is a far left state like California so Hochul’s tyrannical mandates with the masks and vaccines are what made me decide to be a libertarian after reading the platform. I hope to move to a swing state someday preferably libertarian leaning but probably either Florida or Ohio where it’s fair in terms of politics just not a far left state like California or a far right state like Texas. The libertarian party is not hypocritical like the democratic and republican parties since they the two major ones believe in control in some way and freedom in some way. I stand for both economic and personal freedom in all ways!
Not really influenced by anyone specific. I became disappointed with the 2 main parties, and I can't stand the Dem Socialists. I read a few things on the Libertarian Party of Ohio and liked what I read. I joined and so far I've been pleased.
Ron Paul certainly introduced me to a more freedom oriented side of conservativism or republicans. Glenn Beck also taught me to question the things the govt said. Thomas Sowell, Milton Friedman also deserve credit. But I think most credit goes to the govt itself for being just awful.
Weirdly enough, it was Tucker Carlson that exposed me to libertarianism back when he was a host at MSNBC. He used a term I’d never heard before and intrigued me called civil libertarian. I had been a Republican hawk and the more I learned about libertarianism, the more it made sense.
I was conservative for my whole life, but I grew to dislike how they wanted to legally control some personal choices.I am very pro-freedom. I started researching libertarianism and found it to meet my personal views so much better! There are a lot of cool libertarians on Twitter, so they were influential as well. I do think we are seeing an uprising of Republicans who value freedom (due to Covid). But they still don’t mind taxes 😑🤷🏼♀️
I was helping a fellow Marine get ready to transition back to civilian life and he had made a positive comment about Ron Paul. I had no idea who this Ron Paul fella was so I looked him up and well... I'm sure the rest makes sense. Libertarian ideas allow for us all to live our own best lives.
I had libertarian family already, but Tim Pool talking about libertarian-adjacent topics and talk-thinking through ways to settle differences in American values and culture without breaking up the country or having civil war really sparked my interest further. Libertarian structure allows for so many other cultural tidal pools within it, and that really appeals to me. It's a framework of freedom for everyone, not just freedom for me and my ways or you and your ways. I like that.
Always been a live and let live kind of guy. With politics the way they are today, I believe, Libertarianism is being pushed to the front of the line. Our government just doesn’t represent the people anymore. They keep calling themselves our “leaders”. This two party political system is CORRUPT and has them convinced we are their subjects, elected to lead. They need to be removed to remind them what it means to represent the people that put them there!
No one. I have always believed in freedom. I didn't know it had a name and other people thought like me. I am just learning this at age 48
Same here. When I was 16 I told a State congressman to go f*ck himself when he cut in line at a newstand. I guess he influenced me :))) !
Too much government control as of late mainly with my Governor bringing back mask mandates regardless of vaccination status. I live in NY which is a far left state like California so Hochul’s tyrannical mandates with the masks and vaccines are what made me decide to be a libertarian after reading the platform. I hope to move to a swing state someday preferably libertarian leaning but probably either Florida or Ohio where it’s fair in terms of politics just not a far left state like California or a far right state like Texas. The libertarian party is not hypocritical like the democratic and republican parties since they the two major ones believe in control in some way and freedom in some way. I stand for both economic and personal freedom in all ways!
Not really influenced by anyone specific. I became disappointed with the 2 main parties, and I can't stand the Dem Socialists. I read a few things on the Libertarian Party of Ohio and liked what I read. I joined and so far I've been pleased.
Ron Paul certainly introduced me to a more freedom oriented side of conservativism or republicans. Glenn Beck also taught me to question the things the govt said. Thomas Sowell, Milton Friedman also deserve credit. But I think most credit goes to the govt itself for being just awful.
Brian Thomas on the 55KRC morning show in Cincinnati, He is a conservative who always said he was a Libertarian.
I've always been uncomfortable with ever more govt control, but Ron Paul really lit my fire.
Weirdly enough, it was Tucker Carlson that exposed me to libertarianism back when he was a host at MSNBC. He used a term I’d never heard before and intrigued me called civil libertarian. I had been a Republican hawk and the more I learned about libertarianism, the more it made sense.
Harry Browne
My cousin, with FB posts and nessages
I was conservative for my whole life, but I grew to dislike how they wanted to legally control some personal choices.I am very pro-freedom. I started researching libertarianism and found it to meet my personal views so much better! There are a lot of cool libertarians on Twitter, so they were influential as well. I do think we are seeing an uprising of Republicans who value freedom (due to Covid). But they still don’t mind taxes 😑🤷🏼♀️
I read Atlas Shrugged in 2020 and then I found Michael Malice.
I was helping a fellow Marine get ready to transition back to civilian life and he had made a positive comment about Ron Paul. I had no idea who this Ron Paul fella was so I looked him up and well... I'm sure the rest makes sense. Libertarian ideas allow for us all to live our own best lives.
I had libertarian family already, but Tim Pool talking about libertarian-adjacent topics and talk-thinking through ways to settle differences in American values and culture without breaking up the country or having civil war really sparked my interest further. Libertarian structure allows for so many other cultural tidal pools within it, and that really appeals to me. It's a framework of freedom for everyone, not just freedom for me and my ways or you and your ways. I like that.
I read Defending the Undefendable by Walter Block in '92.
Dr. Roderick Long and Kevin Carson led me to Rothbard ... it spiraled out of control from there :)