This just in: George Bush not a libertarian!

by davidthayer

I have an announcement to make to the Blogosphere: President Bush is not a libertarian. That’s right, liberal and libertarian bloggers, President Bush thinks differently than you on a host of social issues! He doesn’t believe in minimalist government or a hands off policy when it comes to social issues like abortion, pornography, marriage, etc. I am not sure why this wasn’t clear before but it is nevertheless true. Learn it, absorb it, let it sink in: he thinks differently than you.

Glen Reynolds is outraged that the Bush administration is going after pornography and other obscenity related issues. He quotes emails saying they are donating money to Kerry, pissed off at Bush, etc. Please spare me your outrage. Please spare me the Bush is stupid and only cares about the religious right stuff. Hasn’t it become clear that the Bush administration is simply not going to follow the “focus on the war on terror and avoid social issues” strategy that so many hawks and libertarians desperately want. Listen, you must make a choice about Bush. Either you can get over his social conservatism, such as it is, and support him because of his hawkishness or you can’t. If you care deeply about porn, or abortion, or nationalized gay marriage Bush is not going to make you happy. If social libertarianism is crucial to your vote then frankly I am not sure GW is your candidate. He has never been and never will be a libertarian. The sooner you get that, the sooner we can stop listening to your blustering outrage and constant threats of switching sides. And that will be a good thing.