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I find it pretty amusing that Balko would accuse me of some sort of "smear" of Libertarians. I mean, I voted for Harry Browne in 2000 because I couldn't stomach Bush's big government conservatism, and I also favor legalizing drugs and believe that states should have the right to allow gay marriage. I wouldn't consider myself a Libertarian these days due to my fierce disagreements over foreign policy, and because in my view Libertarians' obsession with silly purity tests on side issues marginalize them and hinder their ability to actually advance the cause of limiting the size of government. But to think I'm out to "smear" Libertarians is quite absurd. Does Balko not see humor in the fact that the first audience question at a presidential debate would be over whether the candidates believe in a person's right to possess and distribute child pornography?

As to Balko's sarcastic rejoinder, "And no doubt to the disappointment of some conservatives, all of the major GOP candidates for president this year opposed bombing abortion clinics and lynching black people," I'd really like for him to point me to a similar forum involving Republican candidates in which a conservative audience member asked such a question. Or to a Republican candidate with a serious shot of winning the nomination who advocated it.

topics:
Abortion, Conservatism