Libertarian Paternalism & Gun Control

[Kirk Freeman]

Using libertarian paternalism to redirect the gun control debate to limit choice.

Can Libertarian Paternalism Change Our Gun Culture? | Think Tank | Big Think

 

[poptab]

By libertarian he means subtle authoritarianism?

They just cant stand that other people made a different choice?

What will they think of next?

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Still the approach we recommend does count as paternalistic, because private and public choice architects are not merely trying to track or implement people’s choices. Rather, they are self-consciously attempting to move people in directions that will make their lives better. They nudge.

No matter how much lipstick you put on the pig, it's stil a statist pig.

 

[Liberty1911]

He's advocating choices of the type I gave my children.

No, you can't have candy. Do you want potatoes or carrots?

 

[Bunnykid68]

He's advocating choices of the type I gave my children.

No, you can't have candy. Do you want potatoes or carrots?

Potatos, I want some taters

 

[Liberty1911]

Potatos, I want some taters

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrQVFZx7XX4

 

[HavokCycle]

the second amendment does not give us the right to bear arms.



we already have that right as living creatures. call it whatever you want, human right, god-given right, inherent right, doesn't matter.

the second amendment only protects this right from government action, or its meant to anyway.

 

[techres]

No matter how much lipstick you put on the pig, it's stil a statist pig.

From the articles linked off this one:

Chicago scholars tend to be social scientists at heart, contrarian but empirical, following evidence to logical extremes. They are centrally interested not in what it is like to be an individual within society but in how society washes over individuals, making and remaking them.

 

[actaeon277]

What the H was that claptrap?
It hurt me just to read that.
And all I heard was "I know better than you".
He must be a god then. Cause if he's a man, then he's no better than I am.

 

[hacksawfg]

We had tax breaks for buying more efficient HVAC systems.

We had "cash for clunkers".

I propose another tax incentive...

"Greenbacks for gun safes"

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

What the H was that claptrap?
It hurt me just to read that.
And all I heard was "I know better than you".
He must be a god then. Cause if he's a man, then he's no better than I am.

Not a god but an architect. A designer of choices to minimize the risk of harm to society from the irrational decisions of its citizens: it's for your own good; it'll make your life so much simpler since all the wrong choices will have been eliminated.

 

[IndyDave1776]

I knew where this was going as soon as I read 'Cass Sundstein'. This man is one of worst among Obama's crews of enemies of the republic.

 

[hooky]

We're the frogs in the pot of water and he's the guy turning up the heat under us.

 

[actaeon277]

I'm still trying to figure out how he's a Libertarian.

 

[cobber]

I knew where this was going as soon as I read 'Cass Sundstein'. This man is one of worst among Obama's crews of enemies of the republic.

He's from Chicago. The last refuge of Tammany Hall in the US.

We had tax breaks for buying more efficient HVAC systems.

We had "cash for clunkers".

I propose another tax incentive...

"Greenbacks for gun safes"

Or how about the government gives law-abiding gun owners a tax credit of say, 10%.

Every year a gun owner doesn't unlawfully kill someone with their gun, said credit applies.

On the other hand, criminals who use guns have to pay a 10% tax surcharge every year, in addition to a parallel federal tax of 30% on general criminal behavior.

In no time at all criminals will see the light and/or we'll all be swimming in dough!

 

[FMJ]

We had tax breaks for buying more efficient HVAC systems.

We had "cash for clunkers".

I propose another tax incentive...

"Greenbacks for gun safes"

Or AMMOSTAMPS!! I cant get food stamps....but i sure could use some "free" ammo

 

[ghuns]

In other words, if we approach this question from the standpoint of behavioral economics -- as Sunstein's push model does -- we must view the gun owner as not a rational actor but as a "befuddled character — bedeviled by impulses and sentiments, overwhelmed by choice."

One example of this type of befuddled character is, as Sunstein points out, Homer Simpson, who doesn't want to wait five days to get a gun because "I'm angry now." This is an example of a government policy effectively controlling irrational behavior.

I'll just leave this here...might comment later when the urge to slap the crap outta somebody leaves me...

OK, I have carefully considered this and have come to the following conclusion...

WOW! He's a freakin genius! He's led me to an epiphany! He's cracked the code! Gun owners are the intellectual equal of Homer Simpson. That explains everything! I now see the error of my ways! I will hand over my guns to the first police officer I see and thank him for taking them and for protecting me and my family from all evildoers! Thank you Cass Sunstein, thank you, you are truly a great American!

Wait a minute... on second thought, for a minute there, I was bedeviled by impulses and sentiments, overwhelmed by choice, Cass Sunstein can go f-himself. This man is far more dangerous than Reid, Feinstein, Pelosi, etc. He actually BELIEVES this crap

 

[Plinker]

Millions of people with such feelings want guns less to protect themselves against physical danger and more to protect themselves from the threat of a society they feel is taking away their ability to control their own lives.

And where does his information come from? What data, polls,etc.. is used for this. I call BS right now, this is the mindset they want to apply to gunowners.

I believe the spike in gun ownership can be directly applied to two things:

1. The sensationalistic 24 hour news media that over hypes every/any type of crime, making the average person feel less safe (despite FBI statistics stating the opposite)

2. People who have been on then fence about owning a gun (ie: someday I'd like to have one) are making the purchase now because of the fear of gun control from politicians who are capitalizing on number one above.

The gun owner lobby needs to go on the offense and refuse to have this fight defined for us.

 

[BigMatt]

This article is a poor attempt to drive a wedge between conservatives and libertarians. If this guy is a libertarian, I am an anarchist.