Snarky intellectuals

Reading a lot of the blogs I grow weary of the "intellectual" snarkiness that now has become fashionable. It mostly comes from leftists and those who label themselves libertarian but still lean far to the left. The "libertarians" who lean to the left are a funny bunch -- they lambast Republicans mercilessly and kinda, sorta, say something negative about a Democrat every once in awhile just to show their fierce independence -- yet, it's clear their hearts are secretly bound to the new liberal ideas. They should drop the hip-irony schtick and fully embrace their comrades on the left, for the sake of transparency.

The label of "libertarian" gives them intellectual cover against charges of being small-minded, leftist ideolouges. It's totally uncool to express allegiance to the Democrat Party, not because you believe they are wrong on the major issues and you believe in free markets and limited government, but because it makes you look biased so that your hatred of the Republican Party appears to be partisan-manufactured rather than an independent hatred from higher above in the rarefied air of intellectual independence.

I wish they had not chosen the libertarian label for cover because it confuses the meaning of libertarian and gives the appearance that libertarian-spirited thinkers prefer Democrats over Republicans if we all had to hold our noses and choose. It's a good way for the left to find another angle from which to attack. I also see some of this from the right, but it's not near as prevalent -- because it's intellectual (and being seen as intellectual is a prime value in and of itself for many people) suicide to be seen on the right of anything. It's pretty much accepted that to be intellectual at all, you must be firmly anti-right. The more muddled the idea of libertarianisn becomes, the easier it is for snipers to use this cover to attack their enemies.

So, what it seems we have is the intellectual who wants the cover of independence to take potshots at all the stupidity in the world without ever having to choose what they deem smart. It's a great way to appear intellectually superior, which is a bonus. Plus it gives their hatred of the Republicans more weight -- I mean, it's not like a card-carrying Democrat is saying these things -- no, it's a LIBERTARIAN! This really, really proves that the Republicans have lost all support so we may as well choose the only alternative -- the Democrats -- even though as an independent, libertarian thinker I'm not a partisan Democrat. Didn't you read where I said something negative about Biden?  That proves I'm not biased, it's just that there is no other choice, and besides Obama is for change and McBush is an old, gay-hating, anti-pot, right-wing war-monger.

A while back I wrote that the Republicans still had some free-market, limited government players in the party and that they would be the best choice between the two parties. So I could be seen as a hypocrite, but later I said it's now obvious that both parties have sold out to statism. I would think all libertarians should realize this by now -- and I still maintain that Democrat control of the executive and legislative branches will give way too much statist power to government, especially in a time of fear -- however, we would get there only a little slower with a Republican administration and Democrat congress.

The answer is a viable third party -- one dedicated to a free market and limited government where individual freedoms are protected and morality is not legislated -- this would at least flush out the intellectually dishonest Snarky Snipers.

I am not anti-intellectual, just anti-phony intellectual -- the true intellectuals I know are able to think objectively and feel no need to mindlessly bash what they disagree with behind a cover of false-independence. They are capable of making a case for what they believe. They feel no need to hide and create weak props to appear superior.

More on this later. I'm getting closer to figuring out to my satisfaction the over-reaction to Sarah Palin.