Report from the liberterrain...
Lauro Garza, writing on his Texas GOP Vote blogsite, quoted Dallas Morning News reporter Wayne Slater calling Debra Medina a "Ron Paul libertarian." Garza then added, "Glad I'm not alone in my assessment of Mrs. Medina and her crypto-libertarian supporters."
The term crypto-libertarian pops up all over the politicosphere where everybody uses it but nobody bothers to define it.
The tip of the iceberg, with 90% of its mass below
the surface of the water. Could this be idiomatic
of "crypto-libertarians?" We can certainly hope so.
(Wikimedia Commons)
Merriam-Webster Online defines "crypto" as: Hidden; not openly avowed or declared; a person who adheres or belongs secretly to a party, sect, or other group.
Meanwhile, a simple modern American definition of libertarian is: "maximum freedom, minimum coercion."
Which implies that a "crypto-libertarian" is a "secret freedom advocate."
Whether that's good or bad apparently depends on who's using the term. Google-hopping provides a multitude of not-making-these-up examples:
Crypto libertarian knuckleheads; crypto-libertarian utopia; crypto-libertarian pro-neocon ideology; crypto-libertarian legal fad; crypto-libertarian market force mystic; crypto-libertarian entity of glaze eyed Thatcherites; crypto-libertarian monarchist; crypto-libertarian hippies; squishy red-neck crypto-libertarian; crypto-libertarian socialist; crypto-libertarian jerks; libertarians are crypto-statists; crypto-libertarian Democrat; Bill Clinton's crypto-libertarian Third Way...
Garza, who clearly uses the term disparagingly, seems to know exactly what a crypto-libertarian is. He's made a cottage industry out of railing against them on his Conservative Latino Talk Radio podcasts:
Dec 14, "Conservatism and the Republican party infiltrated by 'crypto-libertarians.'"
Dec 28, "Lauro editorializes on the crypto-libertarian movement and its latest icon, Debra Medina of Texas."
Jan. 5, "Lauro exposes, identifies & attacks the 'Crypto-Libertarian' agenda in the Republican Party."
Jan 6, "Continued discussion & description of the 'crypto-libertarian' movement and its agenda."
Jan. 13, "Lauro discusses the crypto-libertarian movement and its isolationist/protectionist agenda of anti-immigration..."
Jan 28, "Lauro finalizes discussion of the losing line of political reasoning advocated by the crypto-libertarians."
Unfortunately, Garza, as so many others, has a problem identifying exactly what a libertarian is without the "crypto-" in front of it. Libertarians will doubtless be surprised that they are isolationist (they are noninterventionist) protectionist (they are international free-traders) and anti-immigration (they believe in the free movement of all peaceful people.)
How any of this makes Medina's supporters crypto-libertarians is uncertain. She hasn't hidden her strong libertarian principles while running for Texas governor in the Republican primary. Many Republicans support her because of her libertarian streak while many Libertarians support her in spite of her Republican Party affiliation.
The same goes for that other "hidden freedom advocate," Ron Paul.
Nothing seems to be hidden about any of it.
Get the latest libertarian news from the All Libertarian All The Time news source:
The Libertarian News Examiner.
Comments
Hummmm. Is that opposed to a transparent crypto-Congress and President?
Our Constitution is a libertarian document. I guess the derogatory use of the term "crypto-libertarian" is supposed to be a slap at anyone who dares suggest strict loyalty to the Constitution.
Awww. I wanna be a "crypto-libertarian", too. It sounds cool! I've spoiled that chance by being too open.
I think I once heard some republocrat refer to a libertarian group as "shadowy". Similar to crypto, I guess. First, the main stream media ignores us, then they say we're crypto & shadowy. As if we don't want them to cover us. Politics is such a clean game. LOL
Better hide your feelings towards Freedom, the Founding Fathers, and the Constitution. You just might be labeled a terrorist (read: MIAC Report). Makes me wonder what George Washington would say or do if he heard a FEMA Agent call him that...
HOMELAND SECURITY - FEMA calls Founding Fathers of the 1st terrorist organization in the USA!
youtube: watch?v=fBxepLmBspo
If defending the Constitution, defending our rights as soverign individuals, wanting limited Federal government is crypto-liberaterian then so be it; I am a crypto-liberaterial and proud of it.
Whats really hidden is Perry and Hutchinson alliances with globalists that they cow down to, To me its really easy they dont even talk about the constitution and our basic rights they are sworn to protect and Ms. Medina does, easiest most clear fresh choice in years. Ms Medina you have my vote.
What about the crypto-crooks who are masquerading as Republican and Democrat politicians?
The country has been moving toward fascism for years, particularly under Bush II and it's continued with Obama. You don't have to be very smart to understand that people that are openly against it are being demonized.
Freedom scares the hell out of people. Actually being responsible for their own actions and accountable makes them run away shrieking like school girls discovering a corn snake on the playground. Big government/pro war conservatives fear libertarian and freedom types more than they do the Democrats. They know that the Democrats will keep the status quo, if nothing more than moving funding from defense to welfar allowing them to re-allocate the funding once they get back in office. The name changes but the game stays the same.
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