Libertarian David Boaz on Gay Marriage

Complete video at: http://fora.tv/2008/07/09/David_Boaz_The_Coming_Century_of_Liberty

Executive Vice President of the Cato Institute and Libertarian thinker David Boaz advocates for the privatization of marriage.

-----

A key figure in the libertarian movement, Boaz surveys what he sees as the threats to freedom from the Bush administration and the current presidential candidates.

Though he is frustrated with many of the candidates' positions, he remains optimistic about the future of civil and economic liberties.

But he says that the future of freedom requires that Americans devote considerable effort to preserving and protecting these rights - The Commonwealth Club of California

Cato's executive vice president David Boaz has played a key role in the development of the Cato Institute and the libertarian movement. He is a provocative commentator and a leading authority on domestic issues such as education choice, drug legalization, the growth of government, and the rise of libertarianism. He is the author of Libertarianism: A Primer, described by the Los Angeles Times as "a well-researched manifesto of libertarian ideas," the editor of The Libertarian Reader, and coeditor of the Cato Handbook on Policy.

Boaz is the former editor of New Guard magazine and was executive director of the Council for a Competitive Economy prior to joining Cato in 1981. His articles have been published in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, National Review, and Slate. He is a frequent guest on national television and radio shows, and has appeared on ABC's Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher, CNN's Crossfire, NPR's Talk of the Nation and All Things Considered, John McLaughlin's One on One, Fox News Channel, BBC, Voice of America, Radio Free Europe, and other media.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• cato
• same
• sex
• marriage
• libertarians
• privatization
• privatize
• government
• states
• federal
• homosexuality
• equality
• equal
• civil
• rights
• foratv
• fora.tv
• fora
• tv

[babyloniandream]

As a libertarian, I don't believe we should legalize it, instead we should get the government out of the marriage buisness. I believe they should be aloud to marry, but that it shouldn't be a government issue.

[sleedolfine15]

As a libertarian I believe that Boaz is right. Government---esp. the federal government should have nothing to do with marriage--except insofar as necessary to enforce contractual agreements--It's a private affair. But if the government is involved then equallity ought to be the rule, In other words,any 2 or more consenting adults should be allowed to marry,

[zzxxqy]

If government weren't in marriage, then this really wouldn't be an issue. However, it's there, and it's not going anywhere. Saying that the states should decide this issue, over the interest of the individual people, is utterly absurd. When on EARTH did states become more important than people? Government over individuals? Seriously; why don't you "libertarian" advocates of this tell me?

[affilinet]

This has nothing to do with the video but a lot of people that marry arent really religious at all,i never understood why this people get married in the first place if its a religious thing.I know atheist that get married in a church,fuc.king ridiculous isnt it?

[LasagnaIsGood]

The reason we have all this conflict is simply because of the government benefits that comes with marriage. If gay marriage was legalized, why wouldn't you be allowed marry you dog? This would make sense considering many people could use it as way to reap in more government benefits.

The root of the problem are the gov aids. Get government out of the marriage business completely. If people wish to sign a contract stating to give half of everything they own when they split up, so be it.

[Aphoresis]

@Felhaven

The whole gay marriage thing is bigotry? Aren't the advocates of gay marriage the ones that brought it up in the first place? As you have explained, much of the legal elements of marriage can be accomplished through contract law, so why are we even discussing this?

[LittleSn00py]

Privatization of marriage is the only meaningful move social conservatives can make. By privatizing marriage, gays lose.

[WhyMeMoFo]

@daobagua I was an Orphan once, but I didn't care for it, so I gave it up.

[WhyMeMoFo]

Every time I hear an American who identifies him/herself as a 'Libertarian' I just cringe. There people are NOT part of the Libertarian movement, they are hidden totalitarians. Their freedom = their ability to dominate others. Economically. Libertarian Socialism is the ONLY true Libertarianism.

Thank you.

[daobagua]

@SeeProfileForDetails May I ask if you have ever been an orphan?

[HayateAzekura]

You are not the kids, I am sure many kids just want to be love, gay or straight parents

Government shouldn't legalize or legalize gay marriage. They shouldn't even be there in the first place