(From the Persuasion Powerpoint section in Volume 19, No. 5 of the Liberator Online. Subscribe here!)
When you discuss politics or economics with others, do you ask thought-provoking libertarian questions?
Or do you make statements?
Do you invite them to consider new possibilities?
Or do you just argue?
What if certain provocative questions could get others to let down their mental defenses
and impartially consider libertarianism?
Would you be willing to experiment with several mind-opening libertarian questions — and see what results you get?
Try these.
“What if the situation is the opposite of what people in government say it is?”
“What if marijuana prohibition and the Drug War don’t contain or hold down drug use? What if they drive it up?”
“What if they have it backwards?”
“What if drug cartels and drug gangs don’t cause more drug use? What if drug prohibition and the War on Drugs promote and strengthen the cartels and gangs?”
“What if drive-by shootings are the result of drug prohibition, not drugs? How many drive-by shootings have we seen by alcohol distillers and brewers in the last 80 years?”
“What if the government ‘cure’ is worse than the disease?”
“What if the 2009 federal government bailout of Wall Street businesses caused more economic harm to taxpayers who footed the bill and other Wall Street businesses than liquidating the reckless, riverboat-gambling businesses would have?”
“What if tax-funded federal government propping-up of overpriced houses and inflated home loans made things worse for taxpayers and home buyers who were prudent and frugal and did NOT recklessly gamble their earnings and savings?”
“What if government non-involvement results in quick, efficient, inexpensive private-sector solutions?”
“What if, left alone by government, most social or economic problems were solved by private charity, private enterprise, and private ingenuity — at no cost to taxpayers?”
“What if, with NO government involvement, most social or economic problems were dramatically reduced or solved by the men and women and families in the private sector?”
Want the people you talk with to examine and embrace libertarian answers?
Why not ask them thought-provoking libertarian questions like those above?
Michael Cloud’s latest book Unlocking More Secrets of Libertarian Persuasion is available exclusively from the Advocates, along with his acclaimed earlier book Secrets of Libertarian Persuasion.In 2000, Michael was honored with the Thomas Paine Award as the Most Persuasive Libertarian Communicator in America.
Sign in with Email