Liberty Without Virtue
Joe Carter (wasn't he a baseball player? I think his signing might help the Angels) at The Evangelical Outpost has a thoughtful essay on why he is not a libertarian:
The primary flaw in libertarianism is that it is rooted in an ethic of utilitarianism rather than virtue ethics. Without a person developing the corresponding moral character necessary for self-restraint, his liberty is bound to result in the harm of others. In fact, freedom without virtue is corrosive and will destroy everything within its range. The Founding Fathers understood this connection between liberty and a virtuous citizenry when they founded our republic. "'Tis substantially true," George Washington wrote in his farewell address, "that virtue or morality is a necessary spring of popular government."
It's well worth reading the whole piece. Anyone who mentions Calvinball in a serious political philosophy post deserves nothing less.
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