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House Of Twits

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Twinterviews

• 06/07/11

  ... with Alex Smith, Former aide to Ed Miliband; Former editor, LabourList; Co-founder, Latimer Project. Views from Camden on politics, education, business, #LDN, music, sport, USA. - click here

• 30/03/11

  ...with Claire Spencer, Working with think and do tank Chamberlain Forum & Chair of SusMo & Brum Fabian Society. Also a fine human being. Ask around. - click here

• 24/11/10

  ... with The Credo, Government comms guy. A conservative writing on British politics & media. Terrible flirt. - click here

• 17/08/10

  with A Very Public Sociologist - Sociology and socialism in one irresistible dish... - click here

• 28/06/10

  ...with Sara Scarlett. Libertarian Liberal Democrat - "Just a girl looking for life, love and an unimpeded free-market..." - click here

• 15/06/10

  ... with Ed West, Prematurely Right-wing London journalist and Daily Telegraph blogger - click here

• 01/06/10

  ... with Jim Garner, MP for South Luxton & Wetfield. Standing in Labour leadership contest. Britain's local candidate. - click here

• 25/05/10

  ...with Anthony Painter - Author of Barack Obama: the movement for change - click here

• 20/05/10

  ... with Obnoxio the Clown, Libertarian gentleman persuader

  • 
    @HouseOfTwits: ... just trying to come up with some intelligent questions on libertarianism...
  • 
    @obotheclown: Read the manifesto?
  • 
    @HouseOfTwits: I did actually, before the election. I couldn't decide whether it was hyper idealist or militantly pragmatic. Still can't. Which is it?
  • 
    @obotheclown: Militantly pragmatic. The ideallists are insane, and that's compared to me!
  • 
    @HouseOfTwits: I don't doubt your sanity. I suspect you are retired accountant living on the outskirts of Basingstoke. I'm right aren't I?
  • 
    @obotheclown: hahahahahaha ... no, neither of those. Who are you interviewing? Me? :o)
  • 
    @HouseOfTwits: Were you a Libertarian from when you first ran away with the circus, or did you arrive there via other political philosophies?
  • 
    @obotheclown: I have had a long and tortuous path. Started off as an old-skool Tory, then became apolitical with the advent of New Labour.
  • 
    @HouseOfTwits: too bland?
  • 
    @obotheclown: None of the political parties resonated for a decade. Only stumbled over Devil's Kitchen by accident...
  • 
    @HouseOfTwits: ...
  • 
    @obotheclown: ...even before that discovery I felt like there wasn't any real difference between the main parties and they weren't addressing what mattered.
  • 
    @HouseOfTwits: so, wh...
  • 
    @obotheclown: The more research I did into the wastefulness and incompetence of government, and the unexpected consequences of more and more regulation,..
  • 
    @HouseOfTwits: but...
  • 
    @obotheclown: .. the more I realised that the problem wasn't Labour or Tory or LibDem, it was the framework within which they were all operating.
  • 
    @HouseOfTwits: Bueller?
  • 
    @obotheclown: I started off working to the ideas of minarchism or classical liberalism, but the more I looked at it, the more I realised that the state...
  • 
    @HouseOfTwits: Bueller?
  • 
    @obotheclown: ... always only grows and becomes more invasive. This led me to the belief that only anarcho-capitalism can ever be sustained.
  • 
    @HouseOfTwits: ...
  • 
    @obotheclown: Should I shut up now? :o)
  • 
    @HouseOfTwits: no! Is a measure of a society's worth how it looks after its most vulnerable? (Not necessarily via welfare/state)
  • 
    @obotheclown: It's A measure, sure. But it seems like a very negative way to define your society's worth. And really, vulnerability is very subjective....
  • 
    @HouseOfTwits: Yep, true
  • 
    @obotheclown: An awful lot of people I see described as "vulnerable" are really just looking for a handout.
  • 
    @HouseOfTwits: but, nonetheless, vulnerable people exist...
  • 
    @obotheclown: I believe that "the state as a safety net" is almost single-handedly responsible for destroying family or community ways of caring for the vulnerable.
  • 
    @HouseOfTwits: ...
  • 
    @obotheclown: People often portray libertarians as cold, uncaring people, and it's not at all true. We care very much.
  • 
    @HouseOfTwits: ok...
  • 
    @obotheclown: we believe that people are better cared for as and by individuals. State "cares" on aggregate, it's not as efficient as targeted help by individuals
  • 
    @HouseOfTwits: surely you are a big fan of Cameron's 'Big Society' vision?
  • 
    @obotheclown: I don't think Cameron believes in the individual. He is very comfortable being a blue-tinted social democrat...
  • 
    @HouseOfTwits: But he would endorse the thrust of what you say?
  • 
    @obotheclown: omens are not very good for Cameron delivering a libertarian "big society". He'll continue with as much of the Big State apparatus as he can
  • 
    @HouseOfTwits: Why not complete anarchy?
  • 
    @obotheclown: If the state just got on with enforcing the rule of law and providing services that are difficult to provide privately, like roads and defence, people would blossom
  • 
    @HouseOfTwits: you've described particular women on twitter as "wittering clits". Should someone who protects their identity be do rude about individuals?
  • 
    @obotheclown: I often get asked why so many libertarians are swearbloggers. I can't answer for anyone else, but for me it's the frustration.
  • 
    @HouseOfTwits: frustration at what?
  • 
    @obotheclown: swearing has been a great release valve, seeing how creative I can be. Unfortunately it's wearing thin.
  • 
    @HouseOfTwits: What is it specifically that makes you *that* angry, or is it just the persona really?
  • 
    @obotheclown: I'm forced to listen to Ed Balls or Gordon Brown or David Cameron or whoever, lying, I have to endure their supporters talking bollocks.
  • 
    @HouseOfTwits: but isn't there a distinction between personal and political that should be respected?
  • 
    @obotheclown: A rude word is just a rude word. But if you support the concept of "tax", then you support the idea of someone taking my money with menaces.
  • 
    @HouseOfTwits: ...
  • 
    @obotheclown: And they take it whether or not I have enough money to feed my family. So these people support theft yet complain about me using a few swear words.
  • 
    @HouseOfTwits: Playing the man, not the ball, whilst wearing a mask diminishes you doesn't it?
  • 
    @obotheclown: Firstly, are these 'wittering clits' actual people, or are they also personas?
  • 
    @HouseOfTwits: Real people, one being just an enthusiastic young activist, not an elected rep in any way...
  • 
    @obotheclown: Should I be so rude? Probably not.
  • 
    @HouseOfTwits: thanks for your time Obnoxio
  • 
    @obotheclown: Can I just thank you and everyone at HoT for giving libertarians a fairer crack of the whip than most?
  • 
    @HouseOfTwits: Yes.
  • 
    @obotheclown: :o)
• 17/05/10

  ... with Steve Conyers - @OxfordSpring - Student journalist on politics,LGBT and cycling, Tory political/West Wing obsessive: socially left - economically right. The less liberal half of @ReneKinzett - click here

• 13/05/10

  ...with Tracey Cheetham, Black Country girl in Yorks. Mom of 3, wife of @CllrTim, Labour. Trying to survive all life throws at me while wearing a smile - I sometimes fail. - click here