As a libertarian I care very little about the term free market. I care about the bundle of rights that an individual has with regard to owning himself and his property. The CO2 issue concerns me. The bundle of rights allows me to do whatever I want with my property unless I use it to hurt others. The legislature can declare that emitting CO2 hurts others. It can also state that wearing a green hat hurts others. Neither makes it so. As a libertarian I am against legislation where the conclusions are made up. If I walk into court alleging that the legislation is made up, I think that the government must sustain the burden of proof that its conclusions are based upon fact. If it cannot sustain its burden, it is a violation of my rights.
I prefer law to legislation. At common law a judge must discover what is accepted as property and then decide whether the use of that property has in fact been used to harm others. I will accept THAT as a libertarian society. It is unlikely that wearing the green hat hurt anyone. I would accept that manufacturing, selling and wearing the green hat constitutes a free market.
As a libertarian I care very little about the term free market. I care about the bundle of rights that an individual has with regard to owning himself and his property. The CO2 issue concerns me. The bundle of rights allows me to do whatever I want with my property unless I use it to hurt others. The legislature can declare that emitting CO2 hurts others. It can also state that wearing a green hat hurts others. Neither makes it so. As a libertarian I am against legislation where the conclusions are made up. If I walk into court alleging that the legislation is made up, I think that the government must sustain the burden of proof that its conclusions are based upon fact. If it cannot sustain its burden, it is a violation of my rights.
I prefer law to legislation. At common law a judge must discover what is accepted as property and then decide whether the use of that property has in fact been used to harm others. I will accept THAT as a libertarian society. It is unlikely that wearing the green hat hurt anyone. I would accept that manufacturing, selling and wearing the green hat constitutes a free market.