Liberty and libertarianism

A major American newspaper has published an editorial which not only denounces both major Presidential candidates, but asks the question:

When did the idea of freedom become a political orphan?

The author even makes favorable mention of selfishness.

Unfortunately, the author, Steve Chapman, describes himself on his blog as a libertarian.

Or rather, he says that

What readers can find here is an independent, libertarian perspective beholden to no party, candidate or dogma.

Sigh. Finally, somebody who gets it, and he turns out to be a libertarian. Oh, excuse me, someone who offers his readers "a libertarian perspective".

I've written an LTE and sent it to the Chicago Tribune. We'll see what happens.

Because, as genuinely momentous as this is, everything achieved by a major newspaper's printing of an editorial upholding freedom and selfishness and denouncing both major candidates for being opposed to freedom and selfishness could be undercut by placing it in the context of libertarianism.

And I don't want to sell the achievement this editorial represents short, because it is an achievement and it is momentous!

But if only it could have been written by someone who was not a libertarian!

(Hat tip: Paul Hsieh)