I run into a lot of people who want to use federal power to impose liberty.
I call them libertarian centralizers.
They advocate using federal courts and Congressional mandates to force smaller entities such as states, local governments and private businesses to observe libertarian principles, including gun rights, recognizing same-sex marriage and respecting privacy.
While well-meaning, libertarian centralizers unwittingly feed the monster posing the greatest threat to liberty – centralized power. True, it may lead to some victories. The federal government may sometimes drop scraps of freedom. But remember: power given to protect liberty comes with the antecedent power to take it away. And by giving the federal government the authority to “enforce” liberty, you also give it the power to define it for you.
Ultimately, freedom depends on decentralization.
