Date: Mon, 10 Jul 1995 02:51:13 -0700
From: Jeff Chan <chan>
To: libernet@dartmouth.edu
Subject: MEDIA: Cato, RLC on McGlaughlin One-On-One

Happened to catch John McGlaughlin One-On-One on PBS.
Guests were Ed Crane of the Cato Institute and John
Sheddeg R-AZ of the Congressional Republican Liberty
Caucus.  McGlaughlin seemed friendly (if a bit shallow)
and gave out a wide range of questions in search of
libertarian perspective, including abortion, militias,
asset forfieture, the current "flowering" of libertarianism,
Waco & Ruby Ridge, censoring the Internet, etc.

Ed represented a more purely libertarian view.  Sheddeg
seemed unconfortable with liberty applied to some social
issues such as abortion, pornography, prostition.  Both
of course agreed that economic liberty is important, 
taxes bad, etc.  Sheddeg took a more populist approach
pointing out several times that people have abandoned
the idea that the government can solve all problems
and that public sentiment is currently more libertarian 
than is reflected in Congress.

Though the interview was somewhat shallow and driven 
by positions on specific issues rather than principles, 
it was **remarkable** to even see any libertarian approaches
on mainstream TV.  I would dare say that McGlaughlin was
sympathetic in that he seemed to point out many examples
of the growth of libertarian ideas.  As one example he
mentioned Gloria Alred and another feminist commenting 
about by Hugh Grant's arrest that prostitution should 
perhaps be legalized.

McGlaughlin pointed out that the Congressional RLC
has 6 members.  Ed Clark mentioned a Congressional
"Constitutional Caucus" with more than 90 members, which
he felt represented the true libertarian movement in 
Congress.

All seemed to agree that big government and the welfare 
state are failures worldwide and that the public wants 
to get back to the basics of individual liberty and 
limited government.

Bottom line: I'm flabbergasted to see this on TV.
Massive Kudos to all involved.  Great going!

Jeff Chan