Roadrunner Twice

3. In theory, I'm not in favor of either government firefighting or road repair. In practice they don't bug me so much, and it isn't worth fighting about at any rate. Anarcho-Capitalists tend to believe that in the absence of government coercion, civil society will provide voluntary solutions to problems. For instance, San Francisco (I believe) had private fire departments for some time, and people are experimenting with privatized highways whenever the government will allow them to. Elsewhere, Catholics provide health care to a lot of people and various charities provide soup, shelter, etc, to the homeless. It's an open question whether a decrease in government intrusion will result in a commensurate increase in charitable giving and action, but that's the theory.

The factual correctness is key to the "taking property by force" frame. How can somebody who is ordinarily against violence and aggression condone a nation-wide system of organized banditry? Practice, my friend: Long practice.

As for rugged individualism: I think my above discussion of voluntary self-organization covers it. You don't have to do everything yourself, but you are expected to do it with people who want to do it with you, and not take other people's stuff.

Of course, as you say, libertarianism tends to be more ebrake than anything else. So I don't think you have to worry about our utopia anytime soon.

And don't worry about getting in my face. I appreciate your eloquent zeal.