Re: I\'m a dumb liberal
 

I would not say you are conservative, but other members of this forum will disagree. I would say you are more-or-less liberterian, besides the whole "putting people down for stealing" thing. If you want to label yourself, I guess you would be Conservative economically, and liberal socially.

Re: I\'m a dumb liberal
 

And why doesnt this party exist so I can vote for them?

It does. You can find them here

Re: I\'m a dumb liberal
 

Interesting link, I wasn't previously familiar with the term Libertarian, but it sounds like exactly what I was describing.

It doesnt fit with our Labour, Conservative or Liberal parties, but I'm not sure whether we have a smaller party matching that description. (Not as up on politics at the moment as Id like to be)

Re: I\'m a dumb liberal
 

yeah, I've already read Kirk's book. He's an interesting guy. I've also read a ton of Buckley's writings as well.

Some other good books:
-Conservative Intellectual Movement in American Since 1945 by George Nash
-Right-Wing Populism in America by Chip Berlet
-Before the Storm by Rick Berlstein
-The Politics of Rage by Dan Carter
-The Other Side of the Sixties by John A. Andrew.

The point of this post is that most self-identifying conservatives don't know anything about the historical legacy of their politics. In particular, they aren't aware of the isolationism and often pro-nazism before WWII, open racism during the 1960s, and other obvious intellectual origins of most right-wing ideas.

Re: I\'m a dumb liberal
 

Pre 1960s the Dems controlled the south and were the major proponents of state sponsored racism. They opposed efforts to bring civil rights to southern blacks and often worked hand in hand with the KKK. They used the filibuster to block civil rights legislation (yes, Johnsons legislation).

Most progress before the 60s came from republicans. Brown v Board of Education was supported by conservative judges. Most state interference and discrimination against blacks was opposed on the grounds of small government. After all, what business is it of the government who can ride on which seat of the bus.

Things have changed alot since then, and they are no longer the same parties (or I would argue parties at all). Heck, what did they represent only 5 years ago? Certainly not what they represent now.

Parties are tools of charismatic politicians, and thier posistions are posistions of political convienence. They change constantly, and comparison to anything more then a decade old is almost meaningless.

Re: I\'m a dumb liberal
 

Ur libertarian

Re: I\'m a dumb liberal
 

O I C someone already informed you

Re: I\'m a dumb liberal
 

There used to be liberal Republicans and conservative Democrats.

There aren't anymore. The political parties have almost completely realigned. All the liberal Republicans? They are Democrats now. All the conservative Democrats from the South who hate black people? They've become Republicans.

Political parties do shift, unless they're aligned along ideological poles. U.S. politics is.

Conservatism may have found a new home, but the ideology hasn't changed.

Re: I\'m a dumb liberal
 

You're a libertarian and you should vote Republican if you care more about economic issues and Democrat if you care more about social issues.

Re: I\'m a dumb liberal
 

If conservatism has found a new home, why don't republicans do conservative things.

If liberalism has found a new home, why do they act so illiberally.