Libertarians: Closer to Liberals or Conservatives ?

[Cyrus]

Yeah, it's Conservatives, I know.

But I find this very funny seeing as how the Conservatives have been the side that's taken away more individual freedoms, while appearing to hand out "economic freedoms".

Which is kinda nifty and sly, if you think of it: Liberate capital, enslave the citizenry.

Here are a couple of news items:

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AutoWeek: Your movements in the car will be monitored, from now on.

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Loompanics: New laws make the federal government a Bill Collector for the Credit Card Companies.

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[Darryl_P]

I like to think I'm a real conservative yet I sense that libertarians and anarcho-capitalists are working towards my ideals better than most republicans and neocons.

[MMMMMM]

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But I find this very funny seeing as how the Conservatives have been the side that's taken away more individual freedoms, while appearing to hand out "economic freedoms".

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I deeply question this assertion. For instance, it is liberal Democrats who have authored/pushed through most of the laws (pre-911, at least) giving government the right to seize property on mere suspicion (asset seizure and forfeiture laws, purportedly to advance the "war on drugs", among other things), and laws which are invasive of privacy (banking laws such as the infamous "know your customer" law). By the way John Kerry has long been a major proponent and initiator of such laws and even an author.

Post 9/11, maybe it is conservatives who have pushed through more such laws; I don't know. But overall I think your claim is deeply suspicious.

Anyway, you titled your post about Libertarians; then went off on a tangent about Conservatives. Did any Libertarians author or help push through the types of laws you are bringing to attention? If not, what does the title of your post really have to do with the body of your post (other than the combination of the two being a cheap and unsupportable implicit sideswipe at Libertarians)?

[Oblomov]

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I like to think I'm a real conservative yet I sense that libertarians and anarcho-capitalists are working towards my ideals better than most republicans and neocons.

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This post makes me wonder how you would define 'real conservatism'. [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

I've found that most people (liberal or conservative) believe in authoritarian government.

Am I closer to a liberal or conservative?

I am pro-choice
I support the right of gays to get married
I believe there is an implied right to privacy in the Constitution
I believe that the right to own a gun is fundamental
I believe the right to keep 100% of the money you earn is fundamental
I believe welfare is counter-productive
I believe a graduated income tax of income is theft
I believe fewer laws is better for society than more laws
I believe Intelligent Design is a back-door attempt to introduce theology into science class.
I have no problem with Nativity displays in the town square
I do have a problem with the 10 Commandments in a courtroom
I think some of the most religiously intolerant people in the US are secularists
I thyink Eisenhower was the best president of my lifetime.

Am I more a liberal or conservative. You decide. The answer is irrelevant to me.

[Felix_Nietsche]

...........Conservatives.

Traditionally conservatives (Repubs) have been for lower taxes and lower spending while liberals (Dems) have been for higher taxes and higher spending (lets ignore the "compassionate conservative" idiocy of Bush43).

My premises is:
Taxes = Govt Power
Less taxes = Less Govt Power
More taxes = More Govt Power
More Govt Power = Greater restrictions of Freedom

Consider this, if a party passes a law that makes marijuana illegal but does not provide the funding to enforce this law then for all practical purposes....people are free to smoke marijuana. Funding (money) is the true source of power....

Since libertarians want more freedom, voting for the party that wants lower taxes is the best way to advance their libertarian beliefs.

[Darryl_P]

In another thread I posted this:

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The way I see it, true conservatism is about God being in charge, men answering to God, women answering to their husbands who place a high value on the family as the fundamental building block of society, and families interacting with each other in ways which they deem mutually beneficial with only minimal involvement from a (secular) central authority.


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vulturesrow also added this link which I more or less agree with.

[Darryl_P]

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I believe that the right to own a gun is fundamental
I believe the right to keep 100% of the money you earn is fundamental
I believe welfare is counter-productive
I believe a graduated income tax of income is theft
I believe fewer laws is better for society than more laws


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I think these issues carry more weight than the others you mention, therefore you are closer to being conservative IMO.

[coffeecrazy1]

I agree with 6M. What does your post have to do with Libertarians, especially since you answer your own question in the first sentence? Seems to me you did the politics forum version of the following:

SEX! Now that I have your attention, here's why you should buy (insert whatever product you are selling).

Just because there are many libertarians on here does not mean it's a good idea to put the word in your subject line so as to generate views. That is a cheap, used-car salesman move.

But...what can you expect from a Democrat... [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[canis582]

Its not a left and a right, its a wheel. Libertarians and authoritarians are at oppisite ends and liberals and conservatives are at oppisite ends.

It is possible to be liberal and authoritarian or liberal and libertarian.

The Bush white house has extremely authoritarian policies with increased police powers, reduced oversight of CIA servalience, increased powers to sieze private personal and business records etc.

His nomination of Alito will serve to take away the rights of the individual.

Our individual rights are being taken away slowly, but steadily.