The problem is that cafeteria conservatism, just like cafeteria christianity, is a fallacy. You can’t just pick and choose the aspects of conservatism that fit your liefestyle and reject the rest. You either go the whole ten yards or the other side gets the ball.
A conservative belives in:
1. national security
2. fiscal restraint
3. smaller government
4. traditional values
Anyone who refuses to accept all four of those principles isn’t a conservative in my book.
- JP
Which is exactly the kind of rigid ideological test that makes the Libertarians a permanent fringe party.
What I think we need to do is find the lowest common denominator that can build a majority coalition of people who will certainly not agree on everything on your cafeteria list.
My own view is that lowest common denominator is personal liberty combined with personal responsibility. I think the four items in your list are products of that common denominator rather than prior requirements to join the coalition.
As long as you’re voting against Democrats and for electable people who advocate more freedom and personal responsibility, I don’t care too much about why you’re doing it.