Posted on 02/16/2010 7:27:44 PM PST by ggrrrrr23456
So, what exactly is a Libertarian?
I have a friend who calls himself a Libertarian. I've known him for about a year. We both have similar interests, share the same political views (generally), and have respect for a benevolent and gracious higher power.
Lately, my friend has been sending out articles written by "Libertarians" and those associated with the Campaign for Liberty. Most of these articles are highly critical of the war on terror, ridicule the efforts of the Bush administration to combat the terror threat, and seize on any opportunity to highlight misguided efforts at Guantanamo, Afghanistan, or Iraq.
I get the impression that my friend believes the government, in its pursuit of terrorists, is seriously endangering the rights of free, law-abiding citizens like you and I. While I can understand the concern, especially in light of the Obama administration's alarming statements regarding military veterans and so-called right-wing extremists (aka Teapartiers), I am searching for the right response that addresses the terror issue without negating the importance of the preservation of individual liberty.
I would appreciate your input.
>>I had some time to kill before “Harold and Kumar Escape Guantanamo Bay” came on<<
You’ll have time DURING the movie as well. “White Castle” was lightening in a bottle. “Gitmo” is sludge in a pothole.
Well I sure don’t believe they are socialism. And how about the other items? There are people on here who object to worker’s comp, for goodness sake.
parsy, who says this mentality has creamed the GOP
http://www.cato.org/
http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/
Cato is a Libertarian think tank that I think articulates that point of view quite well. There are some good articles on there, even if I don’t agree with them always.
I’ve never heard of Libertarians supporting an open border, but their conservative fiscal policy would eliminate many of the incentives that illegals come here to take advantage of.
LOL, sorry but some of the posts are really funny tonight.
Anyyyywayy, you said something about “Socialism” in your original post.
Are you now moving into a new subject? Which again I am not sure makes sense, in regards to Parsy’s original post, which was one hell of a rant.
Harold and Kumar have escaped Gitmo, and they’re like in Alabama or something.
parsy
Geeze Parsy, who writes clever stuff.
What minor god did you piss off today? That is the third one in one hour.
DU, DailyKos. LOL, too much.
Vendome, who thinks Parsy is an American Lovin’, Flag waving, God fearing, uhm, rightwinger?
And damn-it randomhero, I can’t call you a nOOb. 2006 LOL
Glen Beck says he is a Libertarian, and we all know he is not for open boarders.
OMG! You are actually watching it. too much, LOL
The Libertarians with whom I’ve spoken claimed to believe in open borders. But, there was a condition: open borders IF the U.S. isn’t playing Santa Claus, distributing free goodies.
Your point is a good one: Republicans in office have been allowing open borders for a long time, while the U.S. has been playing Santa Claus.
I’m a registered Republican, and I want secure borders. But, isn’t it ironic? The Libertarians only talk about wanting open borders. The Republicans actually give us open borders.
Okay, well, so far from parsy I have read that social security, the FDA, medicare, and higher taxes are A-okay. What is conservative about that?
No. “Socialism refers to the various theories of economic organization advocating either public or direct worker ownership and administration of the means of production and allocation of resources.”
parsy
What is a Libertarian?
“If you analyze it I believe the very heart and soul of conservatism is libertarianism.” - Ronald Reagan
Oh, good. There’s a very funny scene coming up.
Here’s a wonderful quote from Reagan in 1975 from Reason magazine.
If you analyze it I believe the very heart and soul of conservatism is libertarianism. I think conservatism is really a misnomer just as liberalism is a misnomer for the liberals–if we were back in the days of the Revolution, so-called conservatives today would be the Liberals and the liberals would be the Tories. The basis of conservatism is a desire for less government interference or less centralized authority or more individual freedom and this is a pretty general description also of what libertarianism is.
Now, I can’t say that I will agree with all the things that the present group who call themselves Libertarians in the sense of a party say, because I think that like in any political movement there are shades, and there are libertarians who are almost over at the point of wanting no government at all or anarchy. I believe there are legitimate government functions. There is a legitimate need in an orderly society for some government to maintain freedom or we will have tyranny by individuals. The strongest man on the block will run the neighborhood. We have government to insure that we don’t each one of us have to carry a club to defend ourselves. But again, I stand on my statement that I think that libertarianism and conservatism are travelling the same path.
So, you probably still don’t have a clear answer to your question. We’ve all probably confused the answer even more. :-)
What’s not conservative about it? It is an official policy of conservatives to end social security? I didn’t see Reagan, or Bush trying to end it. The FDA? Reagan thought it was necessary. Higher taxes? Well, do you like massive deficits?
You see, this is what I was ranting about above. I assume you are a good conservative, yet your economics seem to come straight from some libertarian policy plank. How did this come about?
I don’t recall any major republican figure calling for any of these things since I started voting back in 1972. YET, these things are now kinda inbred in the GOP, and most conservatives and I don’t think most have really done much in the way of conscious decision making to adopt these policies.
You guys have been so infiltrated by the LICE, you have this vague feeling that it is socialism or liberalism, yet it really isn’t.
parsy, who says read what I wrote above again and see if I am on to something, please
The basement? Hilarious! They are at the Texas roadblock, now.
parsy
They are not A-OK and if anything they should come limits, which we are getting to real soon.
However, SS, Medicare and the like were sold as funded rainy day savings accounts and we have a promise to keep.
I thoroughly do not expect any SS or Mecicare when I reach said age but the people from the 1930’s forward have been paying into this ponzi scheme which is getting ready to fall over, LOUDLY.
BTW, did you know that by the time you reach 50, you will have banked nearly $80,000 in disability payments? Pretty cool huh? You funded it and they sold it and there was even appreciation on your account.
Now if you never ever use it, guess who gets it? Not you or your heirs but the government. And can you tell me the percentage of people who actually dip into the disability fund, which they paid into? 20%!!!
That’s right, you have a pile of cash sitting there but you can’t touch unless you get real hurt and can’t work but you paid for it.
So there are personally funded programs like SS, workers comp, unemployment(which you also pay into) and they aren’t exactly what I would call socialist type programs.
You pay for it and can use when the time arises.
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