Here come the 'liberaltarians'?

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review ^ | Sunday, December 24, 2006 | Robyn Blumner

[Sunsong]

”The libertarian vote is up for grabs in a way it may have never been before. A compelling case is being made for the economically conservative yet socially liberal libertarians to switch their political allegiances from Republican to Democrat, a trend that has already begun.

”Brink Lindsey, a scholar with the libertarian nonprofit Cato Institute, lays out the reasoning in "Liberaltarians," a provocative essay in The New Republic. He explains that the defining ideology of the American right for the last 50 years has been conservative fusionism, which recognized the common interest in both social and economic conservatives to protect traditional values from the intrusion of big government.

”But when social conservatives came to power and started to use big government to impose their cultural vision on others, the libertarian disaffection began.

”Libertarian voters were repulsed by the religious right's impulses to deny gays the right to marry and to interfere with Michael Schiavo's decisions about his wife Terri's end of life. Then, when an entirely Republican federal government abandoned any pretense of small government by spending uncontrollably, nation-building in Iraq and replacing science with theology, the trickle became a stream.

[Fierce Allegiance]

Conservatives know he is just plain wrong, but a ton of pseudo conservatives post here.

[BlazingArizona]

Libertarian voters were repulsed by the religious right's impulses to deny gays the right to marry...

A total distortion of the actual libertarian position on gay marriage.

What libertarians are concerned about is the extent of government involvement in marriage itself. So long as tax codes, inheritance, and innumerable other areas of law distinguish between the married and single state, we see attempts by new groups to legally define their relationships as "marriage", as nothing more than an attempt to carve out new government subsidies for themselves.

[dbehsman]

Can you tell me what crime Terri Schiavo committed to warrant her execution in such a manner? Who did she murder? What banks did she rob?

If you were to kill a stinking dog in the same manner that Terri was executed in, you would go to prison for felony cruelty to animals. Why was Terri considered to be less than animal?

Where was her written living will? Where is your proof that she wanted to be starved to death?

Why don't her parents have any say as to her fate?

[KDD]

You've got to be kidding me. Does it represent a trend?

I don't know what you call a trend but we elected by a landslide a Governor (Crist) who opposed government interference in the Schiavo case over the one (Gallager) who supported Federal intervention...K. Harris felt the backlash in her own backyard and Judge Greer was re-elected to his bench by a 70% vote margin over an opponent who ran against Judge Greer's handling of the Schiavo case.

And unlike a liberal State like say, Maryland, people around here are pretty conservative.

[ekwd]

Getting sleepy. Of course I meannt it takes a law to repeal a law.

[Sunsong]

This article encompasses exactly what I am seeing in the Midwest and South. But they are not becoming Democrats. They are becoming independents, and they are protest voting for the reasons stated. Particularly the younger 20-30 somethings...and the old Reagan Democrats. They voted for blue dog Dems, this time around.

This is what I'm seeing too. The number of those who call themselves *independents* are increasing. And they are up for grabs. The dems seem to be aware of it. I'm not sure the pubbies are.

[BlazingArizona]

replacing science with theology...

And the Democrats are going to be better on this issue than the GOP?

Democrat theocons want to censor any dissent from their global warming mythology, prevent us from using nuclear energy and "recuse" us away from genetic engineering, robotics and nanotechnology. If Republicans were able to teach creationism in every biology class in the country, they would do less damage to science than any one of the above.

[djf]

Agreed. The Schiavo thing, while sad, was a medical and family rights issue, not a federal issue.

And as sad as the case was, it was even sadder that flocks of folks wanted to line up and call on the feds to get involved.

It seems over and over that the "conservatives" are entirely willing, even DEMANDING, that the government get involved in any kumbaya cause they find.

Which is exactly what they decry on the democrat side. They are totally comfortable with the government getting involved in every aspect of life, as long as it's their side of the swamp that's doing the controlling.

[rurgan]

I Recall Democrats(Marxists) growing the government every year for the 40 years Democrats controlled congress.

I recall Democrats obstructing Bush's and Republican efforts to privatize schools with private school vouchers. Government schools is one of the 10 goals of "the Communist Manifesto" which Democrats wholeheartedly support.


I recall Democrats in congress obstructing Bush's and Republican efforts to privatize social security. But the liberal media says the GOP is the party of big government.

A majority of Democrats also want to turn over 15% of our private economy , health-care, over to government control. If Republicans were the "big government" villains the liberal media paints them out to be then why haven't a majority of Republicans including Bush pushed for government health-care?
Government health-care is socialism. Socialism doesn't work and leads to total loss of freedom and economic failure. Read "the Road to Serfdom" by Hayek.

Overall spending as a percentage of GDP is actually average for the last 40 years and LOW for a time of war. Compare to world war 2. And as I showed Democrats in congress obstructed a lot of what Republicans tried to do including social security privatization.

Is every Republican perfect ? NO. the RINOS need to be kicked out and the party needs some reform but the alternative, the Democrat party (socialism) is every freedom lover's worst nightmare come true.

[Sunsong]

And the Democrats are going to be better on this issue than the GOP?

Look at the post following yours. I do think that a lot of those who now call themselves *independents* think it may be pretty much a crap shoot. Do you want the theocrats of the left or the right? Think how may millions of people want neither! They just had the *right* for six years - maybe they think a change is worth a try?

[dbehsman]

Can you tell me what crime Terri Schiavo committed to warrant her execution in such a manner? Who did she murder? What banks did she rob?

If you were to kill a stinking dog in the same manner that Terri was executed in, you would go to prison for felony cruelty to animals. Why was Terri considered to be less than animal?

Where was her written living will? Where is your proof that she wanted to be starved to death?

Why don't her parents have any say as to her fate?

The real fact of the matter is the deathocrats wanted Terri dead so that they could show that they had power over Bush and the Christian community. The libertarians wanted Terri dead so that they could show that they weren't like Bush or the Christian community.

[dbehsman]

Do you have evidence of your claim?

Do you have Terri's signed death wish? I would think that the burden of proof would be on the deathocrats who wanted to kill Terri.

[patton]

You post all that, and ignore the fact that Bush signed off on the largest entitlement spending increase in generations?

Amazing.

[patton]

Please see #46.

[dbehsman]

Well, I'm sure you'll be happy with the party of John Kerry, Hillary Hamrod, Chuck Schumer. I'm certain they'll listen to the concerns of the fiscally conservative libertarian perfectionists. Have fun!

[patton]

Please see #46.

[patton]

pleas see #46.

[dbehsman]

Please see #95.

[Rightwing Conspiratr1]

Omigawd! Democrats pick up another 2000 votes nationally.

[patton]

I pinged all three of you to #46, because you all three engaged in ad hominem attacks on libertarians on this thread.

I wanted to be sure that you understand, to the extent that you are cabable, that you divisive techniques are not helping your cause, or mine.

Frankly, you are hurting our efforts to maintain our freedoms.

And FYI, I voted for Bush, not hillary. But I wonder if you guys bothered to vote at all.