First, the terms Libertarian and Conservative are not mutually exclusive. Second, Ghost of Philip Marlowe, you seem to contradict yourself calling your ideals “conservative” but calling yourself a classic liberal. By the way, Ghost of Philip Marlowe wrote “ He was referring to the term used to described Thomas Jefferson, a “classical liberal.” Classical liberalism as the term was used during the time period of our Founding Fathers is most nearly reflected in the conservative principles of today that Rush keeps harping on: small government, stronger state sovereignty, lower taxes, more individualism, more choice, greater freedom of enterprise, all undergirt by a common morality, a common culture, and a national language, all wrapped up in a pretty bow that that we call our borders.”
dayglored writes of the same as classic libertarian.
Going back & forth in time greatly confuses semantics. There are aspects of Libertarianism that fit modern day conservatives and aspects that fit modern day liberals. I have posted often recently that conservatives need to shore up what that means. When we have done that, we have done well, e.g., Reganism, Contract with America.
Yesterday’s “classical liberal” is today’s conservative.
Today’s libertarians are only partially conservative. Where there is a divide, it is an irreparable divide because the divide separates us by our principles.
Radical individualism (putting yourself and your own actions above all others) has been destroying this country since the radical 60’s. The effect of selfishness has been catastrophic.
Conservatives look to an external moral code by which all must abide. Sorry, you do not have the right to do lines of coke in your home while cleaning out your bazooka before you drive down the street with it at 100 miles an hour to go to the liquor store to buy some crack and 300-proof alcohol. Maybe in bizarro world. But our Founding Fathers never intended for liberty to be license. Their view of this ‘experiment in self-government’ was based upon a shared and respected morality assumed to be communicated through the church.