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To: ChrisInAR
TOTAL gov't (Left) ----------> NO gov't (Right)

In my mind, the extreme left would be an all powerful government - perhaps a feudal king or fascism. On the right is zero government, which is defined as anarchy. Once you define the smallest societal rule or law, even requiring people to drive on the right side of the road, declaring theft illegal, recognizing private property, or establishing a currency, you creep back from the extreme right.

Conservatism, I believe cannot be defined precisely on that scale. Rather it is the underlying belief system that says that laws exist to protect the rights of the people, sometimes acknowledging that the rights of some may be compromised to protect the rights of others. Sometimes that underlying belief pushes you far away from the extreme right of the scale you defined. Enforcement of contracts and protection of private property come to mind.

I don't know if that adds anything, but the scale just isn't all that clear to me when allowed to go to the extremes.

36 posted on 04/02/2010 5:14:40 AM PDT by TN4Liberty (My tagline disappeared so this is my new one.)
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To: TN4Liberty

That’s why I added the 0 to 10 numeration w/in the scale of extremes. BOTH extremes are an impossibility to create, therefore the gov’t that we are looking for must be somewhere in between. The question is, where in that scale should we be as a free People?

Like I said, the Founders created a government that was very limited in scope & power, while recognizing that the states from which it was formed retained their authority to move as far to either the left or the right on that scale as the People so desired. The size of the federal government was fixed, while those of the states were not.


37 posted on 04/02/2010 5:40:53 AM PDT by ChrisInAR (Alright, tighten your shorts, Pilgrim, & sing like the Duke!)
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