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To: jackbob
On second thought, I don't think I answered your question.

Dealing with the issues most important to me, the economic issues, I am neither left or right. I'm libertarian, of a more liberal left persuasion.

What that means to me, is that I recognize that changes will by way priority and compromise. Where this is inevitable, I want such done favorable to the left side of the spectrum, but not as defined by the left side of the spectrum.

For example, the old Q & A Brochure of the LP gave examples of the LP freeing up the economy, as opposed to freeing down the economy. Eliminating zoning and licensing laws was the cited example used. This approach to libertarianism, while not set in accordance with any leftist agenda, clearly is of a leftist appeal, and definitely outside the realm of conservative economics.

Another example, is reasons for eliminating the income tax. The conservative thrust here is focuses on ones hard earned money being taken from them. The liberal approach is that it violates a human right to force people to even bother know or keep records of how much money they have or have earned. The later is more directly an act of enslavement.

While on taxes, the whole notion of the government influencing private investment, and favoring one group of human actions over another with write offs, exemptions, are regardless of what the LP platform says, nothing less than government subsidizing one set of actions over another. Shame on the LP for such a nonlibertarian squirming up to conservatives.

Remaining on income taxes. The whole idea of lowering income taxes as a libertarian proposal, I find quite unlibertarian. Libertarians should accept nothing less that the elimination of this forced enslavement.

Am I more on the left side of the spectrum, I guess it depends on how you choose to define it your self.

227 posted on 12/24/2001 4:36:45 AM PST by jackbob
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To: jackbob
...freeing up the economy, as opposed to freeing down the economy.

Kind of clunky, but I like it. Free up opportunities at the lower rungs first. Worry about free trade for corporations last.

Make zoning a higher priority than NAFTA. Bubble up vs trickle down.

229 posted on 12/24/2001 8:20:06 AM PST by secretagent
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