Quote:
Originally posted by dig420@Apr 29 2003, 03:28 AM
no but you hear plenty of people who talk conservative and vote republican describe themselves as libertarian. Re-read the post, there's a question in it I would genuinely like to see answered.
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Is this coming from this thread? Wig or Me? I think we're the only ones that called ourselves Libertarians. I think JR would probably define himself as independent but I'm not sure really. We'll have to ask him.
I describe myself as a libertarian because my philosophical views of what the world should be are best represented by the libertarian viewpoint. Now, this philosophical viewpoint assumes everyone else will cooperate. If they don't, it doesn't function properly. For example, from my reading of the libertarian platform, military spending would end up greatly reduced. However, I believe it is important to have a very powerful military and I think it should be used for political means on occasion. Now, that is NOT a libertarian view. Nor is it only a Republican view or a Democratic one. The truth is that Reagan, Bush, Clinton, and Bush used the military for political means and I mean in the Clausewitzian sense. Kennedy, LBJ, and Nixon did too. "Containment" is a political doctrine that required force.
The more I look at the realities of the world the less I can live in my libertarian fantasy-world. Life is a dangerous business and part of the function of government is to serve and protect. It aims to preserve the people and itself. So this starts to break down for me. I can only half-heartedly call myself a libertarian today.
If I turned next to the Democratic Party and then the Republican Party the same sort of absurdities arise. There are a lot of things I don't like about either party. However, I don't really view it that way. I tend to think of the the system as a whole and that the worst of each party is smoothed over in-effect by a system of checks and balances designed to do just that. I think the Republican or Democratic Party left to their own would not be a good thing.
Know what, Dig? I think George Bush is doing a great job as president. I think the world is a better place. It has nothing to do with a party position.
I'm not sure if you are insinuating that Wig or I is a "Conservative that votes Republican that describes themselves as Libertarian". I really don't care. I've seen no difference between Republicans or Democrats as far as intellect, wisdom, kindness or any other positive human quality. Call me a Republican and I'll just say "You're not paying attention but thank you". I would say you missed last week where I was defending Bill Clinton's presidency. I'd say you missed Sword thinking the opposite; that I was part of the "Blame America First crowd". [He's since realized differently]. There are plenty of people I respect that are Republicans. There are plenty of people I respect that are Democrats.
I'm not sure which of your questions you want answered. If you want to ask a Republican questions about the Republican party, there are plenty here to answer for you. If you want my views of the Republican Party you're going to hear that I agree with them in some places and disagree with others. Where I agree with them, you'll disagree. You'll say "how can you be such a moron to agree with anything that comes from that party? They are stupid, dirty, cheating, racist, and evil. You should be smarter than that. Educated people should know better than that." I don't know how to address that, Dig. The school of thought that one party is always right and the other is always wrong is kinda crazy to me and claiming that one party has a monopoly on education or intelligence is absurd in the face of the evidence.
You're right about one thing. I do wave a flag. When did that become a bad thing?
Last edited by Colin at Apr 29 2003, 05:06 AM