Serious Question...how can you possibly NOT be a libertarian?

[MED]

I would consider myself to be a Jeffersonian, which means that I am pretty close to most Libertarians in my political beliefs although I do believe there are very specific purposes to government that should be limited by a very specific set of rules, which is the rightful intent of those who founded this country. The winner of an election should not have a fundamental impact on me, my family, or my community if those rules were currently observed. The felt impact of politics today is only a testament to the perversion of authority in this country. My biggest issue I have with Libertarians as a party is that they refuse to understand the necessity for coalitions. Regardless if the elections were two party or multi party, power is wielded by a coalition of those who come together (the impact of which would be far less if our constitutional limits were still functioning as intended.) The green, labor, socialist, etc. have stopped bickering and are unified (for the most part) under the Democrats. As long as those right of center continue to bicker amongst each other, the left will continue to win elections and take this country down a dark road...this is the reality of modern politics in America.

[bryjcom]

I would consider myself to be a Jeffersonian, which means that I am pretty close to most Libertarians in my political beliefs although I do believe there are very specific purposes to government that should be limited by a very specific set of rules, which is the rightful intent of those who founded this country. The winner of an election should not have a fundamental impact on me, my family, or my community if those rules were currently observed. The felt impact of politics today is only a testament to the perversion of authority in this country. My biggest issue I have with Libertarians as a party is that they refuse to understand the necessity for coalitions. Regardless if the elections were two party or multi party, power is wielded by a coalition of those who come together (the impact of which would be far less if our constitutional limits were still functioning as intended.) The green, labor, socialist, etc. have stopped bickering and are unified (for the most part) under the Democrats. As long as those right of center continue to bicker amongst each other, the left will continue to win elections and take this country down a dark road...this is the reality of modern politics in America.

Kinda sounds like you're a constitutionalists?

Libertarianism and constitutionalism go hand in hand. Libertarians generally believe that "government" should be limited in its authority, but sometimes even libertarians forget that not all regulations and laws are bad things. They tend to associate all "regulations" as federal authoritarianism when in fact, local communities are supposed to come together and create laws that fit their society and lifestyle.

When you look at the way the constitution was set up, it had very specific rules for the federal government. If you read the 10th amendment you'll see that every thing that is not outlined in the constitution specifically, is reserved for the people and states respectively. Constitutionalists are usually libertarian in nature while at the same time recognizing that some regs and some laws are necessary, but are better served and enforced at the local levels.

[HoneyBadger]

I'm libertarian.


With the current system I get to choose between a party that will repress people socially (anti gay, anti marijuana) or one that will repress them with endless regulations ( type of light bulbs and other energy policy, guns, land use, etc.)

Both choices will spend us into oblivion, both take our liberty a little at a time, both believe that the only way to prevent war is to constantly be at war.


Then I'm called a whiner, a loser, or someone who wastes a vote because I don't believe in any of that. Tada.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

+1


I am somewhere in the realm of Constitutionalist and Libertarian, but the two are certainly not mutually exclusive. Libertarianism deals primarily with the principles of government and Constitutionalism is a form of government. The two can absolutely coincide, and ideally, they would. As written, Our constitution was intended to be quite libertarian (or classically liberal, if you prefer). If our government did it's job as strictly laid out by the constitution, I would be a very happy camper.

What always gets me in these conversations is when some ignorant bonehead says "if you're really a libertarian, why don't you go live in Somalia."

[Irving]

What always gets me in these conversations is when some ignorant bonehead says "if you're really a libertarian, why don't you go live in Somalia."

Ummm what? People seriously say that? What does that even mean?

[Artema]

Ummm what? People seriously say that? What does that even mean?

People, as observed also in this very thread, do not understand what freedom is, and think a country like Somolia is somehow libertarian, when in fact it is farther authoritarian than the USA by a great measure. Republicans and Democrats wouldn't know liberty if it bit them in the ass.

[DavieD55]

Ummm what? People seriously say that? What does that even mean?

I think some people tend stereotype libertarians as people who promote a society of anarchy and chaos with no rule of law.