What is Libertarian? (1 Viewer)

[jet57]

So I thought I'd throw this question open to Libertarians and see what you all say. My jury is still out, so I'm hoping to narrow it down.

 

[ksu_aviator]

Socially Liberal, fiscally conservative. It isn't a mystery.

 

[ksu_aviator]

Ok...GJ is probably not the best example of a Libertarian...but this is comedy gold.

 

[Cephus]

Socially Liberal, fiscally conservative. It isn't a mystery.

Since people can't even agree on what constitutes liberalism and what constitutes conservatism, it's still a mystery. And libertarians are all over the place, there just isn't a single definition.

 

[Neomalthusian]

So I thought I'd throw this question open to Libertarians and see what you all say. My jury is still out, so I'm hoping to narrow it down.

JFGI.

Fiscal conservatives, social liberals, classical liberals, minarchists, anarcho-capitalists, and other types of perspectives, often placing emphasis emphasis on individual liberty, relatively free markets, smaller government (including smaller and less active military).

They are people who do not share a great deal of agreement with stereotypical southern, religious and/or social conservatives, or Republican partisan loyalists. They often depart significantly from the GOP on a number of significant issues.

 

[Deuce]

It's taking the first three weeks of Econ101 and thinking you understand the world

 

[Skeptic Bob]

JFGI.

Hey, I learned a new abbreviation!

 

[Glen Contrarian]

Since people can't even agree on what constitutes liberalism and what constitutes conservatism, it's still a mystery. And libertarians are all over the place, there just isn't a single definition.

I'd love to be all snarky and laugh with my oughta-be-patented liberal literary sneer...

...but the same pretty much applies to progressives like myself, and probably to liberals, too. For instance, how many who share the label 'progressive' with me would strongly support nuclear power (and nuclear weapons) like I do? How many would agree with me that Reagan was probably the fifth-best president ever, or that Bush 41 was a better president than Clinton? How many would agree with me that Bradley (nee Chelsea) Manning and especially Eric Snowden should be in jail for a couple decades at least, if not most of their lives?

The point is, political labels are like autism - they're spectrum disorders and can't be pigeonholed to one set of beliefs, behaviors, or tendencies.

 

[Glen Contrarian]

Hey, I learned a new abbreviation!

"Just For Giggles"...and what? In the Navy, it would have been "Just for sh**s and grins"....

 

[Abbazorkzog]

Prioritizing protection of the individual from the state.

 

[Skeptic Bob]

"Just For Giggles"...and what? In the Navy, it would have been "Just for sh**s and grins"....

The polite term for another meaning is "Just Freaking Google It". Appropriately enough, I learned that by Googling it.

 

[jet57]

Socially Liberal, fiscally conservative. It isn't a mystery.

Are you a libertarian?

 

[jet57]

Since people can't even agree on what constitutes liberalism and what constitutes conservatism, it's still a mystery. And libertarians are all over the place, there just isn't a single definition.

Yeah, that's why I'm still not sure.

The word "libertine" comes to mind, but that's not them either.

 

[grip]

Yeah, that's why I'm still not sure.

The word "libertine" comes to mind, but that's not them either.

No matter how much we want to label and categorize each other, you'll always see people who identify with a party or lean only to break on certain issues. I'm in the middle of the road on some issues, socially liberal and fiscally conservative on many others. I believe the govt should be smaller, tax less, protect us and prevent big money from rigging the system. We all as a rule want the same thing, 'success' for our country, we simply differ on how to get there.

 

[EMNofSeattle]

I'd love to be all snarky and laugh with my oughta-be-patented liberal literary sneer...

...but the same pretty much applies to progressives like myself, and probably to liberals, too. For instance, how many who share the label 'progressive' with me would strongly support nuclear power (and nuclear weapons) like I do? How many would agree with me that Reagan was probably the fifth-best president ever, or that Bush 41 was a better president than Clinton? How many would agree with me that Bradley (nee Chelsea) Manning and especially Eric Snowden should be in jail for a couple decades at least, if not most of their lives?

The point is, political labels are like autism - they're spectrum disorders and can't be pigeonholed to one set of beliefs, behaviors, or tendencies.

1) Nuclear power, yes.
2) my parents practically worship Reagan so I have sympathetic views to him
3) Bush 41 > Clinton? no I can respect GB Sr service to the country, in the service and a long career in Politics, but Clinton edges him out IMO
4) split, Manning jail, Snowden not really.

See we're closer then you thought, it seems most of our disagreement comes over the gun issue....

When it comes to Libertarians they are hard to define many times, but I have issues with many people who call themselves libertarians because it seems many do not even acknowledge government as legitimate, they'll compare taxation to armed robbery, claim education is "indoctirnation" etc etc etc etc.

There are others who are more reasonable, but It seems the people who most proudly claim the label don't believe in a state, or do but use flowery language to describe their idea of a state and claim it's not an actual government.

 

[jet57]

No matter how much we want to label and categorize each other, you'll always see people who identify with a party or lean only to break on certain issues. I'm in the middle of the road on some issues, socially liberal and fiscally conservative on many others. I believe the govt should be smaller, tax less, protect us and prevent big money from rigging the system. We all as a rule want the same thing, 'success' for our country, we simply differ on how to get there.

Right, but the Libertarian party seems to have a platform that is more in line with Republicans. Based on your wants, I should be a libertarian but there's a hole in their rhetoric.

 

[grip]

Right, but the Libertarian party seems to have a platform that is more in line with Republicans. Based on your wants, I should be a libertarian but there's a hole in their rhetoric.

That's why most people don't agree unilaterally with any party. There's always going to be at least one, if not more issues, where you don't see eye to eye. Some Libertarians are more conservative than others. I, personally, like Gary Johnson and think he's way underrated.

 

[jet57]

That's why most people don't agree unilaterally with any party. There's always going to be at least one, if not more issues, where you don't see eye to eye. Some Libertarians are more conservative than others. I, personally, like Gary Johnson and think he's way underrated.

Yeah, that's true, but it still does not explain the murky Libertarian Party and that's why I can't support them. Even THEY don't know who or what they are.

 

[jet57]

JFGI.

Fiscal conservatives, social liberals, classical liberals, minarchists, anarcho-capitalists, and other types of perspectives, often placing emphasis emphasis on individual liberty, relatively free markets, smaller government (including smaller and less active military).

They are people who do not share a great deal of agreement with stereotypical southern, religious and/or social conservatives, or Republican partisan loyalists. They often depart significantly from the GOP on a number of significant issues.

Right: objectivists.

 

[Velvet Elvis]

My definition of Libertarianism boils down to a single description:

"Libertarianism is the freedom for someone to do whatever they want, whenever they want...just as long as they don't infringe on the freedoms of others."

For the simps, this does NOT mean "anarchy." It means that topics like abortion, gun laws, etc. all abide by this premise. Don't like abortion? Fine. Just don't deny others from having them done. Don't like guns? Fine. Don't deny others the right to have them (unless they're going to infringe on the freedoms of others). Taxation? The government shouldn't show favoritism by giving one group a free pass, while extorting another.

 

[grip]

Yeah, that's true, but it still does not explain the murky Libertarian Party and that's why I can't support them. Even THEY don't know who or what they are.

If you agree with more of any parties stances than not, then that would probably be your particular lean. The Republican party has more fractions than any other and is very murky. Besides, nobody knows who or what they really are 100%, even if they claim too. Unless they're as simple as an amoeba.

 

[Real Korimyr #9]

A libertarian is someone who believes that the first and foremost function of a legitimate government is the protection of its citizens' liberty. They believe in broad, all-encompassing human rights and only support government actions that uphold those rights.

Right-wing Libertarians include property rights with human rights. Left-wing Libertarians believe in positive rights and think government action is necessary to empower the citizens to liberty.

I'm somewhere between the two, but in an American context, I am considered left-wing.

 

[jet57]

If you agree with more of any parties stances than not, then that would probably be your particular lean. The Republican party has more fractions than any other and is very murky. Besides, nobody knows who or what they really are 100%, even if they claim too. Unless they're as simple as an amoeba.

And that's why I don;t trust'em as far as I can throw them. I have a book on the Radical Right written in 1967, and everything that they laid out in their agenda then has come to fruition. So that's who they really are, and I vote accordingly.

 

[Mithrae]

A libertarian is someone who believes that the first and foremost function of a legitimate government is the protection of its citizens' liberty. They believe in broad, all-encompassing human rights and only support government actions that uphold those rights.

Right-wing Libertarians include property rights with human rights. Left-wing Libertarians believe in positive rights and think government action is necessary to empower the citizens to liberty.

I'm somewhere between the two, but in an American context, I am considered left-wing.

Excellent summary.

The right-wing libertarians tend to be heard and seen the most.

 

[katzgar]

libertarians are those people that put books away in the liberary