In response to comments I received inquiring how I can consider myself Libertarian in the very least, here’s why:
*I am completely for small government (the entire premise behind Libertarianism).
*I am unfalteringly economically Libertarian.
*I oppose the Patriot Act.
* I want the government to stay out of health care.
* I see both sides to the marijuana-legalization argument and wouldn’t be upset if it were legalized.
*I want to reduce the bureaucracy.
*While this may not be popularly discussed, I want to government to get out of the school system. It has no right to be there.
*I want America to become energy independent so we can stop being enslaved to other countries for the sake of oil and can focus on our own instead.
* I do not want the government passing no-smoking outdoors laws (and I think that indoor smoking should be decided by each private business or resident) or laws that refuse restaurant service to obese people—What tyranny that would be!
*I fully support our founding fathers’ words on limited government and wish we followed these words more closely than we do today.
*My Libertarianism is my reasoning behind allowing Americans to keep their Second Amendment Rights.
*I support Castle Laws because, when one person is on another’s private property, he has broken the whole idea of Libertarianism, which is that everyone is entitled to their civil liberties unless they are hindering someone else from using theirs (and each individual has the right to keep his or her property off-limits to uninvited visitors).
Why I Consider Myself Partially Libertarian
By Katie Marie - Posted on March 6th, 2008
Oops. I didn't mean to post this blog twice.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
You are not an economic libertarian because you want to stop mentally sound individuals from entering into contractual arrangements using only religion as your justification. You would use religion to force an oppressive government on us.
You are not an "unfaltering" economic libertarian because if you were you would oppose all forms of government not labelled "national defense."
Finally, you are not a libertarian because the founding premise of libertarianism is not "small government" -- the Government could be a colossus as long as it was defending us. The fundamental premise behind libertarianism is the maximization of individual liberty including equality of opportunity.
And, of course, modern libertarianism rejects religion wholesale (see, Ayn Rand and the Objectivists).
And, of course, had you read Cato's Letters -- a rather important series of documents written in the 1720's as a response to the South Sea Bubble collapse -- you would have a better understanding of the American Republic's founding principles. "Why is this?" you ask. Well, the answer is simple: every educated colonial home had a copy at the time of the Constitutional Conventions. Hence the "general welfare" line of reasoning that you see popping up in most of the literature from the revolutionary period through the end of Jefferson's second term.
My Blog
"We cannot redeem evil, we must combat it." -- Jean Paul Sartre
Where did the whole religion diatribe come from? I don't see anything in the blog post here about religion.
The school system could be argued that the government needs to train its citizens in order to supply the government.
Wanting the United States to be energy independent conflicts with Libertarianism. The United States has a large number of energy sources it could tap, from Canada, Mexico, russia, south America, and the middle east plus alternative sources. However it is the independant energy companies that decide what kind of energy to bring to the US. Not the government. They can influence what type of energy is supported but not much else.
Charles20 she said partially libertarian. Very few people are fully libertarian because most of us enjoy the benefits that the government enjoys. They like the garbage being picked up, the ,mail being delivered and even taht if all else fails their children can get an education without having to pay tons of money.
He may be referring to one of the others.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
On the subject of economic liberty while -- in other posts -- opposing economic liberties, friend. And, as I have demonstrated time and time and time again, Libertarian thought holds that you cannot favor economic liberty while opposing Civil Liberty which she has stated time and time again that she does.
I'm not going to presume to know you, but I suggest that you do several things:
1) Read a few thinkers besides -- and including Friedman so that you have an appreciation for what does/does not constitute Libertarian thought
2) Read this bloggers prior entries so that you understand why people are calling "Bullshit!" before hastily making comments yourself. I suggest her "Religious Intolerance" post for a start.
My Blog
"We cannot redeem evil, we must combat it." -- Jean Paul Sartre