Age and Political Views

[BigHouse9]

Originally Posted by Randomstudent

Yup and that is basically "conservatism" along with the following possitions.

I do not want the government to tell me what to do with my body, but I want it to tell women they cant get an abortion.

I do not want the government to tell me how much money I can make, but I support tort reform because lawyers make too much money and I want the government to stop that.

I do not want the government meddling in my marriage, but the government should stop gay people from getting married.

I do not want the government to provide a public option healthcare plan, but they better not do any cuts to my medicare.

I want the government to crackdown on acorn, because they violate campaigning and election laws, but Evangelical churches should be able to violate campaigning and election laws by handing out voter guides against their tax exempt status rules.

These along with the aformentioned issue on drugs are all about how "conservatives" want the government to control everyone's life, but their own. That is just typical "conservatism".

As to anarchy that is no government whatsoever. Libertarianism is not about using the state to foster a sense of responsibility, but having individuals create their own sense of responsibility through trial and error. In an ideal libertarian society the only things that should be banned are aggressive acts against other people. i.e. murder, theft, rape, assult, etc. Everything else, i.e. laws to prevent "victimless" crimes such as, drugs laws, laws against bad health choices, seat belt laws, etc. are not enacted, because of the belief that individuals, not government, need to be the ones to foster personal responsibility. If the government is fostering "personal responsibility" it really cannot be called "personal" responsibility now can it.

There are actually very few "victimless" crimes. I don't think that drug violations are victimless crimes. What about the people that are directly affected by users of drugs who make bad decisions and drive or worse? Is the baby whose mother gets pregnant while on drugs and is born an addict not a victim? Not so cut and dry.

Individuals ultimately decide to take personal responsibility and that can start in the home. Bottom line it is about being informed and educated that could make a true libertarian society. Unfortunately, that is Utopian at best and why I straddle the line on Conservatism and Libertarianism.

[Old Gringo]

Originally Posted by roysoldboy

I have read many of your "old" posts and never saw so much anti-stupid in them although I always wonder what not agreeing with you brings to other posters.

I doubt that anyone would expect you to recognize "anti-stupid."

[dgthree]

young and conservative.. Clearly like many young people my school and education effected my beliefs. Studying Accounting and then later receiving my MS in Taxation I already have rather conservative beliefs - such as free enterprise and the opposition of Keynesian economics.

It was helped by the fact the the President was a former republican congressman and his beliefs were spread throughout the staff and administration. Past speakers at graduation even include the likes of George HW Bush.