Are libertarians extreme right wingers or centrists in your opinion? (healthcare, racism)

[Mini-apple-less]

I think they're pretty much on par with religious conservatives in terms of how far right wing they are, albeit in a somewhat different way.

[greywar]

Neither. They are a very specifically different set of people.

[2nd trick op]

Originally Posted by valsteele

I think they're pretty much on par with religious conservatives in terms of how far right wing they are, albeit in a somewhat different way.

By your use of the term "right-winger", you have already made your prejudices known to all of us.

[whogo]

By the standard definitions right on fiscal issues and left on social issues. Anti-authoritarian.

[Mini-apple-less]

Originally Posted by whogo

By the standard definitions right on fiscal issues and left on social issues. Anti-authoritarian.

Can you always separate the two though? Thinking that the poor should be able to access healthcare is both an economic and a social issue, for example. Not only that, but many libertarians oppose the Civil Rights act and even though they want the government to be neutral on the issue of race, don't have a problem with private companies enacting racist policies. That's definitely more of a right wing social stance.

[wutitiz]

Whatever they are, they are not centrists.

For me left=collectivism, and right=individualism, which would place libertarians on the far right. It's probably an exercise in semantics.

[Mini-apple-less]

Originally Posted by wutitiz

Whatever they are, they are not centrists.

For me left=collectivism, and right=individualism, which would place libertarians on the far right. It's probably an exercise in semantics.

So would you consider nationalism and racism left-wing then? I think left wing (generally) is a belief that equality is always right while right wing is a belief that hierarchy is desirable or necessary. Right wingers believe that some people are better than others, while left wingers believe that all people should be respected and cared for regardless of who they are or what they do or more cynically, how much they contribute.

[greywar]

Originally Posted by wutitiz

Whatever they are, they are not centrists.

For me left=collectivism, and right=individualism, which would place libertarians on the far right. It's probably an exercise in semantics.

hmmm.....more and more I see the argument about collectivism made, without understanding that more and more its not "individualism" thats is the opposite side, but rather plutocracy. So for me I see:
Libertarians = individualism
Left = collectivism
Right = plutocracy

But even thats not a perfect description for the left and the right-but close enough for government work. But I think its dead on accurate for the Libertarians.

I think in a world where everyone can manage the necessities of life on their own, Libertarianism is the way to go. Until then....Left. But eventually we will get to the point where libertarianism makes sense.

[lilyflower3191981]

The best of two worlds

[Finn_Jarber]

Most of them are socially liberal, and most are libertrians for social reasons. Those who push right wing partisan politics, are typically fake libertarians.