Half the board say this forum is dominated by rabid right wingers, the other half believe the reverse. So as to settle it, how do you see yourself politically? Personally I see myself as right wing with very liberal tendencies, liberal capitalist democracy is the unquestionable best system of government, everyone should be free to make their own way with a safety net to protect the unfortunate.
I do not fit easily into either the "liberal" or "conservative" camps...although I do favor a very progressive social agenda, which often is interpreted as being "liberal." I do not like being called a "liberal" and will always contest it when it is made. I detest with all my being if I am mistaken for an American conservative, which, for a variety of reason, I currently see as being the unwashed armpit of politics.
radical moderate here, pick and choose from different ideologies and both extremes like a buffet. come off as a social far right winger on these forums, but I think that's mostly reactionary to the idiocy (as well as totalitarianism) flying around on the left these days. At least I can relate to classical liberals a bit better (back at the time when liberals were actually "liberal"). Sad to say but the country probably operates better with a political balance, to check the extremes that inevitably tend to come from either side.
Libertarian conservatism (or conservative libertarianism). So "right wing with liberal tendencies" fits me close enough. Libertarianism does not require individuals to reject traditional conservative values. Nelson Hultberg wrote that there is philosophical common ground between libertarians and conservatives. "The true conservative movement was, from the start, a blend of political libertarianism, cultural conservatism, and non-interventionism abroad bequeathed to us via the Founding Fathers".
I don’t define myself politically. Why would I tie myself to any one of those ill-defined and oft-controversial labels?
You might gain greater insight if you focused on two main areas of "rabidness" in both Liberal and Conservative camps: economics, and social-behavior. Example: I'm a rock-solid economic Conservative, but I voted for full legalization of marijuana. I view lavish amounts of unending, handout government welfare as deadly poison in the national bloodstream, but I do not (NOT) advocate taking away a woman's individual right to have an abortion, or to sell the fetus' body parts, etc. It's HER body, after all.... Oh, and I would also advocate that the government should pay for abortions for pregnant women in poverty who do not want to be mothers, along with having the government paying for birth-control devices and pills for poor women. Do "Conservatives" do that...?! In short, I mind my own business, and don't expect nobody to give me anything I haven't earned by myself but peace, quiet, respect as a fellow human being, and the freedom to do as I like -- and I willingly give all my fellow citizens exactly the same consideration! So, how do you catagorize me? Somewhat "rabid"? Some 'liberal' tendencies? I want to be taxed FAIRLY (but that will never happen), I want to enjoy what I've accumulated in my life without being coerced into giving it to anybody else, and more than anything else, I JUST WANT TO BE LEFT THE HELL ALONE!
And that's a very right wing attitude, left wingers are all for the human collective, hence 'socialism' whilst right wingers tend to be much more individualists. The poll seems to have swung rightwards significantly?
Thank you! It's that 'icky-sticky-pukey' tendency of wanna-be Socialists that's always pissed me off so much. They seem to want to wallow in each other's personal problems and smell each other's asses, but I NEVER did. They waste their lives complaining and bitching about what others have achieved and what other people have, instead of achieving anything for themselves or having anything of their own! To paraphrase Bob Dylan from his old song, "It's Alright, Ma" (emphasis mine): "While one who sings with his tongue on fire Gargles in the rat race choir Bent out of shape from society's pliers Cares not to come up any higher But rather get you down in the hole that he's in" You hit 'a nail on the head' that eluded me when I wrote my post when you said, "left wingers are all for the human collective, hence 'socialism' whilst right wingers tend to be much more individualists".
This is quite a complicated thing. I actually define myself as a classic liberal. I support the radical idea that the individual is the seat of legitimate power, and that through a republic can be represented as such. That inherently means small government because the rights of the individual are really the only thing that needs to be protected. So, in today's environment, that makes me conservative. As in, I wish to preserve or otherwise conserve the liberal principles on which this nation (the US) was founded. I feel that large, unwieldy government is a hindrance to our natural rights, and our rights to live free of governmental tyranny. I tend to believe that this inherently includes a very rigid set of boundaries the preclude government from interfering into our lives and liberties. I expect that what government there is, then, is there to provide the blanket of protections necessary to ensure these liberties can be protected. that civil tranquility can be protected, and that we never lose sight of the fragility of our experiment in a world that actively works against our freedoms.
It is increasingly likely, drluggit, that both you and I are now what are called "Libertarians". That's too bad for us, because it means that we'll always be an insignificant third-party which has no power to actually achieve anything of any benefit. I, too, have/had 'classic' Democrat viewpoints, and mine evolved into 1980's-style Republican conservatism. When I think of the IDEAL President of the United States today -- in 2019 -- that president would be a synthesis of John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan. There is no such creature, and likely never will be again. So, we slide deeper and deeper into political chaos, mutual hatred, and decay while our chief opponents in the world, Russia and China, are clearly in their ascendancies....
I am mostly libertarian but i also believe in the rule of law. I believe in self rule under the constitution. I am not an anarchist.
I'm not sure what a rabid rightwinger is exactly but I'm comfortable with the description so that's what I picked.
A democracy is the worst form of government... a democratically elected representative republic with a constitution strong on individual liberty is the best firm of government. Democracy is just mob rule. Thats why the electoral college is so vital and seeking to subvert it is just a powet grab by the majority.
They blame their rabies on unvaccinated illegal immigrants. Rabid left-wingers blame their rabies on unregulated factory farming.
Maybe that's it. I was thinking that maybe a person who holds to clear principles are a Rabid something.
