Mixed Feelings
I agree with the basic notion of individualism, so I often agree with the LP, but I don't think that the best possible individual is built by extreme permissiveness. To me, government exists not so much to mold society as to make a statement with its laws. There will always be evil in society and there will always be people who escape justice for their evils at least in this world, so the most that a government can do without overstepping its boundaries and itself becoming uncontrollable is use laws to set a solid ethical code and make examples of those who break the laws. I differ with conservatives in that I think that charity is one of the principles that the government should actively promote, since individual materialism is ultimately self-destructive. I also think that what happens in foreign countries is not something that we can, in most cases, effectively control and that when we attempt to engineer the world we lose our own sense of moral responsibility in the exercise of power.
Overall, I tend to combine paleoconservative morals with a left-libertarian support of negative rights that are based on equality, such as the right of non-criminals to cross borders without quotas, the right of homosexuals to marry and the right of even the worst criminals not to be executed. Neither the GOP nor the Democratic Party is anywhere near my political philosophy. The Constitution Party is to my liking on important moral issues, but it is fanatically anti-immigrant. The Libertarian Party is too extreme, but its influence could be beneficial in offsetting the destructive policies of neoconservative Republicans and Democrats who won't stand up to neocons. Overall, I am most likely to support a moderate paleocon who has managed to stay in the Republican Party despite its purge of traditional conservatives, but a Libertarian would be my second choice.
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"Some people complain about the system. The system is not good, so they can't do anything. It's an excuse. Freedom is in your heart." (Jin Xing)
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