Voltaire on Fox?!

[vertigo25]

It seems at odds with your other point, that smart people have a mix of both kinds of views.

It's really not. The terms are used to categorize as a whole. That you can place some of your views into something different than your over-all categorization is just a sign of intelligence.

BTW, FWIW, O'Reilly isn't a libertarian:

Political affiliation

On his January 10, 2000 show, O'Reilly claimed he was an independent, but the New York Daily News reported on December 6, 2000, that he was registered as a Republican in Nassau County, New York, from 1994 to 2000. O'Reilly then registered as an Independent for 2001. He claimed that Nassau County would not allow him to register as an Independent. The form did allow him to register with "no party affiliation".

O'Reilly disagrees with a common claim that he is a conservative, preferring to call himself a traditionalist and a populist. He has also used the term Independent. In his book The O'Reilly Factor, he describes his political affiliation this way: "You might be wondering if whether I'm conservative, liberal, libertarian, or exactly what... See, I don't want to fit any of those labels, because I believe that the truth doesn't have labels. When I see corruption, I try to expose it. When I see exploitation, I try to fight it. That's my political position."

He doesn't say anything about his lack of exposing corruption within the Republican party, and doesn't really seem to think he was exploiting anyone with his dirty phone calls or calling Cindy Shehan a traitor. Way to fight for us, Bill.

[Hardcoregirl]

But I would say that most true libertarians basically say "If it harm none, do what thou wilt." Now where have I heard that before...

Whenever I read about libertarianism it sounds really cool and like the ideal viewpoint...but somehow, whenever I listen to libertarians or read about them they are being morons. Maybe its something like marxist communism....it just sounds good on paper but in action, not so awesome?

I love Bill Maher, and I see he labels himself a libertarian but backs democratic candidates. The wikipedia article on him says that the accuracy of labeling of himself as libertarian is disputed.

Seems to me, when people don't want to go with democrat or republican, they go with libertarian because its not as hippie-fied as green, lol.

[Hardcoregirl]

when did this place turn into knoxpolitics.com....i mean...come...on.

I guess about the time some of us smart folks got bored with wrastlin' and other drivel.

Don't read the political threads if it hurts too much.

[Jack]

It's really not. The terms are used to categorize as a whole.

OK. I'm still not quite getting your point, though. If someone has liberal social values but conservative economic values, are they a conservative or a liberal? This is in reference to you telling Spleen that he couldn't be "both at the same time".

I get that you can't be both liberal and conservative ON THE SAME ISSUE, if that's what you meant.

[vertigo25]

Jack> It would just depend on the person. What's the overall leaning. And no... I don't consider people with a "perfectly even" amount of both (which I think is impossible) to be moderate.

I should also say that for the most part, I don't think the lib/con scale works as well for the general public as it does for actual politicians. I think it's primary use is to just immediately give an impression of how most of their views are going to be played out.

I'm trying think of more examples, but I can't right now. Tooo early.

FWIW, most people would probably peg me as a progressive liberal, but to be honest I'm probably more socialist than progressive. And even though I'm registered Democrat, I'll be voting green in our gubernatorial race next month; both for Governor and Lt. Governor. I know they won't win, but I don't think it's a wasted vote. I'm strong believer in voting your conscience, and there's no way I could vote for Angelitis in good faith. Don't get me started on Schwarzenegger. On almost everything else I'm voting Dem. except for one (Brown who is independant). And on all of our propositions except one, I'm voting the liberal "agenda."

[Jack]

I want to start a party called the Utopian Party.

[Zeo]

[vertigo25]

I want to start a party called the Utopian Party.

That's kind of funny... a couple years ago, I actually made a logo and "campaign" for The Utopian Party. I've lost the graphics now, but the slogan was (something like): "Why Aim for a 'More Perfect Union' When Perfection is Obtainable?"

[elasticwings]

Yay, thread is over! Godwin's Law!!!

[Coor]

I don't think it was that they couldn't find a place to make the knife stick...I think it was informative to the ignorant who think that we are all devil worshipers.

Baby steps.

[Enlil]

I find the terms "goth killer" and "goth murderer" annoying (or amusing, depending on my mood) -- that sounds like your talking about someone who kills Goths...I hope there aren't any of those around!

P.S.: As for the new format as KnoxPolitics, in theory Libertarians are distinct from liberals and conservatives -- quasi-conservative (small government, etc.) on some issues and quasi-liberal (tolerance issues like Gay right, etc), and not really either on some -- some people end up using all sorts of labels for themselves since they don't fit in anywhere or support formal parties for a variety of reasons. I tend to be an anarchist at heart but an disillusioned about anarchism really working in the real world, so see the libertarian as the least evil -- but isn't this all a little off topic? What does it have to do with stereotypes of Goths being Gothic killers? (Nothing!)