Conservatism vs. Libertarianism

My natural inclinations are toward conservatism, but the last 15-20 years I have voted mostly for Libertarians. Why? Mainly because there are very few true conservatives running for office. Most Republicans are big government, Dem-lite, RINOs. So in truth, my Libertarian votes have been protests against the non-conservative Republican Party.

What is wrong with Libertarianism in my eyes? Very little. My number one disagreement is the open borders stance. I believe a nation should have borders, and the borders should be policed, much in the same way I keep the doors of my house locked at night.

I also disagree with pulling our troops back within our borders and doing away with most of the military. We are a large and influential country. We dominate the world in matters of business and culture. Consequently, we have interests all over the world that need to be protected.

Conservatism believes in a strong national defense.

There are some strains of Libertarianism that believe the Federal Reserve should be disbanded, and a few other far out, conspiracy-like theories and beliefs. I reject them all. Of course there are similar wing-nut believes in the conservative movement which I also reject.

Like Libertarians, I believe the government has neither a right nor a duty to protect me from myself. If I want to drive without a seat belt, burn my mind out with drugs, or consort with prostitutes, it is none of the government’s business. Likewise, it is not the duty of the government to take care of me when my behavior causes me to be hurt in a car accident, loose my job, or contract a STD. I am responsible for myself. The government or society are not.

Conservatism believes there should be minimal government safety net available to people who find themselves in trouble, especially if the problems come about because of no fault of their own. Conservatives also believe in a certain amount of government regulation of personal behavior. Drug use comes to mind.

The Tea Party Movement, while in it’s nascent stages, seems to be based on broad conservative beliefs. There are few Libertarian strains. They have not gotten into arguments or even discussions about small policy items like abortion, immigration, or welfare reform. I am very hopeful about something good coming from it.

Another Reason Why the RedState Blog Is a Disgrace

Yesterday I read that “truthers” and “birthers” had been banned from the RedState Blog. So, just for fun, I peeked in on it. There were several posts by Erick Erickson explaining why he made this decision. Fine. It’s his blog, he can do as he chooses with it. I wouldn’t have banned anyone. A few fruits and nuts make the salad more interesting, in my opinion. But RedState is very successful, so Erikson must have the correct instincts.

But while reading I came across an interesting discussion posted by a new member. He said he had been banned from two leftie blogs, and wanted to start posting on RedState. What struck me were the replies he got to the discussion. Many were polite and welcoming, but about half were in the “you need to say what we want to hear or we’ll kick you off” vein. They were warnings, even threats. They said this is not a debating blog, but a blog that promotes mainstream Republicanism, whatever that is.

I was kicked off RedState when I published a diary about the meaning of Republican RINOs. My definition did not fit in with the officially sanctioned RedState definition. I was attacked, mostly with name calling, and a few scattered well reasoned replies. When I mentioned that I live in China the personal attacks and name calling got worse. Then I was disappeared. It was the only time I have been kicked off a blog.

It’s amazing to me that a closed minded, incestuous, blog like RedState can thrive as it does. Obviously Erick Erickson knows something I do not. His blog is extremely popular and influential. But the one thing that strikes me as most interesting is that Republicans are not at all interested in free speech or open debate. Like the old U.S.S.R., you follow the party line, or else.

If RedState represents Republicanism, we should all be very afraid.