What is your political ideology?

[Red Green]

I picked conservative, and I demur from saying "constitutionalist," since I don't think the Constitution is conservative enough.

I think it's easier to define a "constitutionalist". "Conservative" in my mind is a meaningless term. When you have everyone from George W Bush to Pat Buchanan to Bill Kristol claiming to be 'conservative', you end up with a pretty muddled meaning for a word.

 

[erowe1]

"Conservative" in my mind is a meaningless term.

I agree with that.

I would consider Bush, Buchanan, and Kristol all liberals. When I called myself a conservative, I meant someone more along the lines of Nock.

Conservative was the only word on the list that was flexible enough that I could use it without pinning myself down to something I didn't really support.

 

[Red Green]

I agree with that.

I would consider Bush, Buchanan, and Kristol all liberals. When I called myself a conservative, I meant someone more along the lines of Nock.

Conservative was the only word on the list that was flexible enough that I could use it without pinning myself down to something I didn't really support.

Fair enough, but you lost me when you said the Constitution wasn't 'conservative' enough. That basically has no meaning. It's like saying the constitution isn't purple enough.

 

[erowe1]

Fair enough, but you lost me when you said the Constitution wasn't 'conservative' enough. That basically has no meaning. It's like saying the constitution isn't purple enough.

It does have meaning. It just depends who's saying it. What I was saying was that the Constitution is too statist.

 

[Deborah K]

I'm a communist.

 

[Red Green]

It does have meaning. It just depends who's saying it. What I was saying was that the Constitution is too statist.

As you said, the term 'conservative' has no real meaning, and then you said the Constitution isn't conservative (meaningless) enough. To you individually, conservative might be term that represents a concise political philosophy, but you have already admitted that the term has a very muddled meaning in the general lexicon. A term that has no meaning, or only an individual meaning, is rather useless in conveying something in the realm of philosophical beliefs. When you say "conservative", to me that could mean anything from greater police state to more individualism, which is why 'conservative' should never be used in discussing political beliefs.

 

[erowe1]

As you said, the term 'conservative' has no real meaning, and then you said the Constitution isn't conservative (meaningless) enough. To you individually, conservative might be term that represents a concise political philosophy, but you have already admitted that the term has a very muddled meaning in the general lexicon. A term that has no meaning, or only an individual meaning, is rather useless in conveying something in the realm of philosophical beliefs. When you say "conservative", to me that could mean anything from greater police state to more individualism, which is why 'conservative' should never be used in discussing political beliefs.

I think it's useful, especially during Republican primaries.

 

[JK/SEA]

i am Ron Paul.

 

[Red Green]

I think it's useful, especially during Republican primaries.

Romney: Conservative
Gingrich: Conservative
Juliani: Conservative
Christi: Conservative
Huckabee: Conservative
McCain: Conservative
Johnson: Conservative
Paul: Conservative
Cruz: Conservative

There's your primary. See, they're all conservative. Just pick one, any one, doesn't matter.

 

[erowe1]

Romney: Conservative
Gingrich: Conservative
Juliani: Conservative
Christi: Conservative
Huckabee: Conservative
McCain: Conservative
Johnson: Conservative
Paul: Conservative
Cruz: Conservative

There's your primary. See, they're all conservative. Just pick one, any one, doesn't matter.

I'd pick Paul, since he's the most conservative.

 

[Bastiat's The Law]

How can you leave libertarian off?

 

[Brett85]

How can you leave libertarian off?

I didn't. I included two forms of libertarianism; minarchism and anarcho capitalism. I wanted the poll to be more specific.

 

[Brett85]

Hmmm, so "Freedom Fanatic" became an anarcho capitalist because of Erowe and Sola Fide, but yet Erowe actually calls himself a "conservative," and Sola Fide refuses to pick a label. So some people here are converting others here to anarcho capitalism even though they themselves aren't anarcho capitalists.

 

[Paulbot99]

I'm more of a Constitutionalist/minarchist. I believe that government should be as small as possible and most things such as marriage should be privatized. Anarcho-capitalism sounds like a fine idea in theory, but seems impractical at the moment. I believe in restoring the Constitution and decentralizing power to a level as local as possible.

 

[July]

I didn't. I included two forms of libertarianism; minarchism and anarcho capitalism. I wanted the poll to be more specific.

It would still probably help to put a brief explanation of your own definitions of these, since they obviously seem to vary a lot for different people. Or maybe an example or two of political figures that correspond to each. Some of these labels are overlapping, or at least, not mutually exclusive, in my mind. Conservative and Liberal are vague...I really see these two labels as being more descriptive terms, but can often apply to various different political philosophies.

A conservative libertarian, for example, might be someone who views a libertarian society as being be a more civilized, virtuous, or lawful society. A liberal might view it as being a more socially just society, with less oppression, etc. So I guess I see these terms as having more to do with your motivation and how you arrive at your conclusions.

Constitutionalist is a bit descriptive too--a lot of countries and states have those. I'm going to assume you mean the US one specifically and a classical liberal interpretation of it. But I can't see any reason why an AnCap couldn't in theory be a constitutionalist per se---assuming it doesn't give itself authority to establish a state. Or maybe I'm wrong?

 

[July]

Hmmm, so "Freedom Fanatic" became an anarcho capitalist because of Erowe and Sola Fide, but yet Erowe actually calls himself a "conservative," and Sola Fide refuses to pick a label. So some people here are converting others here to anarcho capitalism even though they themselves aren't anarcho capitalists.

Sola converted him to a belief in predestination? So that makes sense: predestination --> spontaneous order --> austro-libertarianism. The market is self organizing, only God can direct it, as he controls all events...thus no role for a central planner. That's how the connection went in my head anyway

 

[BuddyRey]

If this poll existed all through my career at RPF's, I would have answered "Progressive" in 2007, "Constitutionalist" in 2008, "Minarchist" in 2009, and "Anarcho-Capitalist" from 2010 onward. So if anything, I guess it proves you never stop growing and learning.

 

[Deborah K]

If this poll existed all through my career at RPF's, I would have answered "Progressive" in 2007, "Constitutionalist" in 2008, "Minarchist" in 2009, and "Anarcho-Capitalist" from 2010 onward. So if anything, I guess it proves you never stop growing and learning.

This is true! Although I'm still experiencing cognitive dissonance.

 

[Carsten2012b]

I choose "Something Else" because I'm a mix of three of the options listed. Anarcho-Capitalist because I believe that the government should not be in the economy. Minarchist bcause I believe in small government. And Constitutionalist because I believe that we should follow the Constitution in a strict manner.

 

[LibertyEagle]

Legislate morality? Is that even possible? I don't think it is.

Sure it is. Local public indecency ordinances. Laws against having sex with minors, ...

I have no issue with such laws/ordinances, as long as they are kept local.