So, where do you stand?
So where do you stand?
I bet I get asked that 100 times a day as I go out and about the campaign trail. It's a fair question, and I encourage people to ask. And I think my answers sometimes surprise people. It's human nature to try to classify people into certain groups. We all do it, consciously or subconsciously. And politics is no different.
I tell people I am a Democrat and I'm sure they immediately expect to hear that I believe in big government, unlimited welfare, hug trees in my spare time, etc. No different than if I said I was a Republican, they would assume I'm for small government, strong corporations, wanna cut taxes, carry pistols strapped to my hips, etc. Those sterotypes have been hammered into our skulls since we were old enough to comprehend.
Labeling is especially prevalent in today's political realm. You are either a liberal or a conservatve. Far-left or far right. Neo-con or socialist. And we assign characteristics to each label. I've never been one who likes to be labeled. Once a label is attached, all objectivity is voided.
I have my views on things, but sometimes they are not so easy to convey in a 15 second sound bite or with a hasty generalization. But there is only so much time in a day, and so many people. I was looking through the internet blogosphere the other day, and came across an essay (done by kos of DailyKos) on the values of a certain type of politician. And it was almost as if he were talking about me. So with that framework in mind, here is what you can expect of me for a generalized answer to the question; Where do you stand?
As Kos explains, I'm a Libertarian Democrat. Why? I'll let him explain.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/6/7/131550/7297
Traditional "libertarianism" holds that government is evil and thus must be minimized. Any and all government intrusion is bad. ..................
The problem with this form of libertarianism is that it assumes that only two forces can infringe on liberty -- the government and other individuals.
The Libertarian Democrat understands that there is a third danger to personal liberty -- the corporation. The Libertarian Dem understands that corporations, left unchecked, can be huge dangers to our personal liberties.
Libertarian Dems are not hostile to government like traditional libertarians. But unlike the liberal Democrats of old times (now all but extinct), the Libertarian Dem doesn't believe government is the solution for everything. But it sure as heck is effective in checking the power of corporations.
In other words, government can protect our liberties from those who would infringe upon them -- corporations and other individuals.
So in practical terms, what does a Libertarian Dem look like?
A Libertarian Dem rejects government efforts to intrude in our bedrooms and churches. A Libertarian Dem rejects government "Big Brother" efforts, such as the NSA spying of tens of millions of Americans.
A Libertarian Dem rejects efforts to strip away rights enumerated in the Bill of Rights -- from the First Amendment to the 10th. And yes, that includes the 2nd Amendment and the right to bear arms.
A Libertarian Dem believes that true liberty requires freedom of movement -- we need roads and public transportation to give people freedom to travel wherever they might want.
A Libertarian Dem believes that we should have the freedom to enjoy the outdoor without getting poisoned; that corporate polluters infringe on our rights and should be checked.
A Libertarian Dem believes that people should have the freedom to make a living without being unduly exploited by employers.
A Libertarian Dem understands that no one enjoys true liberty if they constantly fear for their lives, so strong crime and poverty prevention programs can create a safe environment for the pursuit of happiness.
A Libertarian Dem gets that no one is truly free if they fear for their health, so social net programs are important to allow individuals to continue to live happily into their old age. Same with health care. And so on.
The core Democratic values of fairness, opportunity, and investing in our nation and people very much speak to the concept of personal liberties -- an open society where success is predicated on the merit of our ideas and efforts, unduly burdened by the government, corporate America, or other individuals. And rather than always get in the way, government can facilitate this.
Of course, this also means that government isn't always the solution to the nation's problems. There are times when business-government partnerships can be extremely effective (such as job retraining efforts for displaced workers). There are times when government really should butt out (like a great deal of small-business regulation). Our first proposed solution to a problem facing our nation shouldn't be more regulation, more government programs, more bureaucracy.
The key here isn't universal liberty from government intrusion, but policies that maximize individual freedom, and who can protect those individual freedoms best from those who would infringe.
I couldn't have said it better myself.
I bet I get asked that 100 times a day as I go out and about the campaign trail. It's a fair question, and I encourage people to ask. And I think my answers sometimes surprise people. It's human nature to try to classify people into certain groups. We all do it, consciously or subconsciously. And politics is no different.
I tell people I am a Democrat and I'm sure they immediately expect to hear that I believe in big government, unlimited welfare, hug trees in my spare time, etc. No different than if I said I was a Republican, they would assume I'm for small government, strong corporations, wanna cut taxes, carry pistols strapped to my hips, etc. Those sterotypes have been hammered into our skulls since we were old enough to comprehend.
Labeling is especially prevalent in today's political realm. You are either a liberal or a conservatve. Far-left or far right. Neo-con or socialist. And we assign characteristics to each label. I've never been one who likes to be labeled. Once a label is attached, all objectivity is voided.
I have my views on things, but sometimes they are not so easy to convey in a 15 second sound bite or with a hasty generalization. But there is only so much time in a day, and so many people. I was looking through the internet blogosphere the other day, and came across an essay (done by kos of DailyKos) on the values of a certain type of politician. And it was almost as if he were talking about me. So with that framework in mind, here is what you can expect of me for a generalized answer to the question; Where do you stand?
As Kos explains, I'm a Libertarian Democrat. Why? I'll let him explain.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/6/7/131550/7297
Traditional "libertarianism" holds that government is evil and thus must be minimized. Any and all government intrusion is bad. ..................
The problem with this form of libertarianism is that it assumes that only two forces can infringe on liberty -- the government and other individuals.
The Libertarian Democrat understands that there is a third danger to personal liberty -- the corporation. The Libertarian Dem understands that corporations, left unchecked, can be huge dangers to our personal liberties.
Libertarian Dems are not hostile to government like traditional libertarians. But unlike the liberal Democrats of old times (now all but extinct), the Libertarian Dem doesn't believe government is the solution for everything. But it sure as heck is effective in checking the power of corporations.
In other words, government can protect our liberties from those who would infringe upon them -- corporations and other individuals.
So in practical terms, what does a Libertarian Dem look like?
A Libertarian Dem rejects government efforts to intrude in our bedrooms and churches. A Libertarian Dem rejects government "Big Brother" efforts, such as the NSA spying of tens of millions of Americans.
A Libertarian Dem rejects efforts to strip away rights enumerated in the Bill of Rights -- from the First Amendment to the 10th. And yes, that includes the 2nd Amendment and the right to bear arms.
A Libertarian Dem believes that true liberty requires freedom of movement -- we need roads and public transportation to give people freedom to travel wherever they might want.
A Libertarian Dem believes that we should have the freedom to enjoy the outdoor without getting poisoned; that corporate polluters infringe on our rights and should be checked.
A Libertarian Dem believes that people should have the freedom to make a living without being unduly exploited by employers.
A Libertarian Dem understands that no one enjoys true liberty if they constantly fear for their lives, so strong crime and poverty prevention programs can create a safe environment for the pursuit of happiness.
A Libertarian Dem gets that no one is truly free if they fear for their health, so social net programs are important to allow individuals to continue to live happily into their old age. Same with health care. And so on.
The core Democratic values of fairness, opportunity, and investing in our nation and people very much speak to the concept of personal liberties -- an open society where success is predicated on the merit of our ideas and efforts, unduly burdened by the government, corporate America, or other individuals. And rather than always get in the way, government can facilitate this.
Of course, this also means that government isn't always the solution to the nation's problems. There are times when business-government partnerships can be extremely effective (such as job retraining efforts for displaced workers). There are times when government really should butt out (like a great deal of small-business regulation). Our first proposed solution to a problem facing our nation shouldn't be more regulation, more government programs, more bureaucracy.
The key here isn't universal liberty from government intrusion, but policies that maximize individual freedom, and who can protect those individual freedoms best from those who would infringe.
I couldn't have said it better myself.
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