The Outsider wrote:My ideology is complicated. It is hard to define under today's constructs. I'm libertarian when it comes to personal freedoms, I don't believe in protecting people from themselves. I probably fall to the left when it comes to economics. I do not believe in a pure free market. I also support social welfare if it makes sense and is managed properly, which is not the case the vast majority of the time. Above all else, though, I believe in justice and I do not believe that our current legal systems provide this in all cases. Sometimes people deserve far worse than our legal system can provide.
As for religious ideology? I never believed in the Christian god. Nor do I believe in Allah, Vishnu, nature worship, etc. That said, I'm no atheist. I don't have the hubris to pretend I understand enough about our universe to totally rule out a higher power.
The Outsider wrote:My ideology is complicated. It is hard to define under today's constructs. I'm libertarian when it comes to personal freedoms, I don't believe in protecting people from themselves. I probably fall to the left when it comes to economics. I do not believe in a pure free market. I also support social welfare if it makes sense and is managed properly, which is not the case the vast majority of the time. Above all else, though, I believe in justice and I do not believe that our current legal systems provide this in all cases. Sometimes people deserve far worse than our legal system can provide.
As for religious ideology? I never believed in the Christian god. Nor do I believe in Allah, Vishnu, nature worship, etc. That said, I'm no atheist. I don't have the hubris to pretend I understand enough about our universe to totally rule out a higher power.
Mountaineer Buc wrote: I am in favor of the Federal Government keeping its traditional size of 20% of GDP
Jonny wrote:Mountaineer Buc wrote: I am in favor of the Federal Government keeping its traditional size of 20% of GDP
Why do you believe that 20% GDP expense is something that is being spent responsibly and something that has worked? Can you list me areas off the top of your head that our money was diverted to where you saw bang for the buck invested?
As for how big of a Government, I'd like one big enough to provide security, mediate disputes, provide transparency, assist the disabled and old, manage immigration and manage other areas where a competition between private entities is not feasible.
Mountaineer Buc wrote:Jonny wrote:
Why do you believe that 20% GDP expense is something that is being spent responsibly and something that has worked? Can you list me areas off the top of your head that our money was diverted to where you saw bang for the buck invested?
As for how big of a Government, I'd like one big enough to provide security, mediate disputes, provide transparency, assist the disabled and old, manage immigration and manage other areas where a competition between private entities is not feasible.
Do you want to argue or do you want to understand?
Oh, you forgot the infrastructure thing. The Interstate Highway system was a federal project. As was the Hoover Dam.
Jonny wrote:areas where a competition between private entities is not feasible.
lachisbackisback wrote:Jonny wrote:areas where a competition between private entities is not feasible.
This applies to a hell of a lot of things, and vitally important things, unless you trust corporations to have your best interests in mind more than government. I tend to agree with a lot of the logic of libertarians, but I think they're shockingly naive when it comes to increasing public reliance on corporations.
It's bad enough that governments are almost entirely complicit with corporate interests to begin with, and I'd say it's the primary problem facing your country at this point, but to do away with the slim pretense of the government having the interests of the constituency in mind would be the death knell of your way of life.
To choose to jump into the waiting arms of corporations as though they're saviors rather than to simply try to hold your government accountable for ridiculous overspending on various things like the military is just unfathomable to me.
Southern Oz wrote:I'm not from the US, so just asking a few questions.
Are most Americans able to identify and articulate their ideological position as you have guys have done? And furthermore are most politically informed enough to make decisions based on this position?
Most people I know aren't able to, or chose not to, define exactly where they sit. It certainly isn't common to use terminology like u have.
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