Libertarians and "Conservatives" - Granite Grok

Libertarians and “Conservatives”

Tim points out that Dick Morris is down on Ron Paul as ‘not a conservative’. Morris is a ‘born again (neo)conservative’ of the kind who tend to be overzealous in some areas where a strict constitutional conservative would prefer government stay out.

Nowhere is that more starkly defined than in the drug war, and the various ‘lifestyle choices’.

Constitutional conservatives prefer that individual rights and responsibilities be preserved, and that stupid behavior be punished, not that rights be curtailed to prevent stupid behavior.

Rick Santorum refers to the USA a a ‘Moral Enterprise’, of which he wishes to be the captain, and impose his virtues by legislation and constitutional amendments (no gay marriage, pro-life). Morality, good, leading by example, good, federally imposed laws and values, mostly bad.

Ron Paul is right about keeping government out of things, but blames America for many of the self-imposed ills of the 3rd world, and doesn’t understand peace through strength. He’s definitely not a Neocon, and there are times when it isn’t clear whether he’s a classical Liberal, or the modern sort.

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