What is your political background?

liberal socialist , marxist, and possibly communist

 

Not sure how to reply to this poll as I am a Independent.

I suppose if push came to shove I'd have to admit I lean more towards liberal then any thing else.

 

I was debating whether to put "libertarian" or "anarchist". I ended with choosing "anarchist" because although I am a libertarian, most people who call themselves libertarians are not as radical as I am. To call myself "anarchist" in the poll would make my position more clear.

 

Do you believe in any governance?

 

It was a tossup between libertarian and conservative. I believe the Constitution calls for libertarianism in the federal govt. As you get closer to my home, I become more conservative. I usually call myself anti-democrat.

 

You're confusing conservatism and neo-conservatism.

 

Why is there an option for both socialist and communist? Is the communist option for Marxists? What about non-marxist communists/socialists?

 

And why is democratic an option? Communists, libertarians, anarchists - pretty much everyone - believes in a form of democracy. Only fascists, theocrats, etc don't want democracy and they are tiny groups.

 

Hmm... not as easy as i thought it would be I admit! Maybe a democratic socialist with a nationalist tint? or a social liberal? I bet on the latter mostly. Have you taken the political compass and political test quizes? I'd be intressted to know what results you got.

http://www.politicalcompass.org

http://www.politicaltest.net

 

So far the libertarians are winning by leaps and bounds. Does this not say something to us all? Simply put, people love freedom. It is an innate reflex. If our Creator gave us free will, who is man to take it away?

Of course, what we cannot stand idly by and let happen is for other people to impose their will on us and take our freedom away. As a result, we need a governing body of some sort to try and thwart these dime a dozen dictators.

Here is the US such new policies as mandatory health care and the NDAA and Patriot Act have violated such freedom loving sensibilities. As our freedoms increasingly wane I do hope that libertarianism grows and perhaps a new party can be forged.........that is if we actually will have the freedom to do so. Looking at the two party monopoly and their various strangle holds on power, perhaps it is too late.

To be honest, if the majority of people want the Nanny state or a fascist one, they should be allowed to choose it. This is what the Founders had in mind with Federalism. Let every state decide how they wish to govern, and let the Federal government officiate between states and gaurd our borders. However, today the federal government reigns supreme with a one size fits all mentality. Well guess what, one size does not fit all and never will. Perhaps we will need to wait for another revolution to help change this dictatorial mentality.

 

So do 90% of the "conservatives on this forum... same as they equate anybody who disagrees with as "socialists' "collectivists", "marxists". An easy way to guage this is by "conservatives" who wish to incorporate "Christian Values" into our government, approve of the wars in the middle east, approve of welfare to Israel, approve of Citizens United, Approve of the oligarchial/fascist/plutocratic regime we have been operating under, as long as the R's are in charge.

 

I could live happily on this Island as you describe it. I would serve proudly in a military in this country.

As far this poll goes... I picked Democratic.. but I could have easily picked Libertarian or Liberal as I believe that a REAL Liberal as the word was intended has alot in common with a Libertarian as the word was intended. So if it was an option I ould select Democratic Liberal/Libertarian.

 

What are the similarities and difference between a Liberal and a Libertarian?

Sorry for my ignorance.

 

Spot on, yes I'm a fascist and I don't believe in democracy because ignorant people shouldn't be given the right to vote so I'm basically an elitist.

Democracy has nothing to do with the right choices but the popular choices, I know people in Turkey who blind vote a man (Tayip Erdogan) because he has charisma (in other words he can lie better) and dresses well which is why I personally believe in a benevolent dictatorship and real communists such as Stalinists don't or shouldn't favour democracy because they prefer a father knows best state because the people have faith in the benevolent leader. E.g N.Koreans and Kim Jong Il/Un or Soviets and Stalin.

The working class is the scum of the scum and you simply can't give them power to change laws and systems, but the ironic part is most people are deceived into thinking voting is something important. People actually fool themselves into believing their a part of something big and extrasolar by voting when their nothing but a tiny specimen of grain in a large container. Democracy gives the right of the "silence of the lambs". Millions of people in the UK protested against the rise of tuition fees and still the government ignored them. That's your democracy.

If 80% of a nation was ignorant, the 20% of enlightened people would suffer because of democracy.

IF 70% of a nation was pro cannibalism, 30% of the population would suffer because it's possible to have a nation of cannibals so long as the majority believe eating humans is right.

Voting in an election or what you call democracy is like voting between diarrhoea and (*)(*)(*)(*).

 

I suppose liberal comes closest to matching what I am. I am anti-state, but wouldn't call myself a libertarian because I reject the free market fanaticism of mainstream libertarianism, at least in the US. I think the market is the best and most efficient way of allocating goods and resources, but still a deeply flawed way. Like all things in the world, there are trade-offs. It confuses me why so many libertarians want people to imagine the market is perfectly efficient or why they say things like "if that should happen, the market would provide for it." I find that to be simplistic and silly. The market is very good at many things, but profit seeking becomes the fundamental driver of the market in a capitalist system, and when negative behavior and activities are profitable, the market fails. So when people being sick, staying sick, and having to pay too much to get better becomes a way for people to profit, that is bad in my opinion(it should be in everyones opinion, but whatever). Similarly, when war becomes incentivized and not just a sometimes necessary evil which should be avoided at all practical costs, that is bad. Similarly, when prisons are privatized, and incarcerating people becomes incentivized, that is bad.

On top of being anti-state, and rejecting free market extremism. I tend to be anti-war, and disagree with the extent to which interventionary American policy has disrupted and destroyed the lives of millions of people across the globe, I am not anti-interventionist though. I just think our interventionist streak needs to be limited, and the long-term impacts of meddling in peoples affairs need to be carefully considered.

On top of that, I am also anti-communist, and quite strongly so. I already explained my reservations with capitalism(which I think it deeply flawed) to a small extent, but to be clear I do NOT believe communism/socialism(whatever you want to call marxist political solutions) is the solution to any of our problems. Firstly I reject the deterministic view of the world which marxists take. Yes I believe the material is important, but I don't believe it is entirely deterministic on all occasions. I also, more importantly reject Marxist theories understanding of the natural course of human history. The world has obviously not worked out the way Marx imagined it would be, socialism WAS NOT the inevitable outcome of history, and capitalism is FAR stronger and more adaptable than Marx imagined. Which means the only way to institute socialist change, is through revolution. A revolution which inevitably leads to extreme violence and authoritarianism far worse than capitalism.

So ultimately, I would describe myself as a vague leftist. I hate the Democratic party as much as the Republican party. I reject socialism and libertarianism. But I would say, that some sort of left-libertarianism(or libertarian socialism) is very appealing to me in theory. Problematically, I cannot imagine a scenario under which that reality could ever occur. So practically, I am just a vague leftist who supports and opposed individual ideas and policies based on their own merit in my mind.

 

My great-grandfather was the last Liberal on Glamorgan County Council for decades, I believe. When Labour took over my parents, like similar people in Spain during the Franco rebellion, moved close to the Communist Party. I have swung back and forth between the Labour Party (while it was still officially socialist) and the Socialist Workers Party. Currently I'm a member of Plaid Cymru, the last socialist party with representation in the Westminster Posturing-House, a dump I hope we shall soon escape.

 

People want to be free to do the things they like, and are busy-bodies and want to make people act as they do, about pretty much everything else.

 

Nope, I'm calling a spade a spade.

Shortest answer possible: Cause they're different.

 

As I said, dictators are a dime a dozen. You will always find busy-budies out their to try and tell you what to do while trying to convince you it if for benefit. Then next thing you know they have their hands in your pants, but they are not looking to rape you physically, just financially once they find your wallet.

And so it goes, when the economy goes belly up, what do they do? They create a huge pile of cash that no one can keep track of and "redistribute" it. When there is a concern about the environment the same thing happens. They want to create a huge pile of cash via the Chicago Climate Exchange and "redistribute" the money to try and "help" us. Of course, social security is the poster child for this theivery. They openly just take what is left and use if for God only knows what.

Of course, it does not end there. Now you have little dictators in New York trying to limit how big your soda is and those in San Fran trying to prohibity Happy Meals at McDonalds and prevent you from riding segways etc..

 

Thank you, Signcutter.

True pride.

In something of honour, decency, and dignity.

No longer would our people be duped, so that they remain poor, so that the rich get richer.

No longer would finanical speculators be able to use the wealth of my people, as a man with stolen money would, at a casino.

No longer would my people be misanthropic, without hope, and feeling powerless, against criminals and thieves, who masquerade as 'politicians' and 'businessmen'. Instead, they would be empowered, with justified hope, and they would learn comradeship to each other, love and respect for one another. There would be no 'strangers'. Our sense of community shall be restored, and it shall be a moral crime to leave someone in need.

No more would any soldier that wore the colours of my country, be dumped like rubbish on the streets, as they are, with 25% of all homeless in London, being ex vet's.

All those, yes even those who had served in conflicts that would now be a thing of the past for my country - they would be homed, given the best health care, and whatever else they needed, to help them recover from having their psyche shattered, by these wars of dishonour, that our criminal elites have shamefully used them in.

All of this IS achievable.

Oh how those that have tried to poison our minds, with misanthropy and pessimism, want us to accept that we have no choice but to live in their hell on earth.

Oh how these contaminators of your mind and 'soul', want to remove hope, comradeship, critical thinking, innovation, respect for humans, respect for nature, and respect for our beautiful planet...and replace it with a defeated, and gloomy view, one in which your self confidence will be ground...to dust..

Ignorace has enabled them.

They love ignorance. Because, by keeping us ignorant, we have no aspiration, we have no vision, and actually ask them .. to keep on 'leading us'.

These things stop now.

They stop with each one of us.

And a new beginning commences, when you personally wish it to.

Do not let them lie to you, that you are alone.

You are not alone.

There are tens of millions of us, from all walks of life.

We are the majority, it is they, and their lying, blood thirsy, EVIL ways...who are the minority.

Reach out to those that think as you do, that have had enough.

No matter what nation they are in now, it is immaterial.

Reach out to them, wherever they are.

These people are your true friends, even if distances divides you, hearts and goodness are never divided.

Come together, get to know one another, discuss, share, help.

Don't leave it until it is too late, and, above all else, do not be complacent.

Have a good weekend,

Jack

 

Is that a joke? Classical Liberalism is Libertarianism(or is the closer).

 

Most rightwingers claim to be libertarians.....but they're not

 

I started out as a liberal but as the "liberals" moved farther and farther left I was abandoned and became by default a conservative.

 

Most libertarians are republicans who don't want to admit it 😀

 

Most 'liberals' are Big Government Cradle-to-Grave Socialists.

But, then again, most liberals online are about 20 years old.
When they get a few years of adulthood under their belt, and a house, a few possessions worth having, maybe a few kids and a spouse, now they care about crime and what their neighborhood looks like, then they become Republicans.

Experience with life = Conservatism.
Or, as the saying goes:
Every Democrat is one strong arm robbery away from being a Republican.