Libertarian...

I am not a libertarian,(but i have been considering it) although I more often than not agree with libertarians on economic and fiscal issues. I have a question: granting that neither the left nor the right in America shares your philosophical commitment to "freedom across the board," which is the greater danger to that commitment: the right's threat to "lifestyle" liberty or the left's threat to economic liberty?
I think it's pretty clear, at this late date, that the former "threat" is almost entirely theoretical.

this Associated Press story by Nicholas Riccardi. The article is more interesting than the headline would suggest because its author found libertarian elements in the political shift in the west...
It is heartening that Democratic Party strategist Bill Carrick recognizes the somewhat libertarian shift in the Western U.S. electorate ("West Taking Sharp Left Turn," Jan. 27.) But one quote from Carrick shows a basic misunderstanding of libertarian views and principles.
Carrick states, "The libertarian thing is no longer about property rights or gun rights. It's now aboutletting people live their lives as they choose."
On the contrary, the libertarian "thing" has always been about letting people live their lives as they choose. And their right to use their property as they choose and to defend themselves with guns is still part of that.
Consider property rights. Governments in California and elsewhere in the West often prevent people from adding a bathroom, adding an extra room or cutting down a tree without government permission. These are all violations of property rights, just as restrictions on gay marriage or using marijuana violate their other rights.
Libertarianism is still the only philosophy that consistently advocates freedom across the board.

After several years on this board I have moved slowly toward Libertarianism and now I would have to say it is the word that best describes me. It is also the most consistent and moral political philosophy I know of. Tempered with some morals and there is hope for the country.

Yes I have become more a Libertarian than Conservative over the past few years. I think this has to do with the changing definition of conservatism.
Rs claim to be the party of conservatism, but they have lost their way and perverted the true definition of conservatism. They really are not conservatives at all. They have left the traditional values of small government, low taxation and regulation, individual liberty, and strict adherence to the Constitution (the original meaning). However Libertarianism holds these values.

As a christian I have a few concerns..The libertarian position on gay marriage is puzzling to me. If any two people in America want to rent a church and have a commitment ceremony it is legal and no government will try to stop them. If a business wants to extend spousal health care to lovers no government will try to stop them.
Yet after gay marriage is passes citizens who do not want to provide services to gay weddings are sued and businesses are forced to treat gay marriages the same as real ones.
Shouldn't the libertarian position be the one where the people get to decide what marriage is and not the government?

Let me ask this..
Would the Libertarians party experience a boom if they conceded property isn't the basis of everything and just focused on reducing the scope of government?
I think the answer is yes....

well said..

For some reason, society has not allowed a role for someone who is both Christian and a libertarian.

Christian opposition to libertarianism is not new. The debate over Ayn Rand, called by some the "high priestess of the Church of Mammon,” has been relentless within Christian circles. Many Christians say that they cannot be separated. Two Cents blogger Nathan Hitchens has said that there is “profound hypocrisy” in a Christian supporting any part of Ayn Rand’s philosophy...

IMO there is no perfect system. A Christian should always first and foremost be a true believer. That doesn't mean we remove ourselves from politics today, but we must remember that any position we take is a temporary compromise. That being said, if you look at the Garden of Eden, it was basically a libertarian society. In the time of the Judges they had an extremely limited government. But as a result everyone did what was right in his own eyes. So the people cried out for a king. But Samuel (and God in the Mosaic Law) warned them that king will increase the power of the government and take all the best things from his people. I feel like we're in the same place today, crying for a king instead of waiting patiently for the kingdom of God.

That one made me think...

Like all political beliefs, Libertarians have varying beliefs. The three 'sticky points' you mentioned need further explanation.
Legalized drugs - I used to be against, but have changed my opinion. The war on drugs has been a dismal failure resulting in making the nation a police state and expanding government.
Isolationism - this is commonly misunderstood...libertarians are not isolationist, but non-interventionists...big difference.
Open borders - most libertarians are not for open borders, if the result harms the nation. I think open borders does harm the nation and as such, am against it. Immigration is fine if it is done in an orderly basis.

well said..

Libertarians are nothing more than retarded anarchists who love chaos. All Libertarians/Anarchists should be crushed underfoot.

Our nation has changed dramatically over the past few decades. We no longer need unskilled laborers immigrating here. We did 100 years ago and as such, many who came here found work easily and assimilated quickly. Most immigration today comes from the Latin third world and most who come are unskilled. Our economy does have jobs for them. They will and are going on the government dole and voting Dem.

The real reason why we have so much legal and illegal immigration of unskilled immigrants is to increase the Dem voter base. This is exactly what Fat Teddy intended when he pushed through immigration reform in 1965. California exemplifies this perfectly.