How Would You Describe Your Political Philosophy?

[Waitone]

Other threads got me to thinking about political philosophy and hence my two-fold question.

First Fold--How would you succinctly describe your political philosophy?
Second Fold--Describe the origin of your position on firearms.

I asked the question so I'll go first.
1>I consider myself to be a "Thinking, Constitutionally Constrained Libertarian."
2>All humans have the right to exercise self-defense regardless of what human institutions say.

No political manifesto's. Just a pithy right-to-the-point descriptor.

 

[Ky Larry]

Waitone, you pretty well nailed both parts of the question.

 

[CentralTexas]

I grew up watching

the original Star Trek, that's where most of my philosophy started as a child.
Prime Directive etc.=Libertarian today. Guns? I grew up in Texas and we never thought they were weird or unusual, just there.
CT

 

[Chris Rhines]

1.) Voluntarian subset of the Libertarian Anarchist set. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voluntarian

2.) Non-Aggression Principle -> ownership of property cannot be considered aggression -> firearms are property.

- Chris

 

[robert garner]

I was raised a citizen of a Republic;as such I have a duty to my Nation,State,Family and self to Defend against all who would do us harm, forign or domestic.

 

[Fletchette]

I think of myself as a libertarian as you have defined it. Perhaps a strict Constitutionalist (but I am concerned that if enough statists get their way the Constitution will itself become anti-American).

After I lost my religion (ex-Catholic) in my early 20's I spent a lot of time thinking about right and wrong, ethics and what to believe in. I don't have all the answers, but I know this much: tyranny isn't it.

 

[lee n. field]

This has been asked before.

Now, as then, pessimistic anarcho-Calvinist. Maybe a bit more pessimistic now. The jury's still out on whether coercive states are more or less murderous than individuals or small groups of individuals. Brigands will take you out one by one, but states go in for occational line-em-up-and-shoot-em genocides.

The answer to the second question is complicated, and heavily tied in with the political question, but comes from a gut feeling that I can't finally trust "the authorities" to protect me.

 

[1911 guy]

My position

Strict constitutionalist, it means what it says. English has not changed in the last 500 years, much less the last 250.
I have a right to own a firearm to ensure the remainder of my rights, as do you. We collectively have an obligation to ensure that our government serves our needs. Read the Declaration.

 

[308win]

I believe that each person is responsible for their own actions. I believe in STRICT separation of church and state. I believe that the Constitution is not nearly as ambiguous as the SCOTUS would have us believe. I believe that less government is better. And I do not believe in the 'what's mine is mine and what's yours is ours' philosophy that both the Ds and Rs have adopted. I also believe that it is the 'United States is' not the 'United States are'. So whatever that makes me, guilty as charged.

As for the 2d ammendment, I was fortunate enough to grow up in an era and area where most people owned guns and those who didn't were neither chastised nor chastising.

 

[dev_null]

Libertarian, with the proviso that I do believe in limited, reasonable (definitions TBD, but examples would be environmental and employee relations -- before flaming note the word "limited") oversight on what corporations may do.

Fully support the 2nd Amendment and the various enumerations of the philosophy behind it in the writing of Jefferson, Madison, et al.

- 0 -

 

[EghtySx]

Politically as well as in life I believe in minding your own business and what you do in your backyard is none of mine as long as you aren't hurting anyone. I don't know what that would be officially labeled but I call it Live and let Live.

As far as guns go, I have always been around em. For my first birthday my Dad got *me* a birddog. I was never taught that guns were for killing. We would have "play shoots" on our local trap range once a week, everyone drinking, and sometimes people would get in fights. No one ever thought of getting a gun to settle a score, it just wansn't part of the thinking. Guns are for fun, that's it. Big boys' toys. The thought of shooting someone never crossed anyone's mind as far as I ever knew.

 

[peteinct]

Let freedom reign

Keep ypur hands out of my wallet and your nose out of my buisiness and I'll grant you the same courtesy.

Shooting guns is like voting but with a lot of noise and smoke!



pete

 

[c-bag]

Libertarian more or less.

My support of the right to bear arms/ self defense originates in the idea that all individuals are free agents that are utimately responsible for their own well-being, self-preservation being only one of many things we all are responsible for

 

[DRZinn]

If it doesn't hurt anyone, no-one has the right to prevent it.

I'd like to see a tort-based legal system. If it can be proved to have harmed someone, or have been an attempt at such, it's prosecutable. If not, hands off.

Some things could be legitimate "crimes against society," such as gross pollution, which may not harm anyone directly, but can in some cases be shown to harm many indirectly.

 

[Joejojoba111]

"If it doesn't hurt anyone, no-one has the right to prevent it.

I'd like to see a tort-based legal system. If it can be proved to have harmed someone, or have been an attempt at such, it's prosecutable. If not, hands off.

Some things could be legitimate "crimes against society," such as gross pollution, which may not harm anyone directly, but can in some cases be shown to harm many indirectly."

That's good one, I like that one.

I think government is a good thing, but only when it is small and completes merely the 3 main roles which require it's existence.

 

[2nd Amendment]

I'm a Constitutionalist, with Minarchist/Anarchist leanings. I believe government is Evil by nature, but necessary on a local level to constrain greater evil by the strong over the weak. It must be closely monitored and controlled to prevent it from becoming that greater evil itself. Checks and balances at the grassroots level consisting of the Citizenry over elected officials, basically.

I'm a Fundamental Baptist who believes everyone should be free to do what they please so long as it doesn't harm anyone else, which includes allowing me to tell them what wrong headed/perverted/stupid/nasty SOB's they are for living like that. At that point my obligation is fulfilled and it's between them and God, without any need for the nanny-state to step in, than you very much Mr Drug Warriors, Alphabet Agency hacks, etc.

Yeah, it's a philosophy that makes for an interesting balancing act.

 

[Ian]

Rational anarchist (a la Heinlein), anarchocapitalist, voluntaryist - whichever you prefer. At this point the subtle and oft-argued differences are irrelevant to reality.

Freedom to own firearms is simply an extension of the right to own property and the right to do what you like (see also, NAP/ZAP).

 

[stevelyn]

Very top of the diamond Libertarian.

(Former christo-fascist republican voter)

 

[Duh_Bear]

I'm just a guy who believes in life, liberty, pursuit of happiness, ownership of property, and right to self-defense. I'm not much for labels.

 

[SaintofKillers]

Me, I dont really know where I stand anymore in the political arena. I feel that for the most part the government is a failure and has become a faceless eating machine that We the People have let get out of control.

Some of us, actually very few, are struggling to pull the plug, most of us are just trying to get by paying our bills, watching the big game on TV, and drinking a cold one.

I think most are still wondering what happened or simply dont care what happened. The most important thing in their lives right now is who is going to be the final contestant on American Idol and who is doing what over on Desperate Houswives.

I was a diehard Republican from the moment I was able to think about such things, it all seemed like common sense to me at that time. Now I dont really find much difference between the two political parties.

I am a practicing Witch, Wiccan for those who are not in the know, I am not a tree hugger or animal rights activist. I believe the animals are there to enjoy and to eat if necessary. I enjoy the hunt, its not the kill but the thrill of the chase. The trees are there to enjoy also, and to build shelters, and burn to keep warm and to cook the deer that I harvested to feed my family.

It really disappoints me that in a country that claims to be so tolerant of other religions, that Wiccans,Pagans and etc, are not considered legitimate by our own government.

As for the Second Amendment, had those executed during the Salem witch trials exercised their right to defend themselves.....

I guess your religion is OK as long as it falls under the heading of Christianity.

 

[armedandsafe]

#1) Rational anarchist, strict Constitutionalist...

#2) Tools is tools.

Pops

 

[Barbara]

How Would You Describe Your Political Philosophy?

1.) Antagonistic?
Socially liberal, fiscally conservative.

2.) Bill Clinton and Sarah Brady.

 

[dasmi]

I asked the question so I'll go first.
1>I consider myself to be a "Thinking, Constitutionally Constrained Libertarian."
2>All humans have the right to exercise self-defense regardless of what human institutions say.

+1, Waitone

 

[shermacman]

Right-wing, knuckle-dragging, Neanderthal, gun-toting, conservative.

 

[dolanp]

If there is no victim, there is no crime. Nobody can be a criminal against themselves.