Are Republicans Turning Into Libertarians?

[derspiess]

However, if they slide quite a bit further towards libertarianism, that would be a very good thing.

Agree.  I'm still socially conservative, but economic issues are much more important In These Troubled Times (r).  I'd be okay if the GOP went neutral on a few social issues, if it'd put its money where its mouth is with all the libertarian rhetoric.

[fhdz]

Welcome to the the practical club. OBEY THE RULES.

What are the rules?

[Ed Anger]

Welcome to the the practical club. OBEY THE RULES.

What are the rules?

No Marti like activity.

[Habbaku]

What are the rules?

No Marti like activity.

No gays?  Sounds awfully similar to the Republicans...

[Ed Anger]

What are the rules?

No Marti like activity.

No gays?  Sounds awfully similar to the Republicans...

No trend whoring gays. Garbons and Habsys still welcome.

[Valmy]

I find the Republicans attempts to hijack the Ron Pauliacs and Libertarians distasteful and think they are only going in this direction because they are out of power.  Believing the power of government should be curtailed is very popular when the other guys control it.

[Jacob]

I think it's pretty simple, when the Republicans (as a party, many exceptions exist for individual Republicans) aren't in government they hate the government and express this by opposing "big government".  When they are in power, they don't hate the government very much and try to influence it to do what they think is right.

Thus the opposition to "big government" is primarily a reflection of "we lost the election".  It will probably be reflected is specific electioneering language, but it does not necessarily (or even probably) indicate that any future hypothetical Republican governments will shrink the size of government (though they'll likely shrink the size of programs they disagree with).

Just a guess.

[Razgovory]

I find the Republicans attempts to hijack the Ron Pauliacs and Libertarians distasteful and think they are only going in this direction because they are out of power.  Believing the power of government should be curtailed is very popular when the other guys control it.

Hijacking the Ron Pauliacs is like Hijacking the Clown Car at the circus.  It might be satisfying but it won't get you anywhere.

[alfred russel]

Raz has a point: the last election should have shown republicans that while the public hates them, it is even less inclined to vote for the Ron Paul version of their brand.

[alfred russel]

Anyway, how did we arrive at the idea that Republicans are more liberation now than a few months ago? There hasn't been a shortage of anguish over gay marriage in the past few months, and I haven't heard of a big shift on abortion policy.

The poll to start the thread probably would have had the similar results over the past 20 years. Big Government as the enemy has been standard mantra since reagan. Certainly the republicans weren't going to pick Big Business, and how can anyone think unions are the biggest problem in the current pathetic state?

[fhdz]

Hijacking the Ron Pauliacs is like Hijacking the Clown Car at the circus.  It might be satisfying but it won't get you anywhere.

But it is oh so satisfying.

[Razgovory]

I think it's pretty simple, when the Republicans (as a party, many exceptions exist for individual Republicans) aren't in government they hate the government and express this by opposing "big government".  When they are in power, they don't hate the government very much and try to influence it to do what they think is right.

Thus the opposition to "big government" is primarily a reflection of "we lost the election".  It will probably be reflected is specific electioneering language, but it does not necessarily (or even probably) indicate that any future hypothetical Republican governments will shrink the size of government (though they'll likely shrink the size of programs they disagree with).

Just a guess.

Yeah, it's a tactic not an issue.  Same thing with government spending.  Government spending is bad when are out of office because it's being spent on stuff you don't like.  When you are in office it's going to good causes.

[Admiral Yi]

I think it's pretty simple, when the Republicans (as a party, many exceptions exist for individual Republicans) aren't in government they hate the government and express this by opposing "big government".  When they are in power, they don't hate the government very much and try to influence it to do what they think is right.

Thus the opposition to "big government" is primarily a reflection of "we lost the election".  It will probably be reflected is specific electioneering language, but it does not necessarily (or even probably) indicate that any future hypothetical Republican governments will shrink the size of government (though they'll likely shrink the size of programs they disagree with).

Just a guess.

I think it's very problematic to draw conclusions about the Republican party based on one presidency.

[saskganesh]

Yi wants Reagan.

[Jacob]

I think it's very problematic to draw conclusions about the Republican party based on one presidency.

I'm drawing a conclusion about the Republican Party right now, thus I think the last 16 years or so is adequate and for that period I think my conclusion is reasonably reasonable.