My views have changed...

[Eloy]

People who admire Donald Trump are Republicans.

Who said I admired Donald Trump? Isn't that a rather presumptive thing to say?

I did not imply that you admire Trump but to clarify the issue. If a person thinks Trump is great then this defines a Republican.

Hardly. There are plenty of Republicans who can't stand the Big Orange. Some of them (thinking George WIll) have abandoned the party altogether for its bending over for him.

Rump's appeal is purely emotional, not political. As his own fraudulent "university" told its henchmen in its playbook, "you don't sell solutions-- you sell feelings". That's exactly what Rump did in every speech, every interview and every tweet. Quite a few Republicans were and still are intelligent enough to know a con artist when they saw one.

This is my point; Republicans who identified with the Grand Ol' Party have no support for what the party has become. The Republican party of Eisenhower has been destroyed in our lifetime. It has been taken-over by crass Christian fundamentalists, NRA fanatics, New York corporation executives, and what have you. It is a shame.

Well hell, Barry Goldwater saw that coming. Rump didn't bring that in -- it goes back at least to Jerry Falwell.

I do not dispute this.

 

[xband]

Nine years ago, I was a neo-conservative die hard Republican. Then my views changed, I became a bit more moderate. When I became disgusted with the Republican party altogether, I became a minarchist libertarian... but now, my views based on the observations of the world have led me to become a classical liberal. I feel like my stances have evolved to more closely reflect that than anything else. It might be the closest thing I can get to keep myself out of two party politics.

Am I renouncing my conservatism? Not necessarily. I am conservative in some areas and liberal in others, and I feel like the time for experimentation is over. This is the culmination of all the ideas and stances I have assimilated from the those past 9 years. Free thought is a wonderful thing. Objectivity is liberating. I'm glad I can change my views when a better argument is made. But enough gloating. See you later.

-Etherion, A Newly Minted Classical Liberal

Thanks for teaching me a new word, monarchist. What does that mean?

 

[TemplarKormac]

Nine years ago, I was a neo-conservative die hard Republican. Then my views changed, I became a bit more moderate. When I became disgusted with the Republican party altogether, I became a minarchist libertarian... but now, my views based on the observations of the world have led me to become a classical liberal. I feel like my stances have evolved to more closely reflect that than anything else. It might be the closest thing I can get to keep myself out of two party politics.

Am I renouncing my conservatism? Not necessarily. I am conservative in some areas and liberal in others, and I feel like the time for experimentation is over. This is the culmination of all the ideas and stances I have assimilated from the those past 9 years. Free thought is a wonderful thing. Objectivity is liberating. I'm glad I can change my views when a better argument is made. But enough gloating. See you later.

-Etherion, A Newly Minted Classical Liberal

Thanks for teaching me a new word, monarchist. What does that mean?

"Minarchist" means to advocate for as little government as possible without getting rid of it completely. Essentially minimal government is needed to ensure peace and order.

 

[Pogo]

Nine years ago, I was a neo-conservative die hard Republican. Then my views changed, I became a bit more moderate. When I became disgusted with the Republican party altogether, I became a minarchist libertarian... but now, my views based on the observations of the world have led me to become a classical liberal. I feel like my stances have evolved to more closely reflect that than anything else. It might be the closest thing I can get to keep myself out of two party politics.

Am I renouncing my conservatism? Not necessarily. I am conservative in some areas and liberal in others, and I feel like the time for experimentation is over. This is the culmination of all the ideas and stances I have assimilated from the those past 9 years. Free thought is a wonderful thing. Objectivity is liberating. I'm glad I can change my views when a better argument is made. But enough gloating. See you later.

-Etherion, A Newly Minted Classical Liberal

Thanks for teaching me a new word, monarchist. What does that mean?

"Minarchist" means to advocate for as little government as possible without getting rid of it completely. Essentially minimal government is needed to ensure peace and order.

Yanno I read right past that, thought it was a typo. Interesting coinage. Basically the same as "Liberal" as long as you stipulate that power is derived from the consent of the governed.

Now, a monarchist as Xband assumed was intended, they would be the conservatives against which the Liberals revolted when they built this joint. That's for Wimpy-Boi who waddled in trying to equate "Liberal" with "Conservative".

 

[TemplarKormac]

Yanno I read right past that, thought it was a typo. Interesting coinage. Basically the same as "Liberal" as long as you stipulate that power is derived from the consent of the governed.

Agreed.

 

[Billy_Kinetta]

I am a lifelong independent that votes for the person, not the party.

Pretty dumb, as the person generally brings the party with him.

I disagree.

I was Dem in my 20s, worked for Dick Lamm in Colorado, then found a life long friend in Dave Nolan and was one of the original people who drank a lot of wine and decided Libertarian was gospel.

Then Independent, Dave and wife Elizabeth who was also a very close friend, moved to Tucson, we spent a lot of time together and we both changed. When he died, I had already escaped from the abusive alcoholic I was married to, had left Tcsn. Elizabeth and I are still in contact and the one thing that has changed for me is that I will never again vote Republican.

But, there were times when I did and I was registered Indy for many years.

That's a lovely story, but finding the exception, or even one hundred exceptions does not change the truth of my statement.

I have never registered as or joined with any political party. I will not, however, vote for any Democrat again, ever.

 

[Pogo]

I am a lifelong independent that votes for the person, not the party.

Pretty dumb, as the person generally brings the party with him.

I disagree.

I was Dem in my 20s, worked for Dick Lamm in Colorado, then found a life long friend in Dave Nolan and was one of the original people who drank a lot of wine and decided Libertarian was gospel.

Then Independent, Dave and wife Elizabeth who was also a very close friend, moved to Tucson, we spent a lot of time together and we both changed. When he died, I had already escaped from the abusive alcoholic I was married to, had left Tcsn. Elizabeth and I are still in contact and the one thing that has changed for me is that I will never again vote Republican.

But, there were times when I did and I was registered Indy for many years.

That's a lovely story, but finding the exception, or even one hundred exceptions does not change the truth of my statement.

I have never registered as or joined with any political party. I will not, however, vote for any Democrat again, ever.

It's a weird thing --- you start a thread extolling the virtues and rewards of adaptable non-rigid thinking, and in comes a flood of posters eager to demonstrate exactly what that protects against.

 

[blastoff]

Nine years ago, I was a neo-conservative die hard Republican. Then my views changed, I became a bit more moderate. When I became disgusted with the Republican party altogether, I became a minarchist libertarian... but now, my views based on the observations of the world have led me to become a classical liberal. I feel like my stances have evolved to more closely reflect that than anything else. It might be the closest thing I can get to keep myself out of two party politics.

Am I renouncing my conservatism? Not necessarily. I am conservative in some areas and liberal in others, and I feel like the time for experimentation is over. This is the culmination of all the ideas and stances I have assimilated from the those past 9 years. Free thought is a wonderful thing. Objectivity is liberating. I'm glad I can change my views when a better argument is made. But enough gloating. See you later.

-Etherion, A Newly Minted Classical Liberal

Have you lined up your sex change operation yet?

 

[Iceweasel]

Nine years ago, I was a neo-conservative die hard Republican. Then my views changed, I became a bit more moderate. When I became disgusted with the Republican party altogether, I became a minarchist libertarian... but now, my views based on the observations of the world have led me to become a classical liberal. I feel like my stances have evolved to more closely reflect that than anything else. It might be the closest thing I can get to keep myself out of two party politics.

Am I renouncing my conservatism? Not necessarily. I am conservative in some areas and liberal in others, and I feel like the time for experimentation is over. This is the culmination of all the ideas and stances I have assimilated from the those past 9 years. Free thought is a wonderful thing. Objectivity is liberating. I'm glad I can change my views when a better argument is made. But enough gloating. See you later.

-Etherion, A Newly Minted Classical Liberal

Sounds like you're on drugs. Classical liberalism is what we would call libertarians. They are the fiscal conservative/social liberal types. There's nothing new about it unless you are measuring by centuries.

But it is insulting to assume people aren't thinking because they are conservative. You may have been a party member but that doesn't mean anything. Can you even define what a neo-conservative is without a net search?

 

[Pogo]

Nine years ago, I was a neo-conservative die hard Republican. Then my views changed, I became a bit more moderate. When I became disgusted with the Republican party altogether, I became a minarchist libertarian... but now, my views based on the observations of the world have led me to become a classical liberal. I feel like my stances have evolved to more closely reflect that than anything else. It might be the closest thing I can get to keep myself out of two party politics.

Am I renouncing my conservatism? Not necessarily. I am conservative in some areas and liberal in others, and I feel like the time for experimentation is over. This is the culmination of all the ideas and stances I have assimilated from the those past 9 years. Free thought is a wonderful thing. Objectivity is liberating. I'm glad I can change my views when a better argument is made. But enough gloating. See you later.

-Etherion, A Newly Minted Classical Liberal

Sounds like you're on drugs. Classical liberalism is what we would call libertarians. They are the fiscal conservative/social liberal types. There's nothing new about it unless you are measuring by centuries.

But it is insulting to assume people aren't thinking because they are conservative. You may have been a party member but that doesn't mean anything. Can you even define what a neo-conservative is without a net search?

No klown, there's no "classical" in Liberalism, which was around and founding this country long before there was any such thing as "Libertarianism". And it's got nothing to do with "fiscal conservatism" anyway --- it simply holds that political power derives from the consent of the governed rather than from an inborn hierarchy (Church and Aristocracy). "Fiscal" has nothing to do with that.

And in the second part you floated a strawman --- the OP never suggested "people aren't thinking because they're conservative". You just pulled it out of your ass and then pointed to it.

Basically the difference between the OP and your dropping here is the difference between honesty and dishonesty.

 

[TemplarKormac]

Nine years ago, I was a neo-conservative die hard Republican. Then my views changed, I became a bit more moderate. When I became disgusted with the Republican party altogether, I became a minarchist libertarian... but now, my views based on the observations of the world have led me to become a classical liberal. I feel like my stances have evolved to more closely reflect that than anything else. It might be the closest thing I can get to keep myself out of two party politics.

Am I renouncing my conservatism? Not necessarily. I am conservative in some areas and liberal in others, and I feel like the time for experimentation is over. This is the culmination of all the ideas and stances I have assimilated from the those past 9 years. Free thought is a wonderful thing. Objectivity is liberating. I'm glad I can change my views when a better argument is made. But enough gloating. See you later.

-Etherion, A Newly Minted Classical Liberal

Have you lined up your sex change operation yet?

How childish.

 

[TemplarKormac]

Can you even define what a neo-conservative is without a net search?

The KKK?
White Supremacy in general?
Oh here's one!

Let's destroy an entire religion! Let's excise it from American society and forcibly repress it's followers!

Something like that?

 

[The Sage of Main Street]

Nine years ago, I was a neo-conservative die hard Republican. Then my views changed, I became a bit more moderate. When I became disgusted with the Republican party altogether, I became a minarchist libertarian... but now, my views based on the observations of the world have led me to become a classical liberal. I feel like my stances have evolved to more closely reflect that than anything else. It might be the closest thing I can get to keep myself out of two party politics.

Am I renouncing my conservatism? Not necessarily. I am conservative in some areas and liberal in others, and I feel like the time for experimentation is over. This is the culmination of all the ideas and stances I have assimilated from the those past 9 years. Free thought is a wonderful thing. Objectivity is liberating. I'm glad I can change my views when a better argument is made. But enough gloating. See you later.

-Etherion, A Newly Minted Classical Liberal

If You've Heard of Someone, Don't Listen to Him

You've been ping-ponged back and forth because you looked up to designated gurus placed at various points on the specious spectrum. An expert is a liar for hire. This "classical liberal" has been pushed by the same secretly united hired clique. My b.s. detector automatically goes off when I hear something that sounds like another new addition to the scribblers' bosses' multiple choice of self-serving answers.

 

[The Sage of Main Street]

Nine years ago, I was a neo-conservative die hard Republican. Then my views changed, I became a bit more moderate. When I became disgusted with the Republican party altogether, I became a minarchist libertarian... but now, my views based on the observations of the world have led me to become a classical liberal. I feel like my stances have evolved to more closely reflect that than anything else. It might be the closest thing I can get to keep myself out of two party politics.

Am I renouncing my conservatism? Not necessarily. I am conservative in some areas and liberal in others, and I feel like the time for experimentation is over. This is the culmination of all the ideas and stances I have assimilated from the those past 9 years. Free thought is a wonderful thing. Objectivity is liberating. I'm glad I can change my views when a better argument is made. But enough gloating. See you later.

-Etherion, A Newly Minted Classical Liberal

Thanks for teaching me a new word, monarchist. What does that mean?

"Minarchist" means to advocate for as little government as possible without getting rid of it completely. Essentially minimal government is needed to ensure peace and order.

Whither Went the Wither?

That's what went on during the Dark Ages. Minarchy leads to chaos. "Every man for himself" inevitably produces a war of all against all.

Lizardtarians will bring us a police state, "to protect the rugged individualists against mob rule." Their utopian scheme is no different from Lenin's promise "to wither away the State" and comes from the same HeirHead source, the double-talking Ivory Tower elitists.

 

[The Sage of Main Street]

Oh here's one!

Let's destroy an entire religion! Let's excise it from American society and forcibly repress it's its followers!

Something like that?

RYANO's "That's Not the Way We Are!"

You're sneaking in a general statement about a particular exception to its rule. No ethical standard can be applied so broadly. Our enemies take advantage of such absolute simplified commandments.

 

[Iceweasel]

Can you even define what a neo-conservative is without a net search?

The KKK?
White Supremacy in general?
Oh here's one!

Let's destroy an entire religion! Let's excise it from American society and forcibly repress it's followers!

Something like that?

That's what I thought. You can't think, you hate.

 

[TemplarKormac]

Can you even define what a neo-conservative is without a net search?

The KKK?
White Supremacy in general?
Oh here's one!

Let's destroy an entire religion! Let's excise it from American society and forcibly repress it's followers!

Something like that?

That's what I thought. You can't think, you hate.

What do I hate exactly?

 

[Iceweasel]

Can you even define what a neo-conservative is without a net search?

The KKK?
White Supremacy in general?
Oh here's one!

Let's destroy an entire religion! Let's excise it from American society and forcibly repress it's followers!

Something like that?

That's what I thought. You can't think, you hate.

What do I hate exactly?

LOL, fuck you, play your childish games with someone else, TROLL.

 

[TemplarKormac]

Can you even define what a neo-conservative is without a net search?

The KKK?
White Supremacy in general?
Oh here's one!

Let's destroy an entire religion! Let's excise it from American society and forcibly repress it's followers!

Something like that?

That's what I thought. You can't think, you hate.

What do I hate exactly?

LOL, fuck you, play your childish games with someone else, TROLL.

No really, I'm serious.

You tell me I "can't think, but hate", but you're obtuse enough to expect me to know what you're talking about.

So, I'll ask again, what is it that I hate exactly?

 

[TemplarKormac]

What, I call myself a Classical Liberal now and people start drawing conclusions about me. "Hurr durrr! Liberal means Democrat!"

Really?

Now I have some guy saying I'm full of hatred for or of something.

It's this really what politics has degenerated into?