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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsYou Don't Know What 'Libertarian' Means
http://www.alternet.org/tea-party-and-right/you-dont-know-what-libertarian-meansIf you want to know what libertarianism is all about, dont ask a libertarian, because most of them dont know. A new poll from Pew Research found that only 11% of those surveyed who identified themselves as libertarian were correctly able to identify the very basic meaning of libertarianism as someone whose political views emphasize individual freedom by limiting the role of government. Even though that's often an oxymoron, that's what libertarians say, and their followers apparently don't know it.
Weirdly, that same poll found that 41% of libertarians believe that the government should regulate business, 46% of libertarians believe that corporations make too much profit, and 38% of libertarians believe that government aid to the poor is a good thing.
Similarly, of the so-called libertarians polled, 42% believe that police should be able to stop and search people who "look like criminals," and 26% think homosexuality should be discouraged.
What happened to limited government and more individual freedoms? Basically, people in America who call themselves libertarians have absolutely no idea what libertarianism is really about.
chervilant
(8,267 posts)After all, the root word is "liberty." As in: "Give me liberty, or give me death!"
(Really, though, I'm not surprised.)
shenmue
(38,503 posts)MH1
(17,537 posts)Those must be the relatively silent, powerless part of those who call themselves libertarians.
My observation of the Libertarian party is that it's highest legislative priority is de-regulation of business. (Its highest campaign priority is whatever will get votes, just like any other party; currently being against any military action overseas whatsoever for any reason, what many of us would call "isolationist" although they won't label it that themselves).
Back in my very early adult life I briefly identified as a Libertarian. Then I got some life experience and grew up.
Atman
(31,464 posts)...to use the word Republican. As well they should be.
Spitfire of ATJ
(32,723 posts)JoePhilly
(27,787 posts)GoneFishin
(5,217 posts)They advance whatever talking point they hear or think they agree with, and feel no obligation to admit when two ideals they advance cannot co-exist.
Cosmocat
(14,543 posts)it is a horribly superficial concept outright, but is simply just a fall back position for republicans who don't want to call themselves republicans.
That said, I think it is viewed as the most viable alternative to the two major parties. It is hard for some of us to get, because we are geeks about this stuff, but most people simply don't put much time or thought into politics, so if the simple "they are all the same" thing comes with Rs and Ds, they default to "libertarian" without really knowing what it is.
CSStrowbridge
(267 posts)Real Libertarians are some of the dumbest people on the planet. One of the tenets of Libertarians is without regulations, the free market will come up with the best solution. Do you know what has zero regulations? Governments. If Libertarianism worked, then governments would all be libertarian paradise.
But in reality, most "Libertarians" are simply Republicans who want to smoke pot.
Sweet Freedom
(3,995 posts)OnyxCollie
(9,958 posts)The Nature of Belief Systems in Mass Publics
http://ftp.voteview.com/The_Nature_of_Belief_Systems_in_Mass_Publics_Converse_1964.pdf
Converse: The nature of belief systems in mass publics
http://wikisum.com/w/Converse:_The_nature_of_belief_systems_in_mass_publics
A great majority of people neither adhere to a full, complete set of beliefs which produces a clear ideology nor do they have a clear grasp of what ideology is. This is measured by a lack of coherence in responses to open-ended questions. Ideology of elites is not mirrored by the masses and voter revolt to a political party does not reflect ideological shifts.
Converse analyzes open-ended interview questions to measure conceptualization of ideology. He concludes that the liberal-conservative continuum is a high level abstraction not typically used by the man in the street because of response instability and lack of connections made between answers. There is no underlying belief structure for most people, just a bunch of random opinions. Even on highly controversial, well-publicized issues, large portions of the electorate do not have coherent opinions. In fact, many simply answer survey questions as though they are flipping a coin.
kmlisle
(276 posts)I then say I want big government out of my bedroom and my doctors office and my church. I don't want them deciding who I should marry or if I should have children.
I also call this Republican Big government.
In reality we need to be able to have a rational conversation about the required balance between government regulation and individual freedom. But someone either doesn't want this to happen or has hijacked our discourse for their own selfish reasons. either way we as a nation can work together on problems or be destroyed flaming each other over them.
muriel_volestrangler
(101,154 posts)"most of them dont know" is actually wrong.
http://www.people-press.org/2014/08/25/libertarians-topline/