Originally Posted by
BeastieRunner
I don't want to quote a million posts so ...
As (I think) this thread's only formally-registered Libertarian ...
There's a difference between being a libertarian and a Libertarian.
The little L libertarian focuses on maximizing personal liberty, both socially and economically. Which is what I consider myself. Liberty is the most important commodity in the US and for our republic to remain, people should be allowed to do what they want in reason and spend their money how they want within reason. Items like marriage, personal liberties, voting rights, health insurance shouldn't be infringed upon. Gerrymandering districts, banning abortions, gay marriage, and so on are personal freedoms of ALL Americans and should not be interfered with. Just because you don't use it or have need for it doesn't mean others don't. Not allowing people to vote, get married, have medical procedures done, etc. is a basic violation of personal liberty. Bailouts, flat taxes, internet "fast" lanes, and so on do not help the little guy (you and me) out and infringe upon our personal freedoms. Our personal liberty should not be at the cost of mega-corporations. And we only get one planet and one life to live, so government SHOULD be involved in making sure everybody is taking care of our only planet as well as our fellow man when they are sick. Socialist programs are needed in some areas to maintain the liberty of all (i.e. police, fire, education, military, healthcare, etc.) but a free market is key in order to maximize personal financial growth.
Then you have big L Libertarians, or what I like to call American libertarianism. They are the "taxation is theft" people. Small government aka no government. They are basically your modern neo-liberals. And they would be totally happy banning things like gay marriage if it meant they got a 1% tax break and also vote against school levies and first responder funding because they don't want to pay $3 more in property taxes. They also don't shrink away from giving the military 70-80% of our current budget.
And to the poster that said something like, "Liberterianism doesn't work because it requires humans to be at their 100% best at all times." That is true.
In America, when I say I'm libertarian I get a lot of flack and when I say things that pretty much make people think I'm a liberal because I'm for all most social programs, they call me a liberal. Conversely, when I talk about some of my views on finance, I get called a Republican.
When I go to Japan, Canada, or the UK (the 3 places I travel the most) ... they all get that libertarians are all about liberty and don't understand why most Americans are eager to trade their personal freedoms they personally don't use in order to hurt another group that needs those freedoms in order to live.