What is Your Political Philosophy?

[BeBMan]

Originally posted by David Floyd


Chains implies restriction.

I understand your "individual freedom" as a concept for all individuals?

Then I could answer to the quote above: maximization of freedom for all implies restriction - laws, rights.

[connorkimbro]

i'm a big fan of freedom.

[Dis]

who doesn't like freedom?

[BeBMan]

I didn´t say I´m not

[David Floyd]

Then I could answer to the quote above: maximization of freedom for all implies restriction - laws, rights.

Absolutely. The restrictions are that you cannot violate the freedom of anyone else. That is, you can't coerce anyone else.

But saying one has the freedom to coerce is ridiculous - freedom and coercion are mutually exclusive.

[Lawrence of Arabia]

I'd say Im mostly Libertarian, though I havnt made up my mind about gun ownership yet. Also, I think that government should tax, offer unemployment benefits, social security, education and universal health care. however, there should also be private sector alternatives so that people can choose between one or the other.
I'm only going to support lower taxes once we cut military spending, and balance the budget and pay off the entire debt.
maybe there should be a law which prevents the government from going into debt.

[David Floyd]

Mostly Libertarian? OooKkkkk.....

[cinch]

Larry Of Arabia:

maybe there should be a law which prevents the government from going into debt.

What should they do during the next major recession/depression?

[David Floyd]

For starters, not what FDR did. Completely unconstitutional and immoral.

[cinch]

My Political Philosophy:

It's still growing and transforming, but at the moment, I'd have to say I believe in tempered capitalism. Social Democracy. Up with small business, up with Keynesian economics. There are times when taxes need to be raised. Heavy funding to health care and education are wise investments. Try to place the world as a whole ahead of the country whenever possible.

That's all I can think of at the moment.

[David Floyd]

Try to place the world as a whole ahead of the country whenever possible.

But wait, governments are elected by and for the people of the US (for example). And in your example of allowing raised taxes and the like, why should the taxpayers fund other countries, who are not paying taxes to the government, and hence not contributing to your social welfare or health care funds?

That's a serious question, not a troll - just want a clarification

[Buck Birdseed]

I'm a post-socialist. This means I believe society is made up of identity groups competing for power- men vs. women, cultural groups against each other, races, sexualities and classes all trying to achieve more of the power in their relative division. My aim is to create a civic republican society that is set up in such a way as to make sure all of these groups have their fair share of the total power in society, and ultimately co-operate towards the goal of an open, new pluralist society where every identity perspective has a look in.

Maybe you can think of it in terms of the classic Marxist class struggle, but remove the primacy of economics and expand the the definition of haves and have-nots to cover other divisions as well, each with its own closed system. The gay-bisexual-straight system of divisions needs to be considered from a different perspective than the man-woman one, there's no direct split between, say, the upper class and blacks.

I'd consider anyone trying to help the groups with too little power in such systems left wing and anyone trying to help the groups with too much power right wing. Therefore I consider myself extreme left. Most others tend to think of me as weird centre-left, though- advocating a democratic, open, plural society with a wide variety of decision makers and a marked element of citizenship does not square off with many people's definitions of an extreme-left person.

[Odin]

Originally posted by Lawrence of Arabia
maybe there should be a law which prevents the government from going into debt.

I guess you want another Great Depression. Why don''t you read something by Keynes to change your mind. I go with Keynes' idea, Build up a good "safety net" of cash from surpluses and use it in recessions to lessen the impact of unemployment.

[David Floyd]

Buck, if it makes you feel better, I consider you an extreme lefty

Odin,

I guess you want another Great Depression. Why don''t you read something by Keynes to change your mind. I go with Keynes' idea, Build up a good "safety net" of cash from surpluses and use it in recessions to lessen the impact of unemployment.

Or just do away with things such as protectionary tariffs and dicking around with interest rates, and let the free market and Smith's "invisible hand" run the show.

[Dinner]

Originally posted by connorkimbro
i'm a big fan of freedom.

I'm a big fan of free beer.