Americans Becoming More Liberatarian In Their Thinking

[Kathianne]

No surprise here, seems most have been moving that way for years. If the Libertarian Party hadn't such jokesters for candidates and true isolationists hadn't been touted as 'Libertarian', I think the trend might have become obvious sooner.

Then again, it could just be that people have come to the realization that government and those working for it are not to be trusted with so many aspects of their lives:

http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/20/poll-finds-a-shift-toward-more-libertarian-views/


June 20, 2011, 9:26 am
Poll Finds a Shift Toward More Libertarian Views
By NATE SILVER

Libertarianism has been touted as the wave of America’s political future for many years, generally with more enthusiasm than evidence. But there are some tangible signs that Americans’ attitudes are in fact moving in that direction.

Since 1993, CNN has regularly asked a pair of questions that touch on libertarian views of the economy and society:


Some people think the government is trying to do too many things that should be left to individuals and businesses. Others think that government should do more to solve our country’s problems. Which comes closer to your own view?

Some people think the government should promote traditional values in our society. Others think the government should not favor any particular set of values. Which comes closer to your own view?

A libertarian, someone who believes that the government is best when it governs least, would typically choose the first view in the first question and the second view in the second.

In the polls, the responses to both questions had been fairly steady for many years. The economic question has showed little long-term trend, although tolerance for governmental intervention rose following the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The social libertarian viewpoint — that government should not favor any particular set of values — has gained a couple of percentage points since the 1990s but not more than that.

But in CNN’s latest version of the poll, conducted earlier this month, the libertarian response to both questions reached all-time highs. Some 63 percent of respondents said government was doing too much — up from 61 percent in 2010 and 52 percent in 2008 — while 50 percent said government should not favor any particular set of values, up from 44 percent in 2010 and 41 percent in 2008. (It was the first time that answer won a plurality in CNN’s poll.)...

[logroller]

No surprise here, seems most have been moving that way for years. If the Libertarian Party hadn't such jokesters for candidates and true isolationists hadn't been touted as 'Libertarian', I think the trend might have become obvious sooner.

Then again, it could just be that people have come to the realization that government and those working for it are not to be trusted with so many aspects of their lives:

http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/20/poll-finds-a-shift-toward-more-libertarian-views/

The sheer scope and scale of government failure is becoming too obvious to ignore any longer. I just hope Americans can muster the integrity to overcome the quagmire our govt has placed our country into.

[darin]

The sheer scope and scale of government failure is becoming too obvious to ignore any longer. I just hope Americans can muster the integrity to overcome the quagmire our govt has placed our country into.

Never happen.

[fj1200]

Now if only Americans would become more Libertarian in their voting.

[revelarts]

Now if only Americans would become more Libertarian in their voting.

"You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to fj1200 again."

[J.T]

Americans Becoming More Liberatarian In Their Thinking [/URL]
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[URL="http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/healthlawprof_blog/2005/08/near_record_num.html"]'Near Record' Number of New State Abortion Laws (http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/20/poll-finds-a-shift-toward-more-libertarian-views/)

[fj1200]

Americans Becoming More Libertarian In Their Thinking

:(

[Kathianne]

:(
I was so optimistic in my youth! ;)

[Gunny]

I was so optimistic in my youth! ;)Not so sure you were wrong. Depends on who is doing the defining. It is my opinion that a majority of the people, not to be confused with the population of those who vote, don't align themselves with either party of government anymore. Problem being, that "majority" does not translate into a single voting bloc.

The libertarian party is indeed run by kooks. That's why they get no traction. I don't think it represents libertarian people anymore than the other two parties. One thing can be counted on from government and the MSM though is outsiders aren't welcome. Dems and Republicans paint libertarians as extremists in one direction or the other.

Only the people themselves can save us from the Dem/Rep/MSM machine's iron grip on power. Not going to happen so long as they listen to those factions whose goal is to keep us divided.

[SassyLady]

AZ had primary on July 30th. However it wasn't a primary for president just everyone else. We had a Presidential Preference election back in March. As an Independent my vote didn't count. I was surprised at how many people are not Republican or Democrat and in this election they had to ask for one or the other ballot. Registering as NPP or NPA .. (No Party Preference or No Party Affiliation) rather than Independent is becoming popular. People have bad taste for both major parties with new voters.

[fj1200]

Not so sure you were wrong. Depends on who is doing the defining. It is my opinion that a majority of the people, not to be confused with the population of those who vote, don't align themselves with either party of government anymore. Problem being, that "majority" does not translate into a single voting bloc.

The libertarian party is indeed run by kooks. That's why they get no traction. I don't think it represents libertarian people anymore than the other two parties. One thing can be counted on from government and the MSM though is outsiders aren't welcome. Dems and Republicans paint libertarians as extremists in one direction or the other.

Only the people themselves can save us from the Dem/Rep/MSM machine's iron grip on power. Not going to happen so long as they listen to those factions whose goal is to keep us divided.

Well I optimistically read the title as being libertarian in their thinking which is completely different than libertarian in their voting for the Libertarian Party.

[revelarts]

libertarianism,
"political philosophy that takes individual liberty to be the primary political value.
It may be understood as a form of liberalism, classical liberalism in particular, the political philosophy associated with the English philosophers John Locke and John Stuart Mill, the Scottish economist Adam Smith, and the American statesman Thomas Jefferson. Liberalism seeks to define and justify the legitimate powers of government in terms of certain natural or God-given individual rights. These rights include the rights to life, liberty, private property, freedom of speech and association, freedom of worship, government by consent, equality under the law, and moral autonomy (the ability to pursue one’s own conception of happiness, or the “good life”). The purpose of government, according to liberals, is to protect these and other individual rights, and in general liberals have contended that government power should be limited to that which is necessary to accomplish this task. Libertarians are classical liberals who strongly emphasize the individual right to liberty. They contend that the scope and powers of government should be constrained so as to allow each individual as much freedom of action as is consistent with a like freedom for everyone else. Thus, they believe that individuals should be free to behave and to dispose of their property as they see fit, provided that their actions do not infringe on the equal freedom of others."

I don't even think Republicans or Conservatives have become more libertarian.
It seems that "SAFETY" is the primary political value of most Republicans & conservatives.
Liberty is somewhere down the line after "safety", worldwide military dominance, pragmatism, govt power, etc..

[Gunny]

Well I optimistically read the title as being libertarian in their thinking which is completely different than libertarian in their voting for the Libertarian Party.I completely agree. I wouldn't bet the farm that most see it that way. Not in the era of identity politics. You're with the Dems, Republicans, or you're a fringe nutcase regardless label. If the label covers enough people, it gets tied to a party.

[Gunny]

libertarianism,
"political philosophy that takes individual liberty to be the primary political value.
It may be understood as a form of liberalism, classical liberalism in particular, the political philosophy associated with the English philosophers John Locke and John Stuart Mill, the Scottish economist Adam Smith, and the American statesman Thomas Jefferson. Liberalism seeks to define and justify the legitimate powers of government in terms of certain natural or God-given individual rights. These rights include the rights to life, liberty, private property, freedom of speech and association, freedom of worship, government by consent, equality under the law, and moral autonomy (the ability to pursue one’s own conception of happiness, or the “good life”). The purpose of government, according to liberals, is to protect these and other individual rights, and in general liberals have contended that government power should be limited to that which is necessary to accomplish this task. Libertarians are classical liberals who strongly emphasize the individual right to liberty. They contend that the scope and powers of government should be constrained so as to allow each individual as much freedom of action as is consistent with a like freedom for everyone else. Thus, they believe that individuals should be free to behave and to dispose of their property as they see fit, provided that their actions do not infringe on the equal freedom of others."

I don't even think Republicans or Conservatives have become more libertarian.
It seems that "SAFETY" is the primary political value of most Republicans & conservatives.
Liberty is somewhere down the line after "safety", worldwide military dominance, pragmatism, govt power, etc..By THIS definition, that more closely defines my beliefs than either ruling party. However, that is one of countless definitions I've seen of "libertarian" and not one that is used by either party nor the MSM to define it. The libertarian party itself does not. Or, if it does on paper, that's not what comes out of their mouths.

[Kathianne]

By THIS definition, that more closely defines my beliefs than either ruling party. However, that is one of countless definitions I've seen of "libertarian" and not one that is used by either party nor the MSM to define it. The libertarian party itself does not. Or, if it does on paper, that's not what comes out of their mouths.

I was speaking of 'thinking' not party.

[Gunny]

I was speaking of 'thinking' not party.You said that in your OP didn't you? You tossed out the football. I'm the one that ran with it:laugh:

Point taken :)

[fj1200]

You said that in your OP didn't you? You tossed out the football. I'm the one that ran with it:laugh:

Point take :)
It does say "thinking" right in the title. No wonder I read it that way. :duh5:

[Gunny]

It does say "thinking" right in the title. No wonder I read it that way. :duh5::laugh:

thread/topic progression

Stay within the lines. The lines are your friend :)