-Caveat Lector-
By Steve Green
Too often, voters' choice is limited to moral theocrats or economic
statists
There was a time when "liberal" meant a respect for civil liberties
such as free speech, restrictions on government searches, the
principle of being presumed innocent until proven guilty, etc. Some
1960s liberals even went so far as to support drug decriminalization
and other reforms of victimless crime laws. Of course, they were
always, and continue to be, hostile to private property rights,
advocates of high taxes and income redistribution, and regulation.
They have always been economic statists.
Today's Democrat doesn't even have respect for civil liberties.
They are totally committed to government regulating every aspect
of the human condition.
Not wanting to appear soft on crime, they support warrantless
searches. Free speech is okay if politically correct - but not
otherwise. Commercial speech is subject to great regulation,
especially if you sell tobacco. Pornography can be censored since
it "demeans" women. Guns should only be possessed by the
police. If you appear suspicious, you forfeit your property - even if
not found guilty of a crime. Schools need not teach reading,
writing and arithmetic as long as they issue condoms and teach
liberal social ideas.
Nothing is subject to private ownership. If you own a bar, the
government tells you that your patrons must not smoke. If you
own rural property, you must not be allowed to develop it.
Run your business
If you make an honest living, you must pay 40% of your
earnings to the government. You must be told who to hire and
when you can fire. The government specifies the proper wage and
how to run your business.
So today's Democrat is like yesterday's authoritarian.
Everything you do should be subject to governmental approval.
You are considered incompetent to conduct either your economic
or your personal life without the government's express consent.
By contrast, sometimes the Republicans can be given credit for
supporting at least some form of economic freedom. Of course,
there are numerous exceptions. But by and large, there is still
some respect for private property and some belief in limits on taxes
by today's ultra-conservative who dominates the Republican Party.
Unfortunately, they are all too often willing to compromise with the
Democrats on economic freedoms.
But there is a big price for this limited economic freedom offered
by the Republicans. Conservatives have always been hostile to
certain non-economic civil liberties - but today they are much
worse.
On the one hand, a conservative will support technological
development such as the internet by attempting to limit taxes and
business regulation. On the other hand, conservatives want to
censor the entire World Wide Web to protect children, since
parents are considered incompetent.
Of course, the end result will be destruction of a new
technology along with new, selectively prosecuted, unenforceable
laws.
The conservatives rightfully oppose the liberal school
curriculum. However, in its place, they offer their own social
programming. While we have a diverse society of many religions,
including individuals who choose no religion at all, the social
conservative wishes to teach us creationism and some form of
state-mandated prayer.
To their credit, these same conservatives generally support
school choice, but until such time as vouchers become law, we are
held hostage to a choice of a liberal school curriculum or a state
specified religious one.
To the social conservative, there is no difference between
religion and politics. The dominant religion can be codified into
law. Theocracy is their goal.
The drug war must be accelerated, even if not successful,
because it is the "moral" thing to do. Tax benefits should be
targeted only to those in state-defined family structures.
Tough on crime
Always "tough on crime," the conservatives support warrantless
searches, telephone taps, limits to jury trials, etc. If was the
Republicans, not the Democrats, who authored the country's first
asset forfeiture laws.
And what of economic freedoms? Well, in San Diego, where I
live, it is the Republicans who push for corporate welfare projects -
sports subsidies to overpaid athletes in the form of new stadiums;
free convention centers for the tourist industry; and so on.
I was never a Democrat, and for the above reasons I left the
Republican Party some years ago. Only the Libertarian Party
offers freedom.
About the Author: Steve Green is Chairman of the San Diego
County Libertarian Party
The Democrats are the ones who will give you a loan. The
Republicans are the ones who will guarantee you a loan.
The Libertarians are the ones who will leave you alone.
-- Cal Ludeman
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