Liberal Republican?

Is there truly a such thing as a Liberal-Republican? I myself, have to say I am a believer because I am sure that I am one. But, I was wondering if anyone else has thought of themselves to be also? I feel that you can be conservative and still carry liberal veiws on highly debated subjects. As such, do I believe in Same-Sex Marriage? Yes, but not in a church... Or Legalization of cannabis, for medical and recreational, Yes, but with tax.. I was wondering if anyone truly-believes in a Liberal Republican? Would Appreciate any answers..

 

Why does it matter what you call yourself?

 

Because it's nice to be identified.

 

I have found myself in a political identity crisis myself. I sympathize and prefer the liberal approach however I believe that government should be small and am pro guns.


I find it perplexing, a pro gun, small government, dreadlocking having, dope smoking, festy kid, makes no sense

 

A large part of that has to do with the failures of democracy in your country and the existence of a two-party state.

You need more flavour to taste the kind of representation that you are looking for.

Of course it's confusing.

 

The US has an infinite amount of parties. At any given time two are major competitors, but each election year there is a third party that manages to snatch up about 5% of the vote, its small but it makes an impact on the incumbent in office to help the underdog snatch the lead. Democracy, by design can only make 51% of the people happy at any one time, so failures are expected and they are dealt with; any form of government has the ability to fail. I prefer a small government because I think a lazafaire approach is good for business and your average joe; at the same time I understand there are those that need more assistance than they can get from themselves, friends, family so they need help and I empathize, but they can be a drag on society so a larger government can be used as a safety net for the lower class. America is far from perfect, but so is anywhere you go; but its my team, and I am glad I have the ability to be confused on what political side of the fence I fall.

 

Personally I think we should have 4 parties, and devide liberal, conservative, democrat, and republican. But it doesnt matter. I think we need a new government system. I believe now that we have a population of 300 million, we can successfully work as a confederacy instead of a federation. If each state superseded the government in almost all cases, we would have more diverse laws, institutions, and governments. But being part of a union, we can have a single currency, a single army, and free trade. Also if we were all citizens of the union. One could easily move to another state with laws that reflect their personal belief.

 

I'd say there are liberal republicans, because if I had to pick a side between the 2 main parties I'd say in fact I am a liberal Republican

 

Within the context of his time Abraham Lincoln was a liberal, and so was Teddy Roosevelt. A large segment of the Republican Party never accepted the basic reforms of the New Deal, and is therefore reactionary. Any liberal who votes Republican now will get a lot he or she does not want when the Republicans win.

A lot of Republicans are libertarians, but it is probably the case that more Republicans are authoritarians. They want a government that will protect them from those who frighten them, and will punish those they hate.

 

Amen, Hippie McRaver! No place is going to figure out how to perfectly run a country, but our founding fathers had a good idea. Problem is we are now straying away from what Franklin, Washington and the boys originally intended. And PR, I gotta agree with Aristartle. Not about putting yourself in a box, but you gotta have an identity.

I think of myself as a libertarian. Liberal Republican, maybe? For instance, legalize Marijuana, stop putting drug (Meth, coke, H) users in jail, put them in rehab. Small government. Obama needs to stop spending money he doesn't have. Nationalized healthcare is a big mistake, the government can't run schools, how are they going to run hospitals. TARP was a big mistake. The best thing Obama can do for the economy is go fishing. Small government is the answer.

 

The Republican Party has abandoned you. Better to think of yourself as a Libertarian, I think.

 

Agreed.

But a vote for Ron Paul was a vote for Obama, basically. How many votes did Paul get, like 4% or something. I would like to see him in the office, but it was a long shot. And anybody that voted for him took votes away from McCain, so therefore benefited Obama. But you are right, Libertarian is the way to go. Government needs to back the fuck down.

 

See, a vote for Ron Paul is not a vote for Obama. In fact most people that voted for Ron Paul probably would've voted for Obama. I voted for Paul in the primaries and in the election but I would never vote for McCain because Sarah Palin scared the crap out of anyone with logic.

 

I do not understand why a liberal would vote Republican. The last Republican who stood for positive change was Teddy Roosevelt. Since the presidency of TR the GOP has either moved the United States in the wrong direction, or tried to keep the United States from moving in the right direction.

 

Socially liberal and fiscally conservative?

 

That would make you a mainstream Democrat. Only the Democrats have balanced the budget and paid off the national debt in the last 50 years.

 

Read up on why Sen. Arlen Spector left the Republican Party and joined the Democrats. There is no room in the GOP for the socially liberal. They are the party for extremists now.

 

Being economically conservative is in no way part of any part of the mainstream Dem party now.

 

I disagree. Obama had no intention during the early part of the campaign to spend so much. He, like most Democrats, are economically conservative. He wants pay-as-you-go, unlike the Republicans. He has been forced into this stimulus spending by the great failure of capitalism during the last year.

 

That great failure of capitalism was the great success of capitalism in the 90's that helped closed the budget gap, remember Clinton did it but the congress was Republican controlled. Like, what Dems are economically conservative that you see?