February 29, 2008
WFB Jr. is a good example of why I’m not a conservative. His self described mission was to “stand athwart of history yelling stop.” As a liberal I embrace life embrace change and want fight to define history for the good and virtue. Like Friedrich Hayek and Milton Friedman I do not consider myself a conservative. I have no pretense that I’m a Hayek or a Freidman but I’m fortune to stand on their shoulders. In Hayek assay Why I am not a conservative he talked about the liberal looking forward, based on courage and confidence, on a preparedness to let change run its course even if we can not predict where it will lead.
“This difference between liberalism and conservatism must not be obscured by the fact that in the United States it is still possible to defend individual liberty by defending long-established institutions. To the liberal they are valuable not mainly because they are long established or because they are American but because they correspond to the ideals which he cherishes.”
“The chief evil is unlimited government, and nobody is qualified to wield unlimited power.” Hayek
No Comments » | 
A Market Liberal | 
Permalink
Posted by coz
February 27, 2008
How important are labels? How do you think of yourself and how do others see you? Now that elitist socialists are leaving the label liberal to go to the label progressive can we take back liberal for the camp of limited government pro-liberty. Libertarian seems like such an awkward word. Its label value has been damaged by the LP. What about the label Free-market Liberal.
lib·er·tar·i·an
| 1. |
a person who advocates liberty, esp. with regard to thought or conduct. |
| 2. |
a person who maintains the doctrine of free will (distinguished from necessitarian). |
lib·er·al
| 1. |
favorable to progress or reform, as in political or religious affairs. |
| 2. |
(often initial capital letter ) noting or pertaining to a political party advocating measures of progressive political reform. |
| 3. |
of, pertaining to, based on, or advocating liberalism. |
| 4. |
favorable to or in accord with concepts of maximum individual freedom possible, esp. as guaranteed by law and secured by governmental protection of civil liberties. |
| 5. |
favoring or permitting freedom of action, esp. with respect to matters of personal belief or expression: a liberal policy toward dissident artists and writers. |
| 6. |
of or pertaining to representational forms of government rather than aristocracies and monarchies. |
| 7. |
free from prejudice or bigotry; tolerant: a liberal attitude toward foreigners. |
| 8. |
open-minded or tolerant, esp. free of or not bound by traditional or conventional ideas, values, etc. |
| 9. |
characterized by generosity and willingness to give in large amounts: a liberal donor. |
| 10. |
given freely or abundantly; generous: a liberal donation. |
| 11. |
not strict or rigorous; free; not literal: a liberal interpretation of a rule. |
| 12. |
of, pertaining to, or based on the liberal arts. |
| 13. |
of, pertaining to, or befitting a freeman.con·serv·a·tive
| 1. |
disposed to preserve existing conditions, institutions, etc., or to restore traditional ones, and to limit change. |
| 2. |
cautiously moderate or purposefully low: a conservative estimate. |
| 3. |
traditional in style or manner; avoiding novelty or showiness: conservative suit. |
| 4. |
(often initial capital letter) of or pertaining to the Conservative party. |
| 6. |
having the power or tendency to conserve; preservative. |
|
3 Comments | A Market Liberal | Permalink
Posted by coz
Powered by FireStats