So where do I fit in?

By: Christian Malone

I’ve been looking at the Left/Right Liberal/Conservative Democrat/Republican debate lately, and it’s hard to come up with a way that the system will ever work for me…

By the way, Merry Christmas readers and friends!

I will show this by showing my positions on certain things, and how there is no way that I can fall into the Republican/Democrat system effectively, I can scarcely define myself in terms of tleft or right, and it is hard for me to say whether I am Liberal or Conservative unless I am the one who gets to define the terms. So that’s what I usually do.

By the way, I know that I, like the drummer boy from our traditional song, have nothing of value to offer our Lord, except my life. I hope my pursuit of knowledge and virtue, not necessarily the results, are present enough, and because of this I offer them you you, Lord.

First, let us look at firearms. This will provide proper frame for the rest of my positions. I have always though of myself as being more Republican than Democrat, more Right than Left, more Conservative than Liberal. This is one of my main areas of agreement with the Right/Republicans/Conservatives.

I am in favor of a state which maintains no records of firearms sales or ownership, and only makes restrictions with respect to violent criminals and the mentally handicapped, and even in such cases doing so sparingly, mostly aiding honest businessmen in the determination of who is a worthy client for the sale of a firearm, and punishing willful and knowing neglect. No age restrictions even, I’m further right than the NRA. Responsible shop owners won’t sell to those who are incompetent or do not fit their ideas of a responsible gun owner.

On healthcare, I am somewhat flexible, but somewhat extremist in both directions. I believe that either the state must step out completely, or that single-payer healthcare is best. Either way, I believe a mixed system for primary care is hurtful to the cause of primary care, healing people who are sick. A two-tier system is my ideal system. Government paid care for necessary and practical care, secondary private insurance for experimental treatments of some kinds and care of a variety which includes unnecessary expenses. But the government should pay, not control. The government should punish in cases of gross malpractice but not regulate before the fact. I guess this makes me further left than Barack Obama who likes single payer but is willing to accept this monstrosity of a mixed system which is being proposed in Congress as we speak. I’m in there with the House Progressive Caucus.

http://whalertly.com/wordpress/2009/12/21/healthcare-reform/

(one of my recent previous articles on the topic.)

On regulation, I am completely against it. I think that the government needs to stay out before any violation has been committed. The idea is that you rely on the people, in the case of businesses their employees and management or customers to report these things. Is it 100% effective? No. This is not a plan based on effectiveness. It is a plan based on maximum liberty. It may or may not be less effective than the current system. However, this puts me to the right of many moderate Republicans, falling right in line with Ron Paul (R-Texas).

For one final example, since I need another extreme left-ish position, I am in favor of the decriminalization of marijuana, prostitution, and all non-harmful consensual forms of gambling. Cockfighting is not under this definition, neither is forced prostitution. These things would still be criminal, but the right people will be punished. Oh, I forgot, this applies to all narcotics. Marijuana is just the posterboy, and the least controversial of the bunch. Also, no more alcohol restrictions, no age limits. Don’t attempt to be a parent to America’s youth, you will only end up being Big Brother. Let parents decide what is right. I have grow up around responsible drinking. Therefore, I have a responsible drinking policy. But the government does not belong in this province. This puts me way out in left field, and no Democrat I know of who currently holds national office would touch this position with a 39 1/2 foot pole. California might be on board, maybe. Wait, no, wait, they like regulations and restrictions too much. Hahaha, “common sense regulations…”

So that pretty much sums it up. I’m a Libertarian, who votes Republican, identifies as a Classical Liberal, Libertarian Conservative, Conservative Liberal, Minarchist, Theocrat, and still would never touch the Democratic Party of this county, state, or nation in a ballot box. That said, I lean Republican because they agree where it counts. Once the Dems are defeated, than it’s time for my fight with some social conservatives and some Neoconservatives within the Republican Party. Also being said, I have never felt more liberal in my life as the moment that I realized I support a two-tier healthcare system. So what am I supposed to do in this partisan divide?

And, i would love to know if anybody else out there feels my frustration on this. Please comment.