Quote:Hey we have quite a few Libertarians on here (and some I suspect that lean Libertarian but don't call themselves Libertarian).

 

I think most of us are libertarians at heart.   Libertarianism is a great ideal to aspire to.   It's when the rubber meets the road, and we start looking at the actual effects of various policies, what is effective and what is not, what is practical, what works, and what steps need to be taken to protect my rights against your liberties, it is then that we divide ourselves into democrats and republicans, liberals, moderates, conservatives, and none-of-the-above-all-over-the-map.   

 

You should have all the liberties there are, but it has to end when your fist meets my nose, when your pollution affects my property, when your smoke is drawn into my lungs, when your right to take drugs causes you to hit me with your car, when your right to sell your product in the grocery store causes me to be poisoned.   That's the practical aspect of it.   We are all in favor of free markets up to the point that our fundamental rights are infringed.   That's when we need to restrict your liberty- to protect my rights. 

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