Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

Talk:Essay:Conservatives of the Decade

2009-12-31T20:17:04Z

Jvasile:

== Top Ten Ranking ==

I suggest this top 10 ranking.

1. '''[[Rush Limbaugh]]:''' 20 million listeners, providing an alternative to liberal media bias.

2. '''[[Ann Coulter]]:''' While some on this list only emerged after Barack Obama's election, journalist and best-selling author Ann Coulter has been irritating liberals for over 10 years.

3. '''[[Tea Party Movement]]:''' They will be an influence over the next decade as well,or atleast until Obama's final days in office in January 2013. For the first time in 30 years there is a major grassroots conservative movement. You can thank them for preventing many liberal policies on capital hill.

4. '''[[Sarah Palin]]:''' One of the few elected Republican politicians that truly represents grassroots conservatives.

5. '''[[Glenn Beck]]:''' Helped expose ACORN and led the fight against many of the actions of the [[Obama administration]] that the media had first ignored.

6. '''[[Rudy Giuliani]]:''' I'm sure that many on Conservapedia disagree with his stance on abortion. However, he was the hero of 9/11, the most popular politician in America, and an elegant spokesman on the need for a strong national defense.

7. '''[[Dick Cheney]]:''' The chief spokesman for neoconservatism.

8. '''[[Ron Paul]]:''' A libertarian-Republican whose presidential campaign gained a cult following among young voters.

9. '''[[Samuel Alito]]:''' His appointment was one of the few excellent choices made by the Bush Administration during his second term.

10. '''[[Karl Rove]]:''' The architect of Republican victories in 2000, 2002, and 2004.

'''Honorable Mentions'''

*''[[Bill Oreilly]]''
*''[[Charlton Heston]]''
*''[[Jim DeMint]]''
*''[[Joe Wilson]]''
*''[[John Bolton]]''
*''[[Jon Voight]]''
*''[[Michele Bachman]]''
*''[[Michelle Malkin]]''
*''[[Mike Huckabee]]''
*''[[Tom Coburn]]''

-[[User:Chippeterson|Chippeterson]] December 28, 2009

:REPLY: Great choices, and this sparks interesting debate. If I may be so bold, I'd particularly disagree about Limbaugh (he has the numbers, but where's the evidence of influence?), Giuliani (all talk but no achievements except making NYC safer in the 90s, at a time when most cities were getting safer due to demographic changes; don't forget that Giuliani endorsed Mario Cuomo!), Rove (architect of the 2006 loses and a big reason for the complete wipeout in 2008 also, I'm afraid!). But everyone can have his own views about this!--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 21:56, 28 December 2009 (EST)

In the interest of debate, I think anyone who has as many listeners as Limbaugh must be influential. Giuliani had significant achievements as Mayor of New York, just read his bio here on conservapedia. Giuliani endorsed Cuomo, but under that logic Reagan wouldn't have made the 80's list because he once endorsed FDR and Truman. Giuliani could make the list of top 10 conservatives of the 90's or 2000's. You have a point about Rove, he's done a lot of harm and good to conservatives since 2000. [[User:Chippeterson|Chippeterson]] December 28, 2009

:Rush is an outstanding conservative, but my opinion is that he was more influential in the 90's than the 2000's. [[User:DMorris|DMorris]] 11:50, 29 December 2009 (EST)

Why is [[Sean Hannity]] only listed for an honorable mention considering his involvement in the [[Tea Party Movement]], which is a top ten candidate? [[User:DMorris|DMorris]] 11:54, 29 December 2009 (EST)

:In my opinion, we should switch Giuliani and Huckabee. The latter is clearly more conservative, and had a much bigger impact in the 2008 election. [[User:DanL|DanL]] 12:16, 29 December 2009 (EST)

== Matt Drudge? ==

More of a libertarian than a classic conservative, but his influence in ending the hegemony of the mainstream media has been substantial. --[[User:Benp|Benp]] 22:28, 28 December 2009 (EST)

== "Pat Robinson"? ==

I don't know this conservative, and Google hasn't helped. Perhaps [[Pat Robertson]] was intended? --[[User:JimR|JimR]] 23:01, 28 December 2009 (EST)

==Marco Rubio?==

This is a top 10 list of conservatives of the last decade. Not just the most influential conservatives since Obama took office, but in 2001, 2002, 2003 etc. Nobody knew who Marco Rubio even was a few months ago, he shouldn't even make the Honorable Mentions. [[User:Chippeterson|Chippeterson]] December 28, 2009

== Australia ==

I think that the top ten should have at least 1 outsider and as a proud Australian I would nominate [[John Howard]] who was Prime Minister of Australia from 1996-2007 and is widely considered to be one of Australia's most conservative leaders who was known for his extensive tax reform and a prolonged period of economic growth while eliminating all of Australias public debt shortly before losing the election.

If anythihng he deserves an Honorable Mention for his excellent policies. Here watch this video to gain a basic understanding

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81UUgujTWgc

== General Petraeus ==

I'd like to recommend that he be bumped up to "Top Ten" candidate. While it's true that he hasn't sought the limelight or publicity, that's only befitting of an officer and a gentleman--and his role in waging the War on Terror has been critical. What say you all? --[[User:Benp|Benp]] 00:36, 29 December 2009 (EST)

The problem is nobody knows what his politcs are. For all we know he could be another Colin Powell. [[User:Chippeterson|Chippeterson]] December 29, 2009

== Trimming the List ==

There are some difficult choices to make here. However, there are a number of media figures on the list, and if we're talking about ''the'' most influential, I think the nod has to go to Rush. In a very real sense, he blazed the trail for others to follow. --[[User:Benp|Benp]] 10:56, 29 December 2009 (EST)

Also...as a side note...while it surely reflects well on Andy's modesty that he consistently rejects attempts to put his name on the list, I think perhaps the students who have worked so hard to make Conservapedia a success deserve an honorable mention, for demonstrating the power and success of a very new approach to education. After all, they're the ones who are going to carry the torch of conservatism into the next decade and beyond. Thoughts? --[[User:Benp|Benp]] 11:07, 29 December 2009 (EST)

==Glenn Beck==

He's a hero in the Tea Party Movement, leads in the ratings, and is pretty an investigative reporter on the [[Obama administration]]. Why shouldn't he make the top 10? [[User:Chippeterson|Chippeterson]] December 29, 2009

==Adding Another Category==

What does everybody think about adding the category "Liberals that aren't Annoying."

*[[Alan Colmes]]
*[[Bart Stupak]]
*[[Bill Richardson]]
*[[James Carville]]
*[[Joe Lieberman]]
*[[Jon Stewart]]
*[[Kirsten Powers]]
*[[Ed Rendell]]

-[[User:Chippeterson|Chippeterson]] December 29, 2009
:Jon Stewart is pretty annoying, but I like the idea. [[User:JacobB|JacobB]] 20:28, 29 December 2009 (EST)

:I find several of those liberals VERY annoying. Plus I feel Bart Stupak should be in honorable mentions category. He singlehandedly stop taxpayer funder in the House (non-read) healthcare bill. If healthcare is to move forward, it will be without abortion funding. That is hero-like, herculean Conservative effort. --[[User:Jpatt|Jpatt]] 00:42, 30 December 2009 (EST)

His bill was the reason why healthcare passed the House, hardly a conservative hero. -[[User:Chippeterson|Chippeterson]] December 30, 2009

:I don't think you see the wider implications. His actions may save hundreds of thousands of innocent lives -or- his actions will derail the entire bill from passage -and- he may cave as typical liberals often do. Has he staked his career with lying Democrats? Did he vote for Obama? Hero may be too strong but if he defeats the health bill in its entirety, will you change your tune? --[[User:Jpatt|Jpatt]] 01:33, 30 December 2009 (EST)

== Antonin Scalia ==

I think Justice [[Antonin Scalia]] should be at or near the top of the top ten. Early in the decade he identified and criticized the [[homosexual agenda]], spoke out against the censorship of God and then, later in the decade, wrote the [[D.C. v. Heller]] decision establishing the true Second Amendment right to [[self-defense]]. He also provided key votes in [[Bush v. Gore]] and many other essential 5-4 decisions. Of course, Justice [[Clarence Thomas]] also has had an excellent record the entire decade.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 00:09, 30 December 2009 (EST)

== Limbaugh ==
(moved comments to this new section; first reference to "he" below is to Justice Scalia)

:I agree that he deserves a spot in the top ten. There are a lot of worthy candidates--it's harder than I thought to narrow the list down to ten! I'd like to argue again for Rush Limbaugh to also be in the top ten. Without his influence, it's entirely possible that the other political commentators on the list would never have been able to get a foothold in the liberal-dominated media. Rush demonstrated that the market for conservatism is huge. His influence remains strong, as demonstrated by the way he took Michael Steele to task and the fact that he came out on top of the poll asking who is the main voice of the Republican Party. --[[User:Benp|Benp]] 11:13, 30 December 2009 (EST)

::I have an open mind about this, and obviously there will be disagreements. But Limbaugh seems best at promoting ... Limbaugh. Some observe that he tends to "dumb down" what has traditionally been an intellectual conservative movement. Relatively few young people, particularly college-educated ones, listen to Limbaugh; he rarely appears at genuine conservative conferences; and his personal life does not seem as conservative as others on the list. It is difficult to identify a single insight or initiative Limbaugh has had in 20 years that has made a significant difference. Can you think of any?--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 11:38, 30 December 2009 (EST)

:::You certainly have a valid point, Andy, but I believe you could make the same argument for some of the other commentators on the list. I can't, for instance, think of any specific conservative insights that Ann Coulter has provided. Nor am I sure that's the role of a figure like Limbaugh or Coulter. I would suggest that their role is more in letting individual conservatives know that they have a voice, that they're not alone, and that they're not the only ones who see the hypocrisy and censorship practiced by liberals. At the same time, they infuriate liberals, and goad them into making mistakes.

:::Is that a valuable enough role to merit inclusion on the top-ten list? Perhaps not. If so, we might want to consider paring down the lists on that basis...as you yourself have pointed out, we have a lot of names to eliminate and not a lot of time in which to do it. In the interest of moving things along, I acknowledge your valid arguments against Limbaugh, and withdraw my suggestion concerning him.

:::I'm not totally comfortable using personal life as a standard, though, just because so much of what we hear about conservatives' personal lives is distorted by the liberal media. Consider Rush's struggle with addiction to painkillers, and how much mean-spirited mockery it generated from the left--or how many crude and vulgar attacks have been directed at Coulter simply because she's not married and has dated a variety of men. On the other hand, conservative sources tend not to focus on gossip about one's personal life. --[[User:Benp|Benp]] 12:42, 30 December 2009 (EST)

::::There can certainly be reasonable disagreements about this list! You make many valid points, Ben, and I think continuing this discussion a bit longer could be illuminating to many of us.

::::Ann Coulter ''does'' appear at genuine conservative conferences, while Limbaugh does not. That speaks volumes in itself. Also, Coulter's books are at a high level and have been influential, while I can't think of something comparable from Limbaugh, despite having more time and money to do so. There is also an element of self-promotion in Limbaugh's work that doesn't taint Coulter's (or Malkin's) work. Note that Limbaugh seems to get into spats with people potentially on the conservative side, while Coulter gets into spats only with the other side.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 13:37, 30 December 2009 (EST)

:::::We can give media celebrities like Rush and Coulter some recognition as communicators and popularizers. Both gave voice to many important conservative ideas, despite real (or perceived) personal flaws.

:::::Of course, what we all want is a Leader who emerges as the [[Best of the public]] and initiates a movement for positive change. So far, I'm unaware of any author or talk-show host who can fill those shoes. --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] [[User talk:Ed Poor|Talk]] 13:39, 30 December 2009 (EST)
::::::I have to agree. For all that conservative talk-show types and authors do to spread the conservative message and fight liberal media, there is too often a certain amount of self-promotion and a lack of original thinking (that in itself isn't a failure. We typically don't expect the communicators to be the innovators as well). I would not put Coulter, Beck, Limbaugh, or Malkin in the top, but would promote figures like James Dobson and Jerry Falwell, who have done astounding amounts of work to create grassroots campaigns, disseminate information, develop conservative ideas, etc. [[User:DouglasA|DouglasA]] 17:43, 30 December 2009 (EST)

:::::Even many of us CP contributors may have little or nothing original to contribute. But restating and organizing the well-expressed thoughts of others is also valuable. It may even be the essence of what an encyclopedia is supposed to be. --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] [[User talk:Ed Poor|Talk]] 18:09, 30 December 2009 (EST)
::::::Absolutely, and that's exactly what we should consider when determining not just great conservatives, but conservatives ''of the decade.'' [[User:DouglasA|DouglasA]] 19:00, 30 December 2009 (EST)

To be fair, one must remember that Limbaugh self-identifies as an entertainer, first and foremost. While an artful and articulate spokesperson for orthodox conservatism, he doesn't claim to have the intellectual force of a Bill Buckley or Bob Bennet. That said, he does, IMO, deserve to be on the list, if for nothing else other than his proven ability to motivate Americans to focus on key issues and elections, in his role as a media person.

I have added a person to the list. Although some might find it provocative, I would only argue that he still continues to influence, and steer the public debate in our society as much as he ever did. --<big>[[User:TK|'''ṬK''']]</big>/Admin[[User_Talk:TK|/Talk]] 19:20, 30 December 2009 (EST)

==My Final Recommendations==

*1. [[Rush Limbaugh]]
*2. [[Bill O'Reilly]]
*3. [[Ann Coulter]]
*4. [[Tea Party Movement]]
*5. [[Sarah Palin]]
*6. [[Dick Cheney]]
*7. [[Rudy Giuliani]]
*8. [[Samuel Alito]]
*9. [[Glenn Beck]]
*10. [[Michelle Malkin]]

[[User:Chippeterson|Chippeterson]] December 30, 2009

:That's an interesting list, Chippeterson. You may be right. Who can know for sure? For my part, I think your list overemphasizes the influence of the conservative media. I greatly appreciate nearly everyone on your list, and your edits too, but I can't honestly say whether most conservative pundits help or hurt the movement. I am sure, however, that Proposition 8, good Supreme Court decisions, and activism by Sarah Palin help our nation and our movement.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 22:17, 30 December 2009 (EST)

O.K., working with your top 5 picks, how's this?

*1. [[Sarah Palin]]
*2. [[Tea Party Movement]]
*3. [[Antonin Scalia]]
*4. [[Dick Cheney]]
*5. [[Rush Limbaugh]]
*6. [[Ron Paul]]
*7. [[Ann Coulter]]
*8. [[Proposition 8]] supporters
*9. [[Clarence Thomas]]
*10.[[Glenn Beck]]

[[User:Chippeterson|Chippeterson]] December 31, 2009

:How does this sound? My thinking is that good SCOTUS decisions have been our last redoubt from the secular-progressives, so the three Justices should be on it. What about John Roberts? As Chief Justice, surely he is instrumental in holding together the conservatives on the court, right? Glenn Beck? Has he been around on the national scene long enough to make the list, or does length of time matter? My reason for making Justice Thomas #1 should be obvious; he is the most hated by liberals because he is both Black and conservative, is highly effective behind the scenes at the court, and he takes his vacations tooling around ingognito with his wife in an RV, meeting the people. [http://www.rv-news.com/july2004/association_news.cfm]

*1. [[Clarence Thomas]]
*2. [[Proposition 8|Proposition 8 Supporters]]
*3. [[Antonin Scalia]]
*4. [[Sarah Palin]]
*5. [[Ron Paul]]
*6. [[Tea Party Movement]]
*7. [[Ann Coulter]]
*8. [[Dick Cheney]]
*9. [[Samuel Alito]]
*10. [[Glenn Beck]]

--<big>[[User:TK|'''ṬK''']]</big>/Admin[[User_Talk:TK|/Talk]] 02:31, 31 December 2009 (EST)

:Good suggestions. Doing an analysis now on opinions by Thomas, Scalia and Alito, will start a section for that below. I wonder whether Ron Paul AND the Tea Party Movement earn two spots in the top six for the ENTIRE decade. Glenn Beck is late on the scene ... perhaps the next decade? But obviously there is room for disagreement here.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 09:45, 31 December 2009 (EST)

== Three Justices ==

From 2000 to present:

:opinions for the Court by Justice Scalia: 88

::Significant decisions include:

::*''D.C. v. Heller'', establishing an individual right to bear arms under the Second Amendment
::*''United States v. Gonzalez-Lopez'', establishing a right to an automatic reversal of a conviction (even without a showing of prejudicial error) if there was any denial of right to counsel (Justice Thomas dissented)
::*''Rapanos v. United States'', limiting definition of "wetlands" to limit jurisdiction of federal govt over property
::*''Merck KGaA v. Integra Lifesciences I, Ltd.'', limiting patent rights by allowing the use of patented compounds in preclinical studies as long as there is a reasonable basis for believing that the experiments will produce "the types of information that are relevant to an IND or NDA" in drug applications to the FDA.
::*''Blakely v. Washington'', invalidating increase in punishment based on facts not proven at trial allowed by state sentencing guidelines but going beyond statutory limits; had effect of weakening sentencing guidelines
::*''Vieth v. Jubelirer'', declaring political gerrymandering challenges to be non-justifiable and thereby limiting court jurisdiction
::*''Crawford v. Washington'', reestablishing the constitutional right by defendants to confront witnesses against them in court, rather than simply reading testimonial statements by accusers
::*''Kyllo v. United States'', requiring a warrant before using thermal imaging technology to detect the growing of marijuana plants inside homes
::*''Alexander v. Sandoval'', establishing that there is no private cause of action to enforce regulations prohibiting discriminatory conduct by recipients of federal funds (this lawsuit attempted to invalidate English-only drivers license tests in Alabama) - followed in 2546 cases, plus 24 distinguishing.
::*''Cal. Democratic Party v. Jones'', invalidating as a violation of freedom of association a California law requiring political parties to allow voting by any voter in their primaries

::Other opinions by Justice Scalia for the Court include a decision against mandatory collection of certain types of dues in Washington State, and an opinion on free speech in judicial campaigns.

----

:opinions for the Court (and key concurrences) by Justice Thomas: 80

::*''Good News Club v. Milford Central School'', limiting application of the Establishment Clause to its constitutional basis and holding in favor of free speech rights for religious expression; picked up Justice Breyer as a sixth vote in this important area; followed in 1065 cases, plus 26 distinguishing.

::*wrote a concurrence to Justice Scalia's Court opinion in ''Johanns v. Livestock Mktg Ass'n'', emphasizing that "The government may not, consistent with the First Amendment, associate individuals or organizations involuntarily with speech by attributing an unwanted message to them, whether or not those individuals fund the speech, and whether or not the message is under the government's control."

::*Original thinking about Stare decisis which the liberals hate. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A31117-2004Oct13.html]

::*Great Opinions by Thomas: Mitchell v. Helms, Good News Club v. Milford Central School, City of Indianapolis v. Edmond.

::*Opinions by Justice Thomas [http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/author.php?thomas]

::*The Courage of His Convictions [http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/politics/Clarence-Thomas-Justice-for-All-50577732.html]

----

:opinions for the Court by Justice Alito: ?? (much less due to his shorter tenure)

(please add to analysis--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 09:45, 31 December 2009 (EST))

== Coaltion of the Willing ==

I understand that conservapedia is at first an American project. And as a wiki, it is naturally obsessed with pop culture. So it's no surprise that many of the candidates are American media persona (who may influence greatly the American public opinion, but are of negligent impact for the rest of the world.)

What about some real politicians who stood to America's [[Coalition of the Willing]] in 2003 though this wasn't popular in their countries? [[Jose Maria Aznar]]? [[Anders Fogh Rasmussen]]?

Such names would add some substance.

[[User:FrankC|FrankC aka ComedyFan]] 12:18, 31 December 2009 (EST)

== Hmm ==

Two questions that I think will prove problematic in this page as an objective source of reporting:

1. How is conservatism defined? Who defines it? Do you count social conservatives, fiscal conservatives, or must one be both? Do conservative Democrats count as well?

2. What are the non-subjective factors for determining prominence? The page for example says, "The criterion would presumably be the best and longest lasting influence." Okay... but how is that determined? Do you find estimates for audiences reached? And if so, what objective 3rd party group will be used for those estimates? Do you find some sort of point rating system for conservatism? And if so, whose system should be used, and why?

My point is that I think you're getting into a whole can of worms here. The whole thing will come across as subjective and a Conservapedia popularity contest if objective measures of definition can't be found. --[[User:Jzyehoshua|Jzyehoshua]] 12:45, 31 December 2009 (EST)

:I think the community can find a consensus on "prominence", after all prominence is based on public perception. Objective elements are really not necessary.--[[User:Wuhao1911|Wuhao1911]] 13:30, 31 December 2009 (EST)

:There is subjectivity along with objectivity in much of academics and other intellectual pursuits. But the existence of subjectivity (amid objectivity) is not an excuse for abandoning analysis.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 13:43, 31 December 2009 (EST)

==Sarah Palin???==

Really people? Sarah Palin for Conservative of the Decade? She's been around for one and a half years, not nearly long enough to be considered for the entire decade. She could be conservative of the year, but decade? Absolutely not. --[[User:Jvasile|Jvasile]] 15:17, 31 December 2009 (EST)

Essay:Conservatives of the Decade

2009-12-31T18:18:26Z

Jvasile: /* Top Ten Candidates */

It's time; in fact, we have only one day left to identify '''the top ten [[conservatives]] of the decade'''. The criterion would presumably be the best and longest lasting influence. For example, [[Ronald Reagan]] would be a leading candidate for "conservative of the decade" of the 1980s.

The [[best of the public]] is welcome in this list of nominations:

== Nominations ==

===Top Ten Candidates===

====Top Five Contenders====

*[[Antonin Scalia]] (for his opinions supporting Rule of Law, the Second Amendment, and textualism)
*[[Clarence Thomas]] (for his opinions limiting the Establishment Cause and defending the death penalty)
*[[Proposition 8]] supporters (for halting the deceptive homosexual agenda)
*[[Ron Paul]] (for advancing the vision of Ronald Reagan, mobilizing activism, and scrutinizing the Federal Reserve)
*[[Rush Limbaugh]] (for being the voice of the Conservative movement and for speaking the truth, even when it was not popular)

====Second Five Contenders====

*[[Ann Coulter]]
*[[Dick Cheney]]
*[[Michele Bachmann]]
*[[Michelle Malkin]]
*[[Sarah Palin]] (not around long enough to make significant contributions throughout the entire decade)
*[[Samuel Alito]]
*[[Tea Party Movement]]

====Other Leading Contenders====

*[[Ben Stein]]
*[[Bill O'Reilly]]
*[[Charlton Heston]]
*[[Glenn Beck]]
*[[James Dobson]]
*[[Jerry Falwell]]
*[[Jim DeMint]]
*[[John Boehner]]
*[[John Bolton]]
*[[Laura Ingraham]]
*[[Ronald Wilson Reagan|Ronald Reagan]]
*[[Rudy Giuliani]]
*[[Sean Hannity]]

===Honorable Mention Candidates===

*[[Alan Keyes]]
*[[Andrew Napolitano]]
*[[Andrew Schlafly]] and the students that founded Conservapedia
*[[Art Robinson]]
*[[Bart Stupak]]
*[[Benedict XVI]]
*[[Benjamin Netanyahu]]
*[[Bobby Schindler]]
*[[Carrie Prejean]]
*[[Charles H. Bronson]]
*[[Christopher Monckton]]
*[[Chuck Norris]]
*The unknown releaser of the [[Climategate]] archive.
*[[Club for Growth]]
*[[Condoleezza Rice]]
*[[D. James Kennedy]]
*[[David Cameron]]
*[[David Petraeus]]
*[[Don Feder]]
*[[Doug Hoffman]]
*[[Elaine Donnelly]]
*Father [[Frank Pavone]]
*[[Frank Schubert]]
*[[Gayle Ruzicka]]
*[[George W. Bush]]
*[[Hannah Giles]] and [[James O'Keefe]]
*[[Homeschoolers]] who captured all the finalist positions in the [[National Bible Bee]].
*[[Jerome Corsi]]
*[[Joe the Plumber]]
*[[Joe Wilson]]
*[[John Ashcroft]]
*[[John Ellis Bush]]
*[[John Howard]]
*[[John Paul II]]
*[[John Roberts]]
*[[John Thune]]
*[[Jon Voight]]
*[[Karl Rove]]
*[[Kenneth Blackwell]]
*[[Lou Dobbs]]
*[[Marco Rubio]]
*[[Mark Levin]]
*[[Mathew Staver]]
*[[Drudge Report|Matt Drudge]]
*[[Michael Savage]]
*[[Mike Huckabee]]
*The [[Minutemen Project]]
*[[Mitt Romney]]
*[[Oral Roberts]]
*[[Pat Buchanan]]
*[[Pat Robertson]]
*[[Paul Ryan]]
*Sheriff [[Joe Arpaio]]
*[[Steven Mosher]]
*[[Sun Myung Moon]]
*[[Ted Nugent]]
*[[Tom Coburn]]
*[[Tony Snow]]
*[[Zell Miller]]

(add more)

== Conservative Quotes of the Decade ==

*"You lie!" (Joe Wilson about Barack Obama)
*"You know babies have finger nails!" (reference to an unborn child in the movie ''Juno'')
*"from my cold, dead hands" (Charlton Heston in 2000 dramatically referring to the only way liberals could take his rifle from him)
*"The [[best of the public]] is better than a group of experts." -[[Conservapedia]]
*"I can hear you! I can hear you, the rest of the world hears you, and the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon!" - President Bush to the rescue/recovery workers at Ground Zero
*"Justice will be served / And the battle will rage / This big dog will fight / When you rattle his cage / And you'll be sorry that you messed with / The U.S. of A. / 'Cause we'll put a boot in your a** / It's the American way" -[[Toby Keith]] singing "Courtesy of the Red, White, & Blue (The Angry American)" (edited for Conservapedia)
*"I'm just a singer of simple songs / I'm not a real political man / I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you / The difference in Iraq and Iran / But I know Jesus and I talk to God / And I remember this from when I was young / Faith, hope and love are some good things he gave us / And the greatest is love" - [[Alan Jackson]] singing "Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)"
*"Winter getting colder / Summer getting warmer / Tidal wave come across the Mexican boarder / Why buy a gallon when it's cheaper by the barrel / Just don't get busted singing Christmas caroles" -[[Toby Keith]] singing "American Ride"
*"We will never forget" -[[George W. Bush]] after the 9/11 terrorist attacks
*If we have another 2,000 people killed, I want [[Nancy Pelosi]] and [[George Soros]], [[John Conyers]] and [[Patrick Leahy]] to go to the funeral and say, 'Your son was vaporized because we didn't want to dump some guy's head under water for 30 seconds.'" - Rep. [[Peter King]] (R-New York)

== Stories of the Decade ==
*[[September 11]], 2001 Terrorist Attacks
*The "Surge" was a huge victory that secured [[Iraq]]'s immediate future
*The taking, for the benefit of a corporation and higher tax revenue, of the long-held homes of Susanne Kelo and others in New London, Connecticut, decided against the homeowners by a 5-4 U.S. Supreme Court. Forcibly ousted and their homes destroyed, the residents moved elsewhere at great disruption to their lives. Then, four years later, Pfizer [[Kelo v. New London|abandoned the project]] for its own reasons, leaving a useless eyesore in the wreckage.
*The Ramos-Compean incident that began in February 2006 with actions by agents Ignacios Ramos and Jose Compean and did not end until their sentences were commuted by President [[George W. Bush]] in January 2009.
*The unsuccessful attempt by [[liberals]] to change the outcome of the 2000 presidential election by reinterpreting ballots and examining "chads".
*9/12 March on Washington
*[[Climategate]]

== Looking forward ==

What will be the most influential trends for the next decade? Here are some possibilities:

*collapse of the newspapers in favor of web-based information
*shifts in education away from bricks-and-mortar institutions
*reduction in influence of "experts"
*rising taxes to pay off escalating national debt
*[[parent trigger legislation]]
*2010/2012 Democrats ousted from positions of power
*decline in [[evolution syndrome]] in academia
*conservative social networking
*global non-warming weather continues to provide proof that current climate models undergirding mass-[[global warming]] hysteria are in truth maniacally mistaken if not willfully wrong
*to the completed [[Conservative Bible]]

(add more)

==Liberals who aren't Annoying==

*[[Alan Colmes]]
*[[Bill Richardson]]
*[[Ed Koch]]
*[[Ed Rendell]]
*[[Eunice Kennedy Shriver]]
*[[Jim Webb]]
*[[Joe Lieberman]]
*[[Kirsten Powers]]
*[[Lanny Davis]]
*[[Mort Kondracke]]
*[[Tim Russert]]

{{Conservatism}}
[[Category:Essays]]

Around the horn

2009-11-30T23:57:27Z

Jvasile:

Around the Horn is baseball terminology for a double play in which the batted ball is hit to the third baseman, who then throws to the second baseman covering second base for the first out who in turn throws to the first baseman covering first to complete the double play. There is also a triple play variation on this where the third baseman steps on third base before throwing to the second baseman. The origins of this term are in sailing, coming from the term used to describe sailing from Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean by navigating around South America's Cape Horn. <ref>http://www.sportspool.com/baseball/terms.php</ref>

== References ==
1. http://www.sportspool.com/baseball/terms.php
== See Also ==
* [[Baseball]]
* [[Major League Baseball]]
* [[Double Play]]
* [[Triple Play]]

== External Links ==
*[http://mlb.mlb.com/index.jsp The Official Site of Major League Baseball]
*[http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/index.jsp Minor League Baseball]
*[http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/features/alumni/article.jsp?article=history BASEBALL HISTORY] Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association.
*[http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/features/alumni/stats.jsp Stats]
*[http://web.baseballhalloffame.org/index.jsp Hall of Fame] National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Inc.

{{Baseball}}

[[Category: Baseball]]

Around the horn

2009-11-30T23:56:37Z

Jvasile: /* External Links and References */

Around the Horn is baseball terminology for a double play in which the batted ball is hit to the third baseman, who then throws to the second baseman covering second base for the first out who in turn throws to the first baseman covering first to complete the double play. There is also a triple play variation on this where the third baseman steps on third base before throwing to the second baseman. The origins of this term are in sailing, coming from the term used to describe sailing from Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean by navigating around South America's Cape Horn. <ref>http://www.sportspool.com/baseball/terms.php</ref>

== See Also ==
* [[Baseball]]
* [[Major League Baseball]]
* [[Double Play]]
* [[Triple Play]]

== External Links ==
*[http://mlb.mlb.com/index.jsp The Official Site of Major League Baseball]
*[http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/index.jsp Minor League Baseball]
*[http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/features/alumni/article.jsp?article=history BASEBALL HISTORY] Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association.
*[http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/features/alumni/stats.jsp Stats]
*[http://web.baseballhalloffame.org/index.jsp Hall of Fame] National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Inc.

{{Baseball}}

[[Category: Baseball]]

Around the horn

2009-11-30T23:53:48Z

Jvasile:

Around the horn

2009-11-30T19:28:33Z

Jvasile:

Around the horn

2009-11-30T19:26:28Z

Jvasile: /* Around the Horn */

Around the Horn is baseball terminology for a double play in which the batted ball is hit to the third baseman, who then throws to the second baseman covering second base for the first out who in turn <a href="http://photobucket.com/images/infield" target="_blank"><img src="http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a57/Frediemac/DSC00055.jpg" border="0" alt="The Infield Pictures, Images and Photos"/></a> throws to the first baseman covering first to complete the double play. There is also a triple play variation on this where the third baseman steps on third base before throwing to the second baseman. The origins of this term are in sailing, coming from the term used to describe sailing from Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean by navigating around South America's Cape Horn. <ref>http://www.sportspool.com/baseball/terms.php</ref>

== See Also ==
* [[Baseball]]
* [[Major League Baseball]]
* [[Double Play]]
* [[Triple Play]]

Around the horn

2009-11-30T19:21:23Z

Jvasile: Created page with ' == Around the Horn == Around the Horn is baseball terminology for a double play in which the batted ball is hit to the third baseman, who then throws to the second baseman cover...'

== Around the Horn ==
Around the Horn is baseball terminology for a double play in which the batted ball is hit to the third baseman, who then throws to the second baseman covering second base for the first out who in turn throws to the first baseman covering first to complete the double play. There is also a triple play variation on this where the third baseman steps on third base before throwing to the second baseman. The origins of this term are in sailing, coming from the term used to describe sailing from Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean by navigating around South America's Cape Horn. <ref>http://www.sportspool.com/baseball/terms.php</ref>

== See Also ==
* [[Baseball]]
* [[Major League Baseball]]
* [[Double Play]]
* [[Triple Play]]

Libertarianism

2009-11-28T17:24:32Z

Jvasile: /* Notable Libertarians */

'''Libertarianism''' is a [[Political Philosophy|political philosophy]] that believes in minimizing or entirely eliminating government interventionism in all aspects of life; including economic, personal and in foreign policy matters. Libertarians tend to oppose the rules established by traditional marriage and religious values. The [[French]] [[term]] of ''[[Laissez faire|Laissez-Faire]]'', or ''let us do'', is a term that describes some aspects of the libertarian belief. <ref>"Libertarians are neither. Unlike Liberals or Conservatives, Libertarians advocate a high degree of both personal and economic liberty. For example, Libertarians advocate freedom in economic matters, so we're in favor of lowering taxes, slashing bureaucratic regulation of business, and charitable -- rather than government -- welfare. But Libertarians are also socially tolerant. We won't demand laws or restrictions on other people who we may not agree because of personal actions or lifestyles.

Think of us as a group of people with a "live and let live" mentality and a balanced checkbook." [http://www.lp.org/article_85.shtml]</ref> Libertarianism tends to emphasize an amoral form of individual ''liberty'', and tends to support rights of private property.

The first systematic libertarian was [[Herbert Spencer]] (1820-1903), an English political philosopher whose books such as ''The Man Versus the State'' (1884) had a major impact in Europe and America in the late 19th century.<ref>Chris Matthew Sciabarra, "The First Libertarian," ''Liberty'' (Aug 1999) [http://www.nyu.edu/projects/sciabarra/essays/spencer.htm online] </ref> The chief American representative was [[Yale]] professor [[William Graham Sumner]].

[[Ronald Reagan]] stated in 1975, "I believe the very heart and soul of conservatism is libertarianism....The basis of conservatism is a desire for less government interference or less centralized authority or more individual freedom and this is a pretty general description also of what libertarianism is....'''Now, I can’t say that I will agree with all the things that the present group who call themselves Libertarians in the sense of a party say, because I think that like in any political movement there are shades, and there are libertarians who are almost over at the point of wanting no government at all or anarchy. ''I believe there are legitimate government functions. There is a legitimate need in an orderly society for some government to maintain freedom or we will have tyranny by individuals."'''''<ref> see [http://www.reason.com/news/show/29318.html "Inside Ronald Reagan: A Reason Interview" (July 1975)]</ref>

== Libertarian Philosophy ==

Libertarianism is best summed up in the Non-Aggression Principle, which states that government (or "private police agencies" in the anarcho-capitalist variant) should only exist to protect life, liberty, and property from force and fraud.

Libertarianism is closely related to liberalism, if this word is interpreted according to its original meaning of [[classical liberal|classical liberalism]]. Libertarians in America tend to be [[liberal]] on social issues but [[conservative]] on economic issues. Libertarians generally oppose government regulation of drugs, prostitution, and marriage (including bans of [[same-sex marriage]]. The Libertarian Party officially supports legalized [[abortion]], however, libertarians themselves are divided on the issue, since government protection from force depends on the person hood of the unborn baby (or fetus). They oppose restrictions on [[pornography]]. However, they also oppose [[universal health care]], [[taxes]] and the [[welfare state]]. They are strong supporters of [[school choice]], and oppose continuing the [[public school]] system. Some libertarians support [[school vouchers]], while others are skeptical due to the issue of government influence over [[private education]].

Libertarians support an expansive view of liberty as the proper basis for organizing civil society. They tend to define liberty as the freedom to do whatever one wishes up to the point that one's behavior begins to interfere with another's person or property through coercive means. At the point of interference, each party would become subject to certain principled rules for adjudicating disputes, generally accepting that one who has demonstrated a proven lack of respect for the rights of others should be subject to sanctions, including possible constraints on their freedom. They believe that liberty is the right of every individual.

Libertarians generally defend the ideal of freedom from the perspective of how little one is constrained by authority, i.e., how much one is allowed to do (also referred to as negative liberty). This ideal is distinguished from a view of freedom focused on how much one is able to do (also called positive liberty).

== Libertarian Factions ==

Libertarians tend to use the word "libertarian" (small "l") to refer to the philosophy, and "Libertarian" (capital "L") to refer to the party. Thus, more libertarians exist than members of the [[Libertarian Party]]. Two general factions exist in the libertarian movement. The first are those libertarians who apply the principles of right to person and property to an absolute. They believe that no person, group, or government is above the right to violate these two things. They thus believe that government itself is illegitimate because it violates person and property. These libertarians subscribe to [[anarcho-capitalism]], as first named by [[Murray N. Rothbard]]. They believe that law and security can be handled by private means in the free market. The other faction believes in a very limited government. They are often referred to as [[Minarchism|minarchists]]. Libertarian minarchists want the state to only enforce law and order but generally nothing else. [[Ayn Rand]] was a minarchist.

Libertarians tend to view liberalism as a philosophy advocating less government interference in private morality and more government control of business, and view conservatism as a philosophy advocating more government interference in private morality and less government control of business, while they view libertarianism as advocating less government control in all areas. However, there have been fusionist attempts to mix libertarianism and with social conservatism. This is noted in particular by [[paleolibertarianism|paleolibertarians]]. They believe that social conservatism is a natural entity in a free society, but do not believe that it can be enforced by state interventionism.

== Libertarian Thought in America ==

While there are libertarian factions within the [[Democratic]] and [[Republican]] [[parties]], neither party is particularly well aligned with libertarian thought. While the Republican Party sometimes adopts libertarian-sounding rhetoric of small government in economic affairs, many libertarians see it as being a force that has increased government interventionism in these affairs. Libertarians generally, for example, are opposed to the [[USA PATRIOT Act]], which they believe increases government power and removes protections on the liberty and privacy of the public. Most conservatives, on the other hand, view it as a necessary government program and believe security to be more important than personal liberty and privacy. Libertarians point out that such a view contradicts those of the founding fathers, such as Benjamin Franklin, who summarized it most eloquently, "Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." Libertarians are also generally opposed to the [[Iraq War]], unlike the majority of conservatives.

While all libertarians agree in general on the principles of the desirability of maximizing individual liberty and avoiding excessive government interference with the operation of the free market, individual libertarians have opinions that differ wildly within these general principles.

The libertarian movement generally praises the [[United States Constitution]], regarding it as the proper scope of the national government. They believe that the Democratic and Republican parties have overstepped constitutional limits. Anarcho-capitalist libertarians, on the other hand, view the implementation of the constitution as the very reason the national government is the size it is today.

== Notable Libertarians ==
Libertarian-oriented writers include [[Frédéric Bastiat]], [[William Leggett]], [[Henry David Thoreau]], [[Lysander Spooner]], [[Herbert Spencer]], [[William Graham Sumner]], [[Carl Menger]], [[Ludwig von Mises]], Rose Wilder Lane, [[Albert Jay Nock]], [[Henry Hazlett]], and [[Isabel Paterson]].

The most influential libertarian of the 20th century was [[Milton Friedman]] (1912-2006), a leader of the [[Chicago School of Economics]].

*[[Ron Paul]], 1988 Libertarian Party and 2008 Republican Party presidential candidate. Ron Paul is considered to be of the Constitutionalist and [[paleolibertarianism|paleolibertarian]] schools of libertarian thought.
*The psychiatrist Thomas Szasz, opponent of the therapeutic state and compulsory mental institutionalization.
*Nobel Laureate economists [[Milton Friedman]], [[F.A. Hayek]], [[Ronald Coase]], Gary Becker, James Buchanan, [[George Stigler]], and Vernon Smith.
*The novelist [[Ayn Rand]] advocated a philosophy of ''Objectivism'', embodying some libertarian thought, although differing from libertarianism in many ways. Some of her novels, such as ''Atlas Shrugged'', have become icons of some people in the libertarian movement, while others find her materialism and atheism incompatible with moral ethics and natural rights and law.
*[[Robert LeFevre]], significant in promoting libertarian philosophy in the 1950s and 1960s before it was a well-defined movement, with his "Freedom School" seminars on political and economic philosophy.
*[[Karl Hess]], speechwriter for [[Barry Goldwater]] credited with penning Goldwater's famous 1964 statement "Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice". Hess later became a major figure in the Libertarian Party.
*[[Murray N. Rothbard]] was nicknamed "Mr. Libertarian." He brought to life the anarcho-capitalist movement. Rothbard was an economist of the [[Austrian School of Economics|Austrian School]].
*[[Samuel Edward Konkin III]], a significant figure in 1970s libertarianism, whose influence waned considerably after the rise of the Libertarian Party as he opposed political parties and voting as being against libertarian principles. He proposed instead a purely marketplace-based route to a free society, such as [[tax resistance]] and doing business "off the books".
*[[Robert A. Heinlein]], science fiction author, whose 1966 novel ''The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress'' was an influence on the movement.
*[[L. Neil Smith]], [[J. Neil Schulman]], and [[Brad Linaweaver]], science fiction writers.
*Several popular financial writers including [[Harry Browne]] and [[Howard J. Ruff]]. Browne would later run for President, twice, on the Libertarian Party ticket. Ruff declared his political philosophy as libertarian but as a socially conservative [[Mormon]] made an exception on issues like abortion and prostitution, where he disagreed with the libertarian view.
*[[Penn and Teller]], stage magicians turned libertarian evangelicals preaching [[atheism]] and promoting libertarian philosophies, including controversial positions such as legalization of prostitution and drugs in their Showtime series, which sports a name that cannot for reasons of good taste be expressed here.
*The Canadian rock band [[Rush]], which has been together since 1968, often explores libertarian themes in their lyrics, like in "Free Will", "Tom Sawyer" and "Something for Nothing". Drummer and Lyricist [[Neil Peart]] claims to be a "left leaning libertarian" <ref>[http://www.theadvocates.org/celebrities/neil-peart.html]</ref>, and is hesitant to call Rush a "Republican rock band" <ref>[Peart, Neil (October 25, 2006). Roadshow: Landscape With Drums: A Concert Tour by Motorcycle.]</ref>.
*Humorist Dave Barry, actor/comedian Drew Carey, actor Denis Leary, former MTV VJ Lisa "Kennedy" Montgomery, actor Kurt Russell, investigative reporter [[John Stossel]], and the late rocker Frank Zappa have all referred to themselves as being aligned with or openly supporting the Libertarian Party.
*Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of [[South Park]], proclaimed that they are libertarians. While South Park often offend conservative positions like religion, are vulgar, and support evolution they also make fun of liberals positions such as political correctness and environmentalism. <ref>[http://www.reason.com/news/show/116787.html] Parker and Stone, Reason Magazine</ref>. The phrases "South Park Conservative" (the name of a book) and "South Park Republican" are used to describe the followers of these beliefs.
*[[Ed Clark]], the Libertarian Party's 1980 nominee for President. Clark obtained the highest popular vote percentage to date for a Libertarian candidate.

== External links ==
* [http://www.faqs.org/faqs/libertarian/faq/ Libertarian FAQ]
* [http://dmoz.org/Society/Politics/Liberalism/Libertarianism/ Open Directory libertarian links ]
* [http://chelm.freeyellow.com/black_index.html Black Libertarians]
* [http://libertarianwiki.org/Main_Page Libertarian Wiki]
* [http://www.l4l.org/ Libertarians for Life]
* [http://www.independent.org/ The Independent Institute]
* [http://www.mises.org/ Ludwig von Mises Institute]
* [http://www.fee.org/ Foundation for Economic Education]

== See also ==
* [[Herbert Spencer]]
* [[Democratic Freedom Caucus]]
* [[Republican Liberty Caucus]]
==Further reading==
* Boaz, David. '' The Libertarian Reader: Classic and Contemporary Writings from Lao Tzu to Milton Friedman'' (1998) [http://www.amazon.com/Libertarian-Reader-Contemporary-Writings-Friedman/dp/0684847671/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1223323253&sr=8-18 excerpt and text search]
* Doherty, Brian. ''Radicals for Capitalism: A Freewheeling History of the Modern American Libertarian Movement'' (2008)
* Hamowy, Ronald, ed. ''The Encyclopedia of Libertarianism'' (Sage, 2008), 644pp, sponsored by the Cato Institute; [http://www.sage-ereference.com/PublicBrowse.html Online at some academic libraries]
* Murray, Charles. ''What It Means to Be a Libertarian'' (1997) [http://www.amazon.com/What-Means-Libertarian-Charles-Murray/dp/0767900391/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1223322878&sr=8-16 excerpt and text search]
* Tilman, Rick. ''Ideology and Utopia in the Social Philosophy of the Libertarian Economists'' (2001) [http://www.amazon.com/Philosophy-Libertarian-Economists-Contributions-Economics/dp/0313315582/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1223322878&sr=8-5 excerpt and text search]

== References ==
<references/>
[[Category:Libertarianism]]
[[category:Tax Revolts]]

Libertarianism

2009-11-28T17:23:25Z

Jvasile: /* Notable Libertarians */

'''Libertarianism''' is a [[Political Philosophy|political philosophy]] that believes in minimizing or entirely eliminating government interventionism in all aspects of life; including economic, personal and in foreign policy matters. Libertarians tend to oppose the rules established by traditional marriage and religious values. The [[French]] [[term]] of ''[[Laissez faire|Laissez-Faire]]'', or ''let us do'', is a term that describes some aspects of the libertarian belief. <ref>"Libertarians are neither. Unlike Liberals or Conservatives, Libertarians advocate a high degree of both personal and economic liberty. For example, Libertarians advocate freedom in economic matters, so we're in favor of lowering taxes, slashing bureaucratic regulation of business, and charitable -- rather than government -- welfare. But Libertarians are also socially tolerant. We won't demand laws or restrictions on other people who we may not agree because of personal actions or lifestyles.

Think of us as a group of people with a "live and let live" mentality and a balanced checkbook." [http://www.lp.org/article_85.shtml]</ref> Libertarianism tends to emphasize an amoral form of individual ''liberty'', and tends to support rights of private property.

The first systematic libertarian was [[Herbert Spencer]] (1820-1903), an English political philosopher whose books such as ''The Man Versus the State'' (1884) had a major impact in Europe and America in the late 19th century.<ref>Chris Matthew Sciabarra, "The First Libertarian," ''Liberty'' (Aug 1999) [http://www.nyu.edu/projects/sciabarra/essays/spencer.htm online] </ref> The chief American representative was [[Yale]] professor [[William Graham Sumner]].

[[Ronald Reagan]] stated in 1975, "I believe the very heart and soul of conservatism is libertarianism....The basis of conservatism is a desire for less government interference or less centralized authority or more individual freedom and this is a pretty general description also of what libertarianism is....'''Now, I can’t say that I will agree with all the things that the present group who call themselves Libertarians in the sense of a party say, because I think that like in any political movement there are shades, and there are libertarians who are almost over at the point of wanting no government at all or anarchy. ''I believe there are legitimate government functions. There is a legitimate need in an orderly society for some government to maintain freedom or we will have tyranny by individuals."'''''<ref> see [http://www.reason.com/news/show/29318.html "Inside Ronald Reagan: A Reason Interview" (July 1975)]</ref>

== Libertarian Philosophy ==

Libertarianism is best summed up in the Non-Aggression Principle, which states that government (or "private police agencies" in the anarcho-capitalist variant) should only exist to protect life, liberty, and property from force and fraud.

Libertarianism is closely related to liberalism, if this word is interpreted according to its original meaning of [[classical liberal|classical liberalism]]. Libertarians in America tend to be [[liberal]] on social issues but [[conservative]] on economic issues. Libertarians generally oppose government regulation of drugs, prostitution, and marriage (including bans of [[same-sex marriage]]. The Libertarian Party officially supports legalized [[abortion]], however, libertarians themselves are divided on the issue, since government protection from force depends on the person hood of the unborn baby (or fetus). They oppose restrictions on [[pornography]]. However, they also oppose [[universal health care]], [[taxes]] and the [[welfare state]]. They are strong supporters of [[school choice]], and oppose continuing the [[public school]] system. Some libertarians support [[school vouchers]], while others are skeptical due to the issue of government influence over [[private education]].

Libertarians support an expansive view of liberty as the proper basis for organizing civil society. They tend to define liberty as the freedom to do whatever one wishes up to the point that one's behavior begins to interfere with another's person or property through coercive means. At the point of interference, each party would become subject to certain principled rules for adjudicating disputes, generally accepting that one who has demonstrated a proven lack of respect for the rights of others should be subject to sanctions, including possible constraints on their freedom. They believe that liberty is the right of every individual.

Libertarians generally defend the ideal of freedom from the perspective of how little one is constrained by authority, i.e., how much one is allowed to do (also referred to as negative liberty). This ideal is distinguished from a view of freedom focused on how much one is able to do (also called positive liberty).

== Libertarian Factions ==

Libertarians tend to use the word "libertarian" (small "l") to refer to the philosophy, and "Libertarian" (capital "L") to refer to the party. Thus, more libertarians exist than members of the [[Libertarian Party]]. Two general factions exist in the libertarian movement. The first are those libertarians who apply the principles of right to person and property to an absolute. They believe that no person, group, or government is above the right to violate these two things. They thus believe that government itself is illegitimate because it violates person and property. These libertarians subscribe to [[anarcho-capitalism]], as first named by [[Murray N. Rothbard]]. They believe that law and security can be handled by private means in the free market. The other faction believes in a very limited government. They are often referred to as [[Minarchism|minarchists]]. Libertarian minarchists want the state to only enforce law and order but generally nothing else. [[Ayn Rand]] was a minarchist.

Libertarians tend to view liberalism as a philosophy advocating less government interference in private morality and more government control of business, and view conservatism as a philosophy advocating more government interference in private morality and less government control of business, while they view libertarianism as advocating less government control in all areas. However, there have been fusionist attempts to mix libertarianism and with social conservatism. This is noted in particular by [[paleolibertarianism|paleolibertarians]]. They believe that social conservatism is a natural entity in a free society, but do not believe that it can be enforced by state interventionism.

== Libertarian Thought in America ==

While there are libertarian factions within the [[Democratic]] and [[Republican]] [[parties]], neither party is particularly well aligned with libertarian thought. While the Republican Party sometimes adopts libertarian-sounding rhetoric of small government in economic affairs, many libertarians see it as being a force that has increased government interventionism in these affairs. Libertarians generally, for example, are opposed to the [[USA PATRIOT Act]], which they believe increases government power and removes protections on the liberty and privacy of the public. Most conservatives, on the other hand, view it as a necessary government program and believe security to be more important than personal liberty and privacy. Libertarians point out that such a view contradicts those of the founding fathers, such as Benjamin Franklin, who summarized it most eloquently, "Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." Libertarians are also generally opposed to the [[Iraq War]], unlike the majority of conservatives.

While all libertarians agree in general on the principles of the desirability of maximizing individual liberty and avoiding excessive government interference with the operation of the free market, individual libertarians have opinions that differ wildly within these general principles.

The libertarian movement generally praises the [[United States Constitution]], regarding it as the proper scope of the national government. They believe that the Democratic and Republican parties have overstepped constitutional limits. Anarcho-capitalist libertarians, on the other hand, view the implementation of the constitution as the very reason the national government is the size it is today.

== Notable Libertarians ==
Libertarian-oriented writers include [[Frédéric Bastiat]], [[William Leggett]], [[Henry David Thoreau]], [[Lysander Spooner]], [[Herbert Spencer]], [[William Graham Sumner]], [[Carl Menger]], [[Ludwig von Mises]], Rose Wilder Lane, [[Albert Jay Nock]], [[Henry Hazlett]], and [[Isabel Paterson]].

The most influential libertarian of the 20th century was [[Milton Friedman]] (1912-2006), a leader of the [[Chicago School of Economics]].

*[[Ron Paul]], 1988 Libertarian Party and 2008 Republican Party presidential candidate. Ron Paul is considered to be of the Constitutionalist and [[paleolibertarianism|paleolibertarian]] schools of libertarian thought.
*The psychiatrist Thomas Szasz, opponent of the therapeutic state and compulsory mental institutionalization.
*Nobel Laureate economists [[Milton Friedman]], [[F.A. Hayek]], [[Ronald Coase]], Gary Becker, James Buchanan, [[George Stigler]], and Vernon Smith.
*The novelist [[Ayn Rand]] advocated a philosophy of ''Objectivism'', embodying some libertarian thought, although differing from libertarianism in many ways. Some of her novels, such as ''Atlas Shrugged'', have become icons of some people in the libertarian movement, while others find her materialism and atheism incompatible with moral ethics and natural rights and law.
*[[Robert LeFevre]], significant in promoting libertarian philosophy in the 1950s and 1960s before it was a well-defined movement, with his "Freedom School" seminars on political and economic philosophy.
*[[Karl Hess]], speechwriter for [[Barry Goldwater]] credited with penning Goldwater's famous 1964 statement "Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice". Hess later became a major figure in the Libertarian Party.
*[[Murray N. Rothbard]] was nicknamed "Mr. Libertarian." He brought to life the anarcho-capitalist movement. Rothbard was an economist of the [[Austrian School of Economics|Austrian School]].
*[[Samuel Edward Konkin III]], a significant figure in 1970s libertarianism, whose influence waned considerably after the rise of the Libertarian Party as he opposed political parties and voting as being against libertarian principles. He proposed instead a purely marketplace-based route to a free society, such as [[tax resistance]] and doing business "off the books".
*[[Robert A. Heinlein]], science fiction author, whose 1966 novel ''The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress'' was an influence on the movement.
*[[L. Neil Smith]], [[J. Neil Schulman]], and [[Brad Linaweaver]], science fiction writers.
*Several popular financial writers including [[Harry Browne]] and [[Howard J. Ruff]]. Browne would later run for President, twice, on the Libertarian Party ticket. Ruff declared his political philosophy as libertarian but as a socially conservative [[Mormon]] made an exception on issues like abortion and prostitution, where he disagreed with the libertarian view.
*[[Penn and Teller]], stage magicians turned libertarian evangelicals preaching [[atheism]] and promoting libertarian philosophies, including controversial positions such as legalization of prostitution and drugs in their Showtime series, which sports a name that cannot for reasons of good taste be expressed here.
*The Canadian rock band [[Rush]], which has been together since 1968, often explores libertarian themes in their lyrics, like in "Free Will", "Tom Sawyer" and "Something for Nothing". Drummer and Lyricist [[Neal Peart]] claims to be a "left leaning libertarian" <ref>[http://www.theadvocates.org/celebrities/neil-peart.html]</ref>, and is hesitant to call Rush a "Republican rock band" <ref>[Peart, Neil (October 25, 2006). Roadshow: Landscape With Drums: A Concert Tour by Motorcycle.]</ref>.
*Humorist Dave Barry, actor/comedian Drew Carey, actor Denis Leary, former MTV VJ Lisa "Kennedy" Montgomery, actor Kurt Russell, investigative reporter [[John Stossel]], and the late rocker Frank Zappa have all referred to themselves as being aligned with or openly supporting the Libertarian Party.
*Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of [[South Park]], proclaimed that they are libertarians. While South Park often offend conservative positions like religion, are vulgar, and support evolution they also make fun of liberals positions such as political correctness and environmentalism. <ref>[http://www.reason.com/news/show/116787.html] Parker and Stone, Reason Magazine</ref>. The phrases "South Park Conservative" (the name of a book) and "South Park Republican" are used to describe the followers of these beliefs.
*[[Ed Clark]], the Libertarian Party's 1980 nominee for President. Clark obtained the highest popular vote percentage to date for a Libertarian candidate.

== External links ==
* [http://www.faqs.org/faqs/libertarian/faq/ Libertarian FAQ]
* [http://dmoz.org/Society/Politics/Liberalism/Libertarianism/ Open Directory libertarian links ]
* [http://chelm.freeyellow.com/black_index.html Black Libertarians]
* [http://libertarianwiki.org/Main_Page Libertarian Wiki]
* [http://www.l4l.org/ Libertarians for Life]
* [http://www.independent.org/ The Independent Institute]
* [http://www.mises.org/ Ludwig von Mises Institute]
* [http://www.fee.org/ Foundation for Economic Education]

== See also ==
* [[Herbert Spencer]]
* [[Democratic Freedom Caucus]]
* [[Republican Liberty Caucus]]
==Further reading==
* Boaz, David. '' The Libertarian Reader: Classic and Contemporary Writings from Lao Tzu to Milton Friedman'' (1998) [http://www.amazon.com/Libertarian-Reader-Contemporary-Writings-Friedman/dp/0684847671/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1223323253&sr=8-18 excerpt and text search]
* Doherty, Brian. ''Radicals for Capitalism: A Freewheeling History of the Modern American Libertarian Movement'' (2008)
* Hamowy, Ronald, ed. ''The Encyclopedia of Libertarianism'' (Sage, 2008), 644pp, sponsored by the Cato Institute; [http://www.sage-ereference.com/PublicBrowse.html Online at some academic libraries]
* Murray, Charles. ''What It Means to Be a Libertarian'' (1997) [http://www.amazon.com/What-Means-Libertarian-Charles-Murray/dp/0767900391/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1223322878&sr=8-16 excerpt and text search]
* Tilman, Rick. ''Ideology and Utopia in the Social Philosophy of the Libertarian Economists'' (2001) [http://www.amazon.com/Philosophy-Libertarian-Economists-Contributions-Economics/dp/0313315582/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1223322878&sr=8-5 excerpt and text search]

== References ==
<references/>
[[Category:Libertarianism]]
[[category:Tax Revolts]]