Thread:AllianceScoutAiothai/@comment-24660155-20190615045022

It has been brought up on multiple occasions on the Wiki that I list both Libertarian former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson and Democratic-Socialist Senator Bernie Sanders as two of my favorite politicians among several other Libertarians and Dem-Socs alike. While I understand these comments are intended as playful jabs at my beliefs, and while I am far from offended, I feel that there is no better time than now to explain my views.

The most common critique of my positions is that Gary is commonly viewed as a die-hard capitalist, while Bernie is of course a self-described socialist. This is not however, entirely accurate to me. While Gary does take a much more free-market stance than Bernie, he is still quite anti-corporate. A few years ago, he expressed openness to repealing the SCOTUS' 2010 ruling on Citizen's United.[1] Gary also opposes the right of prison guard unions to lobby Congress against legalizing soft drugs, something on which most Republicans and capitalists would firmly disagree with him.[2]  While Gary and Bernie's major divergence comes in economics, Gary himself has said that him and Bernie line up about 73%,[3] and while I lean more towards Bernie's economic plan, Gary's is still respectable in my view.

With Gary and Bernie's major differences aside, let's look at their similarities. Both take vocal positions against establishment politics, both stand vehemently against American imperialism, both support drug legalization, both are pro-choice, both support extremely loosened immigration, and both oppose government surveillance. Even on the issue of gun control, Gary is willing to make reasonable compromises, which encapsulates my views on guns as well. [4]  While political compasses often list Gary as being libertarian-right, I personally consider him much more left-leaning. Gary has even critiqued MSM for giving attention only to "libertarian/conservatives".[5In both elections, progressive hero Jesse Ventura endorsed Gary, and this to me is evident of Gary's progressive streak.

As for how I can be a libertarian-socialist, ask the political tests. On both the political compass and the 8Values test, I was labeled a libertarian-socialist. This is  not  a term that I pulled out of thin air as some have suggested. Guess who else is placed firmly in the libertarian-socialist compass by most tests? Bernie, AOC, and a slew of others many derive as "liberals". My take on libertarianism is that one should be free to do whatever they like UP UNTIL they're hurting another. I believe in banning bumpstocks because citizens don't need them to defend themselves and can only use them to hurt others, I oppose homeschooling because I've personally witnessed kids coming out of homeschool families barely literate, I support the death penalty because rapists and murderers must be exemplified for their crimes against humanity. If you want to smoke weed, more power to ya, if you want to own a handgun or even an assault rifle, more power to ya, if you want to get lit every weekend, more power to ya. My opposition to individualism comes when you use your indiviudalism to hurt others. The platform of most Libertarians regardless of leaning reflects this idea.[6]

Libertarianism's history reflects leftist policy.[7] If you ask me, these right-wing types like Ron and Rand Paul have bastardized the idea of libertarianism. Libertarianism at its heart is a populist ideology, and nativist and homophobic policies couldn't possibly contradict this fact any more.

Dios te bendiga

AllianceScoutAiothai (talk) 04:50, June 15, 2019 (UTC)

 