www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall What stance do the Libertarians have on social issues

I am a libertarian. In a nutshell, the Libertarian position consistently states that the initiation of force is wrong.

As per free trade, I find it very hard to believe that you would like to slap high tariffs on those nice Russian, Greek, Bulgarian, Romanian etc. liturgical items that we have in our churches and that you can now buy over the internet. If somebody regardless of country of origin has a quality product and you have the green stuff that they want, and you both agree and government stays out of the way, that is free trade.

Ron Paul is an excellent candidate and seems to be picking up much steam. If you head over to http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=158537123 you will see videos of his positions. He is pro-life. He is worth looking into.

Ray

By what measures is he picking up steam?

He has alot of grassroots support and by young voters. Just here in the Carbon and Luzerne county areas of PA, I find his signs literally all over the place. I have never seen any for the other presidential candidates.

Ray

Also, if you head over to the friends list on his MySpace, you can get a feel for the supporters of Paul.
I fondly remember him on my radio program in 1994.

Ray

There are people on both sides, but most Libertarian Party presidential candidates have believed in legalized abortion. Pro-life libertarians, like Ron Paul (the '88 nominee and last pro-life nominee, possibly also the first), believe that life is the first and most important God-given right that government should protect.

Libertarians are absolutely opposed to gun control. Most oppose restricting the legal definition of marriage as a union between one man and one woman, and nearly all support the "right to die." They also believe in legalized pornography and prostitution.

Most of those I've met were primarily concerned with drug legalization, and the vast majority of them had a lifestyle involvement in it.

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Western Orthodoxy Blog [westernorthodox.blogspot.com]

- Ron Paul has no problem with "domestic partnerships" between homosexuals
- Ron Paul is in favor of the decriminalization and legalization of marijuana
- Ron Paul is in favor of the decriminalization and legalization of prostitution

from http://catholicsforronpaul.blogspot.com/

Ron Paul may have scattered support. If he wins the nomination, however, a few political advisers may end up eating their hats.

As one was and is involved in the Libertarian Party, and who has written position papers for candidates and on the state level, the question is, "Who should decide?" Do you decide or the government? As a Christian who may disapprove of the individual choice of another, I cannot use the force of government to make people moral. I am not here to force my way upon anyone, I must continue to be a godly example for others.

I don't want to turn this thread into a political one, but if you have any questions, you should contact the Ron Paul campaign. Keep in mind, Paul is running as a Republican; the Libertarian Party may nominate a candidate also, but IMHO it should concentrate on local races that are winable.

One of the problems that Ron Paul is the Christian Right and his stance on foreign aid. Dobson and Robertson all back Israel, Paul's stand is that all foreign aid should be cut, no exceptions.

If anyone has any questions, I would like to correspond with you privately. Again, I think that Ron Paul should be taken seriously by those interested in a constitutional republic.

Ray

Not holding my breath.

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Western Orthodoxy Blog [westernorthodox.blogspot.com]

somewhere there is a fine line between a theocratic Talibanesque police state favored by "Christian" Reconstructionists, with its watered down version bythe "Christian" Right, and a total Sodom and Gomorrah. I just don't really know what that is.
Much Love,
Jonn

St. Thomas Aquinas thought that it was prudent to keep prostitution legal. I have to say that I agree with him on this and on legalizing drugs. And I'm not necessarily against legalized "domestic partnerships," since I don't think that this is the same thing as marriage.

Joe