What do you think about fiscal conservatives who are also social conservatives?

Welcome to Ask a Libertarian with Reason's Nick Gillespie and Matt Welch. They are the authors of the new book The Declaration of Independents: How Libertarian Politics Can Fix What's Wrong With America.

Go to http://declaration2011.com to purchase, read reviews, find event dates, and more.

On June 15, 2011 Gillespie and Welch used short, rapid-fire videos to answer dozens of reader questions submitted via email, Twitter, Facebook, and Reason.com. In this episode, they answer the question:

"What do you think about fiscal conservatives who are also social conservatives?" (p.s. It is not an oxymoron.)

This is number 3 in the series. For the complete series, go to http://reason.com/archives/2011/06/10/ask-a-libertarian and Reason.tv's YouTube Channel at http://youtubecom/reasontv

Produced by Meredith Bragg, Jim Epstein, Josh Swain, with help from Kyle Blaine and Jack Gillespie.

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[XCritonX]

I am socially and fiscally very conservative. However I hate government social manipulation because:

1) Any government big enough to impose my social views on others is big enough to impose other peoples social views on me.

2) Since I sincerely believe that my social views are are the best ones to create a happy life for me and my family, I don't see a need for government to enforce them, nature will reward the best choices.

[Jingles2423x]

I like Ron Paul's view of social conservatism. He is a social conservative, but he recognizes you can for your beliefs/morality on others by force/legislation. You can be a social conservative yet you can also reject the drug war, allow for same-sex marriage, etc...

[XCritonX]

@SanguineBullet667 Why the heck would I want the government telling what I could buy and when? I am a free market supporter. Blue laws breach the 1st amendment because they are government enforced religious edicts. They are also stupid, I can still drink whiskey on Sunday even if I cant buy it. I just buy it on Friday. It only stops procrastinators for drinking on Sundays.

[SanguineBullet667]

@XCritonX So you advocate for the disbandment of blue laws?

[XCritonX]

@SanguineBullet667 You are wrong. I am all for private social pressures to control social and society values. What I do not want is the government to be involved in social engineering, leave it to us free minds to work out by ourselves.

In fact I believe in government deregulation of marriage. Get government out of marriage, it is a religious institution, not a secular one.

[SanguineBullet667]

@XCritonX that's why it's called 'social' conservatism. it's not just about you but all of society.

[SanguineBullet667]

@XCritonX but being a social conservative means that you advocate for government programs to force that view point onto others (marriage, blue laws, etc) whether you intent to or not.

[ninjaboynaru]

@XCritonX We are living in a Socialist America, not a Capitalist America. Government regulating food, businesses, education, insurance, technology, aquaculture, internet, industry and anything else you can think of. 9% of Americans on welfare and 91% of illegal immigrants on welfare. Ridiculously high taxes on the rich and middle class. Wake up and lets take action (peaceful action) .

Message me if any one has any ideas.

Alone I am weak but together we are strong.

[ninjaboynaru]

@Itugen88 We are living in a Socialist America, not a Capitalist America. Government regulating food, businesses, education, insurance, technology, aquaculture, internet, industry and anything else you can think of. 9% of Americans on welfare and 91% of illegal immigrants on welfare. Ridiculously high taxes on the rich and middle class. Wake up and lets take action (peaceful action) . Join Patriots Reborn.

Joint the Patriots Reborn

Alone I am weak but together we are strong

Message me to join

[Yanirakarola]

I love how modern day "Libertarians" like to debate Republicans who say "Libertarianism isn't practical" and yet when real Libertarians (or "Anarcho Capitalists") bring up actual philosophy, modern day "Libertarians" say "Well, that's not practical".

[Itugen88]

Agree with several users on here and Ron Paul - I am a Christian libertarian, where I have my views on what is moral and what is not, BUT, as long as another person's liberty is not damaged, I don't think the government has any business telling people they can't use medical marijuana or have gay marriage. I am still pro-life with abortion however, due to the loss of liberty for the unborn child (who is not a part of the mother's body).