Something I want libertarians to consider.

[Creed of Heresy]

I've gone to several sites for definitions of libertarianism, and heard different accounts of libertarian philosophy, and the one thing I can gather for certain is that libertarianism is an extremely broad term. I thought socialism was something that could be broadly used but libertarianism is...wow.

The general idea is, as the image above shows, anarchy for the rich. At least in its modern iteration. Its history and its original ideas, motives, etc. are all quite interesting. However, in the US [the form of libertarianism I am railing against; I call it "pure-strain libertarianism" because that is precisely what a large number of the douchebags in the Tea Party tend to refer to it as...even though it's actually diluted and twisted as shit], the idea of libertarianism that is being espoused and pushed for is not what I would call true to libertarian roots.

I imagine if I sat every person who espouses libertarianism down, and asked them to describe in detail their stance on and position in the libertarian ideology, I would get a different answer for everyone with one single unifying, overarching conclusion; that it's about the liberty of the individual, hence its name. But to what extent, I would then ask, and what about positions X, Y, and Z? Ultimately, the ideas of putting libertarianism into practice are widely varied and each group keeps claiming different truths to it.

Now, Stue, I am not very familiar with the Australian government or its machinations, so I have no full clue as to how the different welfare systems there work, nor do I know quite what the comparable living expenses are like here as compared to there. BUT, that does not make my point invalid, as you seem to so think; what with college and university costing an arm, a leg, the head of your penis or tip of your clitoris, and three gallons of virgin blood, the idea of going to college and juggling both living expenses with taking classes and dealing with homework while most likely having to work some shitty, dead-end retail job is gonna scare the shit out of a lot of people. If the idea is to enable students getting advanced technical skills more efficiently, I don't really see

At least from an American POV, anyway. Figure we're getting taxed so much just for our military which we use far more for offensive purposes than defensive ones, we oughta be able to divert SOME of that money towards at least helping people in college, or get into it. But, that's neither here nor there...

If you have a different view of libertarianism than the one I am attacking, if I am indeed setting up a strawman here, I would ask others to please enlighten me as their own stances. They can be short, medium, or extremely long, and I will be quite happy to read whatever is posted in the name of making me understand.

[Creed of Heresy]

After careful consideration of a lot of matters recently, and greater in-depth study of actual libertarianism as opposed to "American libertarianism..." I realize I have been severely unkind to ACTUAL libertarians and completely misrepresenting their ideas and stances.

This is largely due to my own exposure to "American libertarians," who, honestly, are actually plutocratarians. Hence my railing against plutocracy itself more than actual libertarianism.

One thing that should've clued me in on this error was some of the points and stances our non-American libertarian members have demonstrated and espoused in the past.

I still do stand by my OWN stances and the reasons for them regarding economics and civics, but at the same time I also realize it was largely a non-sequitur towards libertarian ideology. My apologies.