United We Must Stand

It seems to me that the steady decline of conservatism presents an opportunity for the Libertarian and Conservative movements to unite – if the Libertarians will agree to judiciously advance their agenda within the existing political and cultural framework. If they wish to be taken seriously, Libertarians must recognize that frenzied podium pounding and the organization of unsanctioned political caucuses are largely ineffective. It is fruitless to willfully ignore the existing political machine – or try to shout it down. The Liberty we seek will not be achieved through mindless anarchy. Revolution must be rooted in reasoned reform and must manifest through the public dissemination of information and the existing electoral process. We must persuade through the intelligent presentation of ideas.

Along these lines, Libertarians must also decide to respect reasonable, traditional socio-political norms and disavow the fringe groups who seem more concerned with their freedom to publicly drink, carouse, use drugs, and advertise their sexuality than with preserving and protecting the basic liberties granted by our Constitution. Every individual has the right to “Party On” if they wish, but those who truly seek to promote a civil agenda for the common good must carry themselves with dignity if they expect to be taken seriously. Good manners and courtesy are part of a civilized debate, and only by behaving well and honorably in public forums can we appeal to the Conscience of the nation.

The Libertarian values of Justice and Liberty are the highest political objectives we can seek. Too much government intervention — whether economic, cultural, or social – stifles freedom and corrupts justice. It must be opposed at every turn. Libertarians and Conservatives must unite and march in the direction of the Old Right which opposed the New Deal and favored political decentralization. We must resist increasing infringements on our daily lives. We must abhor the moralizing busybodies in D.C., adhere to Principle, and resist the tempatation to let minor differences divide and conquer us. It is essential that we come together and convince our fellow citizens that we should not rely on The State to do for us what we can and should do for ourselves. We must persuade our neighbors that our dependence upon the nebulous Government to solve all our problems is a losing (and very expensive) game.

In addition, atheist and anti-religious Libertarians must make peace with people of faith. To scoff and snicker at Judeo-Christian thought and the classical-liberal Greek intellectual traditions upon which this nation was built is foolish. What do these anti-God ranters think will replace a deep respect for the dignity of Man, the Golden Rule, and the Scales of Justice in the hearts and minds of men? The only viable political replacement for the deeply imbedded moral Code to which the faithful willingly adhere is either (1) a socialist State that sloppily engages in privileging or de-privileging its citizens through subjective lawmaking and then lulls them into calling it justice and fairness, or (2) a dictator or despot who arbitrarily rules through raw force. These are the very things Libertarians seek to avoid, diminish, or abolish so let us be sensible and realize that the values of Judeo-Christianity have more in common with the core values of Libertarianism than not. Both are rooted in a belief in the right of men to live and die Free and in an adherence to individual responsibility for one's Fate.

Stand by for a post on how Libertarians and Conservatives must find common ground on the War on Terror, the Patriot Act, policing and surveillance, immigration and border control, and preserving and protecting our political and economic interests around the globe.