What is a "True" Liberal?

Bushman said:

By its definition, a 'liberal' must be interested in the pursuit and preservation of liberty. In my view, a true Liberal party would thus be:
1. secular;
2. republicans;
3. equal parts environmentalists and capitalists;
3. interested in free market economics;
4. strong defenders of civil liberties and the rights of its citizens;
5. necessarily interested in small governments mainly interested in the provision of essential services, infrastructure and defence of sovereign rights;
6. authoritarian only in its capacity to protect private property and human rights;
7. focussed on taxation and resource policy as a means of building wealth for future generations; and
8. free of the influence of the unions or industries.

We would proudly shoulder our international responsibilities with regard to refugees, the United Nations and the Geneva Convention.

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1. I'd vote for you.
2. There's never been a time (in my life time, anyway) when people were so disillusioned by the crap on offer, and ready for something else.
3. This is the first time in a couple of thousand years where true democracy was actually viable (thanks to the IT revolution), where citizens could get involved directly in their own politics in real time, whenever they like. Just like folk moseying down to the forum of an old city-state...

Remember the constitutional convention? The **** was on prime time. People loved that stuff. People want something new. WTF are we doing, using political systems made for people on horses? WTF are we doing, voting for brand names?

Go start a party. Get Malcom in. Get the angry people, and the smart people, and tell the truth, and be ripped apart when you do, and then make that a virtue. Have some ****ing courage. Get people donating through paypal, and debating in forums, and talking about you in blogs. Get people twittering, and get a facebook page that says controversial stuff, and then when you get big enough, help people split off and set up another party, just as exciting, to carry on opposing views without hissy fits or insults.

Be the world's first adult politician.


...I'd help you - but I'm too busy grubbing for a bigger tv.

SmellyTerror said:

1. I'd vote for you.



...I'd help you - but I'm too busy grubbing for a bigger tv.

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That's the most honest & awesome thing I've read on ASF. Cheers smellyt. Hats Off.

Bushman said:

Vale to one of the true liberals. His stance on refugees has always been rock fast in the face of the populism and mindless bureacracy unleashed by Howard/Ruddock.

http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/po...-leaves-stage-with-a-swipe-20100603-x1qy.html

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Yep

I think they have learned nothing from being voted out the last time.

This thread is awesome.

Bushman, i'd also vote for you - and if you did set up such a party, can i use it as a platform in my electorate? We could do with a bit of reality down here.

I'm so sick of this sprawling penny-pinching bureaucracy that seems to just want to remove more and more of my freedoms.

Limited government all the way!! Let people actually be motivated to work, for a change. Stop taking so much tax, offering so-called "free" money, stop all this absurd counterproductive welfare, stop penalising the savers in favour of the debtors, free up the markets!

/soapbox

GumbyLearner said:

That's the most honest & awesome thing I've read on ASF. Cheers smellyt. Hats Off.

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Thanks. I am nothing if not self-critical. I mean, there's so much to be critical of...

One that would bite the bullet and vote shamelessly for Abbott