this post was submitted on 28 Jun 2023
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Asklemmy

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I'm just curious for the new or existing people? Lemmy.ml has taken a hard turn to the right since the reddit exodus. There's been a lot of pro-imperialist propaganda being posted on world news, and a lot less diversity of opinion. It feels more neoliberal and neo-con to me.

Does anyone want to share what their political leanings are?

I'll start; I'm anti-imperialist pro-state regulated capitalism. I believe we should have usage based taxes (toll roads, carbon tax) and luxury taxes, and I disagree with wealth taxes for people with less than $250 million. The state should spend more money on consumer protection in all industries (environment, health, finance, etc.) I believe in multipolarity vs. US hegemony.

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[โ€“] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago (3 children)

I am libertarian.

Less government. Less rules. Less restrictions.

I don't give a rats ass if you want to smoke pot, get abortions. etc. I support individual rights and freedoms.

[โ€“] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

What's your opinion on regulations for companies?

[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I don't follow the 100% libertarian approach, which basically says, companies can do whatever the hell they want. (And, consumers vote with their pockets.. etc....)

If- that is what you were hinting at.

[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yeah that, it's the one libertarian standpoint that I really disagree with so I was just curious

[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Another, of the viewpoints I don't agree with-

Pure libertarianism- means no federal government at all. No military. If people wanted a military, they would pay a company for it, etc.

I also don't agree with that.

I retain my ability for self-thinking, and also, conclude none of the popular ideologies are perfect. They all have faults.

[โ€“] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I view freedom more about living without fear rather than doing what you want, which often leads down the don't give a rats ass as long as you aren't terrifying others over it.

Maybe someday libertarians will increase in the upcoming decades ๐Ÿ™‚

[โ€“] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

That would be nice.

BUT... everyone is all too busy picking sides (between the left, and the right, ie, liberal / conservative)... despite both sides eroding away freedoms, and blaming the other side for all of their problems.

[โ€“] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I appreciate your point of view, where you didn't do the common thing of strawmanning the left, especially on gun rights, in an effort to put yourself "in the middle".

I believe in all those things you do (for a certain definition of "less government"), as well as gun ownership, but I consider myself a Marxist. There's something really admirable about "old-school libertarians".

I think things like Right to Repair and Net Neutrality are the line between Libertarians who are good at heart, and the nut jobs. To an Anarcho-Capitalist, a company has the right to license their products under whatever conditions they want; an ISP can give preferential bandwidth to big companies. But a real Libertarian believes that not even companies and contracts can limit a person's freedoms.

[โ€“] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

strawmanning the left, especially on gun rights

When you look at it from an external point of view- neither side is actually helping the gun rights segment.

Both repubs and democrats are slowly whittling away rights and freedoms, including gun rights.

[โ€“] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I agree completely. Reagan passed the first gun control legislation in American history, after the Black Panthers armed themselves in California.

The status quo of gun control being a local issue benefits Reactionaries. Communities of color (and other left-leaning urban communities) elect Democrat governments who limit firearms. Republican communities elect Republicans who do not. The end result is effectively minorities and liberals voting to disarm themselves while Republicans do not face the same restrictions.