[GeronL]

Right on the money

[cvq3842]

I have never met a “socially liberal but fiscally conservative” person. One reason is because often social liberalism leaves many people at the mercy of big government for their care.

Then again, if I meet such a person, and they tell me they favor abolishing Social Security, Medicare, medicaid, etc., maybe I'll believe him.

Just my opinion.

[ClearCase_guy]

Nailed it.

[Captain Kirk]

The only conservatives who reject “national defense” are those who want to use the Pentagon to police the world, spread democracy, and engage in nation building. All of these goals only serve to undermine national defense.

[MEGoody]

I don't know - maybe it's all about defining what social conservative/fiscal conservative means, but I don't agree with the premise of this article. I am both socially and fiscally conservative. However, I can certainly see where someone could be socially liberal (i.e. the government needs to stay out of my business, stay out of the managing marriage business, etc) and fiscally conservative (if the government stays out of my business, they don't need so much money.)

I don't agree that social liberalism is a good thing though. Most of the things social conservatives stand for are much better for our society as a whole than the junk fiscal liberals think will be helpful. In both cases, one could argue that government is too "big".

[LizardQueen]

>>it is important to understand something about socially liberal “conservatives”. They don’t exist. Period.

Not sure I agree with this, or it may just be a conflict in the terminology. I’ve met plenty of very fiscally conservative folks who also think that it’s none of the governments business who they sleep with, contract with (marriage), or what they eat, smoke, drink etc.

But they usually refer to themselves as libertarians, not conservatives, and that is probably a more accurate term.

They also believe that if someone has the freedom to screw up they also have to suffer the consequences of their actions (ie. no coddling from society).

Most of them I met through my local Tea Party.

LQ

[Yankee]

I used to work with a guy that professed that he was “socially liberal but fiscally conservative”.

Frankly, he was nothing but a liberal cheapskate. He wanted all the big government goodies, but he wanted someone else taxed to pay for them.

[dforest]

This is true, so this must mean real conservatives are going to get tossed under the bus.