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I'm glad to see you're at the front lines, protecting our right to bear arms. As they have often said, if they takes our guns away, what will we use to shoot the Liberals with?

The point of my question is simply to point out that Libertarians do not hold the Papacy on the holy scriptures we know as the Constitution, as is always implicit to me in their criticism of people like myself (a conservative Republican). They hold rights as most valuable (as is their freedom to do so), not the Constitution. In other words, a Libertarian would treat the Constitution in much the same way as the Democrats if, say, a super-majority of citizens and elected officials amended it in such a way that displeased Libertarians.

So the Constitution is not sacrosanct to Libertarians, but certain inalienable rights are. This question is important to me because it proves that Republicans who are not completely Libertarian have just as much respect for the Constitution as Libertarians, despite what some have said.

I for one am tired of being told that I have less understanding of the Constitution or our forefathers' intentions, or less respect for such because I do not adhere to Libertarian views ad hominum. It is not the document or the intentions of it that Libertarians give primacy, but certain inalienable rights as they deem appropriate. It is their right to have such a belief, as it is my right to believe that the Patriot Act is not unconstitutional.

Anyhow, I'm not trying to insult Libertarians; I'm just trying to point out that Republicans have just as much respect for the Constitution as they do. Sometimes you just disagree on certain things......

For the record, I am adamantly pro-gun and partially undecided on the drug legalization issue. I would say that I favor Republican policy on drugs right now, and Libertarian policy on guns. Just so you know where I stand as I ask the questions.

Thanks for your thoughts!!

Ahh, now I understand. I took your comment to be a misunderstanding of what Libertarians were about. And the "holy scriptures we know as the Constitution" is most decidedly not it. If that misconception is out there, then I'm glad to help dispel it.

FDR started a drift away from the Constitution that has continued until today there is very little correspondence between that document and the government that actually exists. Since the Constitution is more libertarian than the current government, reverence for the document (and for the rule of law) can be used in an attempt to move the government in a libertarian direction. This may explain the arguments you are getting.

I think respect for our Constitution overlaps the Libertarian and Republican parties. The conservative wings of both parties value it. On the Libertarian side, the anarcho-capitalists don't, very much. (I once brought up a Constitutional point, and one of them said, "So what, I didn't sign it.") And Republicans have the RINOs.

The rule of law is important, and should not be disregarded for trifling causes, but there are higher values. What if the People decided to amend the Constitution make legal the extermination of the Jews. Would you go along? Elevating that document to your HIGHEST value would be a mistake.