Libertarians get thrown into Other Idealogies?

OK, first post in a new forum, and I have to start it out with a gripe.

How come no forum for the LP???
You've got one for the Dems and Reps, but you lump all the 3rd parties into one? And we're made to look like fruit cakes by being an "Other"

The LP, the Greens, and the Constitution party are pretty far apart on ideologies, so why are we all put together?

It seems to me that there are a great many Libertarians at ATS. I believe there were at least a couple of current threads going.

Is the Libertarian Party the third largest on this board?

I don't mean to gripe either. It looks like you have done a magnificent job setting up the new boards. Thanks for all you do.

I'm sure it was in the interest of not cluttering the board with many different forums. It could turn into a "well they have a forum, so why can't we?" type of thing and that would get messy. Though I do think the Libertarian party (of which I am) seems to be the third largest, or atleast third most vocal, political group on the board, so maybe we could get our own section. I don't quite understand why socialists get their own section and not us, that seems kind of weird...

The only big gripe I guess I have is that the symbol for the "other" category is the anarchist's symbol. A lot of people see "anarchy" and think "crazy weirdos" so it kind of stinks that we get lumped into the crazy weirdo looking category, but oh well.

the republican and democratic parties are, by far, the largest in the nation. they are, for the most part, the main ones on the stage. they get a forum each because, for the time being, they are the two parties that will rule this country. im sure that if libertarianism on ATS turns out to be widespread enough, and the demand is great enough, that theyll make another.

They could annex the socialism forum and replace it with libertarianism since it is afterall the largest third party way beyond the socialist party...

Sure... I buy the Reps and Dems getting there's, but the Socialists???

All you socialists, stand up and raise your hand.




< chirp, chirp, chirp >

OK, now all you Libertarians, stand up and raise your hands.

How's about a little switcheroo? The socialst are really just dems anyway, so can the LP take over that one???

[edit on 12/2/2004 by phreak_of_nature]

Yes even though the Libertarian population doesn't make up a huge part of the United States...they do make up a large part of ATS...you guys are everywhere on here lol.

I was surprised to see there wasn't a section for you all...



[edit on 12/2/2004 by Lecky]

yeah, i do agree its odd to have one for socialists and not libertarians. ill give ya that one. i think the moderate is a good call, though.

Oh yeah, the moderates should get there own place. I'm just baffled that socialist, you have a non showing on ATS get there own forum, and the LP get's lumped in with the anarchists.

Id like to see a LP forum as well.

I give my support to this also. I was shocked to see a Socialist forum on the board but not a Libertarian one. I have seen very few Socialists here, but many many more Libertarians. The only conclusion I could come up with is SO is a socialist

[edit on 2-12-2004 by Hogwolf]

Well taking in consideration that is two main parties I guess the rest out there are third class.

Well I hope libertarians become a force in the future.

Originally posted by marg6043
Well taking in consideration that is two main parties I guess the rest out there are third class.

Well I hope libertarians become a force in the future.

I probably wouldn't even be complaining if they called it "3rd Party" but it's "Other"! Other!

Ah c'mon now?

Originally posted by phreak_of_nature
I probably wouldn't even be complaining if they called it "3rd Party" but it's "Other"! Other!

Ah c'mon now?

Hey, here's an idea. How about "Miscellaneous"?

Originally posted by phreak_of_nature
Oh yeah, the moderates should get there own place. I'm just baffled that socialist, you have a non showing on ATS get there own forum, and the LP get's lumped in with the anarchists.

As of now, there are no "Party" topics. It's ideology.

Slug-Fest
State your case, defened your position, stand up for your ideological stance. Debate forum for political ideologies.

Conservative
Review and discuss the platform of conservative-leaning parties and politicians.

Liberal
Review and discuss the platform of liberal-leaning parties and politicians.

Socialist
Review and discuss the platform of socialist-leaning parties and politicians.

Moderate
Review and discuss the platform of neutral-leaning parties and politicians.

General Ideological Topics
Discuss the merits of liberal, conservative, libertarian, etc. political ideologies and politicians.

Other Ideologies
Review and discuss the platforms of other positions such as anarchy, green party, etc.

Liberal is not just for "Democrats" and Conservative is definitely not just for Republicans. And unless I'm sorely misinformed a Libertarian could make use of either "Liberal" or "Conservative" forums for any number of issues. Regarding "Socialism" we're not all Americans on this forum ya know, and some enlightenment on socialism issues would be helpful in my opinion since so many Americans are convinced the other half of America are actually Socialists.

As for (small "l") libertarianism being lumped in with Anarchy... it probably should be as libertarianism is actually a form of MinArchy. Wait. It's not anymore, it's part of "General" with liberal and conservative. See it's ideology based, not party.

Things may evolve from here but we're on the right track. Don't just think of things in the ususal sense of labels. The effort is a bit more scholarly than Dems versus Republicans (and Libertarians too).

[edit on 2-12-2004 by RANT]

i want a comunist one!!!
up the comunism!
na but seriosly liberals rock.

OK I have been here a couple years now and this is my first gripe

Where is the Libertarian forum?

Rant you said we could post on both liberal and Conservative but in truth both forums will be politicized and we are neither. We don't fit into either forum, we don't push "family values" so how can we be conservative? we don't push for government programs so how can we be Liberal?

With the amount of Libertarians on this board we should have our own forum

I am done bitchin now

So we're an ideology without a home
Guess we'll just have to stick to picking people off in the issues forums.

Originally posted by phreak_of_nature
So we're an ideology without a home

I am going to see if I can change that

Originally posted by Amuk

Originally posted by phreak_of_nature
So we're an ideology without a home

I am going to see if I can change that

Aren't you guys politicizing just a little? No offense at all, and more than likely we'll get a "libertarianism" forum if people want one, but you can't find an ideological home in somewhere in...

Conservative, Liberal, Socialist, Moderate, General Ideological Topics or Other Ideologies?

Again, it's not like there are Democrat of Republican forums. I guess I just don't understand the desire to be labeled and stuck in a pigeon hole.

Am I misunderstanding here? Do you want a Libertarian forum for the politcal party? Or just the example of libertarianism added to "other" or Socialist replaced with Libertarian maybe and it moved to Other? All fine ideas mind you, I'd just personally resist the creation of "Party" forums.

And you know if we give those "special rights" to the LP...

So hopefully something for libertarianism, not Libertarians (if the nuance makes sense). I'll stay out of it, but that's my impression. I'm trying to figure the new stuff out same as everyone else.