To be a Conservative or a Libertarian, That is the Question.

Since the inception of the United States, the political divide has been defined by the desire of each political faction to uphold the founding principals of this country, namely, the pursuit of Liberty and Justice for all...

(And yes, I truly feel - that as demented as it may be - that holds true to all liberal factions. Again this is because the way I feel about being American, I.E. that no matter how apparently demented an Americans political views are, they are nevertheless in the pursuit of Liberty and Justice for all people)  

With that said, I would like to discuss how Libertarians and Conservatives - two groups who claim to be the guardians of Liberty and Justice (as has been brought into the spotlight of this blog by our dear contributor AVO) - are increasingly difficult to distinguish 

The way I see it, this is mainly due to both politically fused groups claiming, in the loudest way possible I might add, to be advocates of individual liberty, limited government, and free markets... Naturally, the result is one where on many occasions libertarians and conservatives find themselves coming to similar, in not downright unanimous, conclusions about public policy - and in order to get things done, on both a state and federal level is a good thing.

Yet as much as I am all for peace and love, it must be stated that the differences between the two political philosophies are at least as significant as the similarities- if not more so. This is simply because, that on matters such as national security and foreign policy, immigration, drugs, marriage, and the role of religion and morality in public policy, libertarians and conservatives clash with one another - and more often then not, I know which side of the divide I find myself on. 

This is simply because that I, as a conservative, take into account the human condition to seek social structures in order to maximize freedom. It is in this point that I differ from true libertarians, as they solely focus on autonomous individual decision-making - in simple terms, if they had their way it would be each man for himself, with a certain set of agreed upon limits in order to avoid anarchy.

My viewpoint is mainly based on the fact that I live - and believe in - a Halachic lifestyle. 

For those of you who do not know, a halachic lifestyle is one which is dictated by the Jewish halachic tradition which dates back over 3,300 years ago. 

In any event, being what I am, I naturally bind myself to the principals which drive the faith in the Torah and it's laws. Not coincidentally, one of the underlying tenets of our Halachic society is one where the Torah and it's laws are there in place to construct a "social structure". That is a set of rules, boundaries and social norms which protects the well being of the greater society, in scripture and its commentaries this is refereed to Achvat Hamdinot. 

In other words, as a Halachic Jew I believe that while a modern government is not in the business of saving souls or inculcating virtue - especially one which was established to separate church from state - It must nevertheless sustain the basic moral framework, for without such a framework such a society will collapse.

Due this mindset, I find that the list of areas where I am in disagreement with Libertarians can be rather long - and I will spare the readers. 

In any event, from drug legalization to illegal immigration, it's not hard to see which side of the debate a true Halachic Jew will side...

It is precisely because of the pursuit of Liberty and Justice for all, that we require social structures, structures which have the power to enforce such a reality - for those who truly desire to enjoy one.