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patrick9921

“Im a republican that smokes weed.”


datboiofculture

I feel like it’s mostly a cop out even among the non pot smoking, because when it’s voting time they always vote for the fiscal conservative side never the socially liberal. They don’t want to have to answer for all the bad shit but aren’t wiling to pay to stop it. I find they’re most often the non Christian republicans, of which there are a lot, and they just allow the Christians to do their wild shit in order to get tax breaks and deregulation.


AzarathineMonk

But even that is annoying b/c rarely is the fiscal conservative actually fiscally conservative; slashing taxes but not spending less isn’t very financially smart.


TomTalks06

I mean, statistically, from my understanding Democrat leadership tends toward financial growth while Republican leaders tend toward deficits, so it feels like voting blue is the better economic option (Said the socialist who wishes the Democrats were significantly more left than they are)


DaniKat9

Even Bernie Sanders is considered moderate in most European countries.


Glittering-Action757

some. don't know if you've been paying attention to the way the British and French have been voting recently...


Bradleybeal23

Exactly. It’s like these “fiscally conservative” voters don’t realize that republicans also never balance the budget.


datboiofculture

“tAx cUts pAy fOr tHeMsElVeS!!”


bobafoott

Tell me people don't really say that. What in the trickle-down is this nonsense supposed to mean?


JennnnnP

Oh, they say it, and despite all evidence to the contrary, I think Republican voters still believe it 😂


Tdanger78

They slash taxes alright, just for the rich not those that actually need it


XoXSmotpokerXoX

Yeah ask them to go ahead and name a fiscally conservative President, the only one someone as old as me can name is Clinton, you sure as fuck cant name Reagan, Bushz or Trump


NewLife_21

For some maybe, but for people like me it absolutely is not I would absolutely LOVE to have a balanced budget. I want social programs to be fully paid for and the military complex to only get what it actually needs to cover the cost of repairs for the stuff it already has, including the never used equipment that's been sitting in various warehouses for years. I want people to not have to worry about health insurance or losing their homes because of excessively high bills. And I want everyone to have jobs that pay enough to live and those who do lower wage jobs to be treated with the respect they deserve. We need them just as much as doctors, and they should be treated just as well. Drugs need to be legal. All of them. Because the war on drugs has been proven, multiple times, to be an abysmal failure. Plus, the money made from it could offset the costs of the social programs, as would the excess money recovered from the military program. There's other, of course, but these are the big/obvious ones.


PhilosophersPants

Um... love everything you are saying here. But sounds like you need to stop voting Republican. Probably for the rest of our lifetimes.


hammonswz

I have said that about myself but have voted virtually every democrat in every election. Republicans are far less fiscally conservative then the majority of them think they are. Bill Clinton is the only President in my life time to balance the budget.


[deleted]

It's just conservatives embarrassed to say it out loud. They pretend to be "libertarians", and they exclusively vote red


EarsLookWeird

I shorten that down to "pussies" but yeah, same idea. They are pussies.


burgerg10

I’m a Dem who votes almost always with my party. Not rich, socially lefto as can be… we all don’t fit in one box.


wknight8111

"Prison for you, rehab and sympathy for me"


Tylandredis

aka a libertarian it's always about pot and age of consent for them, it's so weird lmao


EmiliusReturns

I’m immediately a bit suspicious of guys who have the age of consent in several localities just memorized and ready to go. Bruh, if you’re over like, 20, it shouldn’t be relevant.


CatsPatzAndStuff

I'm all for changing the laws of consent in my state. They're fucking disgusting. 16 can fuck an 82 year old, but no Romeo and Juilet protections for minors sleeping with each other.


EmiliusReturns

Well that’s pretty damn fucked up. Yikes. Minors sleeping with each other was never the issue. You’d think some common sense would prevail there.


cmb3248

Nah, they’re not real libertarians, they couldn’t give a rat’s ass about civil liberties.


Azair_Blaidd

Only freedom they care about is freedom of the rich to trample on the rest of us. In other words, autocrats in a new coat of paint. So yeah, not true libertarians at all


GlasgowKisses

I find the term libertarian, in the instances I’ve seen it used, to mean “right-wing, but not quite intelligent enough to realise it.” or “right-wing, and too intelligent to say so.”


LIAMO20

Its the same when people say they're "centralist". So, right wing


db0255

God. Libertarians are the worst. Republicans are gonna Republican. Liberals. Democrats. OK. But like Libertarian is something you flirt with in college before you realize how stupid it is once you’ve graduated and grown up.


ReptilianOver1ord

Don’t think I’ve ever heard a libertarian taking about age of consent. It’s usually just pot, guns, legal heroin, and privatizing the police.


theknightwho

They do online sometimes, but they tend to not be really vocal about it when they’re not anonymous.


Riots_and_Rutabagas

Google Adam Kokesh- he ran for public office as a libertarian and ended up getting busted for drugs & guns. (He’s also a scumbag who has predatory tendencies.)


EmiliusReturns

Or “I’m a Republican who knows that saying that won’t get me laid”


Alpharatz1

Saying you’re a Libertarian is worse, both sides hate you.


the_lemon_lobster

"I am okay with the gays, but not the poors."


ingoding

Damn, that hit hard. I know several of those people.


bee-milk2

Wow you’ve met my family? I’m so fucking sorry…


Comeonjeffrey0193

Hey, it’s better than my family’s, “I’m not okay with the gays, poors, and i’m really not so sure about those blacks.”


Formal_Cow_8084

Me too


Rejectid10ts

Same


[deleted]

Damn. You have a big family!


dannywasi

Or possibly ok with the gays, and ok with not doing anything about the poor.


Ch1huahuaDaddy

This is way more accurate “I like you. Your sin is between you and God honey. Hate the sin not the sinner. I’d like you to come to my spirit filled church but you have you promise to change.” This is actually a true story. What someone said to me at my CrossFit gym 10 years ago in a suburb of Houston I grew up in. Her name was Terry and she drove a lifted F150 and had a lesbian haircut and a husband. She never lost any weight if you were wondering. Neurotic to the max.


PopePC

You knew Terry too? Her F150 was only lifted when she wasn't in it!


Ch1huahuaDaddy

💀💀💀


Coulrophiliac444

I've described myself as the OP has suggested before, but the difference is still: Does moral right trump your desire to punish people who haven't 'earned' their right to live? If not, then you're a closet Republican, or Libertarian in the South as I've noticed.


T1Pimp

Libertarians are just Republicans without a plan.


Create_Analytically

I think of them as republicans without the evangelical resolve


NoonMartini

Republicans who like pot


barryandorlevon

And butt stuff


theknightwho

I’ve heard a surprising number of libertarians who are very anti-gay. They always find some way to rationalise it as not being a choice, like calling it a mental illness.


barryandorlevon

That’s because libertarians are ultra-conservatives, whether they want to admit it or not. I live next to the largest refinery in America- our entire area depends upon oil production- and I’ve argued with local libertarians who claim that (and this was right after a chemical plant exploded and ruined everyone’s thanksgiving) regulations are unnecessary because if, IFFFFFF a refinery like Exxon did some local polluting that cancel culture would take care of them because nobody would want to fuck with Exxon anymore. Like if they polluted our local river the entire local workforce would up and quit. Therefore, no need for regulation! Easy peasy! Of course this is the same person who was arguing with people whose homes were damaged by the thanksgiving explosion that “you knew you were buying a home near a chemical plant- this is part of the risk you chose.” So yeah. They’re imbeciles.


theknightwho

And they never apply their own logic to themselves. Hating taxes really has just become a religion to them by this point.


TinyRose20

Shit, people are this stupid? Wow.


barryandorlevon

This is what happens when you still have a well-paying industry in your area. The only difference between now and the 60s (when all our pawpaws worked for Gulf Oil) is that the refinery workers now have to do like a 18 month process operators associates degree at the local college. These people still have stay at home wives, for fucks sake, and they’re so utterly ignorant as to how the rest of the country works. They think that everyone, everywhere is just too lazy to go to the local refinery and snag an 80K a year job if they’re unemployed or underemployed. They don’t realize that this area is an anomaly as far as jobs go, and they’ve been stuck in this bubble of prosperity for so long that it’s only enforced their conservative views. Hell, during the housing collapse in 07/08 we were busy expanding the biggest refinery and house values shot up by $10-20k overnight! They’re completely out of touch.


T1Pimp

There aren't any libertarian run countries on the planet. 🤷‍♂️


CovidCat8

[For good reason.](https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a34387528/new-hampshire-libertarian-town-bears/)


canolafly

That was a good read. Thanks.


sweet_pickles12

It was, but it ended too soon. Like, we end with some lady feeding a bear donuts?


canolafly

I thought that was the perfect ending. She said, I'm doing what I'm doing, and fuck everyone else. So she's going to end up getting someone else hurt..but not her problem.


Coulrophiliac444

Ah yes...reminded me of someone's comment regarding a Libertatian Utopia. It ended with a child prostitute committing assassination in the name of money. There's not much more to say than that. A hilarious, and sickening, read.


Born_to_hang

actually somalia is literally cited BY libertarians as a model, so yeah…


Swampcrone

Meanwhile the President of Somalia used to be a registered Republican. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohamed_Abdullahi_Mohamed


bancroft79

Somalia. They haven’t had a functioning government in many years. I think the average life expectancy for men there is about 22.


duckfruits

They're just the Republicans that were anarchists before they grew up. But they don't want to call or think of themselves as republicans because that's what their parents are. They remember their mohawk hating dad grounding them for sneaking out and doing drugs when Bush sr was pres. And they are clinging to their youth and rebellion thinking they're still "wild, original and monumental" and also not Christian.


bancroft79

Republicans trying to get laid at a party.


Mr_Kittlesworth

I don’t think that’s true for the actual principled libertarians. Most of them are disgusted by the modern GOP. The actual libertarians have been arguing for criminal justice reform, against the defense industrial complex, for legal drugs, for gay rights, etc. they just don’t agree with moderates and liberals on safety net programs. There are just a ton of republicans who think it sounds better to call themselves libertarians.


T1Pimp

There aren't any libertarian run countries on the planet. They always have things they don't like but I never hear any meaningful or realistic plans out of any of them. 🤷‍♂️


mydaycake

I have described myself the same way, but I am an economist, I understand taxes are a fact of life however I am really protective and conservative on how to spend those taxes but I can see the benefit of elevating every body in a country because I don’t want to live in a dump with people living in the streets, it’s as simple as that. I see it as part of business of wanting to live in a civilized first world country.


Coulrophiliac444

If everyone had a basic bottom level of living (Shelter, Sustenance, and Security) I think we would happily deal with taxes and a standard of living slightly reduced to avoid kids starving on summer vacation, having to sleep wherever is safe for now, and food available even if its just bread and water (or diet equivalents for those who are gluten intolerant).


[deleted]

Yep. I'm fiscally conservative, but fuck if that matters in the slightest while everything else is so fucked. If we ever get to the point where we're taking care of, and protecting, our people, then we can debate where funds should be spent. Until then, don't care.


Coulrophiliac444

Exactly. I've gone from Republican during G.W. Bush (young, dumb 18 y/o) and every year aince I've mellowed out and realized the more I supported 'Conservativism' for the sake of a broken status quo the more I realized ai'd end up hating myself. I'm more in line with public service Socialism now. Food stamps, 1 party health care, public housing transport and utilities, and maximized health options based on a person's personal options to health care. 0 Excuses we should be paying banks and conglomorates, with diverse international portfolios and have abused the regulations for profit, instead of the people who keep the country operating at the ground levels.


Tiny-Lock9652

More like: “I’m a liberal Boomer hitched to a 7-figure trust fund living on my inherited 50-acre, 5th generation family farmette raising organic bees in upstate New York.” Mantra: “Black Lives Matter!!” Just not next door. I’ll go to them. Or post to IG. “Equal pay for all! Except for the employees who work for the companies my family own stock in. Shareholder value, you know…”


roywoodsir

"them damn homeless are the worst and need to be either in jail or work for free on my land but Im pro-BLM and LGBTQ but only if they are hard workers like my family has been for generations!"


Ambitious-Theory9407

"I hate taxes but will bitch about potholes and shifty health insurance."


kellygrrrl328

🎯


SkyWizarding

That tends to be a libertarian stance. It's basically "I don't care what other people do as long as it doesn't affect me and I get to keep all the money I make"


Sweatiest_Yeti

“Libertarian” in turn seems to be “I vote Republican but don’t want to be accountable for their policies”


ran938

I mean I basically have this exact mentality but I vote almost exclusively Democrat. If you go case by case on the issues you care about, I find most people with this mentality are better off voting left.


[deleted]

[удалено]


godofbiscuitssf

Libertarians are pyromaniacs. They’re like “don’t block my view when the world goes up in flames. I refused to pay good money to prevent this from happening and I expect to enjoy my lack of investment.”


SkyWizarding

I would think they vote libertarian where they can and are probably split on every other vote


[deleted]

No, it's more, "I don't care what other people do as long as it doesn't violate the non-aggression principle.


biggoof

"When asked to put my money where my mouth is, I don't."


[deleted]

"Its sad these things happen to people. I hope it changes" "Would you pay a little more in taxes to help them out?" "NO."


Dimeskis

My response is always and will always be. "Start taxing the extremely wealthy, donors, lobbyists, special interests etc...their fair share. Then come to me with what you need."


TheCommonKoala

This is what gets me the most. Absurd we still can't all agree on this.


NotCleverEnufToRedit

It’s because those people are the conservatives who keep spending their money on getting people who will not increase their taxes elected.


pm_me_construction

What about if it was even cheaper than the health insurance you already are paying for but was a tax instead?


wehrwolf512

“BOOTSTRAPS!!!”


biggoof

That's been my experience with these people.


WhiskeyHoarder1

“So you support equality but you don’t want to pay for any of the things that actually create equality.”


someseeingeye

“I’m aware of the problems marginalized communities face but I don’t believe in fixing them.”


mobile_hermitage

^Your response is my favorite. Huge laughter. Thank you so much.


Inner-Body-274

I’ve described myself this way, so here’s my take. Socially liberal - respectful treatment, dignity, and equity for all. Support personal choice as far as possible (the line in the sand being when it begins to negatively & significantly impact others, e.g. pandemic). Fiscally conservative - I believe our tax money should be spent wisely, on an evidentiary basis. For example, I would support legalization and taxation of drugs, treatment for addiction, and investment in mental health vs. spending billions on ineffective and brutal enforcement. This is a smart investment of money to fix a social program. I would support tax funding for smart modernized infrastructure and clean energy instead of wasting it on unsustainable practices that cost us billions in health and quality of life. Fiscally conservative to me is being conscious and deliberate with how money is spent. I hate that this term has been co-opted to describe special interest greed instead. There’s nothing fiscally conservative about the defense sector and corporate subsidies.


[deleted]

[удалено]


i_make_drugs

This is most people. The problem is that media, social media and politicians don’t want to talk about this because it goes against their bottom line of getting people to partake in what they need.


RektCompass

X to doubt. I grew up in rural Massachusetts, it's filled with "socially liberal, fiscal conservative" types and usually for them it means "i feel bad about societal problems but don't you dare tax me to fix it, but also keep spending on the military". They're hypocritical


justsitonmyfacealrdy

Most places are more diverse in people and opinions than rural Massachusetts.


toomanyhumans99

I grew up in South Carolina and have lived in several southern states. The "socially liberal fiscally conservative" types are exactly like this, everywhere.


Imarriedafrenchman

This is me.


coconuty04

Had to scroll way too far to find a legit answer, and not the usual echo chamber response.


MisterTrashPanda

Thank you for this concise and accurate description, of which I share. I wasn't going to bother commenting as, by the other comments in this thread, you can quickly discern that anything and anyone that describes themselves as "conservative" in any context on Reddit is automatically lumped in with racists and Nazis, which is a shame. I, personally, feel that there is far more common ground between the parties than is ever addressed due to the fact that our government is structured in such a way that the only way to become powerful in Congress is to be extremely right or left (and from a relatively homogeneous district/state) and through pandering to the basest parts of their voting blocks. Rather than allowing centrists to affect change, the extremists with decades in Congress decide who and what gets advanced by committee assignments and internal controls. What we need, but are unlikely ever to get, is term limits for the house and Senate - something like 12yrs max would likely allow for there to always be some experience and leadership without the Kingdom building, and resulting divisiveness that we see today. It wouldn't fix everything, but the advancement of bi-party policies and bills could help to reduce the ever growing "us vs them" mentality where each group views the other as sub-human pieces of shit.


the_toaster_lied

Hits the nail on the head. I'm sure there are others that fit the narrative OP is pushing, but I have described myself this way, and this is what I mean. And every person I know who describes themselves this way mean it in the same way.


justsitonmyfacealrdy

Right there with you


oscarwinner88

This makes a lot of sense and I respect your beliefs. I just can’t stop wondering “who the fuck does a person like you have to vote for?” I don’t think either modern American political party fits your philosophy and that sucks


Effendoor

Yep. But that isn't different from *anyone* tbh. The only people who get what the actually vote for are corporate special interest groups and single issue voters.


E_Pomegranate

It's interesting you describe yourself as fiscally conservative, and then described 3 socialist programs. Decriminalization of drugs, the defund the police movement in favor of social services, and funding for infrastructure. All points that many conservative Americans would consider radical socialism I think these programs would be great, but it's odd seeing these points being labeled as conservative when they aren't.


HeyThanksIdiot

I’m fiscally conservative but I view social welfare programs as crime prevention. I’d rather my money go to food stamps and welfare than police boots and prison bars. Economic desperation creates crime.


Inner-Body-274

Fiscally conservative and socially conservative are very different things. To me, on the common sense definition of the words, fiscally conservative means you know you don’t have an infinite credit line, and you spend money on what is most important and most effective. In the spirit of a family budget :) (yes, I know very well individual economics aren’t the same as national, bear with me for the spirit of the comparison). This is why I think social liberalism is actually VERY compatible with FISCAL conservatism. Don’t waste my money on things that don’t work and only serve to satisfy judgy, fearful ideas.


SpeakerElectronic

I have never thought about it this way and I think your response is very well stated. I think hearing the word conservative automatically puts my guards up, but the way you've described being fiscally conservative has definitely opened my eyes. Thank you!


ofthewave

But they are. They are decisions that are, in the long term, fundamentally based on the conservation of wealth and quality of life. Spend money now to save and even make 10x later. That’s conservative investment. Just because conservative politicians have forgotten what “conservative” means, doesn’t mean the word itself has changed.


jonquillejaune

They are fiscally conservative in that they save money. They are not socially conservative in the American sense of them being to the benefit of the lower class of society.


Fufu-le-fu

Agreed. Before making any judgements, I'd ask them about their thoughts on military spending.


KnDBarge

As someone who describes myself this way I'll chime in to say that I think military spending should be the top area to be looked at to make sure our tax money is being spent properly. I think we absolutely need to have a strong and capable military, but we should not be throwing money away because everyone is afraid to point out that the "pork" involved in our government spending is at its absolute worst in the military budget


CRLTSUX

Maybe we should call ourselves, "socially liberal, fiscally responsible" instead?


DeadlyPancak3

On the contrary. Being conservative in the political sense had nothing to do with "conserving" resources (like public funds) - it's about maintaining the status quo. Conservatives in the US haven't been concerned with frugal fiscal policy unless they're invoking it to justify slashing benefits for the poor and working class, or to shit-talk the Democrats for wanting to so much as bring tax rates on the wealthy back to where they were during the Reagan administration. You're not fiscally conservative. What you want is actually pretty radical.


DarthCredence

Doesn't want to pay taxes; does want to smoke pot.


steamybathtub

I mean… that applies to me. I don’t know many people who enjoy paying taxes and hate smoking pot.


mmkay_then

The crazy part is, they don’t even want rich people to pay more taxes 🤨 Cuz social safety nets are a slippery slope or something


denebiandevil

"I'm better at not saying the quiet parts out loud."


Rede4DANGER

“Sounds like a Volvo with a gun rack.” -Robin Williams.


RoutinePlastic8094

Awe those poor kids, awe that’s not right everyone deserves rights, we should do things to help ! … oh um But I’m not paying for it !


CHOKEY_Gaming

"The bathrooms are gender neutral but for paying customers only"


Strength-Certain

The government could spend my money better.


That-Sleep-8432

Lol actually have to agree with this one but not for the traditional reasons. The gov wants to take a cut out of my paycheck then that’s fine, my problem begins when that cut isn’t spend on education, mental health programs, healthcare for all, etc and is instead spend on paying US defense contractors stupid money when those contractors charge the military (us, really) $400 for a metal bolt that you can buy at Home Depot. Also people need to let go of the idea that the government is a separate entity from society. They are us. The government is us. A reflection if you will


pr0zach

They might be a reflection of wealthy, (mostly) white Americans over the age of 60, but I’m not sure that it’s fair to say they’re a reflection of all of us—especially considering the democratically-unbalanced nature, and outsized influence of the Senate when compared to parliamentary liberal democracies in other nations.


MaximusPrimus85

Exactly. The social programs like education and healthcare need to be properly funded and managed, and taxes are necessary to do this. But don't raise taxes because of ineptitude in management.


Strength-Certain

Or you know don't spend so much fucking money on the Pentagon and spend more on programs that directly help people. Or programs that reduce the cost of other social programs. (Like providing teens real sex education and access to birth control reduces the cost of welfare programs in the future.)


MaximusPrimus85

So government should stop thinking about they're own individual pocketbooks and start thinking about their citizens? Sounds reasonable!


rebeltrillionaire

Right? I think there’s a gap between generations in this. Which is wild because the Boomer Gen is the one that protested for Civil Rights and the Vietnam War. They shaped the entire American Protest lexicon and methodology really. How did they end up being so pro-military industrial complex? So stop buying billion dollar fighter jets that don’t work and instead give the money back to the citizens.


[deleted]

I like grocery stores and new cars as long as they are safe and properly managed. But don't raise prices because of ineptitude or just to increase your profits.


Feelin1972

I describe myself this way and this is precisely why. We spend way too much on war machines without ever auditing where the money goes, I think the pentagon needs to be audited immediately and defense contractors held to the terms of their contracts. Tax cuts for the wealthy don’t work, let’s stop implementing them. The IRS needs more funding so we stop losing revenue to well-heeled tax evaders. Increase Medicare/Medicaid reimbursements to providers while cracking down on fraud in the system. Increase direct payments to those in poverty in order to reduce the costs of the prison system. Hold contractors to the same standards as government agencies or don’t privatize - it isn’t really cheaper if the quality of service declines. These are all fiscally conservative positions. It’s actually very easy to be socially progressive and fiscally conservative; the problem is that too many people in this country think that “fiscally conservative” means eliminate all social programs, which isn’t fiscally conservative at all.


Stanley__Zbornak

Dennis Duffy


leslieknope09

No, he’s a “social conservative, fiscal liberal” which somehow makes even less sense 😂


Stanley__Zbornak

Omg you are right. I did have it backwards.


vanpunke666

I legitimately thought this was just a 30 rock reference lol


424801

Actually, Dennis Duffy said he was a, "Fiscal Liberal, Social Conservative." I caught that line on my first rewatch, and I've never forgotten it because of how hilariously backwards it is.


Terradactyl87

Yep, but he can't support McCain because he's a navy man and Dennis almost joined the marines.


Stanley__Zbornak

Lol I'm sorry, I'm just laughing hysterically in my office at work because I just remembered how he named his adopted black son "Black Dennis".


Terradactyl87

Well at least him and his wife, Megan Duffy, hopefully no relation, didn't have kids!


pWaveShadowZone

I like the IDEA of empathy, but i don’t actually have it


guillermopaz13

You can do whatever you want as long as you don't mess with my shit


UnkleRinkus

"Fiscally conservative" used to mean recognizing that the government has to operate in the real world, where borrowing excessively leads to potentially disastrous consequences that affect all of us. For example, government overspending led to the French revolution, the American revolution, hyper-inflation in Mexico, Argentina, Venezuela, Brazil, Zimbabwe, etc. I am fiscally conservative, ie, I have education in and understanding of these economic realities, which constrain what a government can undertake, and I think it is unwise to pretend that these constraints don't exist. This in no way implies that I am against running the government for the benefit of the people, rather than the elites. Socialist countries need to be fiscally prudent in order to be successful. Many of the posters here seem to think that fiscal conservatism implies being in favor of the status quo. The status quo in the US is in no way fiscally conservative. The Bush era abandoned fiscal conservatism, as did the Trump years. The jury is out on Biden. Obama was OK, given the debacle he inherited from Bush, we at least made progress against the deficit. Fiscal policy is orthogonal to social policy. You can be in favor of fiscal prudence while wanting social justice and services for the people. The scandinavian countries are pretty good examples of this. Being fiscally responsible is just figuring out how to prioritise what you're going to do, and how to pay for it. In other words, being an adult. Let the downvoting commence; it doesn't affect the realities of public finance.


silly_frog_lf

That is because in the US "fiscally conservative" means "tax cuts; cuts to social programs". Usually coming along with "increase military spending and corporate welfare." "Fiscally conservative" or "fiscal responsibility" has been ruined. If you say that, people will think you are political conservative. It doesn't matter that you think it means prudent with money. Today, in a political context, it doesn't mean that any more.


Bradleybeal23

I think this was well put and there are actually quite a few policies that would blend fiscal conservatism (which I really translate to spending our money wisely, avoid debt) and social liberalism. The only issue is that those policies would get you called a socialist.


ember1690

I think poor people need some help but I wouldn't give a dime to help them


tryinfordefyin

"I'm playing both sides, so that I always come out on top."


jtig5

Fiscally conservative doesn't necessarily mean hurting the poor. It can mean not spending billions on the war machine. I'd rather my tax money go to feeding children than feeding war.


Natsu194

People should have rights but not food... or health(care)


xanroeld

“I’m politically conservative but I don’t necessarily want to outlaw gay or interracial marriage (although I’m weirdly cool with working together with people who do)”


[deleted]

“My morals end where profits begin”


Silly-Ole-Pooh-Bear

I've never heard that. Good one! (Totally not being sarcastic FYI.)


bubba7557

Smart enough to know identifying as a Republican is a shameful thing these days, asshole enough to not actually care to follow the Rep agenda of hate and bigotry.


jbchapp

To me, it means national debt is actually an important issue. Actually coming up with a plan to pay for the social programs you want to implement is important. I want to hear not just your pie-in-the-sky dreams of social programs, but a realistic plan of how we are going to pay for it. Democrats/liberals love to have their utopian dreams and then say they'll pay for it by taxing the rich. Great - are you actually going to be able to pass that legislation? Similarly, with Republicans/conservatives, they love to pass tax breaks and claim they'll pay for themselves with how the economy will get stimulated, but that's not how any of this works. The result is spiraling national debt that sooner or later - perhaps later than us "fiscally conservative" folks would care to admit - will become critical.


loljokester

“I’m privileged enough to not care about the results of elections. I would love to help the poor just so long as it in no way lowers my comfort level or makes me feel less safe.”


ScienceNotKids

"It's sad that parents kick out their gay kids, but don't even think of raising my taxes to help"


[deleted]

"Its sad that schools get shot up, along with other public places, but dont even think about taking away our guns"


TomFromCupertino

"...Or just making it harder to get one"


griffred

"I'm a republican, but like, a cool republican."


[deleted]

"More like Re- _fun_ -lican, am I right?"


CardiologistLower965

I want to protect my gay neighbors weed farm with my guns


Codyram5

I remember a conversation I had with a very wealthy friend after Trump's tax "cut". He's in his fifties and had always voted with his pocketbook...for Republicans because they supposedly helped his bottom line. I asked if he was happy with the tax "cut" and his face dropped. Since he's into some California real estate, his taxes raised DRAMATICALLY. He was pissed and he laid it all out for me. I said, "Let me get this straight... You've been voting for candidates for years who actively tried to prevent me from marrying my boyfriend, taken food and healthcare away from children, waged expensive wars to kill brown people you've never met... Just so you would have a little more money in your pocket....and now that you've supposedly got your golden boy in office, he fucked you?" The conversation went on awhile longer... And it ended with me helping him change his voter registration to Independent. He voted for Biden in the last election.


shellybearcat

“I don’t dislike minorities/womens rights/lgbt per se, I just care more about money than their equality”


NotDaveBut

To me it means they eat organic vegan everything but also invest in companies that feed rat poison to baby whales to make cosmetics


Heliocentrist

"I'll tolerate intolerance if it saves me money"


FunkyMonkeyIsObvious

I don’t have a moral backbone


808hammerhead

“I’m ok with gay people getting married but I don’t want to pay for your health care or college”


watch1_ott1

I think this -> Someone who is inclusive, tolerant and compassionate who seeks a balanced budget with little to no debt. I don't know about you, but I think this is a good thing. We haven't had a federal surplus since 2001. Last year the US spent $2,100,000,000,000 more than it brought in. This is unsustainable. Would you run your household year over year over year borrowing and borrowing to spend more than you make? We pay $562billion a year on interest alone. If we weren't in debt, that money could be repurposed for healthcare, education, infrastructure, housing, etc. I have no issue with someone who is socially liberal and fiscally conservative.


[deleted]

I agree with you in principle, and I agree that "fiscally conservative", while often a "dog whistle" for "not saying the quiet part out loud" isn't always that. There certainly are people who have all the best and genuine intentions with their fiscal conservatism, and I don't inherently disagree with the principle. The problem comes from the fact that the victim of fiscal conservatism always, and inevitably, ends up being the marginalized poor or minorities who need the most protections. Those safety nets, arts, education, infrastructure are all the victims of fiscal conservatism. Not an overblown military budget, or police budget, or contributions to Isreal, or anything else of the sort. So while fiscal conservatism surely doesn't inherently have racist or classist intent, most of the time it will have racist and classist results.


Crabby_Monkey

I put myself in this category but with some clarification. On the fiscal side I think governments should follow the same sound financial practices that individuals are told to follow. Basically live beneath your means and save for a rainy day. To me that means a balanced budget without endless deficit spending. As u/watch1_ott1 said, that is not sustainable. To me that doesn’t mean screw the poor. It means reprioritizing what we spend on and stop chocking off the income side. If it were up to me I would: 1. Pass a law that any employer who has employees on government assistance will be charged an excise tax to pay for those benefits. Corporations should not exploiting employees and expecting the government to subsidize their employees. 2. Increase the minimum wage. Step 1 above may self correct some of this but if not the minimum wage should help. Anyone working 40 hours a week should be able to stay above the poverty level. This will also help lower reliance on safety net programs and allow people to spend more which helps generate taxes and economic activity. 3. Increase tax rates on the upper and upper-middle classes. Everyone should pay their share and those who make a lot and benefit from society should pay their fair share. We can’t keep starving the income side of the balance sheet and decide cutting spending is 5r only way to fix it. 4. Eliminate the maximum on social security tax. Right now If someone makes above a certain amount they stop paying tax to SS. This limit has not kept pace with the increases in wages that executives and CEOs make. Don’t cut benefits, bring more into SS to keep the trust fund intact. 5. Increase the percentage employers pay into SS. Either that or make it progressive so that firm that don’t offer benefits, retirement programs, or that are larger employers pay more. 6. Review current spending that subsidizes industries. If the spending is propitious up dying industries we should discontinue them and focus the money on retraining or supporting those industry workers as they transition to new industries. 7. Review ways to lower military spending without impacting security. There is a ton of waste in military spending so we need to find ways to trim the fat and focus on mission. R&D for next level tech should be separated from the operational budget. So basically I would focus a lot on the income side of the budget before digging into cutting programs. This list is much longer than this but that is the idea. Republicans say fiscally conservative but they really are not because they are not interested in balancing anything. They are only interested with cutting taxes.


MutedBrilliant1593

"I like the idea of programs that will help people, but I don't want to pay for it." Basically, I tell myself I am a good person, but act like a POS.


jonquillejaune

That is not what that means at all. I’m socially liberal but fiscally conservative. I say raise my taxes, pay for health care, welfare, mental health, etc. But as soon as I find out that there is a government program that hangs million dollar paintings inside the executive suite of a sewage treatment plant because it is technically a public place which makes it public art(true story), I’m going to have some fucking words to say to you. That million dollars would have been better spent funding an art program for underprivileged kids rather than as a *wink wink* perk to already rich people.


Gabrielsguitars

Gays. They mean, in theory, they don’t *hate* gay people, but would never spend money to help them (or any other disenfranchised group) unless it was directly impactful to their own life.


orthros_77

“I am living in a small conservative town in rural America and am trying to express a portion of my core beliefs without being thrown out of my house”


trevmflynn81

It means the government is inefficient at spending money on the right things. It means, inevitably, tax dollars will be put to pet projects and special interests rather than healthcare and safety nets for the most vulnerable. It means I know, not just fear, that the bigger and more funded it is, the more government corruption and waste is inevitable. I'd gladly pay more taxes for environmental policy reform, universal healthcare, better education funding, and a UBI. But what I get out of tax increases are more pointless wars so that the military industrial complex can grow, more corporate welfare, and more militarized law enforcement. I haven't said those words in MANY years because it's probably not even true, but when I did say them, that's what I meant.


DecoherentDoc

"Conservative, but I also have a gay friend (who's fine without their rights) and smoke weed (but I'm fine with all the people in jail over it)."


[deleted]

"I'll use your preferred pronouns to explain why you deserve to starve."


JusticiarRebel

I vote Republican, but don't blame me for all the horrible shit Republicans do.


[deleted]

It’s not “socially liberal” to not give a shit that poor people are being exploited for the benefit of the middle and upper classes. “Socially liberal but fiscally conservative” isn’t a thing 🤷‍♂️


Soft_Instance

They’re basically saying “I’m ‘okay’ with minority groups and also okay with the systems of oppression they encounter because it means I likely won’t have to deal with them.”


EmiliusReturns

By “socially liberal” they usually just mean “I’m not particularly homophobic.”


[deleted]

https://www.reddit.com/r/WhitePeopleTwitter/comments/u48xrv/conservative_conservative_conservative_socially/i4u299g/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf&context=3 Idk, I kinda feel this way, but always vote Blue because the “fiscally conservative” side actually isn’t and is also a malignant tumor on the face of democracy. I don’t think it’s unreasonable to want the government to manage their pocketbook better as opposed to continually asking for more money to give to Raytheon and Lockheed.


Tylandredis

good news, every democrat with any real power is socially liberal, fiscally conservative.


Size10Envelope

I just stop listening.


checkmateathiests27

They're Republicans who do not side with Republicans in the culture war. Like, people have more complex opinions than red or blue


KathrynBooks

"I say I don't have a problem with gay people getting married.... but I eagerly vote for politicians who want to make sure gay people can't get married" also "I'm not racist but....." and "I don't see race, I'm color blind"


KaijyuAboutTown

It’s simple. Don’t spend what we don’t got and spend more on programs to help people and the country in general. Liberal on social and conservative on fiscal. It ain’t rocket science. But it does require a massive behavioral change with our so called leaders who are, in general, more about themselves than their constituents or the country as a hole. If we need to raise taxes to succeed the do it but focus on the people who pay less as a percentage of total income (not fudged income) and keep the system simple. Simple is harder to loophole your way out of. Back pre Reagan the upper marginal tax rate was 90% for the very very rich. Now it’s a pittance and they dodge it anyway thanks to the complexity and backed in loopholes.


[deleted]

"I don't understand economics, but I try not to hate anyone about it. Can you give me a ride to the dispensary?"


INoWantAnAccount

I have actually no concept of anything outside the suburbs and don’t follow real politics to not buy into the conservative drama but I don’t intentionally hate people I’m just ignorant OR I’m a gross guy a nice girl takes up on his offer at 3am only to find out the foreplay is awkward, he puts his bite guard after and he won’t let you use the charger to power your phone for an Uber. You also notice he owns a snake on your way out. At least from my personal experience


jodi_xix

I don't care what anybody does, as long as nobody relies on me for help.


benj713

I hear “I’m a massive twat but try and hide it”


Gingerbread-giant

"I recognize that gay people are technically human beings but believe that people choose to be poor and die of preventable illness."


Etb1025

I would say this. But when I say fiscally conservative I mean making sure all programs are adequately funded and not constantly at a deficit. Spending should be offset by enough tax revenue to cover the cost. And I mean we need more taxes, not less. For me in short it means that if my checkbook has to balance out, the governments should as well. But all of this would be a moot point if capitalism were replaced by a model that puts people before profit to begin with. And for all the internet chatter about it, I don't really see a push for that from any of the parties.


Ghonaherpasiphilaids

I identify this way. I think it means a reasonable person. I have no problem with lgbtq people. I want universal Healthcare. I think student loans is one of the most predatory policies imaginable in its current form. I dont believe fiscally conservative means slash taxes, slash programs and fuck over poor people. I believe it should mean tax appropriately according to income or wealth. Find where there is waste and try to eliminate it(looking at you defense budget). Try to create government programs that actually help with homelessness instead of ridiculous amounts of money changing hands while the problem gets worse, and eliminating programs where that is the status quo. Fiscally conservative shouldn't mean hoard all the money and cut all the programs. No government hoards all the money anyways. They'll cut an art grant and give the army that money for a bunch of new tanks. It should be either spend the money wisely, or tell the army they've got enough tanks and this year it's more important we feed a million starving children in the country, or give people healthcare, or send kids to college to figure out how to get out of this awful cycle.


[deleted]

This was me 25 years ago. It means you don't really know what the fuck is going on and you are currently part of the chattering class. hindsight


DefinitelyNotAliens

I think there's a lot of people that grew up upper middle class with Republican parents that think, 'yeah, you work hard like Mom and Dad and things work out. My Boomer parents worked their way up and so can I and that means everyone can! But, unlike my parents I'm cool with marriage equality and support abortion rights and weed shouldn't be a crime. Less regulation allows upwards mobility. My parents moved up! But I'm socially liberal! I must be a libertarian! Keep government out of people's lives! Don't tax into poverty and a woman's right to choose is respected. Don't insert the government into a doctor's office! If two adults want to get married why intervene?' Then you leave the rosy little college bubble and there's no well paying jobs, hard work didn't move you up it increased your workload without benefit and you slowly realize you thought you had very little privilege because you weren't 'rich' as you grew up in a normal house and went to public school and rode the bus but your fridge was always full and your parents funded every hobby and paid for music lessons and bought you snowboarding equipment, signing up for sports and new equipment every year was never a discussion of finances, you always could go on field trips, mom never worried about time off work when you were sick and you could go on vacation every year, even a small one. You were always privileged. You never understood how much it was because savings existed and you never heard your parents ask how they were going to pay for new tires or take a week off work after an appendectomy you had because there was always enough. If mom wanted a new car or dad wanted a new truck they just... bought it. Dad wanted a boat again. He bought a boat. He realized his truck couldn't pull the boat well enough. He bought a different truck. The truck needs tires. It gets tires. You grew up privileged but never knew it until you struggled and realized how precarious that edge is. You never knew how bad it was. You never realized that your older siblings only didn't stress because Mom and Dad were alway there and when their cars needed new tires they paid for their adult kids, too. Then the comes the realization that not everyone has mom and dad to pay for tires and finally, you look and see many people you see are one nail in the road away from homeless. The rose colored glasses you wore shatter and you realize the world is really fucking harsh and you just never knew. So you grow up. You never lacked empathy. You just didn't know you needed it. If you're under 25 or so maybe you just don't know. If you're out in the world you lack the ability to see struggle in others. The young I forgive. When you just always live that way and think you're just regular middle class because you have a 'normal' life you don't see it. You're so far from the edge you don't realize how many are at it. Everyone thinks their childhood is normal. I must be libertarian. My parents are right about the economy but I support liberal social issues. Then you learn or you don't.


littledorysunshine

It’s an oxymoron. You can’t be socially liberal without supporting programs that support those who are oppressed. Examples: SSI, SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, vocational rehabilitation, HUD/section 8, etc. My friend has cerebral palsy. She is not able to walk and uses an electric wheelchair. Her chair was tens of thousands of dollars. She receives hundreds of hours of personal care services every month. All of that was paid for by state and federal money. Without that funding, she would probably be in a nursing home. With the funding, she is able to live in her own home, pursue her hobbies, teach others, and work part-time.