Which term is more misused?

[they don't love you like i love you]

Both have been ridiculous mangled in the last couple years. "Neoconservative" has basically become to many leftists what "socialist" is to South Park Conservative, a catch-all term for anything you don't like. According to many, big business CEOs, religious right preachers, and racist Southern rednecks are all neoconservatives, even if they disagree on virtually nothing.

On the other hand libertarian has been mangled to mean everything who sits in the lower right of the political compass or simply a term to slap on anyone who is both pro-choice and economically conservative. There is no other way one can honestly say with a straight face that Rudy Giuliani is a libertarian, yet many have. Hell, here's the stand "Are you a libertarian?" questionaire for teenagers on the internet:

"-Are you pro-choice?
-Are you pro-gay marriage?
-Do you support lower taxes?
-Do you support free trade?

If you answered yes to all four, you are a libertarian!"

Implying of course that most actual libertarians either take the liberal position or even care at all about the first two issues, and that most simply want to lower taxes and love things like NAFTA or free-trade promoting organizations like the EU. As if dropping the income tax rate for a certain bracket from 15% to 10% is a libertarian position, which is like saying that someone in an Islamist country who thinks homosexuals should only be publicly flogged instead of executed is a social liberal.

I still say neoconservative, but I bet libertarian will overtake it now with the Bush Admin gone.

[Purple State]

I think neoconservative has begun to fall to the wayside as people begin to just reject the word conservatism instead, viewing it as the epitome of the Bush policies. Obviously this is not a clear cut or correct opinion either, but people can't be expected to speak or think intelligently.

On the other hand, people view libertarian as anything related to less government involvement in life. It has been on the rise since Ron Paul gained some recognition in this past election cycle. Kinda getting annoying.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Having been called a neo-con numerous times, I can say that it is really misused.

[they don't love you like i love you]

Having been called a neo-con numerous times, I can say that it is really misused.

No, you are actually much closer to a neocon than any common use of the term.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Having been called a neo-con numerous times, I can say that it is really misused.

No, you are actually much closer to a neocon than any common use of the term.

No, I'm not.

[they don't love you like i love you]

Having been called a neo-con numerous times, I can say that it is really misused.

No, you are actually much closer to a neocon than any common use of the term.

No, I'm not.

LOL. Anyone notice this is ben's typical style of "arguing"? If you say something he disagrees with he just responds with basically saying "No". It's quite similar whenever someone says he doesn't live in the South, his standard reply is "Yes, I do."

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Libertarian.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Having been called a neo-con numerous times, I can say that it is really misused.

No, you are actually much closer to a neocon than any common use of the term.

No, I'm not.

LOL. Anyone notice this is ben's typical style of "arguing"? If you say something he disagrees with he just responds with basically saying "No". It's quite similar whenever someone says he doesn't live in the South, his standard reply is "Yes, I do."

I've had this argument (and the Southern one), too many times to post my reasons over and over again.  What gives you the impression that I'm a neo-con?  Then I can refute each of your reasons.

[The Mikado]

Neoconservatism actually had a meaning once.  Liberal means towards conservative ends.  Government intervention to save marriages, lessen crime, and end destructive social habits like illegitimacy and drug use.  I can't say I completely sympathize with that agenda, but it's certainly better than the hardline militaristic neo-Wilsonian foreign policy views that the word has now become attached to.

[Associate Justice PiT]

     Anyone who calls Giuliani a libertarian with a straight face should do society a favor & remove themself from the gene pool.

[they don't love you like i love you]

     Anyone who calls Giuliani a libertarian with a straight face should do society a favor & remove themself from the gene pool.

Or even better: Bill Clinton. (Yes, that actually happened, though granted it came from former poster Bob Dole, possibly the single stupidest person ever to post here.)

[dead0man]

liberal?

[Purple State]

liberal?

Socialist more so.

[RIP Robert H Bork]

The former of course. It is obviously just a pejorative that liberals use toward all conservatives.

[Rob]

"Populist" is more often misused than either of the above.

[Associate Justice PiT]

     Anyone who calls Giuliani a libertarian with a straight face should do society a favor & remove themself from the gene pool.

Or even better: Bill Clinton. (Yes, that actually happened, though granted it came from former poster Bob Dole, possibly the single stupidest person ever to post here.)

     Bob Dole was so far in the upper-left corner of the PM chart that Mussolini would have looked libertarian from where he was.

[Sam Spade]

Hey Bob - thanks for keeping me in the sig!

[Rob]

Hey Bob - thanks for keeping me in the sig!

You're very welcome. I've got a lot of respect for you (okay, that's a lie), and I think forumites should have the pleasure of reading one of your insights every time they see me post.

[Sam Spade]

Hey Bob - thanks for keeping me in the sig!

You're very welcome. I've got a lot of respect for you (okay, that's a lie), and I think forumites should have the pleasure of reading one of your insights every time they see me post.

That's really not one of my better *insights* - I'm sure you could find something more amusing.