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In the sand...
hahahaha!
Technically Trump is a centrist. Same with Hillary. But they aren't libertarians now are they....
I’d argue the size of government makes the difference.
“Centrist” is typically used as a term for people midway between “right” and “left” on the political spectrum. “Centrists” usually don’t lean to one extreme or the other and may have mixed beliefs, with some beliefs being “right-leaning” and others “left-leaning.”
Libertarians, however, differ by viewing government itself as an issue, not just what the government does. That, to me, is what differentiates Libertarians from “centrists.”
In other words, if “centrist” is the middle of the X axis that is “left” vs “right”, then Libertarianism is part of the Y axis. The line between “centrist” and “Libertarian” is where the person in question lies on that Y axis.
There's no virtue in centrism. Libertarians are extremists. I don't want the average amount of war the Democrats and Republicans advocate, I want zero.
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I think he is advocating that extremism here is a good thing.
Most centrists I see are fiscally conservative and socially liberal.
Many would be considered libertarians by a dem or republican, but don't consider themselves libertarians because they are unwilling to accept some of the more "radical" positions that the LP/ the libertarian online community take.
I would also add that most centrists don't have the libertarian mindset of liberty being a political goal itself. Most just believe in civil liberties like freedom of speech but beyond that don't consider the maximization of human freedom when thinking about policy.
One of the more frustrating moments talking with centrists is when you allude to your thought that their centrism is really conducive with liberty...aaaand lose them completely.
You're like " yea, social and economic liberty. Almost like maximum freedom is a great goal amiright!?" Just blank stares.
Libertarianism and liberalism both don't actually fit into the political spectrum. They are therefore just thrown 'somewhere in the middle'.
The size of the government makes a difference.
"Centrist" is a very relative term since the centre is not typically defined as the midway point between absolute libertarianism and absolute authoritarianism, but rather the midway point between the extremes of public opinion, which is shifted heavily left. For example even the "alt-right" hold to many ideas which are traditionally considered left.