Fiscal Conservative and Social Liberal

I woke to Michael Savage on KRLA today (streaming, I live in the midwest) ranting about how it was impossible for Schwarzenegger to be both a fiscal conservative and a social liberal. He defined social liberalism as expensive social programs. Yes, well given that definition its quite a contradiction. However, as someone who sees himself as a fiscal conservative and a social liberal, I find the road easy to manage. I simply don't define socially liberal as expensive programs. In fact I don't equate it with programs at all. When I say socially liberal, and when many apply this to Schwarzenegger as well, what they mean is that on social issues (homosexuality, divource, prayer in schools, abortion, &c) liberals feel that its OK, it should be easy, its not desirable, and it should be available, respectivly. The way we should achieve this is by getting government out of the business of using the power of the state to coerce certain behaviors sexually, maritally, religiously, and procreativly. Getting government out of peoples lives is generally taken as conservative, not liberal, but on social issues social conservatives want the state to affirm. You might describe this as libertarian, but I'm not gonna make that call. Too many places I am an avowed statist to embrace the libertarian label myself.

I am, however, an avowed Aristotelian on the subject. Aristotle said that the purpose of the polis was to create the conditions where everyone actualized themselves. Since this is best accomplished when government gets out of the way than often, that is government's job. There are exceptions, including the common defence, establishing a judiciary, internal improvements, and I'll so so far as to include a safety net. There are many things government does poorly or creates harm despite doing well. Regulating social behavior fits into one or both of these catagories depending on the issue. Let the government provide for the circumstances which foster peace and prosperity domestically while providing for the common defence abroad. Such a policy is to my mind fiscally conservative because it seeks to spend little and tax little, and it is socially liberal because it rejects the traditional connection beween a specific set of moral conduct and the power of the state.

As for Savage, I try to remember to re-play one of the earlier shows rather than stream savage, even if I am not listening. I figure that its so easy to count the number of people streaming the various shows, I should cast my consumer's voice for one of the shows I do like and not the one's I don't. Its sleeping through the end of Hewitt and missing my opportunity to switch to someone else that got me in this boat.