I quote from the Libertarian Party platform: "We hold that all individuals have the right to exercise sole dominion over their own lives, and have the right to live in whatever manner they choose, so long as they do not forcibly interfere with the equal right of others to live in whatever manner they choose."

To paraphrase, in the libertarian world, a person has "sole dominion" over his life and can live any way he chooses as long as he does not "forcibly" interfere with that same right in others. To the libertarian there is no standard higher than the individual and the individual is completely free to choose his own course as long as he is willing to live with the consequences. This is the very definition of anarchy and will lead to the breakdown of civilization and culture. The individual is not a self-contained entity whose life choices only impact himself. His actions will have an impact on others even if he does not "forcibly interfere" with their personal autonomy. A dad addicted to drugs or pornography will negatively impact his family even if he carefully avoids "forcibly interfering" with their autonomy. Look at the data on single moms and the impact failed fatherhood has on children. The choices individuals make have a larger impact than just upon the individual making the choice; therefore, individuals have a responsibility to society to make the right choice. A nation of people selfishly choosing to gratify themselves will lead to the crumbling of society.

Although some individuals will choose to use their personal autonomy to do the right thing, many will not and why should they if personal freedom is the ultimate goal. Our Founding Fathers defined liberty as the ability to do the right thing not as the ability to do whatever the individual wanted. They considered that to be licentiousness. Conservatives hold with the Founding Fathers.

Conservatives are not libertarians. We want liberty but liberty as defined by the Founding Fathers. We recognize that man is flawed and must be guided by morality, tradition, and law to make the right choices. Man does not have sole dominion over his life because he was created and thus was created for a purpose. Dominion over his life belongs to God who bestowed life upon the individual. 

Libertarians are not conservatives. What do they want to conserve but personal "liberty" and personal "liberty" cannot be conserved when the individual is exalted above everything else. Left to his own nature, such "liberty" will give way to licentiousness and the individual will find that his pursuit of unfettered "liberty" will have enslaved him.

Like the individual, government is a creation of God and only serves its true purpose when it submits to His headship and precepts. Only God can take away the inalienable rights of men and define reality (truth). Only God is an authority unto himself. Mr. Obama and the Democrats, in infringing on the rights of men, redefining truth, and setting themselves up as the final authority, are claiming the authority of a god. Conservatives and Libertarians can work together on these lines but a libertine society is not the solution to our larger problems.

 The USA of 1776, of 1865 and of 1945 is all but gone - except for a few glimmers here and there. Too many of us have benefited from the discipline, commitment, and sacrifice of previous generations but have not responded in kind. Instead our society has grown lazy and apathetic. Our time is consumed not with personal improvement or the improvement of our society but with the lowest common denominator that has now become our pop culture.