An old libertarian joke provides a quick, funny and persuasive look at the difference between conservatives, liberals, and libertarians:
"Liberals want the government to be your Mommy. Conservatives want government to be your Daddy. Libertarians want the government to treat you like an adult."
To elaborate a bit:
Conservatives want the government to be your Daddy: a strict, authoritarian Daddy who forces you to be "good" according to his personal and often idiosyncratic definition of "good" -- even though you're an adult and may disagree with that definition. This Daddy punishes you severely for engaging in peaceful activities he condemns as sinful or unwise.
Liberals want the government to be your Mommy: a smothering, obsessive, guilt-ridden, wildly overly-protective Mommy who, in order to protect you from any conceivable harm or error, constantly and severely restricts your freedom. This authoritarian Mommy also wants to force you to be "generous" to others. Should you disobey, this Mommy will punish you just as severely as her authoritarian conservative Daddy counterpart.
In other words, both liberals and conservatives treat you like... a child.
Libertarians, in stark contrast, want to treat you like an adult: free to make personal and economic choices for yourself.
Which do you prefer? To be treated like a child, or like an adult?
For the right listener or audience, this little metaphor can provide a nice "aha!" experience of enlightenment.
"When the government's boot is on your throat, whether it is the left or a right boot, is of no consequence." - Gary Lloyd
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