Most conservative Republican candidates claim that they believe in individual liberty and freedom - at least when it's convenient.
A closer examination of the policies supported by Republicans, specifically candidates in the current presidential race, tells another story.
Of course, topping the list is the candidate that signed a law mandating (through force of law) that citizens of Massachusetts purchase health insurance. Mitt Romney has also offered a solution to immigration in the form of a national biometric ID card that all Americans will use to prove their citizenship in order to obtain a job. Romney claimed that only immigrants will have to carry this card, but how are employers supposed to know the difference unless everyone has one?
Texas Gov. Rick Perry signed a law mandating that girls in his state obtain a vaccination for HPV. While the vaccine does not cause "mental retardation," the mandate exemplifies another impediment of individual liberty.
Then you have Michele Bachmann, who is just so upset that roughly 53 percent of Americans pay almost no income taxes. Well, there is also the payroll tax, FICA, state sales taxes, state income taxes, excise taxes and user fees for obtaining a number of government services, but that's not enough for Bachmann. She thinks that every American needs to pay at least some federal income tax - or else.
Of course there are issues on which almost all Republicans, with a few exceptions, fall against the side of liberty.
Most of the candidates support the Defense of Marriage Act as well as a constitutional amendment defining marriage as between a man and a woman. If you were really concerned about freedom, you wouldn't be trying to tell people with whom they can and cannot form a voluntary agreement.
On the same accord, most mainstream conservatives abhor the idea of legalizing drugs. They do not support the decriminalization of marijuana, a stance that has become increasingly popular among Americans.
The classic Republican cop-out to opposing increasing social freedom is states' rights. Most responses sound like "Well, I wouldn't support that on the federal level, but I think states should be able to decide on the issue." But if you truly support "freedom," should individual rights not trump those of the states?
When it comes down to it, these candidates should be held accountable for their claims supporting individual liberty.
This is not to say that the Democrats are any better when it comes to violating freedom. But the Democrats are not making contradictory assertions about their policy goals.
Republicans should either re-evaluate their policy positions or change the way they frame the debate.
At the end of the day, nothing supports the idea that they are lovers of liberty and freedom.
