I wanted to get your thoughts on a research paper hypothesis

[TheScatman]

So Im in a class where the whole grade is basically one 25 page paper. Our entire class grade is based on preperation, a short topic presentation and the paper. So I had a few ideas floating around in my head and went to Professors office hours to bounce some ideas off him.

My orgininal hypothesis was along the lines of - libertarians traditionally have voted Republicans for economic issues relating to smaller government. Is Bush's big government conservatism endangering this?

And my Professor responded saying that real libertarians wouldnt vote Republican due to their pro-life stance, which I didnt really agree with (there are decent philisophical arguments for both sides). He also went on to say basically after Barry Goldwater's conservatism libertarians basically left (due to growing religious right), which again I dont neccesarily agree with. He made the point that Reagans social policy turned them off along with his deficit spending...but I feel his rhetoric kept a lot of them around (I may be wrong).

So eventually we played with my hypothesis and came up with - With both major parties moving to the middle and becoming alike, are the parties losing libertarians at both ends? That is civil libertarians on the left and economic libertarians on the right. I think its a good topic, but no sure how I would prove it. I wonder if you guys have any ideas/thoughts?

cliffs - read it

[6SpeedTA95]

Yes that seems reasonable...however I do not know how people get off saying both parties are becoming more and more alike. Granted there's a few issues that they are indeed becoming a like on, but calling that a "move to the middle" is just flat wrong.

Deficit spending isn't a move to the middle, its a move to shitsville IMO.

Prescription drugs for the elderly is a big move LEFT...

[TheScatman]

Originally Posted by 6SpeedTA95

Yes that seems reasonable...however I do not know how people get off saying both parties are becoming more and more alike. Granted there's a few issues that they are indeed becoming a like on, but calling that a "move to the middle" is just flat wrong.

Deficit spending isn't a move to the middle, its a move to shitsville IMO.

Prescription drugs for the elderly is a big move LEFT...

I guess moving towards big governemnt socially and economically. Ie. republicans voting for welfare state and democrats voting to ban internet gambling and patriot act.

any idea how I could prove this?

[ballz2wallz]

Originally Posted by TheScatman

I guess moving towards big governemnt socially and economically. Ie. republicans voting for welfare state and democrats voting to ban internet gambling and patriot act.

any idea how I could prove this?

Use examples of where they did the exact opposite in the past, preferrably when they were 'true' to their parties. Make sure that the related issues are as similar as possible too.

[kinggovernor]

i disagree on the point that libertarians have to be pro-abortion

[Phantom]

Originally Posted by TheScatman

So eventually we played with my hypothesis and came up with - With both major parties moving to the middle and becoming alike, are the parties losing libertarians at both ends? That is civil libertarians on the left and economic libertarians on the right. I think its a good topic, but no sure how I would prove it. I wonder if you guys have any ideas/thoughts?

cliffs - read it

The topic seems a bit wishy-washy, and the assumption that both parties are moving to the middle is not true IMO, but if the prof likes it, you might be ok.

Your teacher seems extremely closed-minded, so to get a good grade it you will likely have to write something that he personally agrees with. In your situation, I would just take a topic that seems in line with the professor's beliefs and make solid arguments in favor of that. It sucks that your opinion won't get the same opportunity for a good grade, but that's life.

[motivez]

I disagree with Phantom, write the paper you want to write and if you think you can prove it and draw conclusions, it shouldn't be graded based on the professors opinion..

If it is, and you get a bad grade because he disagrees with your conclusion, take it up with someone above him. Maybe the chair of the department or so.

I don't know that both parties are moving to the middle, but I think there is definitely a paradigm shift going on with regards to what policies the parties are trying to focus on.. and which ones they're ignoring -- to the point of abandoning them.