Problem I see with conservatives trying to reach the 18 to 25 group by driving home the virtue of freedom is, that liberty is secondary to morality with these folks. As much as I love my conservative brothers and sisters, (and consider myself a hybrid of conservatism and libertarianism) conservatives will never capture the immagination of youth by forcing their morality upon them. The key word is “force.” A more libertarian look at social issues (without force) is what the Republicans need. And by that, I don’t mean to frame social issues through “defenders of victims” as leftists do. Rather, look at it as what it is:freedom of choice. Kids love the idea of freedom. They also love choice, and the more choices they are free to choose from, the more they will enjoy it. But what is needed is a means of communicating the idea of liberty and the choices liberty provides, in a non-authoritarian way; a way that promotes personal responsibility, without the burdens of religious morality. Not that there is anything wrong with religion, but if a person believes in liberty; liberty unrestricted by government, and have a strong sense of personal responsibility that is required for liberty, chances are they already have a sense of absolutes like right and wrong. Morality, I believe is a dividend of liberty, not the other way around. Yep, choices is how we should frame the idea of freedom. After all, “choice” became a mantra for abortion. Like it or not, this was a huge groundbreaker for “progressives.” No reason why a word such as “choice” can’t work for our side.
