# Why do the GOP's most hard-line authoritarians call themselves the "Freedom Caucus"? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 24, 2017, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-gops-most-hard-line-authoritarians-call-themselves-the-freedom-caucus/782967 "2017-03-24T23:21:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2017, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-gops-most-hard-line-authoritarians-call-themselves-the-freedom-caucus/782967/21 "2017-03-25T12:38:01Z")
Many of them are more libertarian-leaning, and in no universe does libertarian = authoritarian. Trump represents the authoritarians. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2017, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-gops-most-hard-line-authoritarians-call-themselves-the-freedom-caucus/782967/22 "2017-03-25T12:40:40Z")
They’re a front for big money interests. They are worthless and weak and should be pissed on at your e-v-e-r-y convenience. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2017, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-gops-most-hard-line-authoritarians-call-themselves-the-freedom-caucus/782967/23 "2017-03-25T12:45:17Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > They have to call themselves something, and a more accurate name for what they are would be too long, too unwieldy and unprintable in most major publications. On the other hand, their platform fits on a post-it note : 1. More money for us 2. Fuck you That’s it. ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2017, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-gops-most-hard-line-authoritarians-call-themselves-the-freedom-caucus/782967/24 "2017-03-25T12:46:52Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > They are ‘freedom fighters’. > > Think about it… > Batman is a crime fighter. He fights crime. > My nephew is a fire fighter. He fights fires. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Beren\_Erchamion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/90ced4/32.png) [@Beren\_Erchamion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beren_Erchamion)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2017, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-gops-most-hard-line-authoritarians-call-themselves-the-freedom-caucus/782967/25 "2017-03-25T14:04:56Z")
> [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](#): > > Many of them are more libertarian-leaning, and in no universe does libertarian = authoritarian. Trump represents the authoritarians. They’re not libertarians; libertarians are socialists. They advocate some sort of laissez-faire capitalism, which is an authoritarian slave system. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2017, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-gops-most-hard-line-authoritarians-call-themselves-the-freedom-caucus/782967/26 "2017-03-25T16:08:59Z")
In their minds they equate freedom with freedom from the social safety net and freedom from government regulation of business. ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2017, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-gops-most-hard-line-authoritarians-call-themselves-the-freedom-caucus/782967/27 "2017-03-25T16:53:05Z")
yes, freedom to cheat, freedom to pollute, freedom to act like a greedy bastard. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2017, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-gops-most-hard-line-authoritarians-call-themselves-the-freedom-caucus/782967/28 "2017-03-25T17:20:39Z")
> [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](#): > > Many of them are more libertarian-leaning, and in no universe does libertarian = authoritarian. Trump represents the authoritarians. Libertarians are just passive-aggressive authoritarians. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2017, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-gops-most-hard-line-authoritarians-call-themselves-the-freedom-caucus/782967/29 "2017-03-25T20:49:00Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > They are ‘freedom fighters’. > > Think about it… > Batman is a crime fighter. He fights crime. > My nephew is a fire fighter. He fights fires. You are no plagiarism fighter, sir. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2017, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-gops-most-hard-line-authoritarians-call-themselves-the-freedom-caucus/782967/30 "2017-03-26T00:20:29Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > I stand corrected. > > And I’d like to add that the Freedom Caucus members don’t have the slightest idea how the government or anything else really works. You don’t need to be an auto mechanic if all you want to do is hit a car with a sledge hammer. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2017, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-gops-most-hard-line-authoritarians-call-themselves-the-freedom-caucus/782967/31 "2017-03-26T00:26:10Z")
They want to get rid of government interference; or at least up to the point where it bumps into their own paychecks and health insurance. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2017, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-gops-most-hard-line-authoritarians-call-themselves-the-freedom-caucus/782967/32 "2017-03-26T02:03:52Z")
> [@marshmallow](#): > > You should be on high alert around any group or law with the following words in their title: > > - Freedom > - Family > - Moral > - Patriot > - Heartland > - Liberty > - Values Exactly. Red-flag code words, every one. Also, words like "research, “institute”, or “council” can be introduced to lend an official-sounding and sciencey aura. Something like the “Family Research Council”, for instance. They do no research and have nothing to do with families, but it sounds ever so much better than “Gang of Homophobic Bigots”. > [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](#): > > Many of them are more libertarian-leaning, and in no universe does libertarian = authoritarian. Sure it does. Libertarians only object to authoritarianism in the hands of the Evil Gubbermint. They appear to be deeply offended by any kind of law or regulation that supports the public interest. But libertarians have no problem at all with authoritarianism in private hands, like gouging, discrimination, and general malfeasance and abuse by corporate monopolies and powerful individuals. ---
**Author:** ![Trancephalic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trancephalic/32/380_2.png) [@Trancephalic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trancephalic)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2017, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-gops-most-hard-line-authoritarians-call-themselves-the-freedom-caucus/782967/33 "2017-03-26T02:25:54Z")
Well, you gotta hold a caucus race to dry all those lib tears ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2017, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-gops-most-hard-line-authoritarians-call-themselves-the-freedom-caucus/782967/34 "2017-03-26T04:50:38Z")
> [@Beren\_Erchamion](#): > > They’re not libertarians; libertarians are socialists. > > They advocate some sort of laissez-faire capitalism, which is an authoritarian slave system. Rotflmao 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2017, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-gops-most-hard-line-authoritarians-call-themselves-the-freedom-caucus/782967/35 "2017-03-26T04:53:31Z")
> [@marshmallow](#): > > You should be on high alert around any group or law with the following words in their title: > > - Freedom > - Family > - Moral > - Patriot > - Heartland > - Liberty > - Values Don’t forget - Heritage. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2017, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-gops-most-hard-line-authoritarians-call-themselves-the-freedom-caucus/782967/36 "2017-03-26T04:56:59Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > They are ‘freedom fighters’. > > Think about it… > Batman is a crime fighter. He fights crime. > My nephew is a fire fighter. He fights fires. Good one. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2017, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-gops-most-hard-line-authoritarians-call-themselves-the-freedom-caucus/782967/37 "2017-03-26T05:01:09Z")
> [@marshmallow](#): > > You should be on high alert around any group or law with the following words in their title: > > - Freedom > - Family > - Moral > - Patriot > - Heartland > - Liberty > - Values Toss the word “global” in there. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2017, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-gops-most-hard-line-authoritarians-call-themselves-the-freedom-caucus/782967/38 "2017-03-26T06:59:34Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > Libertarians only object to authoritarianism in the hands of the Evil Gubbermint. There’s a specific strain of “libertarianism” in the USA that specifically objects to _federal_ power, even if the feds are reducing the power of a state to harm individuals. If a federal court prohibits a state government from criminalizing homosexuality, they view that as a reduction of liberty. I’m not sure libertarian is actually a good word for this, but it’s very common to see people with these views (like Ron Paul) described as libertarians. ---
**Author:** ![CosmicManiac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85e7bf/32.png) [@CosmicManiac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CosmicManiac)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2017, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-gops-most-hard-line-authoritarians-call-themselves-the-freedom-caucus/782967/39 "2017-03-26T07:33:52Z")
> [@Beren\_Erchamion](#): > > What they advocate is essentially slavery: do what your capitalist masters demand or starve to death. > > Is this some Orwellian trick? You clearly have no idea what the word “authoritarian” means, and I would strongly suggest paying a visit to your local library for a Merriam Webster’s dictionary. You clearly dislike the Freedom Caucus, given your hyperbolic comparison of them to slaveowners, which is fine. But nothing they advocate could reasonably be considered “slavery” in any way, shape or form. They believe in capitalism and the free market, and that the economy works best when we aren’t over-regulated, when there are limited but reasonable regulations that don’t stifle business growth. They are hardline conservatives and budget cutting crusaders, yes, as they believe it is necessary to eliminate as much wasteful and unnecessary spending as possible in order to help pay for Trump’s reasonable upcoming tax reform, including lowering corporate tax rates as we have one of the highest in the world. No Freedom Caucus Republican has ever told anyone to starve to death or blindly “do what their capitalist masters” tell them to. They believe in putting more money in the American people’s pocketbook to help the economy grow, who will then be able to do whatever they want with the money after lawfully paying their taxes. Their “capitalist masters” don’t tell them what or how to spend their money, so that notion of yours is also false. Lord have mercy. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2017, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-gops-most-hard-line-authoritarians-call-themselves-the-freedom-caucus/782967/40 "2017-03-26T13:36:54Z")
> [@CosmicManiac](#): > > in order to help pay for Trump’s reasonable upcoming tax reform, including lowering corporate tax rates as we have one of the highest in the world. Never mind that your entire post is missing the point of this thread, I will address this part. In case you didn’t notice it, the hilariously failed attempt to repeal ACA had money going back to the most wealthy Americans at the cost of insurance for the poor. Now, an attempt to shift even more of the tax burden away from wealthy and corporate entities seems like a good idea? You often hear politicians talking about the importance of the middle class, yet shit like ‘tax reform’ is destroying the middle class, expanding the lower class and enriching just a handful. Is that what you stand for? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-gops-most-hard-line-authoritarians-call-themselves-the-freedom-caucus/782967.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-gops-most-hard-line-authoritarians-call-themselves-the-freedom-caucus/782967.md?page=3)