Western conservatism

Western conservatism generally refers to a political orientation prevalent in the Western United States that some might otherwise call libertarian conservatism, Jeffersonian conservatism, or in some circles, classical liberalism, typified by politicians like Barry Goldwater, Ronald Reagan, Ron and Rand Paul, Rick Perry, and Margaret Thatcher. It has been described as a "soft-libertarian" ideology that focuses on economic rather than social issues, one which strongly "embraces individual freedom" and opposes an "expanded role for government".

Differences with other ideologies

Western conservatives differ from "purist" libertarians in that most tend to be pro-life, believing abortion to be more of a state, not federal, issue; foreign policy in Iraq and Afghanistan ought be driven by a clearly defined mission and exit strategy; immediate legalization or decriminalization of drugs is not a practical near-term solution.

On the other hand, western conservatives differ from neoconservatives in that they tend to believe there should be a natural or practical separation of church and state, military presence throughout the world should be significantly less than it is now, and that a premium placed on privacy trumps most any rationale behind the USA PATRIOT Act or REAL ID Act.