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About this quote

What does it mean?
Friedman identifies himself as a libertarian and a Republican for practical reasons, not necessarily ideological ones.
In plain terms
He’s a libertarian and a pragmatic Republican.
What can you take from it?
Political labels can be chosen for convenience.

Where it applies

  • personal political statements
  • campaign positioning
  • voter outreach

Putting it to work

  • clarify personal stance
  • focus on policy over party
  • communicate reasons for affiliation

Questions to consider

  • Why choose a party label for expediency?
  • How do personal beliefs align with party platforms?

Another view

Labels may oversimplify complex beliefs.

More from Milton Friedman

  1. There are four ways in which you can spend money. You can spend your own money on yourself. When you do that, why then you really watch out what you're doing, …

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  2. Keynes was a great economist. In every discipline, progress comes from people who make hypotheses, most of which turn out to be wrong, but all of which ultimat…

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  3. I am in favor of cutting taxes under any circumstances and for any excuse, for any reason, whenever it's possible. The reason I am is because I believe the big…

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