“They are pro-abortion, pro-gay, pro-drugs, and anti-foreign defense footprint.”
They are neither “pro-abortion” nor “anti-abortion” and I have found Libertarians with personal views on both sides, with the exception of the law, where they are pro-Liberty and pro-personal responsibility, as opposed to pro-government.
The same holds true for “gay” and “drug” issues. They don’t just mouth Conservative small government, limited government precepts, they believe in them, in matters of law, above and beyond their own moral choces they might make.
their excessive foreign policy isolationism is another matter
Since, as you assert, gay marriage, drug legalization and abortion are not essential parts of what it means to be a libertarian - libertarians ought to be willing to concede these issues to conservatives.
If they are considered to be essential planks - then the libertarians are not going to concede either of these three.
Based on the posts so far - the libertarians seem very clear that abortion, gay marriage and drug legalization are all core principles.
Don’t inject thoughtful/insightful commentary into a thread based on FEELINGS or ‘one-plank-wonders’ . Most of the (R) following lemmings’ heads would explode.
There’s always been the (R) hard-cores with their heads up the GOPe ass to see the forest for the trees.
Too many cliches? :P
There is no such thing as being BOTH not pro-abortion and not anti-abortion. If you allow for abortions then you are pro-abortion. You can’t then turn around and claim to be against abortions.