Libertarians Favor Obama and Other Looks at Election 2008

Rasmussen Reports ^ | July 05, 2008 | Rasmussen Reports

[Kleebo151]

Libertarian voters make up 4% of the nation’s likely voters and they favor Barack Obama over John McCain by a 53% to 38% margin. Three percent (3%) would vote for some other candidate and 5% are not sure.

[Kleebo151]

I agree. Maybe many respondents confused “libertarian” with “liberal.”

[kbennkc]

Sure! The poll means that 97% of self-identified Libertarians have no idea of what a Libertarian is!

I think you are very close and perhaps have identified a condition not unrelated to drug use .

[Sooth2222]

Libertarian voters make up 4% of the nation’s likely voters

Since Michael Badnarik won 0.34% of the vote in 2004 (behind Nader) maybe Scott Rasmussen's estimate of the number of Libertarians is just a little on the high side?

[steve-b]

Obviously, a Big Government approach to “social issues” is unacceptable to either libertarians of genuine conservatives.

[BGHater]

Utter nonsense. No self respecting libertarian who loves freedom and individual responsibility would be for Obama.

The only reason to vote for Obama is because we know what he will want to do and try to get. He is a Marxist. Thats a given.

The unknown is McCain. He will push funding for global Aids, Global warming, etc. And every once in a while throw a bone to conservatives.

Easy pick. Obama for President.

Republicans act like Republicans when there is a Rat President.

[montag813]

What about ACLU assclown Bob Barr? Isn’t he the “Libertarian” nominee?

[PGR88]

There are a lot of so-called Libertarians who simply pick and choose among Libertarian philosophy, keeping some parts and discarding other parts (particularly property and gun rights).

[Cringing Negativism Network]

As a liberarian, I’m calling “BS” on this one.

[Cicero]

I don’t doubt that pot-smoking, cocaine sniffing libertarians favor Obama.

[Cringing Negativism Network]

“There are a lot of so-called Libertarians who simply pick and choose among Libertarian philosophy, keeping some parts and discarding other parts (particularly property and gun rights).”

-

There are a lot of other libertarians who pick and choose among libertarian philosophy, keeping some parts (property and gun rights), and discarding other parts (particularly drug use, and isolationism).

[dfwgator]

I could see social libertarians favoring Obama, but certainly not economic libertarians.

[Fresh Wind]

We have got to have a civilian national security force that is just as powerful, just as strong, just as well funded.

Oh, that must be the "well regulated militia" that everybody is talking about. Nothing to worry about. We could never have a Gestapo here. This is America.

[Archon of the East]

No but it does tell you that a large part of the “libertarian” population is only guided by selfish vice issues like prostitution and drugs. I favor a more libertarian USA but not on those issues. Obviously if libertarians favor Obama they are not libertarians at all. That being said I don’t suspect any of them really are exited about McCain either.

[ellery]

I agree. The “libertarians” who support Obama are probably the same ones who supported Giuliani. Either they aren’t really for libertarian ideals, or they aren’t paying attention.

[headsonpikes]

“How in the world could a Libertarian support Obama?”

They must be those Red Republicans.

Red Republicans...hmmmm

;^)

[decimon]

Either this poll is flawed, or those who call themselves libertarians are very mistaken about what it is to be a libertarain.

Well, how does the Reason crowd strike you today as opposed to years ago?

[cardinal4]

"We cannot continue to rely only on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we have set. We have got to have a civilian national security force that is just as powerful, just as strong, just as well funded." -Barack Obama July 2, 2008

My God, we are doomed..

[Tzimisce]

Neither do I.

[pgkdan]

I guess by libertarian they mean dope smoking, tax evading, crack head homos. That would make sense.

[Combat_Liberalism]

Libertarian is a euphemism for liberal. Limited government is their first principle to abandon.