My problem with Libertarians is their candidates in several key instances have cost the Republicans victory. Although I was no fan of McCain, Bob Barr running as a Libertarian cost him Indiana and North Carolina (not enough to change the outcome, but enough to get it closer in the EC). Sens. Tim Johnson (D-SD) & Jon Tester (D-MT) won narrow victories because Libertarian candidates deprived the Republicans a victory (and in Tester’s case, that was the difference between the GOP tying control of the Senate in ‘06 and losing control).
Another way to describe the outcome of the election is to say that if they could have convinced the voters of their libertarian creds, they would have won. Why are you blaming the libertarian voters instead of the R’s who failed to sell themselves as libertarian enough?
The way things are looking lately, we may be fortunate McCain lost. For that to remain true, more conservatives and libertarians that actually follow their principles have to become activists.