You are right on your assessment of Nixon. He is garbage. Put to the original point of MNJohnnie, the Libertines always slam the Right and forget about the Leftists. Just look at this piece from the founder of the modern Libertarian movement, Ron Pauls mentor.
http://www.lewrockwell.com/rothbard/rothbard60.html
If solid Conservative values is all the Libertarians wanted, why did they hate Reagan so much? He is, after all, the gold standard of Republican values.
Because he failed at what he promised to do: shrink the fedgov monster. That's all.
Look, I worked my butt off getting Reagan elected Governor and had many friends and associates working for him both then and after. His first term, getting things back in order after Pat Brown's unfortunate governorship was a success in most people's book. Things started sliding midway through his second term, and I'm sure there was a reason.
As President, Reagan could have walked the talk and taken the bold steps of dismantling the welfare state.
Why didn't he? He had broad public support even if Congress was run by the Democrats.
My own guess is he lacked the nerve after being shot by Hinckley.