[Equality 7-2521]

I can't count the number of times I've read on FR that libertarians should work within the Republican party. See what that gets us.

[EndWelfareToday]

I believe his rationale is that libertarians generally agree with liberals about more issues than they do with conservatives. Of course, I’ve never debated that point because I agree with it.

I knew there was a reason I've never identified myself as a libertarian.

[ClearCase_guy]

It’s been clear to me for about 20 years that Libertarians have more in common with Liberals than they do with Conservatives. I have no time for them.

[MrB]

Conservatives get their backs up on some of the libertarian positions, like drugs & prostitution.

However, if the government would get out of the business of alleviating the consequences of poor choices and bad behavioral decisions, the problems would take care of themselves,

and conservatives would get their way - reduction of immoral behaviors and decisions (through attrition).

The reason that morals ARE morals is that they have the best record of causing a desirable outcome. When we use the government to “fix” an undesirable outcome, there’s no reason (consequence pressure) for the undisciplined to be moral.

[Antoninus]

Libertarianism is the politics of the adolescent, as well as the perpetual adolescent who happens to be 40 years old.

[Eternal_Bear]

It seems the Republicans of today love massive government and staggering deficits. When I was growing up, this was not so. How did this travesty happen?

[Paradox]

BullFeces. I was a Liberal who became Libertarian, who then became Conservative because I realized that the conservatives were Right, libertarian-wise, on more things that really matter and that Government can really control, than Liberals.

[Little Ray]

Fine. Work within the Democrat part and see what THAT gets you...

Personally, I have grown up and figured out that Libertarians are about perpetual childhood, with nothing mattering more than their personal wants...

[Equality 7-2521]

Please ping the Ron Paul list.

[DesScorp]

Libertarians are useless, and the fact that Ron Paul ran as one speaks volumes about them.

[M203M4]

Libertarians are not one group. There are left-libertarians (generally pro-abortion, pro-gay, anti-war, pro-criminal, pro-feminism, weakly pro-capitalism/third-way, anti-religion, pro-legislation of immorality, etc), and there are right-libertarians (pro-gun, pro-life (as a liberty), strongly pro-capitalism, against government mandated religion, against pro or con special government recognition of gays, etc). The two camps agree on support of free speech, support of political freedom/suffrage, and both are pro-privacy and against police-state powers. A third camp, the anarcho-libertarians (opposed to the libertarian minarchist/small-government tradition), roam the political wilderness and have little influence (think Murray Rothbard).

The two major camps parted ways in the 60's, with one camp aligning with the liberals, the other camp aligning with the conservatives. As for organizations, the Cato institute is representative of the group within the fusionist conservative coalition, and the ACLU is representative of the left-libertarian camp aligned with democrats. As for most visible proponents, Samuel Edward Konkin III (author of "The New Libertarian Manifesto", BIH) was a left-libertarian, while Milton Friedman (RIP) was representative of the right-libertarian group.

Right libertarians should continue to work with the Republican party, despite the growth of nanny-state, big government tendencies of late (temporary I hope). Left libertarians are in a far more precarious position; IMO, most Democratic resistance to recent government expansion is fake, rooted in partisanship only - if it was Hillary doing it, the party establishment would be cheering her on.

[r9etb]

I’m Throwing Down a Libertarian Gauntlet

Sounds like "Initiation of Force" to me ...

[JamesP81]

In genereal:

A libertarian is someone who is more conservative than liberal and is noted by positions that generally mean "less government is better government."

A Libertarian (notice the capital L) is a liberal who wants to dress his liberalism up as libertarianism and, thus, be taken seriously by anyone to the right of Michael Moore and Joseph Stalin.

Very important to know the difference. I consider myself to be a social conservative with some libertarian (small l) tendencies. But I think the Libertarian party is staffed by borderline nutbars; I wouldn't vote Libertarian party any more than I would dim party because they are so similar when you get down to it. The Libertarian party just has better window dressing for their liberalism.

[metesky]

Years ago I used to subscribe to Liberty, Reason and a couple of other Libertarian rags. As they slowly drove off the edge of the cliff, especially Liberty with their "how many libertarians can dance on the head of a pin" stuff, I edged out of the room and returned to my conservative roots.

Sorry, bud, no takers here.

[Constantine XIII]

Is it made of hemp? :p

[Sloth]

I believe his rationale is that libertarians generally agree with liberals about more issues than they do with conservatives. Of course, I’ve never debated that point because I agree with it.

Bull. Libertarians are about freedom, property rights & personal responsibility. Leftists hate those things.

[Teacher317]

It is “liberal” to advocate for a small central government with limited and narrowly-defined powers? That was the definition of the terms about 200 years ago, but it certainly is not the modern meaning of the word.

[Moby Grape]

Working OUTSIDE the GOP gets DEMOCRATS elected...that BULL*HIT about there being no difference is just that: B.S.

Libertarians are NOT going to get elected in numbers to control ANYTHING...so they are the dems best friend by getting a few less republicans elected.

And they call this being “principled”.

[jonrick46]

Libertarianism when it translates into isolationism and protectionism can cause huge consequences and the Constitution in the hands of the Libertarians becomes a document blind to the cause of justice.

[Silly]

I’m Throwing Down a Libertarian Gauntlet.

I'm Picking it Up Off the Floor and Putting it Back in the Garage.

Stop Throwing Things On The Foor and Go Clean Your Room.

What Are You Doing in the Bathroom All Day? Give Someone Else a Chance!

[higgmeister]

It shows their “big tent” to be a reverse TARDIS

How many people even know what the TARDIS is?

Time and Relative Displacement in Space = TARDIS.

Doctor's Who's Time Machine was the size and shape of a British Police Telephone Call-in Booth on the outside but internally incorporated volume from other time and space dimensions so that it had the area and rooms of a grand palace.