[MNJohnnie]

In which case she will lose badly. Reagan was no Libertarian. Libertarians merely have tried to hijack his legacy to make their finger political dogma relevant.

Do nothing about anything ever, which is the core Libertine dogma, is not one that will ever win elections in the real world. It is a doctrine for comfortably middle class self absorbed single males, not serious adult minds.

[mazda77]

Correct. If she was to run as anything other than Republican it would definately not be Libertairan. Too many little boney critters in that closet. If anyting a new party based on conservatism but I feel she is the kind of person who can take the Republican party away from the Rinos just as she did in Alaska. Bold colors!

[Josh Painter]

She is not a libertarian. She is a (small-ell) libertarian conservative. The differnces are significant - libertarian conservatives believe in small government, low taxes and fiscal responsibilty, as do Libertarians. But libertarian conservatives believe there should be some limits of personal liberties - they don’t support legalizing drugs, gay marriage, and some of the other more liberal social policies that many Libertarians do.

Libertarian conservatives also don’t support foreign policy adventurism, but they do believe in a strong defense and even taking proactive steps when real threats to the U.S. present themselves.

- JP

[Oztrich Boy]

You communitarians don't get it. A polity divided between socons (social control and economic liberty) and progressives (economic control and social liberty) is going to be unstable.

On the other hand, both genuine Burkean conservatives and genuine J S Mill liberals can support a position of "We don't want bigger government, we want a government that does a few big things and does them right!”

The "Libertines" of your fantasies, if they have to make a choice between big government and big government, they will go for the one that allows personal freedom.

But they would, like actual libertarians, and genuine conservatives, prefer a government not big enough to control everything.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Johnnie, why don't you read the fricking article instead of jerking your knee.

Nobody said Reagan was a libertarian. However, he recognized how crucial libertarians were and how much influence they had on conservatives. Think of libertarianism as the skeleton of a human body, and conservatism the muscle.

Palin is not going to go around and foam at the mouth on the drug war, porn, pot, etc. Reducing the size and scope of government and fighting wars only when necessary are issues that libertarians and conservatives can agree with.

Do you want to win or not?

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

It is a doctrine for comfortably middle class self absorbed single males, not serious adult minds.

You are soooooo wrong!