If Bush had not done prescription drug entitlement, would he have lost the independent/libertarian vote last night? Not as many, I think. (Oooh, but just think of all the Democratic votes he picked up by creating a new entitlement).
Like it or not, there is a percentage of people in this country who don't want larger government. Period. They will vote against the party that expands government. Last night, at least some GOP (talking state house candidates here, especially, but, could probably apply to those verrrrry close Senate races) candidates lost b/c LP candidates took a few hundred votes. In a different era, those votes would have gone GOP.
Obviously there are many, many other factors at play in this country of 300 million people. But...in at least some races, the GOP lost b/c it was deemed by independent libertarians to be the party of big government.
Very interesting points raised about Libertarians.
I have voted Libertarian on many occasions.
They kind of lost me in the 2004 election aftermath when it looked like they were helping a Kerry recount in Ohio.
But, if there is a lesson to be learned, maybe Repubs should re-evaluate cooperating and working bipartisanly with Liberals. Maybe they should be looking at how they can be more bipartisan with Libertarians.
Always.