Here come the 'liberaltarians'?

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review ^ | Sunday, December 24, 2006 | Robyn Blumner

[Sunsong]

”The libertarian vote is up for grabs in a way it may have never been before. A compelling case is being made for the economically conservative yet socially liberal libertarians to switch their political allegiances from Republican to Democrat, a trend that has already begun.

”Brink Lindsey, a scholar with the libertarian nonprofit Cato Institute, lays out the reasoning in "Liberaltarians," a provocative essay in The New Republic. He explains that the defining ideology of the American right for the last 50 years has been conservative fusionism, which recognized the common interest in both social and economic conservatives to protect traditional values from the intrusion of big government.

”But when social conservatives came to power and started to use big government to impose their cultural vision on others, the libertarian disaffection began.

”Libertarian voters were repulsed by the religious right's impulses to deny gays the right to marry and to interfere with Michael Schiavo's decisions about his wife Terri's end of life. Then, when an entirely Republican federal government abandoned any pretense of small government by spending uncontrollably, nation-building in Iraq and replacing science with theology, the trickle became a stream.

[Nonstatist]

the Terry Schiavo controversy did enormous damage to the Republican Party

Youve got to be kidding me. Does it represent a trend? Can you extrapolate other actions coming from that? Is it the tip of an iceberg?

You should, like, not read the NYT so much, IMO.

[Fierce Allegiance]

Thanks.

[redpoll]

I kept reading this article and I kept coming to the same conclusion. This guy desperately wants to somehow see the majority Democratic coalition recreated again so it can relive the glory days of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. I don't have a huge staff of pollsters and pundits at my disposal, but the argument felt fake, forced, and hollow. Or in the words of Groucho Marx: "Who are you going to believe? Me or your own eyes?"

[KDD]

Actually, it really was a local matter...until Randal Terry, Hannity, and Jesse Jackson showed up. Oh, and a couple of clowns who must have gotten lost on their way to the Ringling Brothers Clown School in Sarasota.

I tell you that as a local.

[patton]

You are correct, in that I view government as the problem.

I do not see more government as a solution, however. That is like saying, "Now that we have socialized healthcare, the only way to fix it is to outlaw smoking."

How about we just dump the idea of socialized healthcare?

[tacticalogic]

Oh yes, Hallelujah! The Commerce Clause is the Socialist Landfill.

It has indeed, but it's not the fault of the Commerce Clause of the US Constitution. It's that steaming pile of socialist sophistry we refer to in polite company as the New Deal Commerce Clause that needs a shovel, followed by sunlight and chlorine.

[ekwd]

Perhaps you're right. I saw nothing wrong with Congress trying to get the courts to do an actual review of her status, but most of my friends and relatives, all of whom are conservative Christians, saw it as the government trying to interfere in the relationship between a man and his wife.

[sageb1]

I know locals. They hated the whole affair and many stood up for Michael. But the ideology is not local.

[ekwd]

How about we just dump the idea of socialized healthcare?
Thanks for answering your reply yourself. It would take an act of government to undo the likes of Medicare and Medicaid.

[RockinRight]

It's about big gov't spending. .....an issue that all Republicans and Libertarians can agree on. If the GOP goes back to its fiscal conservative roots it wouldn't have to worry much about losing voters to third parties.

I don't disagree with this. However, I'd think most libertarians are smart enough to know that the Democrats are NOT an acceptable alternative on this issue!

[sageb1]

I agree that Dems have as the last thing on their minds spending controls, but they most assurdedly are trying to convince us that they do. Hence the article for this thread, plus the fact that they are trying with much success to grab the so-called religious left.

[photodawg]

”The libertarian vote is up for grabs in a way it may have never been before. A compelling case is being made for the economically conservative yet socially liberal libertarians to switch their political allegiances from Republican to Democrat, a trend that has already begun.

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

The liberalitarian vote is always up for grabs because their only allegiance is to themselves .

[ekwd]

I reached that conclusion from talking with my friends and neighbors.

[DManA]

None of your business really.

[dbehsman]

Actually, the GOP is the party of most of us. It is up to us to come up with the correct people to represent us. Maybe we are just not doing our job as well as we could. Instead of waiting until the last minute and voting against GOP candidates, all of us need to be contacting current reps and finding new reps.

THANK YOU! You have stated what the whining, self-centered, melodramatic morons on the right need to hear.

Good luck preaching responsibility to the libertarians! That's like trying to reason with a brick wall. Or even trying to discuss morality with a libertarian.

If the so called "true conservatives" have any brains, they will realize that if they are upset with the Republican party, THEN THEY SHOULD TRY ATTENDING THE PRIMARIES!!! How tough is this? Attending a primary is not rocket science. I sometimes wonder if these folks take a stupid pill every morning when they wake up. One libertarian idiot a couple of weeks ago was actually upset because the federal government hasn't raised taxes!?!?! I don't think they even know what they want.

[Cold Heat]

”But when social conservatives came to power and started to use big government to impose their cultural vision on others, the libertarian disaffection began.

Yup..............But I'm still here, barely........

This article encompasses exactly what I am seeing in the Midwest and South. But they are not becoming Democrats. They are becoming independents, and they are protest voting for the reasons stated. Particularly the younger 20-30 somethings...and the old Reagan Democrats. They voted for blue dog Dems, this time around.

[patton]

I think we are two peoples seperated by a common language...

IMHO, dumping a government program counts as less government, not more, and the only thing congress needs to do is repeal the tax and stop funding it.

Having said that, I am also a realist - Bush expanded the damn thing, and GM is going to bribe enough congresscritters to give us hillarycare in the near future, I am pretty sure.

[ekwd]

IMHO, dumping a government program counts as less government, not more, and the only thing congress needs to do is repeal the tax and stop funding it.

It still takes to repeal a law.
'nite all.