there are varying degrees...
are all republicans conservatives?
of course not..
not all libertarians are ron paul nut jobs...
if you look at the libertarian party platform, most of it mirrors the republican party platform.
The 2 area's where it does not are also the 2 area's I disagree with.
But, the libertarians will stick with their platform, unlike the republicant’s, who once elected will abandon said platform, and turn into socialists.
small l libertarians are liberty loving constitution believing persons. I do not need a petty bureaucrat telling me what I can do, what I can or cannot put into my body, what I must believe and how I should act.
Those decisions are mine and mine alone.
The only exceptions are when I interfere or trespass upon someone else’s civil rights (life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness)..
All of ideology is instinct (borne of r and K-selected reproductive strategies), not reason or logic. Libertarianism is just the normal outlier reproductive strategy you would see in any population, where r and K strategies mix - that’s why Libertarianism is such a small minority strategy, despite it’s promise to be something everyone should be able to agree upon, if logic were guiding us. (Though the strategy may gain some favor under conditions of low population density due to resource limitation.)
You are driven to Libertarianism by instinct, you then construct arguments which generate good feelings in you (according to your political/r/K instincts), and which you feel should construct good feelings in others, and judge Libertarianism correct, because of those good feelings. I know, because I was a diehard Libertarian until a few years ago, and did the same thing.
I defected because I realized true Libertarianism fosters the growth of Liberalism in a society through tolerance, which is deadly for that society. It’s why Liberals will tolerate Libertarians (That alone should give you pause). Liberalism rises, probably no matter what, but Libertarianism speeds it up considerably.
In the end, true reason and logic should yield one conclusion. Liberalism destroys whatever society it grows within, like a cancer. Thus it needs to be stopped no matter what, and anything favoring it should be avoided. I finally concluded that rather than tilt at windmills, promoting an ideology which would never go anywhere for reasons of biology and evolution, the US would be better served if everybody just allied with Conservatives, and sought the destruction of Liberalism.
I think it is pretty much the only way to have a chance at saving this Republic.
I also have to say, my last interaction with the Libertarian movement was bizarre. Cato has a gay guy who is out and out nuts running their online journal. I assume he is a Lib trying to push Liberalism from that side, especially in light of the “bleeding heart Libertarianism” crap they were pushing. Get to know the movement leaders, and I think you’ll find yourself more Republican.