Poll: Republican voters have embraced libertarian values

United Liberty ^ | 9/12/13 | Jason Pye

[shego]

The libertarian philosophy is taking the Republican Party by storm, according to a poll conducted by FreedomWorks, a DC-based grassroots service center with over 6 million members.

With Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI) and many other liberty-minded politicians gaining influence, libertarianism has generated new interest inside the Republican Party, much to the chagrin of the GOP's political establishment....

"FreedomWorks' poll shows that 42 percent of Republicans have a favorable view of the word ‘libertarian,' and only 10 percent don't know the word, compared to 27 percent who don't know nationally," they added.

And the term "libertarian" may still turn off some Republican voters, the basic message of the philosophy earns significant favor. The poll found that 68% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents agree with the statement that "individuals should be free to do as they like as long as they don't hurt others, and that the government should keep out of people's day-to-day lives."

What's more, an eye-popping 78% of Republicans consider themselves to be "fiscally conservative, but socially moderate," which is a significant finding given the debate in the GOP on social issues.

Looking outside of just the Republican box, the poll found that 66% of respondents consider themselves to fiscally conservative and socially moderate.

These numbers show that the libertarian message is appealing, not only to Republican voters, but also to all Americans; further advancing the case for conservative-libertarian fusionism as a way to promote free market ideals, limited government, and personal liberty....

[AmericanExceptionalist]

The “Liberal” party won recent election in Australia. That party is actually gets it name from being Libertarian.

I remember reading, years ago--I think it was in a syndicated column by (the now retired) William Rusher--that the so-called "Liberal Party" in Japan is actually conservative...

[ansel12]

That is the big L party’s platform. The little l position is generally “This is none of the government’s business and therefore should not be the subject of regulation.”

So libertarians disagree with this political position?

1.3 Personal Relationships
Sexual orientation, preference, gender, or gender identity should have no impact on the government's treatment of individuals, such as in current marriage, child custody, adoption, immigration or military service laws. Government does not have the authority to define, license or restrict personal relationships. Consenting adults should be free to choose their own sexual practices and personal relationships.

[Spktyr]

No, there are disagreements about that as with any other. However, actual libertarians will all agree about one line in there:

“Government does not have the authority to define, license or restrict personal relationships.”

What we’re seeing out of Washington and elsewhere is *why* this is important. Government should never be in position to license relationships - imagine if they decided only homosexual marriage would be ‘licensed’ and heterosexual couples could not be.

[GeronL]

but libertarians like Glenn Beck approve of gay marriage being licensed

I can only surmise they want the institution of marriage to be abolished because they oppose all forms of civilized society

[shego]

Government does not have the authority to define, license or restrict personal relationships. That arrogation by government is how the whole mess got started.

[shego]

Government does not have the authority to define, license or restrict personal relationships.

That arrogation by government is how the whole mess got started.

[Spktyr]

I can’t and won’t speak for Beck or the Beckian sect.

I’m against the government having any say in licensure of what is primarily a religious institution anyway. Imagine if the government suddenly decided that only homosexual or polyamorous relationships could be licensed and heterosexual unions were no longer valid.

[Anton.Rutter]

Exactly how much of my attention do you think you deserve?

I knew the answer before I asked the question.

[Spktyr]

If only. No, it was the government deciding that something was functionally the same as what they were already licensing and therefore they should license it as well.

[IDFbunny]

It’ll be too late if the LP gets 5% next election (~3% last time) when federal matching kicks in. The conservatives

I’m not a perfect Libertarian but then was never the perfect Republican either. There is nothing conservative about the drug war, the ‘Patriot’ act or a large standing military. That said I don’t believe in gay marriage (family courts ruined marriage not gays) or open borders.

[Thane_Banquo]

Love of drugs? NO

Can you show me where in the Constitution the War on Drugs is an enumerated power of the Federal government?

I personally am fine with libertarianism at the Federal level, with local communities and states being allowed to make their own laws regarding issues like drugs. Or, in other words, I'm fine with the system that was originally set up by the Founders in our Constitution.

[Anton.Rutter]

I have exactly the same stance on all those issues, so maybe I’m a libertarian...I think I’m a pragmatic conservative. And maybe its the same damd thing.

[A CA Guy]

Show me the right you have to cause damage to others in public and liability to your potential employer.

[RginTN]

when it proposed that the GOP let social issues go on a national level, think again as to why this may be a palatable idea. 

---

In an ideal world that may be palatable but not now with activists willing to use the weight of the federal govt to punish critics

[entropy12]

The RINO’s are not fiscal conservatives. Nixon started the EPA and Ford had the WIN buttons. Reagan seldom vetoed democrat spending bills and tripled federal spending levels in 8 years. The Bushes gave us bigger governments and subsidized prescription drugs. Social extremists such as Akin & Mourdock have no chance whatsoever to win national elections, or even statewide elections.

Only 2 republicans have the mental fortitude to right this country. Cruz & Rand. Perry has done a great job in Texas. Other than I will just sit out 2016 if Jersey Fats is the nominee.

[entropy12]

Most intelligent post in this thread! Keep up the good work.

[Thane_Banquo]

Show me the right you have to cause damage to others in public and liability to your potential employer.

All of which can be dealt with via laws regarding said damage and liability. But those laws are state and local laws. My specific question is, where is the War on Drugs enumerated in the Constitution as a power of the Federal government?

[Wallace T.]

One straw man type argument put up by libertarians on the issue of homosexual "marriage" is that marriages were not licensed by the states until the mid to late 19th Century. However, traditional marriage was recognized in common law as a unique relationship from the beginnings of our history and before that in England, the origin of common law. Sodomy was a punishable offense in common law well before it was made illegal by statute in the several states, as well as England.

The family is the foundation of civil society. It has always been the underpinning of any country whose culture and origins are Christian. As America abandons its Christian based culture and deviates from its origins, marriage and the family are less protected and increasingly assaulted by government at all levels. I cannot exempt the so-called Red states from this generalization.

[A CA Guy]

I've dealt with enough pot smoking losers of late (all of which get aggressive and violent with all the pot) and it is a cancer on Americans and our children if it appears acceptable to them.
I can only see it for cancer or other dying people. The rest IMO are just junkies trying to get mainstream

[GeronL]

bump