Why do Libertarians run as Republicans?

[jazzimov]

I can see it in one sense, since they are Regressive in that they want to take us back to a period that never really existed except in their own minds. In many cases they want to take us back to the 1st Congressional Congress which was a miserable failure BECAUSE of Libertarian values.

But many of their values and justifications seem closer to Anarchism than Republican values. In any event, they seem much closer to Democratic values on many issues than Republicans. At least, there seems to be a big push here on DU towards Libertarian values.

Perhaps the difference is economic - Keynesian vs Austrian School (which is what Ayn Rand supported).

Perhaps it is the Nanny State vs "do whatever you want to do - everyone else be damned".

Frankly, neither situation is perfect. IMHO we need a little of both.

But my question still remains - why do Libertarians choose the Republican Party over the Democratic Party?

I think I know the answer, but I'm hoping I'm wrong and I'm looking for other opinions.

[pnwmom]

1. Because Repubs and Libertarians have almost identical economic policies these days

and that matters more to the Libertarians than anything else.

Above all, they are the party of selfishness, and so are the tea party people who've taken over the Republican party.

[Harmony Blue]

2. Because they are still Republicans on social issues

for the most part which contradicts what they believe in. Also Libertarians and Anarchists don't like each other because people tend to lump them together but they are sooooo different.

[jazzimov]

4. I have to ask - HOW are they so different?

I am honestly asking, because I am one of those who tend to lump them together.

HOW are they different? Please educate me!

[Harmony Blue]

7. Libertarians are against big government interference

while anarchists are against any centralized entity whether the government or private. Libertarians on the other hand defend the private sector with vigor.

[jazzimov]

15. I don't disagree that Libertarians

defend the private sector with vigor, but how do Anarchists propose to defend against a private centralized entity? I like the idea, but someone will take advantage of the vacuum and fill it with their greed-filled need for "power".

I love the concept, but how is it proposed to be carried out?

And how is that fundamentally different from Libertarian ideals?

[NRaleighLiberal]

3. Dems are too empathetic/feeling - too "soft" for libertarians, I suspect.

The greed and "screw you I got mine" mantra of the Republicans fits them perfectly.

[jazzimov]

11. Social Darwinism does seem to be a basis for their philosophy,

but is that the trigger that makes them Republican?

I guess what I am asking is not only the Republican strategy, but also the Democratic strategy. Republicans have accused us of supporting the "nanny state" - along with many other things. Our party has been misrepresented on many issues.

Still, although we are perceived as the party of "Big Government" by RW smears, we are also seen as the protectors of individual rights as evidenced by the GLBT community, the Black community, and the Hispanic community.

Personally, this just points out the hypocrisy of the Libertarian movement. If they were really serious about their values, everyone would start out with "nothing" and no inheritance from their parents. Which means that their would have to be some kind of entity to enforce this. Which would be a form of government.

Which means they should be Democratic rather than Republican.

To be fair, I am not attacking you, just pointing out how their logic is really anti-logic.

[NRaleighLiberal]

17. don't worry - I understand your points and am fine - don't feel at all attacked

I find libertarians personally to be hypocritical and confusing. Actually quite lost, to tell the truth - their beliefs are so impractical that they simply won't work in any sort of interconnected society. Greedy, intellectually lazy and perhaps not brave enough to own up to what they really are - republicans!

[JoePhilly]

5. If they get something from the government they EARNED it ... if you get something

from the government, you are a FREELOADER.

In recent times, many Republicans, embarrassed by having voted for Bush twice, started to call themselves Libertarians, thinking it meant a somewhat "smaller government". In reality, it now appears to mean, almost no government.

And if their are taxes collected, the funds go to one's personal connections, because they earned it.

[Liberal Veteran]

8. Yep and that is how their patron saint, Ayn Rand, did it.

She was quite the freeloader towards the end.

[jazzimov]

16. Yep! Her actions towards the end of her life

seemed to preclude everything she claimed at the height of her "15 minutes". But Randites tend to forget that inconvenient fact.

[Liberal Veteran]

20. It is one of the inconveniences of civilization.

It is a lack of empathy, in my opinion. Ayn Rand was a terrible, terrible person with some interesting ideas that some people see as high minded, but really when you at it, it is mostly just selfishness and lack of empathy.

[morningfog]

6. Libertarians share social positions with Liberals and economic positions with Conservatives.

The reason libertarians have recently aligned with Repubs instead of Dems is because the Repubs touted the "small government" position and exploited the libertarian's fears and embraced (manufactured) the Tea Party.

The Dems, for their part, have done little to bring the libertarians in by appealing to the social and civil liberties. They could have, but essentially have ceded the libertarians to the repubs for the moment. With the Dem's latest embrace of civil liberty infringements certainly won't help.

But, I think the repubs are losing the libertarians again, by giving them lip service in much the same way they have to the religious right. They use them as election wedges and then never return on the support.

[ProSense]

10. Except

"Libertarians share social positions with Liberals and economic positions with Conservatives."

...when they don't.

Ron Paul's hypocritical vision of health care: charity or death, "that's what freedom is all about"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/100288476

[jazzimov]

19. Thanks for providing links and actual video to support your POV.

Although I've seen posts attacking your use of links, I remember a DU that used to have a lot of kinks to support their point of view.

From what I've seen, most of the outrage against your posts have been born from an inability to refute your posts. Please, keep on doing what you do and PLEASE keep posting the "blue linkies" that seems to drive some loco.

[truebluegreen]

14. Ron Paul didn't / doesn't.

He shared many social values with garden-variety Republicans, he just thought the states should be able to impose / enforce them, not the federal government.

And I don't think the Republicans will lose the Libertarians, both are selfish, not empathetic. It's all about them, individually, never about us, together.

[SDjack]

9. They run to the money.

[Cha]

12. They're both junk.. why not flock?

[AgingAmerican]

13. A lot of their nonsense appeals to Republicans

...and visa versa.

[jazzimov]

21. well, obviously - but WHY? nt

[Gravitycollapse]

18. Big L Libertarianism is a right-wing ideology. That's why.

[jazzimov]

22. But so many here seem to enbrace it

so it can't really be RW ideology - unless it's infiltrated us here.

But it has infiltrated us here. How?

[Gravitycollapse]

24. I think people are confusing little l libertarianism with Libertarianism...

Which is kind of understandable given how so many thoughts and actions in politics are reflexive with little consideration involved.

It's okay to be a Democrat, even a staunch Democrat, and also be vehemently against state surveillance. It's okay to be a staunch Democrat as well as a left-wing libertarian. It is absolutely possible, even imperative, for left-wing libertarians to despise the warped ideology of the Libertarian party and its ilk.

Big L Libertarianism is a slight bend of Republicanism and it is equally disgusting.

[marybourg]

28. Just because they're *here* doesn't make them

Democrats.

[tclark0404]

23. Libertarians run as Republicans because...

They have hate and fear in their heart that they just can't escape from. So it's best to hide under the tent with the rest of the social cowards.

[HughBeaumont]

25. Libertarians = Republicans minus "Teh Jesus" plus weed.

Their views on war are insincere. Their views on economics and the social safety net are abhorrent, possibly WORSE than those of Republicans. Their positions on taxation are deceptive at best, destructive at worst.

Some Libertarians are even are pro-lifers.

No wonder, really . . .

[NoOneMan]

26. "I can see it in one sense..."

Oh, is that the sense that fits your wordview?

Primarily, its because thats an existing voting block of people most likely to vote for them (where the brainless they most appeal to congregate). Its much more difficult to convince the discerning on the left to support bad ideas (nonetheless, the current Democratic leadership is doing so with skill).

[JaneyVee]

27. It all comes down to economics. They are anarcho-capitalists.

[railsback]

29. As Thom Hartmann likes to say:

Libertarians are nothing but Republicans who want to smoke dope and get laid.

[hugo_from_TN]

30. They believe in small government

[WovenGems]

31. Change

The Libertarians of today are a joke compared to what they were thirty years ago. Then they believed in personal freedoms and personal protection. Today they don't believe in any protections you can't buy yourself.

[Downwinder]

32. Because Republicans and Democrats make it so hard

for third parties to run.

[Lugnut]

33. Because they're really Republicans. n/t

[kenny blankenship]

34. Why do Reagan Era Moderate Republicans run as Democrats?

That's a much more interesting question, I think.