Why do Libertarians usually side with today's Republican Party?

Question

Bill Clinton declared the "era of big government is over" and backed it up with results. The Republicans have "spent like drunken sailors" since they took power and have passed the Patriot Act which restricts our freedoms. The Iraq invasion speaks for itself. The Dems have given up on the war against the Second Amendment.

I know Libertarians have differences with both parties but it seems to me that they have more in common with the Democrats.

Clinton cut spending in all departments with the exception of Justice and the Post Office. Government spending as a % of GDP was the smallest since JFK. He even cut the White House staff by 25%.

PS: My differences with the libertarians is that they are against: public education, helping young people in general, corporate regulation and universal healthcare.

If you think about it, that's not much in the total scheme of things. My vision for America is a much smaller, efficient government than we have now.

Answer 1

Actually, libertarians do not usually side with today's Republican party. Especially not TODAY's Republican party. In the past the GOP used to use LP rhetoric as cover while expanding government, but today they do not even use the rhetoric any more.

Yes, the LP currently has more in common with the DP than the RP. Many libertarians recognize that as well. Bush has done something that most libertarians would not have thought possible - made them miss Clinton. But they do.

Answer 2

The Dems have given up on the war against the Second Amendment? Rrrrrright - I take the Pike to work everyday - that giant billboard basically blaming "lax" Vermont gun laws for Roxbury murders is still there.

And please - everyone's spending like drunken sailors now. Is it right to blame Bush? Yes. He's in charge, he has the power of the veto and he was elected by people who want the government to spend less. But the few cuts that have been proposed, not to spending but only to spending growth rates, were voted against unanimously by the Democrats.

It still comes down to this - unless you're gay or a very sexually active woman who doesn't know how to use birth control, the GOP's wrong positions on these matters of liberty have nothing to do with you. If you make more than $25K per year - i.e., if you have a real job - the Democrats' wrong positions on economic liberty mean a lot to you.

There should be a viable party that is, if you will, "pro choice on all the issues," but 95% of the time you're not even sending a message when you vote Libertarian, because it takes at least 3% to send a message and they usually get 1%.

That leaves one party that will protect the economic liberty of almost everyone and another party that will protect the behavioral liberty of a small group of people and will restrict everyone's liberty to benefit other small groups of people.

That's why Libertarians usually side with the Republicans.

You wanted an answer, that's it.

I will give you your point on Clinton - not 100% but 90% - on economic issues he was basically Reagan II - - - which is why it kills me to see all these Clinton fans bashing Reagan....

Answer 3

You make an astute observation. Libertarians like to say that liberals are libertarian on social issues while conservatives are libertarian on economic issues. In either case libertarians, having faith in individuals, believe and advocate that government intervention is inappropriate, generally ineffective, often harmful and always inefficient and therefore should be limited to a bare minimum. Although in many (but not all) cases, government programs are well intentioned, government accomplishes all it does by force - in fact, government is nothing more than the legal monopoly on the use of force. It has its place, but the less the better since force is aggression and aggression begets aggression.

Answer 4

Not really. The Democrats believe government has the solutions and should be bigge. That is exactly the opposite of what we libertaries believe. We think less government is better, but the republicans are also Socialist, so now it is really about the individual candidates. Rudy Giulliani is the most Liberataries candidate we have had in decades.

Answer 5

The Libertarian party is relatively small and unsuccessful, politically - wether that allows them to stick close to thier ideals, or it's because they stick to those ideals, the upshot is, what Libertarians actual believe is what gets into thier platform, is what they do on the rare occassion when they have the chance.

The Democrats and Republicans don't have that luxury, they have to make compromises and play politics, which means thier actual platforms, and to an even greater degree thier actions in office, deviate from their ideals.

As the common root in 'liberal' and 'libertarian' implies, the ideals of Democrats are in many ways similar to those of Libertarians. Both say they value freedom of expression, for instance. Similarly, the ideals of Republicans and Libertarians overlap, with both saying they are for fiscal responsibility.

To build on those examples: Democrats trample freedom of expression with political correctness, and Republicans as you say have "spent like drunken sailors." Since both parties betray those ideals they do have in common with Libertarians - as well as having agendas that are radically at odds with the Libertarian agenda (also known as the Constitution) - why should an alliance exist with either of them?

Still, even though neither of the Two Parties can be trusted, and both have /some/ common ground with eachother and with Libertarians, the Democrats have more going against them - both stated ideals and actual practice - from the Libertarian PoV. That's because the Democratic agenda, at its core, is socialist, and socialism (like Communism) is antithetical to Libertarian ideals, even if, on specific issues they agree with them. Conversely, the Republican agenda is basically plutocratic, and, while Libertarians don't want a plutocracy, they can exist and persue thier ideals within one.

So, if forced to support either a Democrat or a Republican, it's not unusual for Libertarians to tag the Republican as the lesser evil - even though both are undeniably evil.

Answer 6

Well, Bush is spending like a liberal and todays Reps are not cool with that, especially the Rep Pres Candidates. The Patriot Act is indeed controversial, if used wrongly. It taps onto the phones of suspected terrorists and those who communicate with suspected terrorists, and those two groups if the Act is used properly. The 2nd Amendment? Well, giving up our weapons would give the govt much more power over us.

Answer 7

Too many democrats support gun control and legislation that is too controlling when it comes to money. Republicans have their fair chare of problems (homophobism, the "immoral majority", military adventurism).

Answer 8

Exactly what are the Clinton "results" you refer to?

First you have to recognise that Bush is NOT a republican.

Answer 9

Do your homework. There are left-wing Libertarians and there are conservative Libertarians.

I'm a conservative Libertarian. We're as far from the Libs as one can possibly get.

Answer 10

because they have some measure of sense.