How to co-opt and marginalize libertarians

Libertarians scare both the political Right and political Left, because libertarianism is basically anti-statism. The Right has criticized libertarian thought for being too individualistic, too non-interventionist, too liberal regarding drug use, prostitution, pornography and sexuality. The Right says libertarians believe that people just do whatever they want, and that we don't need any government. This is the Right's cartoon version of libertarianism. Some conservative intellectuals have given more thoughtful and pertinent critiques of libertarian thought, but the likes of Rick Santorum don't give it much thought -- they just strike out using the cliches they've picked up second hand.

On the Left, modern liberals/progressives fear the economic liberty proposed by libertarians. The Left says that libertarians focus too much on economic liberty to the detriment of welfare, redistribution and social justice. This analysis of libertarians is most times just as facile and usually accompanied by charges of alliance with the Koch brother efforts to empower evil capitalists and suppress the middle class and poor.

But both the Right and Left have to take libertarians into account, especially with the rising support for Ron Paul and how these young supporters cross over from Right to Left. So, on the Right you have establishment Republicans saying they are for "small" government and free markets, and on the Left you have those who say they support the civil liberties so important to libertarians. "Small government conservatives" on one side and "liberaltarians" on the other. In the midst of this, some self described libertarians have claimed that it's a matter of taste and priority -- some believe the economic matters are more important, and others believe the civil liberties are more important. This watered-down libertarianism is what destroyed classical liberals in the early 20th century. Now the same thing is happening again as defenders of liberty scare both political sides. There's an attempt to obscure the meaning of libertarianism, to marginalize the anti-statist effect of libertarianism, to co-opt and defang libertarianism, in order to maintain the two party game of shifting statist control.

Libertarian thinkers like myself feel forced to make a decision this year because the stakes are so high, and we've been encouraged by the unexpected support for Ron Paul. In the beginning Paul was written off completely, but when he started polling at 15 to 20% in some states, media were forced to pay some attention, although media have found ways to make it appear Paul is not doing as well as expected lately. Our last hope is that enough American citizens will pressure Republicans to take control of government and roll back the serious government interventions like Obamacare and Dodd-Frank, so that we can shift direction and avoid economic disaster. I've been called a conservative because I believe that Republicans will do better with government right now than Democrats, but I am anything but conservative. I want change -- Big Change -- serious systemic changes to our statist system. I don't want to conserve the status quo -- I want to explode the status quo and release a dynamic private sector economy.

I will not be co-opted by either side, and if Republicans fail to perform and fail to make the necessary systemic changes, then I will fight for a new party. But as it stands now, the stakes are so high all honest citizens who care about the survival of America must make a calculation. Based on libertarian principles and the reality of both parties right now and what's realistic to expect in the elections, I think voting for Republicans in the House and Senate and Romney for President is the best way out. I want Paul to win, but I know he won't win, although he can gain enough power to put pressure on Romney to abide by at least some libertarian principles.