A Libertarian Republican Party?

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The word means 'advocate of liberty' and has nothing to do with a "REAL investigation" of WTC 7.
The actions of the GOP Administration is the furthest thing from a "carbon copy" of libertarian ideals.
The best resource for bringing consistent and rational principles to the GOP is the Republican Liberty Caucus. Liberty works. Most Americans are libertarian, whether they know it or not.

Westmiller of CA 6:32AM June 13, 2009

Please, for the love of Liberty, do NOT encourage the Republican party to RUIN the word "Libertarian."
One commenter asked, "My gosh, how much more libertarian does the GOP need to get, for the cynics at Reason to come around?"
Here's what the Republican Party needs to do:
Abolish the Federal Reserve
Repeal the 16th Amendment
Repeal the Patriot Act
Bring ALL our troops home from EVERYWHERE on the planet that is not sovereign US territory.
Demand a REAL investigation of the collapse of WTC 7 to be conducted by people NOT connected with government in any way.
Formally apologize to Ron Paul for marginalizing him in the last election and admit that he was right about pretty much everything.
That would do for starters. Once they hae demonstrated some measure of repentence, they can join the discussion among REAL libertarians as to whether Minarchism or Anarchism is best for a free society.

A REAL Libertarian of PA 9:30PM June 04, 2009

Republicans are now tarred with the label, Incompetent. Most voters understand that Government is a necessary evil. They don't want it to be choked until it dies by endless rounds of tax cutting, or do they want a bloated Government involved in every aspect of their lives. They want competence. The anti-government, no tax ideology, since Reagan resulted in the disastrous Bush Administration where government was filled with Evangelical college and law school Grads and Republican fund raisers who were simply incapable of functioning in Government. Until Republicans start preaching 'good' government instead of playing politics with corrupt government, they don't deserve to run the government.

thebob.bob of IA 12:49PM June 04, 2009

I'm not at Reason, but to answer Dondero, a lot more. Any party with the GOP's history of spending, government growth and overseas empire building isn't going to become "libertarian" because of a couple of congressional seats and Palin's "libertarianism" is not entirely apparent.

Dan of GA of GA 3:23PM June 03, 2009

Ho-hum. Both authors are late to the game.
The Republican Party has been a near carbon copy of the Libertarian Party for at least a year now.
We nominated a hardcore libertarian as our VP in 2008, Sarah Palin, who had the backing of the Alaska Libertarian Party, and whose roots were firmly in her State's libertarian movement.
Hardline libertarians were elected to Congress in 2008 on the GOP line like California's Tom McClintock.
And Tom Tancredo, strident "conservative" even came out for drug legalization two weeks ago.
My gosh, how much more libertarian does the GOP need to get, for the cynics at Reason to come around?
Eric Dondero, Publisher
Libertarian Republican

Eric Dondero of TX 10:46AM June 03, 2009

In modern history when GOP runs on libertarian-small government ideology (1980, 1984, 1994) they win big. But the Bush I and Bush II "Democrat-Lite" platforms always fall short. If the GOP wants to remain a viable party they should run as the party of freedom, contradicting the Democrats as the power of the State. The greatest "newspeak" the Left has created was bastardizing the term "liberal". Of course "conservative" could mean America at its founding, which was extremely libertarian.

Derek of FL 11:13AM June 02, 2009

Republican philosophy is incoherent. It claims to be the party of expanded liberty but leads the charge against gay marriage and for the drug war. Bush allowed the creation of the Orwellian Department of Homeland Security.
Republicans need to emphasize the case for economic freedom and dial down the social aspect. For all the talk about Reagan, Republicans forget that Reagan expanded abortion rights while governor of CA and wrote and op-ed piece opposing an anti-gay ballot initiative. He was synonymous with staunch opposition to communism abroad and big government at home.
Republicans need to be the party of freedom. It's a message that many people are receptive to. But that needs to be applied across the board, and needs to produce a rethink of social policy.

Colin of DC 11:05AM June 02, 2009

When both property owners and workers depend on each other, why must the rights or claims of either group be given precedence?

H R of NY 10:44AM June 02, 2009

that the GOP will not become, in effect, The Libertarian Party, is that the already- existing Libertarians have proved that they cannot attract sufficient numbers of voters to win elections.
The GOP requires the issues of gay marriage and abortion to raise funds and have any traction at all. That's where that side gets the votes from poorer people. Otherwise they would have to depend on only richer people for votes---and frankly, there aren't enough "richer" voters to make that work---ever.

Muser of NM 10:28AM June 02, 2009

Economic issues matter and marriage is an economic issue. Studies show that married people are slightly healthier (less costs) and wealthier (pay more taxes) than their single counterparts and this is true for gay people as well. Therefore, it is in the state's best economic interest to grant marriage equality. This is because there are thousands of rights and responsibilities that come with the legal contract of marriage (yes, marriage is a legal contract).

Thom of CO 10:24AM June 02, 2009