I just listened to a podcast that brought together several libertarian and liberal thinkers to discuss their common beliefs. Some speakers talked seriously about working together practically, voting and campaigning for the same candidates.
Of course, Libertarians have been supporters of the Republican party for a long time. Without agreeing with the whole Republican platform, Libertarians felt that they had more in common with Republicans than with Democrats.
That’s changing, for at least some Libertarians. They’re starting to see greater disagreements with the current Republicans than with the current Dems. Almost every Libertarian speaker in the podcast said something similar to what the last guy said:
“Bottom line: I’d much rather hang out with liberals and argue about economics than hang out with conservatives and argue about Darwin and stem-cells, and whether Barack Obama is really an American.”
It’s unfortunate if these Libertarians refer to Republicans as “conservative”. Among core Conservative values are personal responsibility, legal government, fiscal responsibility, and property rights. The GOP has abandoned Conservatives on these as well as other issues, and I believe that’s a large part of the attraction of the Libertarian Party. I don’t mind wingers’ scientific ignorance and religious insanity nearly as much as their reckless spending of my money to build an ever-larger and more invasive (and more unconstitutional) State.
You’re absolutely right that he should have said “Republicans,” as I was careful to do when not quoting him.
I’m sure that’s what he meant, and most of the speakers made a clear distinction most of the time.