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[–] derram ago 

https://archive.fo/PesW8 :

Libertarians Are Politically Homeless in the Trump Era - The Atlantic

'Self-described libertarians were not less likely to line up behind the authoritarian demagogue, but half-again as likely to do so. '

'If the Democrats were more clever, they might offer the libertarians a better deal on trade, criminal justice, and civil liberties. '

'The libertarians have always been a junior partner in that alliance, but for many years they punched above their weight. '

'And libertarianism has benefited from the fact that American elites are notably more libertarian in their views than is the median American voter. '

'The Chinese retaliation is sure to fall hardest on the heartland farmers who were among Trump’s most dedicated supporters. '


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[–] TheDaoReveals 0 points 1 point (+1|-0) ago 

On the libertarian side of the Republican coalition

This whole article demonstrates how they don't understand conservative thought from any angle. It's just another hit piece keeping the choir in line.

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[–] Genr8r ago 

Do you have any specifics? From a libertarian perspective Trump has done nothing to address US military interventionism. The desire for tariffs also doesn't fly. Actually describing Trump as an authoritarian leaning populist seems to resonate. Yes, Hillary would have been much worse but she lost. My biggest gripe about the article is the claim that Rubio or Cruz are somehow more libertarian than Trump.

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[–] TheDaoReveals 0 points 1 point (+1|-0) ago 

Regarding how they don't grasp conservatism? First is the idea that there is some kind of "coalition". Uniting disparate groups is primarily a tactic of the left, as seen with identity politics and opression-worship. The republican party may be "Hannity's party" but it is decreasingly a party at all.

I happen to agree with you on Trump, but as you probably have sensed most people don't actually like the man. There's a lot of talk of the "fuck you" vote, the anti-Hillary vote for those who stay firmly within the bounds of mainstream political though, and the lifelong party adherents. Trump has a base, but from what I can tell that base is only still republican because Trump ran with an R next to his name.

I also take issue with the idea that elites are more like to be Libertarian. In the few cases where they are libertarian it seems to only apply to them, and what they really are is power realists who are happy using the government as a lever when it suits them. To be fair that's true for most elites, whatever their party affiliation or professed ideology.

Those are a few points. As a tangent, most purely economic libertarian theories wouldn't agree with tariffs, but I don't think they aren't completely verboten. Minarchists, libertarian nationalists, and some "left libertarians" (the ones that have their thinking shorn into consistency anyway) could plausibly support them, IMO.

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[–] Diogenes_The_Cynic [S] ago 

You said it better than I could. They gotta be scared of defections to keep doing this.