Elections Where have all the Libertarians gone?

[Fedorgasm]

In past elections there has always been a small, but passionate number of Libertarian posters on sherdog.

I just did a search and can't find a single thread on Libertarians nor Chase Oliver this year.

So what happened? Did the 2 big parties manage to convince you to pick a side?

 

[Cajun]

When it was a newer thing, it was brought up more. I think majority of conservatives would identify with the major concepts of libertarianism but I could be wrong. At some point it is just a part of the larger group. But there is really no cracking the 2 party system at present.

 

[Fedor>Cain]

When it was a newer thing, it was brought up more. I think majority of conservatives would identify with the major concepts of libertarianism but I could be wrong. At some point it is just a part of the larger group. But there is really no cracking the 2 party system at present.

Most "libertarians" are just embarrassed conservatives.

They'll screech small government, then turn around and support big gubberment daddy Trump.

Also, at least on Reddit, the libertarian subreddit even got overtaken by conservative mods lol

 

[David Street]

Even in the last election Libertarians had to choose Clint Eastwood spoke for the Republican party though he didn't quite fit. I am more a Libertarian then any other party but know it is a two party country. Seems USA isn't much and letting others be anymore, it has become a country of Karens and whiners.

 

[Fedorgasm]

I like a lot of what the libertarians have to say, but they need to stop being cowards about abortion.

Their stance is the govt should stay out of our lives, so basically not my body, not my baby, not my problem. But they seem to be trying to tiptoe around the issue because they don't want to piss off their conservative supporters.

They need to sack up and just admit they're pro choice.

 

[Cajun]

Most "libertarians" are just embarrassed conservatives.

They'll screech small government, then turn around and support big gubberment daddy Trump.

Also, at least on Reddit, the libertarian subreddit even got overtaken by conservative mods lol

I dont go on reddit so I cant speak to that. What is there to be embarrassed over? Trump says he's bringing in Elon to trim the fat. Who knows if that will be the case but either way... there are a lot of environmentalists that vote dem but there is a green party. At present time, its seems the 2 parties cant be overcome so people just pick with what is available to them imo.

 

[Cajun]

I like a lot of what the libertarians have to say, but they need to stop being cowards about abortion.

Their stance is the govt should stay out of our lives, so basically not my body, not my baby, not my problem. But they seem to be trying to tiptoe around the issue because they don't want to piss off their conservative supporters.

They need to sack up and just admit they're pro choice.

When you get into religious aspects of that topic it isnt going to follow the same general rules. I'm sure there are Libertarians that are in favor of abortion. But yeah, religion will play in that one.

 

[Fergelmince]

The extreme Woke hijacked the party with some technicalities in the primary and may have destroyed it for decades if not longer.

"LIBERTARIANS: By nominating Chase Oliver the LP just alienated every Silicon Valley libertarian I know. Their presidential nominee supports:
- Transitioning children
- Mask & Vax mandates
- Men in women’s sports
- Open borders"



Never a soveriegn land successfully defended in the name of Libertarianism. - Jimmy Carter

 

[Darkavius]

I like a lot of what the libertarians have to say, but they need to stop being cowards about abortion.

Their stance is the govt should stay out of our lives, so basically not my body, not my baby, not my problem. But they seem to be trying to tiptoe around the issue because they don't want to piss off their conservative supporters.

They need to sack up and just admit they're pro choice.

As I understand it Libertarians are too Liberal for Conservatives and too Conservative for Liberals. Although, I don't think abortion is as big a problem for Libertarians as their problem with the government providing social services. Not sure how they expect support for their party on a larger scale when they are against the thing that a good portion of Americans approve of and some use to live from month to month.

 

[Rational Poster]

I dont go on reddit so I cant speak to that. What is there to be embarrassed over? Trump says he's bringing in Elon to trim the fat. Who knows if that will be the case but either way... there are a lot of environmentalists that vote dem but there is a green party. At present time, its seems the 2 parties cant be overcome so people just pick with what is available to them imo.

Uh, Trump himself is the embarrassment. Turning over the government directly to an oligarch billionaire seems like a terrible idea as well.

 

[AZ103]

Chase Oliver killed all support and likely that was by design. He doesnt represent libertarian ideals at all. They may have a huge resurgence with the right candidate. Anyone who can point at both parties with legit criticism and is against government bloat would have done well this cycle.

Dave Smith with his Rogan connection could have had people asking serious questions this election but he continues to pretend hes a comedian because he is comfortable there. Hes a political commentator with a strong base and is a decent debater. We needed someone like him. And Ive heard him say some stupid shit, hes not perfect but with the state of our country he could have been quite a force.

 

[Sinister]

Libertarians are just right wingers who want legal weed.

 

[Xuh]

15 yr old spergy guys are now 30 years old (still spergs, but with a bit more wordly wisdom)

 

[Satsui Ryu]

The extreme Woke hijacked the party with some technicalities in the primary and may have destroyed it for decades if not longer.

"LIBERTARIANS: By nominating Chase Oliver the LP just alienated every Silicon Valley libertarian I know. Their presidential nominee supports:
- Transitioning children
- Mask & Vax mandates
- Men in women’s sports
- Open borders"



Never a soveriegn land successfully defended in the name of Libertarianism. - Jimmy Carter

I think this post is a good example. The concept of small government/less taxes wasn't winning elections so the focus became identity politics.

 

[Bballfan123]

They got jobs and realized its not real

Either youre gonna want abortion, and your head will explode, or youll want to stop transgender kids, but cant , because that is a libertarian movement, and your head will ALSO explode.

 

[Cajun]

Uh, Trump himself is the embarrassment. Turning over the government directly to an oligarch billionaire seems like a terrible idea as well.

Doubt they feel the same way in general. He already had a term in office as did Kamala. Not a lot of guess work regarding the candidates. I didnt vote for him in the primary of any election but he seems to be overcoming those things. Plenty of those on the left may not like Kamala but its what you have and the choice is one or the other.

 

[Fedor>Cain]

I dont go on reddit so I cant speak to that. What is there to be embarrassed over? Trump says he's bringing in Elon to trim the fat. Who knows if that will be the case but either way... there are a lot of environmentalists that vote dem but there is a green party. At present time, its seems the 2 parties cant be overcome so people just pick with what is available to them imo.

What is there to be embarrassed over?

There were many libertarians who supported Trump. Trump is firmly anti-libertarian and pro big gubberment. These "libertarians" don't support the racism slant in the Republican party and but they still bought into the idea that the Republicans were the "party of small government" so they were pragmatically voting for Trump. Some of these people realized they had been sold a false bill of goods.

Also, there is a portion of libertarians that just do not want to identify as Republicans anymore because of Trump and just call themselves libertarian when they really aren't at all. That's more or less what I mean when I say they are embarrassed conservatives.

Libertarians as a whole are also pretty damn inconsistent in their beliefs and exist on a wide political spectrum. Libertarians can't even agree with each other for the most part lol.

I would also argue that both the Dems and the Republican parties are both more authoritarian now than they previously were. Republicans far more so, and the Dems are definitely moving in that direction at times as well.

Edit: As for Elon's government efficiency agency...oh Lord. Where to start? I'll just say that a government efficiency agency already exists. It's called the GAO (Government Accountability Office) and if you know anybody who has worked in government and performed audits, they'll be familiar with GAO auditing standards and the yellow book updates that occur.

 

[Cajun]

What is there to be embarrassed over?

There were many libertarians who supported Trump. Trump is firmly anti-libertarian and pro big gubberment. These "libertarians" don't support the racism slant in the Republican party and but they still bought into the idea that the Republicans were the "party of small government" so they were pragmatically voting for Trump. Some of these people realized they had been sold a false bill of goods.

Also, there is a portion of libertarians that just do not want to identify as Republicans anymore because of Trump and just call themselves libertarian when they really aren't at all. That's more or less what I mean when I say they are embarrassed conservatives.

Libertarians as a whole are also pretty damn inconsistent in their beliefs and exist on a wide political spectrum. Libertarians can't even agree with each other for the most part lol.

I would also argue that both the Dems and the Republican parties are both more authoritarian now than they previously were. Republicans far more so, and the Dems are definitely moving in that direction at times as well.

Tbh.. I think the tea party movement to oust republicans started the moving away from the party. I see for some (maybe not libertarians dont know) that Trump is an extension of that movement. I think the left and the right in all forms now exist on a spectrum. Most people are centrists in this country imo. But yeah, the spectrum is broad and not all will agree with each other on some items.

 

[Jack V Savage]

I think Trump kind of showed that almost all of them were fake, just like he showed the "religious conservatives" put the GOP over God.

 

[Fedor>Cain]

Tbh.. I think the tea party movement to oust republicans started the moving away from the party. I see for some (maybe not libertarians dont know) that Trump is an extension of that movement. I think the left and the right in all forms now exist on a spectrum. Most people are centrists in this country imo. But yeah, the spectrum is broad and not all will agree with each other on some items.

This definitely all started with the tea party movement. Maybe before then, but the tea party movement is definitely when it launched into full force.

I would say that most people in this country are more right leaning than centrist. Especially when you consider that Republicans refer to the fucking Dems as radical communist Marxists when they are definitely a right leaning party...just not full on going off the deep end like the Republicans yet.

Libertarians kind of exist all over the place. There are definitely very right wing libertarians, who I would argue aren't libertarian at all, there are libertarians who think we should abolish the government and think everyone can live by the NAP (non aggression principle) and libertarians who exist somewhere in the middle of all that noise.

Libertarians will always be a tiny fragment of the population. There are just too many logical inconsisties within libertarianism and too much shit that citizens need to rely on the government so it won't ever take off as a viable party.

If you look around on the Internet, you'll find large chunks of libertarians that will swear to you that fucking Rand Paul and Thomas Massie are both libertarian lmao. They'll never be taken seriously by either party and their candidates are usually pretty good awful bad.