Should Progressives Align With Libertarians On Issues They Agree On?

[votesparks]

Should progressives join together with Libertarians on issues of agreement such as pairing back the military industrial prison system and civil liberties. David Sparks addresses this question posed by Frank from the Frank Factor podcast recently.

The Frank Factor: http://thefrankfactor.com

[HooptieWagon]

1. I don't see why not.

It is now the only realistic way of getting Progeessive policies passed. And some success will lead to greater power, and possibly further success in future.
Standing alone, we have no chance...since we are opposed by both major parties.

[kenfrequed]

3. Uhm

Libertarians are not interested in progressive policy because progressive policies generally cost money.

If libertarians want to vote to end the war on drugs and reduce the survelliance state then good. Progressive politicians will vote that way on their own. But I don't see the benefit of coordination. Come together, vote, and part ways.

I don't see any need for some kind of alliance with a group that wants to free big business of regulation, destroy the epa, annihilate the nea, and wipe out labor unions.

[HooptieWagon]

4. The question posed was working together where there's agreement.

...not whether to merge. There are certainly several areas of agreement with Libertarians, no reason not to work together in those areas.

[kenfrequed]

5. OK...

But look, like the guy below me said it isn't a lack of cooperation on the issues that is keeping them from working with progressives on the points of agreement. It is "libertarians" inane, robotic, factory pressed machine talking point nuttery that keeps anything from happening.

Whatever standards or ideals they claim to have are utterly subordinated to the narrative they follow and they would rather be loyal to the republican party than anything else.

And if you think this post is bitter well tough. They can vote with us on the things they agree. I don't see the point to doing too much more about it.

[HooptieWagon]

7. We can't accomplish anything on our own.

There is no common interest with GOP establishment, the Teabaggers are insane, the DLC/Third Way told us to go fuck ourselves. There are a few points where Liberals and Libertarians (also shunned by their party) share common beliefs. Might as well work together on those points.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

2. Have they stopped calling us "Libtards"?

[kenfrequed]

6. bingo.

Question two would be "do they even believe in what the claim to believe in?"

[Spitfire of ATJ]

8. A lot of them just hate the idea of "big government" and taxes in general.

[kalisto2010]

9. Libertarians are Republicans who're ashamed to call themselves so.

I have some Libertarian friends. One thing is for sure, they'll never Vote for a Democrat. They always vote Republican in National Elections. So I say the hell with them.

[BillyRibs]

10. I say Yes, as the saying goes.

Politics makes for strange bedfellows.

[markpkessinger]

11. I remember a healthier time in our politics . . .

. . . when both major parties had conservative, moderate and liberal wings. Political alliances tended for form around issues more than they did around party identification, and they lasted only so long as the issue remained before the public. Once there had been either a resolution to the issue, or the public had decided it really wasn't an issue any longer, then they would resume their party alliances and move on. The notion that we should never find common cause with our political adversaries is one of the things that is absolutely destroying this country's ability to govern itself.

[sabrina 1]

12. Democrats do align with both Libertarians and Republicans when they agree on an issue. It would

be totally ridiculous to act like a child and pout and refuse to align with anyone who can get US what we want.

Several Progressive Democrats, Grayson, Kucinich, Franken, Wyden et al have worked with Paul eg on issues that they agree on, many times.

That's what politics is all about. Getting done what you want done.

The childishness we sometimes see here is almost funny. No intelligent person who wants to win, and we do don't we, on important issues is going to be so cult-like that they will refuse to accept the help they need to do so.