My conversation with a "Libertarian" friend a few days ago:

[Blue-Jay]

excerpt reproduced to the best of my recollection

Me: A libertarian, huh?
Him: Yep.
Me: Why do you say that?
Him: Well....I'm for lower taxes and smaller government.
Me: I see....Who did you vote for in the last presidential election?
Him: (enthusiastically) George Bush!
Me: What? He's not a goddamn Libertarian! He's increased spending, and increased the size of the government! How can you support that?
Him: Well, there was 9-11! We had to spend the money to protect ourselves from further attacks. That kind of thing costs a lot of money.
Me: True, true. Hey, I'm all for protecting ourselves. <pause> Umm...You do know that we've spent more on invading Iraq than we've spent of "protecting ourselves" from terror threats, don't you?
Him: Hussein needed to go! He was a threat to us! <insert more crap about rape-rooms, WMDs, nuclear programs, gassing the Kurds, etc....You've heard it all. blah blah blah...>
Me: OK, OK, OK...We've argued about the Iraqi invasion before. I guess we won't agree about that. You know how I feel.
Him: Yeah, no sense starting that fight again.

<slight pause>

Me: Sooooo...Tell me, Mr Libertarian; which Libertarian candidate are you going to support in November's presidential election?
Him: Huh?
Me: You heard me. How are you going to put your money where your mouth is?
Him: How are YOU?!? (ahh...the old I-know-you-are-but-what-am-I gambit! How diabolical!)
Me: Well....I'm a Democrat. I'm going to donate my time, my energy, and my money to the Democratic candidate. So, which Libertarian are you going to support.
Him: I'll probably just vote for Bush again.
Me: Yeah? Can you even fucking name a Libertarian? No, Neil Boortz doesn't count. I'm talking about a real, honest-to-god political figure.
Him: Ross Perot! I voted for him!

<dumbfounded pause>

Me: Ya know. We probably shouldn't talk about politics anymore. It's like discussing jazz with Marlee Matlin.
Him: Who's that?

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This whole exchange proved what I already knew. 99% of the people who say they're "Libertarians" are just Republicans who are trying to act like they're not stupid. It never works, though. It never works....

[rumguy]

1. Boortz has convinced a lot of rethugs to just call themselves

libertarian, thinking it's cool...

[The Backlash Cometh]

4. Isn't Neil Boortz dead?

BTW, that is a bright observation. Most Libertarians really don't understand the fine print of their own politics.

[rumguy]

5. I'm pretty sure he's still alive....

[camero]

7. Or they say

I am not affiliated with the libertarian party or it's platform. Dead giveaway.

[bleedingheart]

2. I have met few libertarians who even know what it means

the only libertarians I have ever encountered who knew what it was are the ones on DU...


As you stated most are just republicans who want to sound "hip"...

Ask them what the Cato Institute is and they will give you a goofy look...

[The Backlash Cometh]

3. Ross Perot was a Libertarian?

Wasn't Ross Perot the one who first made the observation that free markets would result in a big sucking sound when our jobs went overseas? Libertarians support that sucking sound, I was under the impression that Ross Perot was opposed to it.

[Blue-Jay]

6. Got it in one!

Perot ran under the guise of "The Independence Party". Not a Libertarian.

[NightTrain]

8. Libertarians want all of the privileges...

...and none of the responsibilities.

And Marlee Matlin is an Oscar-winning actress! :eyes:

[Blue-Jay]

9. I love Marlee Matlin. I just don't think she has much to say about Trane.

;)