Most Libertarians do not identify with the Tea Party

[Guest Lester Weevils]

Something I've speculated about a few times here--

 

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/most-u-libertarians-not-identify-tea-party-survey-040352318.html

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Most American libertarians do not consider themselves part of the conservative Tea Party movement despite a public perception that the two political groups are linked, according to a national survey released on Tuesday.

Libertarians, who generally support maximizing individual rights and minimizing the role of government, differ sharply with the Tea Party and religious conservatives on issues such as abortion and decriminalization of marijuana, according to the survey by the non-partisan Public Religion Research Institute.

Sixty-one percent of libertarians do not identify themselves as part of the Tea Party, the survey showed. About 7 percent of the adult population is consistently libertarian and that includes 12 percent of those who describe themselves as Republicans.

"There's largely agreement on economic issues - the gap is in how libertarians approach social issues, " said Robert P. Jones, CEO of PRRI, which conducts an annual "American Values Survey" on political and social issues.

While the survey showed that libertarians tend to favor Republicans, they are a swing group that can turn away from the party if it starts to favor too much government spending or interference with individual liberties, said Brink Lindsey of the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank in Washington.

"Libertarians are not part of the Democratic Party's base, that's for sure, but they're not a reliable part of the Republican Party's vote," said Lindsey, who saw the survey. "Republicans can scare away libertarian voters."

He noted that the libertarian vote swung against Republicans in the 1992 presidential election, which included third party candidate Ross Perot, a businessman who favored a balanced budget and abortion rights. Both Perot and Republican incumbent George H. W. Bush lost to Democrat Bill Clinton.

...

The PRRI survey identified libertarians through questions about their views on taxes and other policies, and by self-identification. A total of 13 percent of those surveyed called themselves libertarians - while 7 percent were inferred as consistent libertarians by how they answered certain questions. An additional 15 percent were seen as leaning libertarian.

...

Libertarians are more opposed to government involvement in economic policies than those affiliated with the Tea Party and Republicans overall, the survey found. For instance, 65 percent of libertarians were opposed to increasing the minimum wage, while 57 percent of Republicans overall supported it, the survey found.

Ninety-six percent of libertarians oppose President Barack Obama's landmark healthcare restructuring compared to 89 percent of Republicans.

But nearly 60 percent of libertarians oppose making it more difficult for a woman to get an abortion, while 58 percent of Republicans and those affiliated with the Tea Party favor such restrictions, according to the survey.

More than 70 percent of libertarians favored legalizing marijuana, while about 60 percent of Republicans and Tea Party members opposed such a move, the survey found.

 

[JayC]

Republican party is on the wrong side of so called 'social issues'...  They're just like the democrats...  They think they know whats better for you, than you do ;)

[Spiffy]

But they don't identify with the other party either......kinda why they are libertarians.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

I think JayC meant the R's are just like D's in that they think they know best for everybody else. Not libertarians thinking they know best. There are probably nosy meddling libertarians as well, though. "Ha ha ha!!! Our evil plan is to grab power so that the government can force all the peons in america to do exactly what each person thinks is in his own own best interest! That'll show em!" :)

Edited October 29, 2013 by Lester Weevils

[Guest Razz]

The only people who think libertarians are similar to Tea Party are liberals. As is typical to liberals and conservatives, they can't fathom how someone could reside outside of the two-party system.

[gregintenn]

I just hate politics and all politicians. Which of the groups do I fall into? :hat:

[Pat]

Hence why I love the tea party, but not so much for libertarians... no offense to anyone, but that's how I feel.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

And those who equate the Tea Party to Republicans are missing the point.

[Chucktshoes]

I fail to see how this is news to anyone not in dire need of a rectal craniotomy.

[greenego]

Hence why I love the tea party, but not so much for libertarians... no offense to anyone, but that's how I feel.

No offense taken.

[tnguy]

And those who equate the Tea Party to Republicans are missing the point.

Very true. Unfortunately, as was obviously going to happen, the republicans have attempted to co-opt the tea party, the tea party has tended to drift a little in its message and many have come to see the tea party as the extreme wing of the republican party (though I believe there's often something of an agenda behind those who push that view). However, the core principals of the tea party (fiscal responsibility) are not incompatible with libertarian principles.

[1pointofview]

The problem is the media has tried their damnedest to paint the tea party as one thing. An old evangelical political group who want their ideals impressed on everyone. At the core, the tea party is a huge friend to the libertarian party but a lot in the libertarian party are turned off with any group that might even smell one bit like they are religiously based.


At the end of the day, i actually consider myself libertarian. But i identify with the tea party. The media wants to divide and conquer anything that is not left of center

[tnguy]

One of the tea party groups was advertising on the radio a couple of weeks back about how they needed to continue the fight for 2A rights. Now, I'm as pro 2A as anyone but I think that was counterproductive.

Unfortunately, whilst the Dems are wrong, there are a lot on the right who just happen to be correct but otherwise are pretty dumb and they just can't help falling back into that whole red team/blue team thing. Once people like Palin started showing up, it was the death knell for a cross-party coalition.

[MacGyver]

The interesting thing to me is that the GOP establishment is screwed both ways with the Tea Party. They made some major tactical errors early on, and now the damage is such that I'm not sure it can be undone.

The GOP has just assumed up until the shutdown that the Tea Party was going to caucus with them, and you see where that's gotten them. Yet, if they tell them to go take a hike, as many are encouraging, they won't be able to win without them.

So in effect, that fairly small group definitely has a loud voice. And, they may wind up walking this whole American experiment off the cliff.

They represent a big threat to the establishment on both sides of the aisle. It's too early to tell if they'll last or simply get purchased like the rest of their peers. It'll be interesting to watch.

[tnguy]

Human nature. If the tea party becomes successful, it will attract the same bottom feeders that the regular parties have and we'll be back to square one (there's evidence of this occurring already). The problem is systemic.

[Oh Shoot]

I've opined all along that if the Tea Party is to make any truly constructive changes to "the system", it will need to be its own party. The GOP assumes it will just absorb it (I do too), and now that the TP candidates have been perceived to have significantly harmed it, that effort will be redoubled in the next election cycles. Watch the money flow against all Tea Party candidates in GOP incumbent primaries.

 

As far as libertarians, they are much more likely to support the candidates if they run as independents, and they might as well, as the big money is going to be largely against them anyway now.

 

- OS

[Guest 6.8 AR]

They won't be the ones who walked anyone off the cliff. You can blame all of what's happened up to their existence

for that, but not them.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

I've opined all along that if the Tea Party is to make any truly constructive changes to "the system", it will need to be its own party. The GOP assumes it will just absorb it (I do too), and now that the TP candidates have been perceived to have significantly harmed it, that effort will be redoubled in the next election cycles. Watch the money flow against all Tea Party candidates in GOP incumbent primaries.

 

As far as libertarians, they are much more likely to support the candidates if they run as independents, and they might as well, as the big money is going to be largely against them anyway now.

 

- OS

Upheaval comes rarely all at once, and when it does, it usually takes something desperate to cause it. With all the(lack of) support

around here for the Tea Party, I see an Orwellian future. Ah, I already see that as present.

[Mike.357]

I don't see myself ever voting for a republican or democrat ever again.   

 

if the TP wants my vote they need to separate from the republicans.

 

Voting Libertarian is an option, one about as beneficial as just staying home.  And that is a real option.

[tnguy]

It's a shame they don't count the spoils here.

[Guest ThePunisher]

Aren't the Tea Partiers still the same type of people that were Goldwater and Reagan conservatives? Establishment Republicans are of the old moderate Rochefeller mold that side with democrats most of the time now. There use to be conservative democrats (hard to believe), but now democrats are so far left they're off the radar. The democrats are one unified group that now embrace the Socialism/Communism ideology. Those democrats that say they're blue dogs (conservative Dems) are telling their constituents lies b/c they follow the lead of the commies Obama, Reid, and Pelosi.

If Goldwater and Reagan were living today, they would be embracing the conservative Tea Party just like Cruz, Lee, Rubio, and Palin. Some of those Tea Party candidates that have lost in their election bids were not likely to win even if they were establishment R's bacause most were in blue states. But just like Cruz and some others that were big underdogs to establishment R's, and overcame the odds to still win, Joe Carr can beat Lamar Alexander if people would unify and support him. These Tea Party candidates are not some far right extreme wackos, but only patriots that are trying to save our country from communism. The choice is simple, but everybody will have make up their own mind which direction is best for our country, America or Amerika.

[tnguy]

I think Reagan may have been a bit left of tea party but unfortunately, what we have seen is the Dems go way off the scale. Moderate republicans can't plot even a semi-sane path anymore. You can't compromise with insanity.

I think it is just a few Dems causing the majority of the issues though. The ones mentioned above mostly but also Durbin, Frank, Dodd and Feinstein and probably a couple of others that don't spring to mind..

[TMF]

 
Voting Libertarian is an option, one about as beneficial as just staying home.  And that is a real option.

I disagree that not voting is just as effective as voting for a hopeless candidate. Each vote gets tallied. If people who considered themselves libertarian, or supported libertarian ideals over all others, actually voted there wouldn't be enough to have a significant impact on the current election, but it would send a message to both parties. If anything that there was an unclaimed percentage of society who felt strong enough to show up to the polls but simply couldn't stomach voting for one of the two idiots. Maybe that would make candidates pander more to the libertarian minded folks to get that extra little push in the polls that secured their victory, since they know most people will mindlessly vote for a R or D no matter what. I dunno, I'm kinda in the mindset of where we should just vote out every incumbent until they get the message. They'll never pass term limits, so we could always just keep tossing them out until they get the hint. There are enough voters out there who are sick of the two party system that every election could be swung in favor of the challenger if people just sucked it up and voted for the party they didnt normally vote for (depending on what party the challenger is in).

Maybe I'm just being too idealistic, but I think a vote can still send a message, even if it is a seemingly hopeless vote.

[Mike.357]

not voting is a vote as well

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Not voting is just not voting, Mike. That majority of people who don't vote are giving this country to the victors, every

election. At least voting libertarian shows conviction and resolve.

 

We go around in circles about how votes effect the election every time, and it appears that many don't get involved in

getting candidates who could make a difference, so it becomes a self fulfilling prophesy for people to bitch about because

of their lack of interest. The Tea Party has made some difference, but not enough to show some of those many that

things can happen if they make that change. The two party system can work with people determining their own destiny

when they do get involved. That includes libertarians. It doesn't have to be Democrats and Republicans, just that that

is the current mixture. Even a democrat candidate could be worth voting for with people engaged in the process, but

just don't think I would be one voting for them any time soon unless they really did change.

 

Politics should be taken back from the party bosses and people should make the required changes by being in the

local apparatchik in their towns and move the process to each seat elected. Either get involved or let the dictatorship

evolve. That's where this goes.