Here’s how Reason responds to a new poll showing that Democrats have a more favorable opinion of Libertarians than Republicans:
I suspect the slightly better Democratic numbers may reflect a knowledge gap between Republicans and Democrats. Republicans actually understand what libertarians are for, and they know they hate it. Registered Democrats on the other hand can afford to pick up a few strands of anti-drug-war, pro-gay marriage tinsel without worrying about the radical approach to individualism to which they’re attached. (Which is not to say that actual Democratic politicians are in any way libertarian on drugs, gay marriage, or anything else.) It’s sort of like the way I think the world of people from Bhutan because I’ve never actually met any of them.
You know who I’ve never met? A writer for Reason who was able to set aside hippie punching in order to suggest a constructive engagement strategy with the majority party. Of course, that might actually get an item on the Libertarian agenda enacted into law, and that would mean that the wankers at Reason would have one less thing to whine about.