Young libertarians voted for Obama
According to a September 2012 poll, 59 percent of young Americans favored legalizing small amounts of marijuana for personal use, compared to 45 percent among Americans over 30. A similar percentage of millennials thought “we need a strong government to handle today’s complex economic problems” while 41 percent believe “people would be better able to handle today’s problems within a free market with less government involvement.” One might quickly conclude that nearly two-thirds of the millennial generation are liberal Democrats, at least on these issues. However, the data reveals a more nuanced story.
Instead, only 28 percent of millennials want to both legalize pot and strengthen government. Instead, 30 percent want to legalize pot and prefer free markets to a strong central government. Another 29 percent of young Americans want a strong central government but don’t want to legalize marijuana. Another way to think of this is that 50 percent of young Americans desiring drug reform also prefer free markets, and half of millennials who prefer strong government also oppose marijuana legalization.
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What role do you want the government to play in promoting morality? I’d rather they get out of the morality business altogether because right now, they think that it is their job to promote the “right kind” of morality – diversity, envirofascism, etc. I think it is society’s job to promote the proper morals, not government. They don’t have the capability to make those decisions (consistently at least).
besser tot als rot on December 11, 2012 at 4:01 PM
Ah yes, spare a thought for the poor bible thumpers who wouldn’t be allowed to dictate their moral code to everyone else in a libertarian state. They would be “less equal” by virtue of not being able to ban abortion and homosexuality and pornography and the teaching of evolution and whatever else offends them.
Your mindset is just more proof that social “conservatives” are (A) not remotely conservative and (B) the enemy of anyone who believes in freedom.
Armin Tamzarian on December 11, 2012 at 4:03 PM
The day libertarians figure out small government will lead to legal pot but legal pot won’t lead to small government is the day libertarians will be taken seriously, until then even people like me who will probably vote for them in ’16 will just shake our heads sadly at their misplaced priorities.
clearbluesky on December 11, 2012 at 4:05 PM
Young people are stupid. I say this as a young person. Hopefully not a stupid one.
Othniel on December 11, 2012 at 4:09 PM
Many prominent libertarians want to ban abortion, so I don’t see where you’re going with that argument. Not sure who, if anyone, is promoting government bans of homosexuality and pornography. The strawmen significantly detract from any meaningful point that you are trying to make.
besser tot als rot on December 11, 2012 at 4:09 PM
May he Fluke you all, in a very painful way.
Schadenfreude on December 11, 2012 at 4:13 PM
Wow. Not much ad hominem in that, is there?
Just FYI, Libertarianism =/= Anarchy.
GWB on December 11, 2012 at 4:20 PM
“Libertarianism” has become libertineism among the young. They just want their pot & abortions.
29Victor on December 11, 2012 at 4:23 PM
Liberatarians jumped the shark about 30 years ago, but this is just further evidence of their continuing decline.
Norwegian on December 11, 2012 at 4:32 PM
THIS. Though you forgot their lust for feel-good open borderism. The title of this post is inaccurate due to the lack of a capital L. The Libertarian party is more “party” and less “libertarian.”
CapnObvious on December 11, 2012 at 4:48 PM
It’s just another bludgeon for religious conservatives.
The fact is that the debate is over whether or not the fetus has a status deserving of protection, not whether or not the government can tell you what to do with your own body.
As always, the argument is what can be done about someone else’s body. I don’t care what you say, you’re anti-science if you ignore that the woman is growing a uniquely separate body with it’s own DNA. Once we agree on this very basic point, then we can have an honest discussion about a complex issue.
Esthier on December 11, 2012 at 4:49 PM
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