We usually have a lot of fun with Reason TV’s Nanny of the Month feature — and by fun, I mean that we keep second-guessing their choice.  This month, they’re challenging readers and viewers to choose for themselves.  In their third anniversary edition of the NOTM, they make the case that neither Barack Obama nor Mitt Romney want to keep the government’s nose out of our business, and ask viewers to choose which is worse:

This month Nanny of the Month turns three-years-old (!) and for the first time ever you the viewers will decide who takes home top dishonors in this “very special” election edition.

So will you vote for the the pro-drug war, pro-smoking ban, pro-health insurance mandate, pro-Patriot Act candidate who supports cracking down on medical marijuana and online poker? Or maybe you’ll pull the lever (well, click the screen) for the pro-drug war, pro-smoking ban, pro-health insurance mandate, pro-Patriot Act candidate who supports cracking down on medical marijuana and online poker.

Either way freedom loses. But hey, that’s democracy!

Doesn’t matter if you’re under 18, a convicted felon, illegal immigrant or even foreigner who’s never set foot in America–as long as you can click a mouse, you can vote (as often as you like!) in Reason TV’s very special Election Edition Nanny of the Month.

Interestingly, Reason’s fellow libertarians don’t agree with the premise, according to a poll in part from Reason itself.  Cato reported last week that Romney has hit a high-water mark among libertarians for Republican candidates — and that his level of support among them doesn’t decline much when Gary Johnson is added to the mix:

The Reason-Rupe September 2012 poll includes our favorite ideological questions to differentiate libertarians from liberals and conservatives. Using three questions, we can define libertarians as respondents who believe “the less government the better,” who prefer the “free market” to handle problems, and who want government to “favor no particular set of values.” These fiscally conservative, socially liberal voters represent 20% of the public in the Reason-Rupe poll, in line with previous estimates.

Among these likely libertarian voters, the presidential horserace currently stands:

Romney 77%
Obama 20%
Other 3%

Romney’s share of the libertarian vote represents a high water mark for Republican presidential candidates in recent elections.

As the chart below shows, George W. Bush won 72 percent of libertarians in 2000, but lost many libertarians by 2004, as the wars, spending, and growth of government weighed on many libertarians. John McCain matched Bush’s 2000 vote share, winning 71 percent. Many libertarians seem to have preferred McCain’s independent streak to Obama’s soaring promises. But if the election were held today, the Romney/Ryan ticket would get more libertarian votes than any candidate since 1980.

What about Johnson?  Added into the mix, he takes seven points from both Romney and Obama, leaving Romney with a 70/13/14 advantage among libertarians.  So much for the Johnson “spoiler” effect. Be sure to vote in the NOTM poll by clicking on Obama or Romney for the “honor,” but libertarians certainly seem to be able to tell them apart.