Why I no longer take the Libertarians seriously

I went to a Libertarian gathering the other day (it was in the neighborhood). The Libertarian crowd talks a good game.

They seem to be, for the most part, fairly intelligent people,committed to their cause. While I don't always agree with them (and on quite a few issues I *do* agree with them), they make interesting arguments for their side.

That being said, I've come to realize they are as full of hokum as the political types for whom they display their sneering superiority. They make much of their supposed political purity, espousing opinions that fall outside the mainstream on social and personal freedom issues, as well as small (and no) government stances on other issues.

The truth of the matter - other than the Republican-friendly small government stuff, the rest appears to be all window dressing.

During the 2010 election, Tea Party Libertarian, Rand "yes my dad's name is Ron" Paul, stated on his website in 2009 that "life begins at conception," and that "the most basic function of government is to protect life." Not exactly the same as the Libertarian Party's stance.

During the current election cycle, the Libertarian crowd is quick to rain withering abuse on Obama (not to mention Romney) for his perceived failures -- and I'll be the first to say Obama has been a disappointment in many areas of my concern --  but they have been strangely silent on Tea Party favorite Rick "Satan has his sights on the United States of America!" Santorum.

For a party that trumpets individual liberty, it seems odd they have no issue with Santorum statements like: 

It’s [contraception] not okay because it’s a license to do things in the sexual realm that is counter to how things are supposed to be. They’re supposed to be within marriage, they are supposed to be for purposes that are, yes, conjugal, but also [inaudible], but also procreative.

...and:

I've taken the position that the moral values reflected in the laws should be the moral values that built this country, which is the Judeo-Christian values, and that the laws should try as much as possible to comport with the higher law and also should comport with what reason would dictate. And what reason dictates is that children need mothers and fathers. … Some say well, through technology, same-sex couples can have children. Well they can, through either adoption, or artificial insemination…but they don’t get the mother and a father.

Berke Breathed was quoted referring to Libertarians as "a bunch of tax-dodging professional whiners."

I'm inclined to agree. All that personal liberty stuff?

Window dressing.