Why Aren’t Libertarian Values More Popular?
Maybe Americans Don’t Love Liberty
“…and what is Aleppo?”
“You’re kidding.”
Most of us likely watched this cringe-inducing interaction play out on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” in the midst of the nightmarish 2016 election cycle. Gary Johnson’s very public flub didn’t exactly bolster the libertarian cause. He seemed to be a joke, just as the Libertarian Party itself is a joke to many political commentators and media elites on both sides of the aisle. Despite derision from many and condemnation from a few, Johnson still carried 3.27% of the national vote in 2016, setting a record for the Libertarian Party.
Libertarian principles — free mind and free markets— are not just quirky talking points; they’re powerful. “Liberty” is a rallying cry for most libertarians and one that has motivated and mobilized Americans since the country’s founding. Libertarian principles are founded on Enlightenment ideals and have been propagated by some of the greatest intellectuals of the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. But are these principles of individual liberty and economic freedom still compelling to Americans today?
Do Americans still love liberty?
