Libertarian Orphans

Tuesday, January 31st, 2006

From David Boaz’s Libertarian Orphans:

The Gallup Poll’s annual survey on government found that 27% of Americans are conservative; 24% are liberal, up sharply because the poll was taken after Katrina, which boosted support for the proposition that ‘government should do more to solve our country’s problems.’ Gallup also found — this year as in others — that 20% are neither liberal nor conservative but libertarian, opposing the use of government either to ‘promote traditional values’ or to ‘do too many things that should be left to individuals and businesses.’ Another 20% are ‘populist’ (supporting government action in both areas), with 10% undefined. Libertarian support, spread across demographic groups, is strongest among well-educated voters.
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With big-government conservatives spending money like Imelda Marcos in a shoe store, and big-government liberals supporting the Patriot Act, even pro-government populists are represented in D.C. It’s the libertarian voters who are orphans.

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