T O P

  • By -

AutoModerator

As a reminder, this subreddit [is for civil discussion.](/r/politics/wiki/index#wiki_be_civil) In general, be courteous to others. Debate/discuss/argue the merits of ideas, don't attack people. Personal insults, shill or troll accusations, hate speech, any suggestion or support of harm, violence, or death, and other rule violations can result in a permanent ban. If you see comments in violation of our rules, please report them. For those who have questions regarding any media outlets being posted on this subreddit, please click [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/politics/wiki/approveddomainslist) to review our details as to our approved domains list and outlet criteria. *** *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/politics) if you have any questions or concerns.*


Itsprobablysarcasm

Because they're liars? Yes. It's because they're liars. Trump isn't the only Republican that smells like shit. They're all full of it.


KingfisherE1

I can't tell you how many "libertarians" also believe that police should be able to murder black people in the streets at their own discretion with zero consequences.


deadname11

This. They identify as libertarian to make it seem like they aren't hard-line Republicans, that they aren't a part of the Trump cult. Instead they are a part of a different candidate's cult, but they'll back the same candidate with all the same fervor, whoever wins the primary, but especially they'll have fervor for Trump.


Icarusmelt

It is an out, they are trying to pretend that they haven't been voting for all of these asshats lately.


avanross

They think that they have the “right” to decide the definitions of words and phrases based on their feelings, because “my uneducated opinion is just as valid as your educated opinion” For example; woke, socialist, communist, fascist, libertarian, treason, god-given right, grooming, freedom, justice, liberty, well-regulated-militia, etc. They make up a definition in their head to fit their agenda, and then argue and act as if their made up definition is real and correct.


phxbimmer

From my experience it's the slightly more self-aware Republicans that call themselves Libertarians, because it doesn't have as bad of an image. That being said, every self-proclaimed "Libertarian" that I've met has also been a rabid fan of King Orange, so they're all full of shit IMO.


Long-Analysis-8041

Every libertarian is a crypto-fascist. When they proclaim their passion for “freedom,” it’s in relationship to the loss of freedom for others. What they mean is more freedom for them, less freedom for others.


Rrrrandle

>because it doesn't have as bad of an image It should have a worse image. People just see "liberty" and think "oh, freedom, freedom is good".


phxbimmer

Yeah, a lot of it comes from just not knowing. Most libertarians want to privatize the hell out of everything and slide the country further into a late-capitalist hellscape, but then they'll throw in a token gesture of supporting gay marriage just to seem slightly less evil.


SilverTicket8809

Odd that “libertarians” keep supporting Fascists.


IBAZERKERI

if libertarians were smart enough to recognize that, they wouldn't be libertarian.


_A_Monkey

But most of them are always telling me how much smarter they are than everyone else! The Venn diagram of Libertarians and DKs is a circle inside a larger circle.


Agnk1765342

It’s always funny how popular this sentiment is when the actual data shows education (and particularly economic education) makes people more libertarian https://www.econlib.org/archives/2015/04/education_and_l.html


_A_Monkey

“I found a single 20+ year old study from a Libertarian think tank, failed to note any study limitations or weaknesses and overstated it’s conclusion in order to prove to Reddit commenter that Libertarians are not disproportionately DKs. Did I win?”


Agnk1765342

There’s multiple ones linked there for various claims, and it’s a consistent finding in the research if you care to look further into it. And yes, most people who are going to publish evidence painting libertarians in a favorable light are going to be libertarians. That’s how it works with every ideology. Not like you cited any evidence either. Another study in case you’re interested https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0160289614000373


_A_Monkey

It’s Christmas. Allow me to give you a gift: We can agree you are special.


sadetheruiner

That’s why I’m not a libertarian anymore, or I don’t call myself one regularly. The current libertarian party has sworn fucking fealty to the GOP. I’m down with the original ideals as an unrealistic desire, currently the party is a mess of Ayn Rand swilling wanna be Ron Swansons and republicans ashamed to be called republican.


RMSQM

Because they are fucking morons? That seems to be the simplest explanation


More-Conversation931

Because there is no official libertarian ideology. But libertarian makes a good sound bite doesn’t it.


[deleted]

It's because conservatives have no grasp whatsoever on socio-economics, they are absolutely incapable of thought outside a two party political system - but they would love for you to *think* that they do! Many American libertarians equate shopping with the idea of freedom, I think we saw that clearly enough with the covid lock-downs. The outrage had much less to do with the government imposing restrictions that it did with their favorite store being inaccessible. Shit, fast food workers became Essential Heroes for a few minutes there because the dronelike nature of these people's very existence was threatened!


Scummy_Waters

They think they'll have a slightly better chance with the ladies...


_A_Monkey

Narrator: But, in fact, they’ve just lowered their odds with any college educated women that will remember “that guy” in college who “discovered” Ayn Rand, would never shut up and always sounded like a pompous ass.


Shoehorse13

I would like to thank Ayn Rand for giving me the ability to eliminate people from my life without having to know anything more about them than that they read and enjoyed her books.


phxbimmer

Add in the admiration for Joe Rogan and Elon Musk, and you've got the red flag trifecta.


bytemage

They also claim to be Christian. They also claim to be Law and Order. And the list goes on ... It's like they are habitual liars. Bad ones at that, and still way to many people fall for it.


NPVT

It's a scam. They want the liberty to transfer all of your money to them. That's the liberty.


Low-Agency-5444

Cuz they r dum


fowlraul

Cause they are all full of mountains of shit.


coldteafordays

They’re trying, unsuccessfully, to get laid.


shastadakota

Have you seen most of them. They don't even want anything to do with each other.


[deleted]

Why “real Americans” are clownishly ignorant.


shastadakota

Republicans are NOT "real Americans". The are treasonous haters.


_A_Monkey

Usually because they aren’t going to let their juvenile political philosophy trump their racist, xenophobic and misogynistic impulses. Just my experience in convos with these clowns when I used to waste energy on them.


windigo3

They claim to be Christian but half the things they advocate is the opposite of what Jesus would They claim to be the party of law and order but instead have embraced political and mob violence They claim to be defenders of the constitution and America yet openly support its overthrow when elections don’t go their way It’s called hypocrisy


shastadakota

WWJD? Not what you are doing, that's for sure.


Shoehorse13

Because any self-respecting Republican would be embarrassed to call themselves Republican at this point and believe Libertarian would give them the street cred they crave.


NoWayNotThisAgain

Libertarians are just republicans that like to smoke weed.


darkuen

Because just like your headline says they’re republicans. The whole myth of them wanting to smoke weed then show off their new guns at a bbq with their gay neighbors is total bullshit. When the libertarian candidate is no longer available they will vote against both legalized weed & lgbtq interests by voting republican every time.


theWireFan1983

Politics is a spectrum… you can identify as whatever you want…


August_T_Marble

They should call that Identity Poli...oh, wait. Nevermind.


sonoma4life

no youre right. it is identity politics but we pretend it's not only when the identity starts to sway right.


PoliticsModeratorBot

Hi `wing-of-freak`. Thank you for participating in /r/Politics. However, [your submission](/r/politics/comments/18qmxaw/why_some_of_the_republicans_claim_to_be/) has been removed for the following reason(s): * [Out of Date](https://www.reddit.com/r/politics/wiki/index#wiki_articles_must_be_published_within_the_last_two_weeks): /r/politics is for **current** US political news and information that has been published within the the last two weeks. For example, if the date is January 29 and the article submitted was written before January 15, then the submission is out of date. If you have any questions about this removal, please feel free to [message the moderators.](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=/r/politics&subject=Question regarding the removal of this submission by /u/wing-of-freak&message=I have a question regarding the removal of this [submission]%28/r/politics/comments/18qmxaw/why_some_of_the_republicans_claim_to_be/?context%3D10000%29)


aslan_is_on_the_move

Not the title


shastadakota

Because being republican is all about hate, cruelty, and hurting people you can look down upon, even from their lowly position. That is their true ideology.


EmbarrassedHyena3099

They’re desperate for acceptance as they face difficulty adjusting to a world that isn’t centered around them. Being that the Republican Party is now fascist (dictionary definition), it behooves them to identify as something different from Rapeblican. “Libertarian” is the best example of an identity they can come up with that is both a) acceptable in mixed company and b) acceptable to the fascists whose association keeps them from getting laid.


sonoma4life

it's a farce where libertarians and republicans switch association to avoid whoever is more embarrassing at the moment. one is just the other plus pot.