Republican presidential candidate and Libertarian Rand Paul seems to be causing some confusion.
According to a recent poll conducted by YouGov, one in five respondents (20 percent) under the age of 30 identify as Libertarian. A staggering 42 percent are simply unsure whether or not they would describe themselves in such a way.
Rand Paul and his father, former presidential candidate Ron Paul have helped to popularize libertarianism in recent years. Ron’s policies on the legalization of marijuana and criminal justice reform helped him to gain political traction in elections past, though the elder Paul never won a significant portion of the country’s vote. Now we have more conservative Rand in the hot seat, whose 2016 campaign announcement piqued the political interests of many Americans.
What’s In A Name?
Traditionally, Libertarians are staunch advocates of the free market. They believe in “minimum government” and “maximum freedom.” They contend that people should be free to do as they please, even if it’s harmful to themselves, as long as they’re not harming others. This attitude informs the Libertarian stance on social issues, which they believe should be exempt from government control.
A popular definition of a Libertarian is someone who is “socially liberal and economically conservative,” but this of course leaves out some important distinctions.
Rand Paul’s beliefs are a bit different from traditional Libertarian ideology (he describes himself as “libertarian-ish“). He represents what Politico’s James Hohmann describes as a “sanded-down form of libertarianism,” one that’s a bit easier for Republicans to swallow. As a shrewd politician, Paul sees the imperative need to sway the Republican vote, as the Libertarian party itself is not enough to win the election.
In that vein, Paul supports cutting government spending and lowering taxes. He’s condemned both the Democratic and Republican parties for their deficit spending, opposes federal intervention in healthcare and believes that the Constitution dictates that the federal government act defensively, instead of intervening in most foreign affairs. He does see a role for American forces abroad.
Our Take
This YouGov poll and our recent survey report a similar millennial sentiment towards Rand Paul and, by extension, Libertarian ideology. Although his political trajectory is somewhat muddled, Paul seems to be garnering a loyal following that embraces his contemporary “libertarian-ish” policies.
This unique political alignment is redefining what it means to be a “Libertarian” in the year 2016. Paul is trying to shed the stigma left behind by his father and chart his own course, encouraging the American public to get on board.
What do you think of Rand Paul? Do you identify as Libertarian? Share your political experience in the comments below.
Kevin G
April 17, 2015 at 11:02 am
Paul is finally a Libertarian that knows how to win election. Due to the median voter theorem, third parties are completely at a loss. The median voter spectrum is shaped like a bell curve, with opposite ends being the extreme left and the extreme right. Our two party system has candidates from both sides, who inevitably take a stance towards the middle. When a third party comes in, if he leans more left, then the democratic candidate and left leaning third party have to share that left side of votes, leaving a huge portion to the other side of the distribution. I don’t know if that made sense or not, but Rand Paul really understands this dilemma, and is finally a right leaning candidate that can really appeal to all sides of the spectrum.
Although he supports a strong military, he sees that cuts need to be made. He offers real solutions and signs of hope for the lower income earners, appeals to the middle class with reducing taxes and eliminating barriers to opening businesses, and appeals to the wealthy by empowering them to invest in the U.S.
However, politics are just that–politics. He needs to get elected. The stance of the executive branch is important, but the other branches create barriers to these kinds of changes and opportunities for the American people. I hope that with his aggressive, yet digestible stance, he appeals to Congress as well to be able to get all these things done!
I’m on board, Mr. Paul.