When asked, most people say individuals should be allowed to do what they want when not harming others, but?

Our platform isn't very liked. The Christian right won't support anyone who is pro-choice and pro-gay marriage (or at least against government intervention in those debates), and liberals want their handouts.

I will keep voting libertarian even though no one else will. I believe that people will eventually believe in our cause when the Keynesians ruin our economy, which is coming soon.

EDIT-Neil- Somalia is anarchist, not libertarian. You are very ignorant about what libertarianism is if you think that Somalia follows it, and you shouldn't answer this question if you don't understand what libertarianism is.

"Do whatever you want with out harming others" is only a tiny part of the libertarian philosophy. That's the part everyone can understand. But it's just the tip of the iceberg. Talk to a libertarian and you find that the conversation quickly becomes more complex (and more interesting). Most libertarians are well-read and are able to defend their ideas pretty well. Most people don't want to think that hard, they want easy answers.

The Powers That Be (media, politicians, FBI, ATF, DEA, Homeland Gestapo, big banks, big business...) don't want people too free. Check that, they don't want people free at all, but the illusion of freedom makes for good consumers, so they operate on a fine line, which of course they move from time to time, always away from freedom.

A flood of Libertarians to high offices would likely reflect the ideology of most people (as you said), but the Powers That Be would have to do such things as fair business practices, non usurious interest, not attacking other countries on the whim of sadists and profiteers, reporting factual news instead of endless blather of ideologues telling half-truths and lying by omission. Tedious.

The disconnect has enveloped us!

the disconnect is "what is harming others"

like I'm a liberal... I may say that everyone not having health insurance IS harming others because I have to pay for their health care when they go to the hospital...

is allowing a company to produce toys with lead paint on them hurting others?

some libertarians think the market will control those companies... and gov. shouldn't... I don't think it will and I disagree...

Politics is just another, far more expensive, sport and Libertarians don't have cheerleaders, corporate sponsors or bands backing them up. Given all that I'd say their lucky to get 2%.

;)

Neil: Somalia is the result of colonialism (ie ravaged resources & decimated economy) and anarchy, not Libertarianism.

People aren't willing to accept some of the other Libertarian platform stances. Non-interventionist foreign policy and the legalization of recreational narcotics are no-no's for the Republican minded and the ending of social programs is a no-no for the Democrat minded. Most people prefer to pick and choose the parts of the Constitution that they want to pay attention to.

Most people have been brainwashed by their parents, education system & the media into believing the following:

This country is a two party country, Republicans & Democrats. Period.

That giving up a little freedom for lots of safety is an American ideal.

That the government is responsible for correcting people's mistakes, and therefore the government has a right to try and keep those mistakes from happening in the first place.

That the power of shame, of being outcast by society, of being judged by your peers is somehow bad, but it is okay to make a law against what you don't like and put people in jail.

All the libertarians need is a dozen propaganda news channels and several billion dollars of advertising.

Maybe they've all joined the Tea Parties. They're all about smaller fed. gov't. and less fed. power over the states and the people.

Libertarianism *does* harm others. Since there is no perfect market structure, there will be people who are disenfranchised due to no fault of their own. since nobody inherently owns the land or the resources in/on it, to enforce private property laws is to create an entitlement.

Want to see libertarianism in action? Look at Somalia.