Groupthink Central on the attraction libertarians have towards a certain kind of Democratic Party supporter:
Now, I hope this doesn’t sound elitist or ideologically rigid. The Democrats clearly do need to expand their base. But the focus, in my opinion, should be on recapturing the white working class (e.g. Reagan Democrats of yore). This is the non-Democratic voting group that would most benefit from a Democratic administration.
Thus, I think the attraction that liberals like Matt and Kos have to the libertarian right is class-based, ironically enough. Libertarians, like many of us left-liberals, are college educated, urban, secular, and upscale. Thus, it’s easier for us to “converse” with them, whatever policy differences we may have. Working class whites, on the other hand, are more rural, religious and less educated. As a result, there are a host of socioeconomic and cultural differences that prevent us from relating to them, even though our economic views are similar (or were, during the New Deal era). Thus, although something like Bob Graham sponsoring a NASCAR team is indeniably hokey, it’s at least a creative way of bringing back this crucial voting bloc. Trying to lure the libertarian right into the fold, in my opinion, is a waste of time and energy. If they simply stay home in 2004, that’s good enough for me.