For a very long time, I have been searching for libertarian representation in government.   Before I could really find a good example of a libertarian in politics, I supported Ralph Nader for 8 years just based on his sincerity and lack of corporate sponsors.  But then Ron Paul really stepped up to the plate, and in his third bid for president it was obvious that Ron Paul is sincere and SERIOUS about becoming president of the USA.
So this year I did something I never thought I would do, and I registered with a political party.   I always felt far more comfortable with conservatism than liberalism.   I never pictured myself registering as a democrat, despite that I have huge respect for Sen. Mike Gravel and I love a lot of what he and Ralph Nader stand for and I love their sincerity.
Though Nader isn’t a democrat per say, he is very ‘progressive’ and has some socialist beliefs.

But the more I learn, the more I read and the more I get acquainted with Ron Paul I find that the only possibility for me in this presidential election is Ron Paul and that is regardless of what party he belongs to.  He has ran as both a libertarian and a republican.

In just looking deeper into the Libertarian party, I found that it is growing and I believe that the libertarian party will have grown by leaps and bounds after this election.

But what defines Ron Paul supporters as libertarian? What defines Ron Paul as Libertarian?

Here is a useful link to help define that relationship:

www.lp.org/faq

Here is Ron Paul representing his libertarian ideals.

Has libertarianism ever worked in history?

It has even in the early stages in our own country in many ways.  When libertarianism and the free market has been allowed to work, libertarianism has shown itself to be the strongest points in history.

Another example is ancient Ireland.

I think it’s disappointing watching activists, even friends and former friends flip flop so much.
On one hand I see folks wanting “more freedoms”, but they also want their social benefits so they also want “more government”.   These two desires can’t exist, because when there is more government, there is less freedoms.

I have lost serious respect for people who are still so stuck on socialism that they can’t make wise political, social and business choices.  Judgement gets clouded by “what do I get out of it”.
Wealth redistribution (aka socialism) is theft.   Forcefully taking from one group and giving it to another group does not have anything to do with freedom.  It is tyranny and theft.

So you will hear people with libertarian ideals cuss mandates like forced government healthcare, and forced government retirement plans.   Mandates are also a form of tyranny.   Choices are different than mandates.  I like choices.  But mandates violate my freedom.

But when it comes to our current society, I have been put in a position to utilize the state.
For example to work on behalf of my grandmother who just got deceived and stole from.
I have had to call the police to investigate this on her behalf.
How can I feel comfortable with this?
Well I justified calling the police even though I do not like or agree with state enforced contracts etc, because my grandma has been paying property taxes for over 70 years and she deserves to utilize the protection that she has been paying for in regards to contracts.

The same thing goes for me with social security.  I pay into social security, even though I don’t believe that the state has any business running this racket, nor do I believe that the government handles my money well.
But if I get to a point in life where I can claim social security benefits, I will because it is MY MONEY.
It would be self defeating to give all of this money to the government to hold for me, if I didn’t claim it when I am able.
I don’t believe that the government does well with my money or anyone elses, so your damn right I will be taking that money back!  But that doesn’t not say that I believe in socialism, I just believe in taking what is rightfully mine.
I worked for it, I paid for it, and I will get that money back if possible.

I made this video awhile back about social security.

In the end, I would give up all of the socialism in a heartbeat for liberty.
But in some regards, I don’t have much of a choice in the matter of retirement.
I don’t have the ability to block social security deductions from my income, as it comes out monthly regardless of what I do.   But give me the opportunity to opt out, and your damn right Im opting out.

Opting in to liberty, often means sacrificing the security of the state.  But the free market and the ability to make free choices is so much more powerful of a civil right and an essential right.

Other reading on this subject:

Why would someone who favors civil rights and liberty join the Republican Party?