Libertarians who voted for Obama

Reason has published a catch-up with Libertarians who said they intended to vote for The One two years ago, with the catchy title "Does Barack Obama Inspire Buyer's Remorse?"

The answers are as varied as the people interviewed, but all are unrepentant, as am I. Personal favourites:

We aging boomers are hopeless. We were sanctimonious twits, back when we were hippies and anti-hippie rednecks. And now were are grouchy sanctimonious "culture warriors" in our sixties. Our kids will be well rid of us. Maybe they can ditch the absurd dogmas and mantras and go back to the American genius for pragmatic problem solving and negotiated solutions. That's when Ben Franklin and Barry Goldwater can stop spinning in their graves.

The policies passed since President Obama took office have hurt the country. On the other hand, the extremity of some of the Democrats' behavior - most notably the passage of ObamaCare in what was literally a sordid backstairs intrigue at midnight on a Saturday - has been helpful in disabusing both liberals and conservatives of the idea that government is anything other than a criminal force. People are out in the streets of America, protesting not just taxes but spending. That's a rare and heathful development.