Genuine libertarianism is to be found in a very special place and condition, the nexus overlap of both Equality and Liberty, a place where all liberties are rights, not licensed privileges to rend ones neighbors of their equal liberty.
It amuses me to read about libertarians bashing socialists, leftists and complaining of betrayal of themselves by the Rightist Cato, or complaining that the Right is betraying their principles. It reminds me of Spencer's betrayal between his 1851 and his 1891 editions of Social Statics.
The first libertarians were the first socialists: they were for free social power as opposed to statist politician power and the associated cronyocracies.
Conservatism at its base is for select privilege at the expense of others. They are for their property rights including privileges, forget about others. Genuine libertarianism is to be found in a very special place and condition, the nexus overlap of both Equality and Liberty, a place where all liberties are rights, not licensed privileges to rend ones neighbors of their equal liberty. Not all kinds of Equality nor all kinds of Liberty: only a very special kind of Equal Liberty that would hold for everyone. (Remember your set field theory.) True libertarianism balances the property rights of the propertied with the opportunity rights of the property-less.
Modern libertarians should rediscover Benjamin Tucker's translation of LeSigne's description of two very different kinds of socialism, the individualist, freedom-loving libertarian vs the statist, political power–loving Marxian version. Tucker translated it about 1911, while LeSigne's column was written about 1870 in France. (See the lower part of the page at "State Socialism and Anarchism: How far they agree, and wherein they differ.") -- http://flag.blackened.net/daver/anarchism/tucker/tucker2.html
Early libertarian socialists were confused in their beliefs that anarchy was possible, but they were indeed libertarian, and the first ones, as the very word libertarian hales from the French 19th century word libertaire. Anarchy is impossible because people have no other choice but to choose between the predator-victim option or equally free trade relations with their neighbors. Either way, some rule and set of rulers always applies.
The pro-state socialists have left a relative vacuum in the Democratic Party by their exodus over to the Greens. Many Borsodi Jeffersonian Greens are being overwhelmed there and looking elsewhere. Many LPer veterans are fed up with Conservatives overwhelming the LP and Cato. We're tired of shoveling sand against the tide just to get on the ballot. Some of us are looking to push the DP toward being more Jeffersonian again. ... http://www.progress.org/dfc/
Original: Turn Toward the Left