Another Post-Mortem

Consider this observation from the linked article:

Because libertarians tend to be younger and better educated than the average voter, they're not going away. They're an appealing target for Democrats, but they are essential to future Republican successes. Republicans can win the South without libertarians. But this was the year that New Hampshire and the Mountain West turned purple if not blue, and libertarians played a big role there.

Let's take that second sentence and add a word: "Republicans can only win the South without libertarians." Not precisely true, of course, but there's something to that idea. Your typical Southern Republican probably is concerned with the implications of other people having sex, guns, and immigration. Your typical western-states (or New Hampshire) Republican is more concerned with low taxes, minimizing the power of the Federal government, a balanced budget, and, well, guns.

It should come as no surprise that I prescribe a substantial reduction in emphasis on the other people having sex, and more on the balanced budget and low taxes. I'm not the only one suggesting this. Guns, immigration, devolution, and probably a little educational reform thrown in there, seems like it would make for a good strong domestic policy platform.