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28 million Bush

in 2004, and liberals who support bigger gov-

structure," which helps to explain the failure

ernment, national health insurance, gay mar-

of class-conscious politics in the United

voters support

States.17 McClosky and Zaller argue that

riage, and withdrawal from Iraq and voted

either marriage

for Sen. John F. Kerry in 2004--and not many

many of the changes of the 1960s involved

or civil unions

true independents or swing voters who cross

"efforts to extend certain values of the tradi-

those categories. But it's not so hard to find

tional ethos to new groups and new con-

for same-sex

texts"18--such as equal rights for women,

counterexamples if you look.

couples--not your

Consider the 2004 exit polls.19 They pro-

blacks, and gays; anti-war and free speech

protests; and the "do your own thing" ethos

vide examples of people who don't fit neatly

stereotypical

of the so-called counterculture, which may in

on either side of the liberal-conservative, red-

"red" voters.

fact have had more in common with the indi-

blue divide. According to the poll, for

vidualist American culture than was recog-

instance, 25 percent of respondents support

nized at the time.

same-sex marriage, of whom 22 percent

In a broadly libertarian country most vot-

voted for Bush, with 77 percent perhaps

ers and movements have agreed on the funda-

understandably for Kerry. Another 35 per-

mentals of classical liberalism or libertarian-

cent support civil unions, and 52 percent of

ism: free speech, religious freedom, equality

those voted for Bush. That means that 28

before the law, private property, free markets,

million Bush voters support either marriage

limited government, and individual rights.

or civil unions for same-sex couples--not

The broad acceptance of those values means

your stereotypical "red" voters.

that American liberals and conservatives are

Similarly, 49 percent of respondents told

fighting within a libertarian consensus. We

exit pollsters they did not think government

should "do more to solve problems."20 Of

sometimes forget just how libertarian the

American political culture is; consider, for

those, 29 percent voted for Kerry--that's 17

instance, the possibility that a newspaper

million Kerry voters who thought govern-

deemed "blasphemous" or offensive to some

ment should not do more. In a remarkable

group would be shut down. Any such sugges-

corroboration, a completely different calcula-

tion in the United States would be stopped

tion comes to the same result. The 2004 post-

point-blank with the comment "That violates

election survey of the American National

the First Amendment," and almost everyone--

Election Studies found that 29.1 percent of

liberal, conservative, libertarian, or even pop-

self-identified Kerry voters preferred the

ulist--would agree. But in other countries it

statement "The less government the better"

can and does happen. Americans embrace cap-

to "There are more things the government

italism, religious freedom, and a constitution-

should be doing." Based on Kerry's popular

ally limited government at a far deeper level

vote total, that is once again 17 million Kerry

voters who prefer "less government."21

than citizens of most other countries. And

that broad libertarian consensus may have

So between Bush voters who support gay

allowed voters who embrace a stronger dose of

marriage or civil unions and Kerry voters who

libertarian values to remain hidden in plain

want less government, we have 45 million vot-

sight. But some new data may help to reveal

ers who don't seem to fit neatly into the red-

their existence.

blue, liberal-conservative dichotomy. Indeed,

they seem to have broadly libertarian atti-

tudes. Why would gay-union supporters vote

Libertarians Today

for Bush? Presumably because they don't like

Democratic positions on such issues as taxes

and regulation (or, of course, on terrorism and

The common story line these days is that

national security, but we're omitting foreign

there are conservatives who support lower

policy issues from this analysis because they

taxes, less regulation, gay marriage bans, and

are not easily categorized in yes-no, more gov-

the war in Iraq and voted for President Bush

6