Glibertarian (glib + libertarian)

A “glibertarian” (glib + libertarian) is someone who professes libertarian views of limited government, but who actually supports government programs in practice. A “glibertarian” might be a wealthy person who supports reduced taxation, but who has no idea or desire to cut large government programs (such as defense). The person’s “libertarian” views are described as “glib” and self-serving.
 
“Glibertarian” has been cited in print since at least February 1996. The “glibertarian” term is usually used by the political left (not by libertarians themselves) and is regarded as derogatory.
 
 
Balloon Juice Lexicon
Glibertarian – a portmanteau of glib and libertarian, a person who affects libertarianism when it’s convenient (h/t commenter Demimondian). Used by those not ready to admit that all libertarian philosophy can be boiled down to “I got mine, fuck you”, or by those attempting to be polite to libertarians.
 
Urban Dictionary
Glibertarian
A Glibertarian is a glib libertarian
Glibertarian: sex, drugs, guns, endless wars
by karlol Apr 16, 2008
 
Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary
Main Entry: glib
Pronunciation: \ˈglib\
Function: adjective
Inflected Form(s): glib·ber; glib·best
Etymology: probably modification of Low German glibberig slippery
Date: 1584
1 a : marked by ease and informality : nonchalant b : showing little forethought or preparation : offhand “glib answers” c : lacking depth and substance : superficial “glib solutions to knotty problems”
2 archaic : smooth, slippery
3 : marked by ease and fluency in speaking or writing often to the point of being insincere or deceitful “a glib politician”
 
Wikipedia: Libertarianism
Libertarianism is support for liberty. Libertarians have come to embrace a variety of beliefs about social structures, with some libertarians striving for minimization of the state, and others desiring to achieve complete elimination of any hierarchical imposition of authority to include an opposition to capitalism and other institutions viewed as coercive. Libertarians have a variety of views on natural resources.
 
Left-libertarianism is rooted in nineteenth century socialism. Left-libertarians believe in protecting the freedom of action of individuals from interference by state or other actors but are against unfettered individual ownership of natural resources and the means of production. Right-libertarianism is rooted in nineteenth century classical liberalism and right-libertarians believe liberty and property ownership are inviolable natural rights. However right-libertarians are difficult to place in the conventional left/right political spectrum as they also support traditionally left-wing issues, such as broad freedom from search and seizure, freedom of the press, and other civil liberties. Consequently some libertarians reject being described as “left” or “right” or as “anarchists.”
     
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From: Ken MacIver
Date: 1996/02/12
Subject: Re: I may violate the law as well (was Re: American Reporter’s…)
 
> When you Glibertarians have finished examining the matter you have just
     
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From: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) (Stephanie Ann Spanhel)
Date: 1996/10/06
Subject: Re: Phase One: The Long Good Bye (was: re Redistribution of Wealth—Part III)
 
Wes is now as irrelevant to the process as any Glibertarian, or as Robert Stormer).
   
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From: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) (Niemand)
Date: 1997/01/29
Subject: Libertarian Party = Propertarian Party
 
    But you don’t see that. You see a waffle word…“just property rights” added to protect them from their own hypocrisy—thus, in classic Glibertarian fashion, it is UNJUST (!) for the Native Americans to push for the restoration of their property!!
   
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From: Timothy
Date: 1998/03/03
Subject: Re: Glibertarians are slave maskers
 
right, restrictive covenants have a long history. Look at Houston, Texas. Better yet, move there.  Oh, that’s right, they finally adopted zoning because the Glibertarian heaven was getting…messy…people didn’t want to live there anymore.
     
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From: Timothy

Date: 1998/03/08
Subject: Re: property tax justification
 
Glibertarianism, which teaches that everyone sacrificing for you is the correct way.
(...)
Oooops!!! Forgot!!! you are a Glibertarian.  Anything goes as long as it goes your way.
   
The Atlantic
Entirely too glib
By Megan McArdle
Dec 12 2008, 8:45 AM ET
I don’t understand what Mark Kleiman is trying to get at here, either by labelling Glenn Reynolds a “Glibertarian”, or by this:
(...)
I also really, really wish that liberals would drop the “Glibertarian” label.  First of all, I don’t like any variation on political labels designed to insult, and I doubt that Mark thinks the use of “Dimmocrat” reflects well on the person who employs it.  And second of all, on the internet the label is usually deployed by liberals who have taken it upon themselves to define what a “real” libertarian is, i.e. a libertarian who has never publicly much disagreed with said liberals.
   
Drudge Retort
Monday, August 31, 2009
TOP 10: Reasons why you’re a Glibertarian
Notice a propensity of newly minted Libertarians showing up lately? Perhaps it’s just coincidence their ranks swelled in inverse proportion to George Bush’s approval rating, ditto that so many are mouthing traditional conservative talking points. But what about the everyday gun toting townhall screamers and taxcutters and deficit hawks we see on cable news: are they really libertarian as so many claim, or just conservatives in glibertarian clothes? Here’s a few warning signs.
   
The League of Ordinary Gentleman (October 7, 2009)
Time to Retire the “Glibertarian” Slur
by Mark Thompson
Much as I hate the use of the term “glibertarian,” and its associated line of thinking, I understood that it could have value as a perjorative for a particular type of fair-weather libertarian in many instances.  But when someone on the Left is calling Radley Balko a “so-called libertarian” (and using the label “glibertarian”) for being insufficiently libertarian on criminal justice issues, I would hope that we can all agree that the term has ceased to have any value other than to immediately dismiss any and all libertarians regardless of the content of their arguments.
 
The League of Ordinary Gentlemen (October 7, 2009)
Now THAT’S a Glibertarian
by Mark Thompson
Via Doug Mataconis on Twitter (who seems to have absolutely exploded since I first encountered him 2 years ago), it seems that Sean Hannity has taken to calling himself “fairly libertarian.”  Ugh.