I don’t think this reader is right about libertarians being happy with totalitarianism. But I think he does make an important insight about some faux-libertarians, left-libertarians and libertines in all parties. There is a growing tendency in America to think government is oppressive it steps on what *I* like but not if it steps on what you like. Anyway, from a reader:

[I wrote:] “I know lots of small government types who love government funded scientific research…” Actually, many libertarians will tell you that the government _should_ be involved in things that individuals don’t have an incentive to contribute towards, i.e. scientific research (usually specified as Manned Space Exploration) and also national defense.
Which is part of the reason why libertarianism is such a deeply hypocritical philosophy–most of them wouldn’t really care _what_ size government there was, and some would even _favor_ a large government. They just want government to be invisible. A libertarian would be perfectly happy in a totalitarian society, as long as none of the stuff he liked was against the law…