Compassionate Libertarianism?

Read that bio on Wiki and wondered why is it that so many of the sciencebloggers tend to describe themselves as libertarian?

I make fun of them for it because science is mainly a government-funded venture, and when you actually look at some of the things libertarians say, how can anyone who describes themselves as a scientist agree with this stuff. Like public education as government-funded child abuse? Give me a break.

Still, they keep on saying they're libertarian, keep on reading Reason (those anti-FDA freaks), and keep on applying for grants. Go figure.

Oh, and I've met too many people working multiple minimum wage jobs while educating themselves in their spare time to do something better to give credence to such a empty-headed generalization as this.

I find that most scientists who say they are libertarian are generally only civil libertarians. I think Ed Brayton uses the term 'libertarian with a small L'. It's also what people tend to get called when they don't easily identify as liberal or conservative. Personally I always identified myself as libertarian as a reaction to political correctness and the nanny state in the UK, which are generally seen to be products of liberalism. Although I have come to realise that I dont agree with a lot of it, as I support minumum wage, and as quitter says I would be out of a job if the government stopped funding science. So generally I describe myself as a wussie libertarian.