Why are libertarians associated with the right?

[SteveRogers]

Because while it might be true that on paper libertarianism is neither defined by the left or the right, in American politics libertarianism has almost always gone hand in hand with the politics of the right. In your various European liberal parties, you see sort of see two strains of libertarianism: one that's more like our American Libertarian Party and another that lives up to the "socially liberal" part and espouses social justice, etc. But here in America the Libertarian Party proper has always focused almost exclusively fiscal conservatism in its platform and been indifferent at best with regards to social issues. The same with the most prominent of the libertarian-ish Republican politicians. Prior to this year if you asked the average American what person they most associated with libertarianism, the most common answer would have been Ron Paul, a social conservative. Gary Johnson's triangulation and attempt to appeal to voters on the left has been the exception, not the rule.