For those among you who are libertarians or Libertarians, please put down all sharp objects before reading this blog. I don’t want anyone to poke out an eye.

Markos Moulitsas — that guy responsible for the lefty blog the Daily Kos — believes the Democratic Party needs a redefinition. He says the party should distinguish itself from progressives and liberals. Moulitsas attempts to define a new creature known as a “Libertarian Democrat.”

By Moulitsas’s telling, the “Libertarian Democrat” is a strange duck. It wants big government, but defends its libertarian bona fides by arguing that:

. . . we should have the freedom to enjoy the outdoor without getting poisoned; that corporate polluters infringe on our rights and should be checked. A Libertarian Dem believes that people should have the freedom to make a living without being unduly exploited by employers. A Libertarian Dem understands that no one enjoys true liberty if they constantly fear for their lives, so strong crime and poverty prevention programs can create a safe environment for the pursuit of happiness. A Libertarian Dem gets that no one is truly free if they fear for their health, so social net programs are important to allow individuals to continue to live happily into their old age. Same with health care. And so on.

Let’s see how many ways we can distinguish libertarian thought from the ideas expressed in this quote.