Test – would a self-identifying contemporary progressive use the phrase ‘the progressive tradition’ non-ironically to include these old immigration policies? I doubt it. Also, it’s not like all major Libertarian intellectuals have always been in favor of open borders as a matter of principle. So what’s the Libertarian ‘tradition’ on immigration, exactly?

Using these kinds of continuous coalition labels to either applaud or smear someone based on a few overlaps with those very old positions – which were abandoned by the political inheritors long ago – is at least a little unkosher.

Of course the really funny thing is that prominent pundits have been telling us that Trump is either clearly a ‘fascist’ or – like Douthat has done three times now – almost-but-not-exactly-completely-a-total-fascist and maybe just a ‘proto-fascist’.

Unfortunately for the Libertarian movement, Trump does not truly belong the true believers but any knowledge of Ron Paul supporters and newsletters shows historical supporters libertarians have believed in Trumpism. Anyway, how is Rand Paul and Trump position on immigration that much different.