Much agreement and resulting thoughts:
1) Reaganism demonized "government" but if you look at our history, (WW II for example), much a government-led triumph of democracy, capitalism, public/private cooperation.
2) Seems the '87 Reagan FCC killing of "Fairness Doctrine" (that hatched Limbaugh et al) was the big game changer, as you say.
3) Libertarianism has a tainted name now (mol appropriated by Reaganites/Trumpites as theirs), yet righties also want gov to overreach (abortion, setting school agendas, etc). Libertarianism could easily be slightly left of center. The "Libertarianism with rational limits" (ie the 0.08 of alcohol) could be applied across the board.
4) Biggest irony of Repubs since '80 (Reagan forward) is that they SPEND like drunken sailors, making Dems look like cheapskates. They never found a defense thing they wouldn't fund, neocons invented "deficits don't matter", Clinton/Obama budget numbers look sterling in comparison (reason: social programs cost far less than defense and silly wars). That said, we need bipartisan entitlement tweeking (like Simpson Bowles) or deficit will eat us alive.
5) Liberal Democracy is what freedom seekers worldwide crave, many successes, yet we also may need to reframe free speech and rein in some excesses. My article:
