I wasn't trying to say what it all became is the greatest and requires no thought about the matter, I was trying to say we had a really libertarian society once, during our countries infancy, and we ended it for very specific reasons.
Libertarianism seems like a middle age man thinking back on his "glory days" and forgetting about how much he hated it when he was living through it..
I see..
Government can change and act in ways that don't necessarily reflect what the people want. And since the government is steered most by the people inside it (or well connected to it), there's generally a pressure towards larger government. So whether "we" decided to move in that direction is I think unclear.
And even if we did, it doesn't mean we were right.
Most people who think about libertarianism I think are usually thinking about principles and the best way forward, I don't think that many are basing it on the past or how things were in early US history.
At least, I know I certainly don't.
I see what you meant tho and appreciate your clarification.