Mike,
I had the opposite reaction.
The word "libertarian," like "liberal" before it, was once a word of purity and strength denoting a lover of freedom in the political realm. Libertarian meant a passionate advocate of freedom from tyranny, which is synonymous with freedom from Govt, the major tyrant.
Now, sadly, this beautiful word seems to be meeting the same tragic fate as "liberal" had. It may be time to jettison our beloved label and find one yet uncorrupted by the statists.
Best, Michael