Why would conservative and libertarian be considered the same thing?

[Mr Khan]

They are only a brief marriage of convenience while the Republicans are out of power, and even then we can see the divisions over matters like the NSA.

Ultimately, Libertarianism is not acceptable to the American political mainstream, which is why it only ever gains traction on the fringes, though it wins some of its small victories.

The problem is that economic liberty often interferes with economic fairness and public safety. A free, industrialized market needs heavy regulation against the tendencies of businesses to cartel themselves.