Interesting clip on Paul’s future and the future of the Republican Party (a theme we’ve discussed before here) from two smart libgressives. Embedding isn’t working, so here it is. A lot of thoughtful points about the difficulties that Paul could face in 2016 (though I think Rob may be overestimating Paul’s difficulties in KY if he simply concentrates on running for Senate).
One little thing: The last line about the end of the welfare state could only come from someone who doesn’t quite understand the Republican Party today or Mitt Romney. So he must have been engaging in hyperbole. For good or for bad, they aren’t libertarians and won’t be gutting the welfare state as we know it. Can we not remember the expansion of the welfare state under George W? Didn’t you notice that the Republican conventioneers were all about saving Medicare? Even big parts of ObamaCare will be preserved in the unlikely event that the Republicans run the table this year. The Republicans aren’t your great, great grandfather’s Democratic Party (of Grover Cleveland, of course!).
ll the discussion about Rand is nothing but straining out an gnat and swallowing a camel. For those who do not understand political ambition and the depths politicians will go to satisfy it, you can’t and won’t understand Rand Paul.
He has been the most libertarian and freedom loving politician he will ever be, Then he got elected. All of those ideals are toast. He has moved on from idealism to practicality.
Those concepts are all in his rear view mirror now as he seeks to suck up to Mitt Romney and the RNC. So please, you Rand apologists, remind me of the guy whose girl is screwing everyone on the varsity football team, but swears it can’t be true. Get a life for God sakes.
I’m curious if you would say the same thing about Milton Friedman (as did Rothbard and other libertarians). If so, who had a bigger impact in terms of increasing liberty – Rothbard or Friedman?
I just think there is a serious place for practical-minded, political friends of liberty. That being said, we can and should keep them honest and remind them of how they’ve strayed and where the goalposts are.
I especially like the last sentence!
I think that they are far too down on the republican party. Parties change, and the GOP is no different. I mean just look at the difference between Obama’s and Clinton’s democratic party, from a pragmatic progressivism to Chicago elitism. Certainly these two must understand that the pragmatic libertarian (who is fighting hard for industrialized hemp, haters) who is clearly moving the party in said direction, will probably shift the support of the party as well. Changing demographics. They are happening.