Post-Republicans

[bascule]

u9rtlL4nq3c

These libertarianesque retro Republicans who are trying to move beyond the "moral majority" are pretty damn awesome. Rand Paul and Peter Schiff. I am obliged to hate them for various reasons (well not really), but I think they're pretty sweet.

[Pangloss]

The honest ones are cool, I agree. I don't mean to dowse your happiness, but I fear that many of them are bandwagon-hopping, frustrated fiscals who were previously on board with the leadership of the neo-cons and the religious right and just don't have anyplace else to turn at the moment. The gutless wonders of the airwaves are telling them to turn to the conservative branch of libertarianism, but they may not be happy once they come to understand the full scope of what that means.

 

On the other hand, "libertarian" doesn't mean what it used to, and sometimes an influx of new members into a social group can cause the group itself to change course. It's possible something could emerge called libertarianism but which is really more like traditional fiscal conservatism -- tolerant of safety regulations and other excesses, not foaming at the mouth for a completely free market, but also providing the necessary pressure to the keep tax-and-spend types in both parties in check.

[Sisyphus]

Just be wary, as every fearmongering demagogue seems to have become a "libertarian" in the last half year or so.

[bascule]

I don't think those arguments apply to Rand Paul or Peter Schiff.