Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Libertarian ideology competitive for mainstream status in GOP

Could 2016 Be Rand Paul's Moment? | Rich Rubino - Huffington Post:

November 26, 2013 - "The Libertarian ideological trilogy of non-intervention abroad, free markets at home, and support for civil liberties was once a dominant force in the Republican Party. The last Libertarian with a legitimate shot at the GOP nomination was U.S. Senator Robert A. Taft (R-OH) in 1952.

"At that time, Libertarianism was one of two prevailing ideologies within the Republican Party.... Since then, the Libertarian ideology has been in decline, becoming a fringe ideology within the Republican Party. This was true as recently as 2008, when Rand Paul's father, U.S. Representative Ron Paul (R-TX), was booed during a debate at the Reagan Library when he suggested that the 9/11 hijackings were blowback from the deleterious effects of U.S. foreign policy. In fact, there was even an active movement among some in the Republican high command to bar Ron Paul from participating in future debates.

"With the advent of the Libertarian-oriented Tea Party, and the success of Tea Party- style Congressional candidates at the ballot box in the 2010 and 2012 mid-term elections, this Libertarian ideology is now competing to be the mainstream ideology of the GOP."

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rich-rubino/rand-paul-2016_b_4334411.html
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