I'm severely confused
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 03:21PM http://reason.com/archives/2012/02/14/santorum-is-severely-wrong
Well, not really. I wrote in 2008 that libertarians will be attacked the closer we get to the next election. It was a good thought back when the Tea Party said they were moving beyond social issues to address issues which are really important to free people -- economic freedom issues. Plus, there were some Tea Partiers who said they were tired of wars. Hoorah, libertarians have found allies!
Not really. As I suspected, the Republican Party used the libertarian-leaning part of the Tea Party to appear as if the GOP is now a real opposition force against statist Democrats. Now, Santorum openly denigrates libertarians and vows to fight any libertarian influence in the party, and Santorum is gaining in the polls.
Even Glenn Beck is supporting Santorum. It's as if everything real, sane and potentially powerful about the New Right changed overnight and the entire Republican Party turned on libertarians. Ron Paul is attacked by his own party. Romney is the only Republican candidate who hasn't attacked Paul and thinks highly of Paul, and this is why I've respected Romney, although I support Paul. Santorum despises Ron Paul and everything Paul stands for.
I don't respect the part of the GOP that supports Rick Santorum. Santorum is exactly what Republicans don't need. I don't get everything right, but on this issue, I'll bet the farm -- Santorum is the worst GOP candidate possible. Santorum represents the worst of the GOP combination of Big Government Republicanism and social conservative interventionism. I have no problem with conservatives who hold deep religious views and maintain a moral lifestyle, but I do have a problem with moralistic interventionists like Santorum who think government has a right to push a moral code on the public, even if that means governing in your bedroom. If grown, consenting adults are leading unconventional lifestyles which don't harm others, then it's none of government's business, and I can't imagine Jesus in congress writing laws to force people to live by certain moral codes. This movement toward Santorum is a direct blow to the GOP, and if it continues and grows, and if Santorum's anti-libertarian influence inspires even more negativity toward libertarian ideas, then it's over -- Obama will win, and America is screwed. At that point, the Republican Party will definitely need a replacement. Good Lord, Republicans, wake up!
