Republicans are getting more libertarian, because America is
This morning, the ever-insightful Conn Carroll of the Washington Examiner observes that, on just about every issue you can think of, the Republican party is becoming more libertarian. He notes:
Some Republicans used to like Keynesian stimulus, now they don’t. Libertarians never did. Some Republicans used to like individual mandates, now they don’t. Libertarians never did. Some Republicans used to like cap and trade, now they don’t. Libertarians never did. You get the idea. There is a reason Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., has been speaking so highly of Ron Paul. . . . The fact is, Americans are just becoming more libertarian. Republican leaders are only responding to those changing beliefs. That may be frustrating for a policy wonk who wants to see as much power transferred to Washington, D.C., as possible, but the American people just have a diametrically opposed view of which direction the country should be going.
To borrow a memorable phrase from the tumultuous ’60s, you don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows. Despite the greatly exaggerated reports of the “death of the tea party,” the political wind is undeniably blowing against more bailouts and debt, and toward smaller, constitutionally limited government. If the tea party is “dead,” it’s because tea party ideas have taken over the GOP.
Twenty-twelve may belong to Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum. But the future belongs to Ron Paul.
Dean Clancy is FreedomWorks’ Legislative Counsel and Vice President, Health Care Policy
