While the Murdochcratic Media is doing their best to marginalize and ignore the Ron Paul campaign; I have noticed, while listening recently to 'progressive' radio programs, that the major liberal hosts seem to be taking an interest in Ron Paul. A negative one, of course, but I find this phenomenon interesting.
I think that these democratic operatives actually see Ron Paul as a legitimate threat. Ellen Rattner mentioned yesterday that Paul was polling in 3rd place among all Republicans in spite of the fact that the MSM was spinning coverage to Perry and his fellow-nazi, Mitt Romney.
The gist of most Progressive criticism I've been hearing boils down to this: that Ron Paul might believe in many socially liberal policies; but economically he's further 'right' than the so-called mainstream republicans.
What I suspect is really happening here is that a lot of progressive/ liberal-leaning independents who were disillusioned with Obama are shifting their support to Ron Paul's campaign; and that is what is really worrying Democratic operatives.
You suspect right, Eric. My super-liberal daughter and, as she has indicated, her left of left friends, are planning to vote for Ron Paul! I am hoping the reason for this turn of events is that the young people are starting to see that socialism is a failed idea, while they believe that the far right might bring unwelcome regimentation into their lives.
Too bad Libertarians failed to be the ones to cause this apparent turn around or become the recognized standard bearers of the libertarian movement. But I am glad somebody did.
Marcy
First: Check out Arlo Guthrie's response to RP, Arlo's was a super lefty, just shy of full commie but now he's an RP supporter.
Second: RP will bring the troops home, day one. No more foreign entanglements, he's been saying it for years and he means it. If you were young and draft age what would you think?
Bravo, Marcy! Your daughter and her friends are super trend-setters.
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Yes! Also if you were young, saw thousands taken out of your paycheck for SS and Medicare, while folks are telling you that you will not see a penny of it back when you are old, what would you think?
Marcy
I don't remember where I had heard this, but now that Dennis Kucinich has been gerrymandered out of Congress by Ohio's Teabag Government, some of his staff have switched over to Ron Paul's campaign. Ron Paul and Kucinich often worked together on anti-war, anti-Fed initiatives, and these staff-people were leaning more and more to Paul's message.
I don't know if could be argued that libertarians have a closer affinity with Progressives; but both sides have a common enemy now--- the increasingly radical GOP---and should probably work to find more common ground between them.
Marcy,
Your exactly right about the bungling of the LP leadership. One of the reasons I intermittenly get discouraged with the movement is seeing its name continually co-opted by neo-con shills like Wayne Root and Grover Norquist. A lot of these Progressive radio/TV hosts conflate clods like these with real libertarians like Ron Paul.