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![theatlantic:
Does the Romney-Ron Paul Pact Make Paul a Sellout?
Ron Paul is helping Mitt Romney. It’s been obvious for months. You’d think Paul’s followers would be outraged by this — but they’re not.
The Paul-Romney alliance means the race’s most ideologically pure fiscal conservative has effectively sold out to the least conservative, least consistent, most establishmentarian candidate in the field. Romney favors the basic concept of progressive taxation and a government’s right to compel citizens to purchase health insurance. It’s unthinkable that he would, if elected, end the Federal Reserve. Alone among the candidates, he insists that there be no cuts to any military spending. All these stances are anathema to Paul’s staunchly absolutist world view.
On paper, you would think Romney would be the chief subject of attacks from the Paul campaign, which has, in its television ads, been more unapologetically negative than any other. Paul has runone ad that slams all three of his rivals — Newt Gingrich (“serial hypocrite”), Rick Santorum (“counterfeit conservative”) and Romney (“flip-flopper). But that’s nothing compared to the attacks he’s unleashed pointed solely at Santorum (“fake,” “a record of betrayal”) and Gingrich (“selling access”).
Romney is the major only candidate Paul hasn’t singled out in an ad. And Paul’s ads against his competitors have been far more brutal than anything Romney or his super PAC have put on the airwaves. In crucial stages of the GOP primary thus far, he’s put hundreds of thousands of dollars behind these ads, helping squelch Santorum and Gingrich when they posed the most danger to Romney’s candidacy.
Helping Romney in his quest to make potential alternative candidates unpalatable to the conservative base is a major assist. But it’s far from the only way Paul has boosted the man who ought to be his biggest nemesis — the embodiment of the sort of soft, big-government Republicanism Paul says it’s his mission to eliminate.
Read more. [Image: Joe Raedle/Getty]](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m07y6tKQhC1qcokc4o1_500.jpg)
Does the Romney-Ron Paul Pact Make Paul a Sellout?
Ron Paul is helping Mitt Romney. It’s been obvious for months. You’d think Paul’s followers would be outraged by this — but they’re not.
The Paul-Romney alliance means the race’s most ideologically pure fiscal conservative has effectively sold out to the least conservative, least consistent, most establishmentarian candidate in the field. Romney favors the basic concept of progressive taxation and a government’s right to compel citizens to purchase health insurance. It’s unthinkable that he would, if elected, end the Federal Reserve. Alone among the candidates, he insists that there be no cuts to any military spending. All these stances are anathema to Paul’s staunchly absolutist world view.
On paper, you would think Romney would be the chief subject of attacks from the Paul campaign, which has, in its television ads, been more unapologetically negative than any other. Paul has runone ad that slams all three of his rivals — Newt Gingrich (“serial hypocrite”), Rick Santorum (“counterfeit conservative”) and Romney (“flip-flopper). But that’s nothing compared to the attacks he’s unleashed pointed solely at Santorum (“fake,” “a record of betrayal”) and Gingrich (“selling access”).
Romney is the major only candidate Paul hasn’t singled out in an ad. And Paul’s ads against his competitors have been far more brutal than anything Romney or his super PAC have put on the airwaves. In crucial stages of the GOP primary thus far, he’s put hundreds of thousands of dollars behind these ads, helping squelch Santorum and Gingrich when they posed the most danger to Romney’s candidacy.
Helping Romney in his quest to make potential alternative candidates unpalatable to the conservative base is a major assist. But it’s far from the only way Paul has boosted the man who ought to be his biggest nemesis — the embodiment of the sort of soft, big-government Republicanism Paul says it’s his mission to eliminate.
Read more. [Image: Joe Raedle/Getty]
45 notes
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inbonobo reblogged this from theatlantic and added:
Paul might think that’s how he might win the ticket. Who am I to second-guess him? Besides, I abandoned him ever since...
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impactoflove reblogged this from ghost-of-algren
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ghost-of-algren reblogged this from theatlantic
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doctoroctothorp reblogged this from thenewrepublic
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total-todd-review reblogged this from theatlantic
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szarazene likes this
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jjarichardson reblogged this from thenewrepublic
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sugashane reblogged this from thenewrepublic and added:
Ron Paul has only run one ad? Ok, then what are these: http://youtu.be/B7RaYbToq7Q //youtu.be/ExwqY7Wiiig The truth of...
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resurrecthobbes likes this
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dmbliss reblogged this from theatlantic
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movingaverage likes this
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thenewrepublic reblogged this from theatlantic
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gonadus reblogged this from theatlantic
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akiraly reblogged this from theatlantic and added:
But Paul has a simple explanation for his behavior, and it should appall his ideological followers just as much as a...
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gourmetdogtreat reblogged this from theatlantic
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ahngdawn reblogged this from theatlantic and added:
Ron?
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fulbright reblogged this from theatlantic
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fulbright likes this
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johnnybrainwash reblogged this from theatlantic and added:
Versions of this have been making the rounds for a week or two, but it’s wildly overblown. Take it as a chance to learn...
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legarconbeau likes this
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dog-tracking reblogged this from theatlantic
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esc0 reblogged this from theatlantic and added:
Don’t really know what to think about this. I may not like Ron Paul but I don’t think he would sell out. What he might...
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blankcheque likes this
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slackjot likes this
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jcsnyc reblogged this from theatlantic
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okaycheckitout reblogged this from theatlantic
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primuscapio said:
Right, Ron Paul is a sellout. His career clearly illustrates that.
Oh wait. Maybe he’s just a pragmatist?
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chimagine likes this
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esc0 likes this
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bojacober likes this
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nomoretexasgovernorsforpresident reblogged this from theatlantic and added:
Typical Republican hypocrisy.
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charlesemerson likes this
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theatlantic posted this
