Replies

That article was a regrettably painful read - not for inaccuracy in describing the Paulbot freakshow, but for the fact that it's author, while attacking conspiracy theorists, is just as much a conspiracy-theory minded whack-a-doodle ABOUT the Paul movement.

You want a simpler and more accurate explanation for what happened at CPAC? Well here it is.

CPAC has long been the main stomping ground of conservative college student activists. In recent years it's become even more so, with a full half of the audience or higher being in that 18-25 demographic. College age conservatives tend to have a substantially stronger small-l libertarian streak than the rest of the conservative electorate. For better or for worse:

- They don't really care one way or another about the gay movement, and don't really think of it as a political threat

- They don't see marijuana as marking the downfall of Western Civilization

- They associate most social conservatism with "sunday school," which is that boring thing their parents used to make them go to when they were living at home.

- They aren't too keen on religious conservative crusades against alcohol and other "moral vices" either, seeing as they typically partake in them

- In fact, they probably see those socially conservative "moral vice" policies as evidence of an intrusive big government preventing them from freely partaking in the consumption of alcohol

- Those of them who are gung ho about the war in Iraq have already signed up in the military, and the rest are generally indifferent

- They're generally healthy and at an age where they think they're invincible, so they don't really get riled up about medicare or health insurance either...except when they're asked to pay for somebody else's.

- They are usually new to the working world, have just discovered that they have to pay income taxes

- They've also just discovered that part of their paycheck is confiscated for a social security system that they will never see or benefit from

- And they're generally drawn to idealistic political causes over pragmatist ones

All of those factors combine together to make a candidate like Ron Paul sound very appealing, so they vote for him over a bible thumper like Palin, a stuffy old career politician like McCain, or a slick but empty suit like Romney. Give it a few years and most of them will grow out of it. But a giant Ron Paul conspiracy to take over the GOP it is not.