Now that Hope is Dashed

The prospects for Ron Paul winning the Republican nomination were slim from the beginning.  Nearing the midpoint of the primary season, we must now all admit that Ron Paul will not be the nominee. I anticipate that he will surprise people by finishing second in the delegate count despite the media’s assumption that he is in fourth place. 

Pulling off second place would be an extraordinary feat. Finishing first in the delegate count would be pure organizational genius, striking fear into the heart of establishment Republicans and Democrats everywhere.

Unfortunately, even in the unlikely event of Paul winning a plurality of delegates, the GOP convention will not allow his name to be placed on the ballot. We are more likely to see a Romney/Santorum ticket or something close to it with one corporate favorite and one cultural conservative crush. The libertarian is too big of a threat to the military industrial catastrophe.

It also seems highly unlikely that the purpose of this blog will be realized either. Ron Paul will probably not run independent or third party and more importantly will not choose a progressive running mate. Furthermore, my recent call for Anderson, Johnson and Stein to do in the minor leagues what Paul has been unwilling to do in the big leagues has fallen on deaf ears, if there were any ears to fall on. 

Sadly, if this blog were ever read by someone in the big leagues, it has generated all the enthusiasm children usually reserve for asparagus. I am almost finished tilting at this windmill. Before I join the massive ranks of those who ignore my blog, I wish to ask someone to feed this post up the food chain to some Young Turks' intern. (Is that a low enough expectation for this would be weed withering beneath the astroturf?)

Specifically, I have this one humble question: Does anyone believe that a halfway progressive agenda can get 60 votes in the US Senate and the president's signature without a real coalition with libertarians? Or to ask this question of the other side of this could-have-been alliance: Does anyone believe that a halfway libertarian agenda can get 60 votes in the US Senate and the president's signature without a real coalition with progressives?

I'm not sure where to go from here. My instinct tells me that if progressives and libertarians do not eventually make a temporary alliance, neither of us will realize any of our most important political and economic goals.Corporatism will continue to rule, and eventually unemployment will settle beneath 6 percent and everyone will be convinced that we can do no better than that without bubbles. The culture will gradually liberalize. Gay multi-ethinic CEOs will reduce abortion through corporate sponsored adoptions. Christian fascists, taunted by liberal propagandists, will voice their moral outrage while a growing population of working poor are warned against government sponsored cancer insurance. 

Someone humor me. Give me a bite.