Author's Note
Libertarians are definitely having a moment. For decades, Ron Paul was a fringe political figure, railing on and on about reining in government spending, peeling back unnecessary regulations and abolishing Medicare and Social Security. Now when you watch a Republican primary debate, it's as if all the candidates are fighting to out-Libertarian the only guy with legitimate street cred. With the economy limping along on the verge of a double-dip recession and the national debt ballooning toward infinity, Libertarian ideals of a leaner, meaner government sound attractive right about now. Still, you won't see Gary Johnson at any of the 2012 debates. Ron Paul may have flirted with mainstream fame, but the Libertarian Party is still too radical for most Americans.
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Sources
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