Smearing Paul

Eating my lunch at work in the cafeteria afforded me the opportunity to watch Fox News on one of the big-screen TV's. For the first time since probably the late 90's I saw a television report on domestic hate/terrorist groups. Neo-Nazis, Timothy McVeigh, Muslims, Militias and other baddies figured prominently in the piece.

Various commentators, politicians and bureaucrats were discussing the looming threat of a domestic terror attack from these groups that "hate" our country. Of course, no distinction was made of the fact that it is the government that is the main focus of their anger. There was also the talk of a possible alliance between the white domestic fringe groups and Muslim extremists from the Middle East.

I found the timing of this report to make perfect sense since the neo-conservative establishment
has recently begun to try and indirectly link Ron Paul to Neo-Nazi groups in an effort to slander his reputation.

This campaign against Paul is only just beginning and I expect it to get hotter in the next few weeks. Ultimately, though, I don't think the establishment will be successful with this line of attack. Since Paul has a palpable decency about him and a nearly pure freedom voting record in Congress these smears will quickly fall by the wayside since they are illogical. Add into that the quick-fire response of the internet to smears and distortions and the establishment will have to move onto a different smearing campaign.