A Progressive Defends a Libertarian

"What is so great about our bloated federal government that when a libertarian threatens to become a senator, otherwise rational and mostly liberal pundits start frothing at the mouth?" asks Robert Scheer, who "proudly remain[s] a bleeding-heart liberal" — Blame Clinton, Not Paul. He continues:

What Rand Paul thinks about the Civil Rights Act, passed 46 years ago, hardly seems the most pressing issue of social justice before us. It's a done deal that he clearly accepts. Yet Paul's questioning the wisdom of a banking bailout that rewards those who shamelessly exploited the poor and vulnerable, many of them racial minorities, is right on target. So too questioning the enormous cost of wars that as he dared point out are conducted in violation of our Constitution and that, I would add, though he doesn't, prevent us from adequately funding needed social programs.

Mr. Scheer has always struck me as the kind of progressive who is more interested in ending wars and corporate welfare (and yes, promoting the welfare state) rather than demonstrating how enlightened he is on social matters.