Mark Souder Out, Rand Paul In--A Good Trade for Republicans

By John Aloysius Farrell, Thomas Jefferson Street blog

There is something to be said for Rand Paul: he is not Mark Souder. I don't expect that the son of libertarian hero Rep. Ron Paul is going to spend his time in Washington, should he get here, hectoring the rest of us about family values, while carrying on an adulterous sexual relationship with a comely aide.

That is what Souder acknowledged, when resigning from office yesterday. He came to Washington promising the gullible sheep of his Indiana district that his presence was needed here to "change the cultural and moral direction of this country." Well, he changed it, alright. He made things just a little bit worse.

Souder hired a Mary Kay cosmetics consultant, and joined her on religious radio and cable TV, where they would instruct Americans to be good and wholesome and proper and pious. Then the two horny hypocrites would zip off to a nearby park for a tryst.

Tell me this: Of all the Republican elected officials, conservative talk show hosts, and TV preachers who have made a living pandering to the Church Lady set in the last 20 years, have any not yet confessed to adultery, drug use, sexual abuse or relations with a (gay or straight) prostitute?

We really need to get over this, folks. Humans are frail. And our personal lives should be our own. That is why I am cheered by Rand Paul's victory in the Kentucky Republican primary yesterday. The GOP needs a good strong reminder that it used to be a party that fostered libertarian beliefs, not the Busybody League it has become.

If Paul stays true to his libertarian roots, we won't be hearing about the need for government to change our moral direction in this campaign. But it won't be easy for him. He will be tempted to shave some corners to succeed. And mainstream Republicans, evangelical Christians and a whole lot of his Tea Party supporters are going to insist that Paul add their usual attacks on sex, drugs and rock and roll to his platform. They will nurture the suspicion that somewhere out there, someone is having fun. And they'll want to stop that, you can be sure.

As for ex-Congressman Souder. I'm sorry for you pal. The fall must surely hurt. But welcome back to the human race. I hope you find long life, love and solace in the arms of your very special woman--whoever she turns out to be.

• Check out this month's best political cartoons.
  
• Become a political insider: Subscribe to U.S. News Weekly, our digital magazine.