The "Tea Party" movement in 2010, Romney/Ryan now: It points to a pattern, and it's Ayn Rand.

I don't think this is a conspiracy theory, just connecting obvious dots: The insanely rich Koch brothers formed Americans for Prosperity, which spawned the "Tea Party" of useful idiots. The Tea Party laid the intellectual and bullying groundwork in 2010, with the GOP gains along with absolute refusal to govern our nation in any responsible fashion. The Dems were caught with their pants down as they were blindsided, but they certainly didn't acquit themselves well.

Now we're at 2012, with the worst empty suit/flip flopper in American presidential candidate history as the GOP candidate. Plus, with Karl Rove et al - not necessarily in philosophical agreement, but with Power as his only priority - ready to turn loose Diebold and advance voter ID to assure a win. State after state has followed the voter ID pattern (I would say orders, but that would be too strong for some).

Now Ryan is the VP candidate, an Ayn Rand acolyte of the first degree. He's way, way further right than most think - check him out on social issues. But it's more than that. I probably shouldn't go further with what I can foresee, but I sense a pattern here. We have always thought of the Kochs as Birchers like their father, but all of this has led to Ayn Rand's insane philosophy being enacted, not Birch's creaky insanity.

We'll see. Bottom line is that there is a pattern that has brought us to where we are, and there is great power behind it, including the Citizens United decision. Those of us who know me here know I am not a tin foil person, but I don't like the pattern I am seeing.