Patricia Williams: Paul Ryan’s Libertarian America

Patricia Williams: Paul Ryan’s Libertarian America

Patricia Williams: Paul Ryan’s Libertarian America

Despite Obama’s unquestionably varied record, progressives can’t afford four years under a Romney-Ryan presidency.

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After four years, many voters haven’t quite seen the “change” they were hoping for from an Obama presidency. But a Republican takeover of the oval office would mean the reversal of every policy battle progressives have won—from the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell to the Affordable Care Act. Nation columnist Patricia Williams says Mitt Romney’s choice of running mate, the Ayn Rand-inspired Paul Ryan, reveals the GOP candidate’s “slow march to the right.”

On Wednesday, October 17 at 7pm, Williams will join a panel discussion featuring Chris Hayes, Ilyse Hogue, John Nichols and Katrina vanden Heuvel, moderated by Richard Kim. Watch the full video here live, and if you’re in New York City, come to The New School to see them in person.

—Christie Thompson

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As we’ve seen over and over, this administration uses lies, misdirection, and attempts to flood the zone to justify its abuses of power at home and abroad. Just as Trump, Marco Rubio, and Pete Hegseth offer erratic and contradictory rationales for the attacks on Iran, the administration is also spreading the lie that the upcoming midterm elections are under threat from noncitizens on voter rolls. When these lies go unchecked, they become the basis for further authoritarian encroachment and war. 

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