Mucky in Kentucky

There has been much talk lately with regards to a television ad approved by Jack Conway, who is locked in a Senate race in Kentucky with uber-libertarian Rand Paul. The ad attacks Paul for essentially being a closet atheist, while also bringing up the bizarre 'Aqua Buddha' incident for good measure:



Mr. Conway has defended the ad, despite intense criticism:

Jack Conway, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Kentucky, has been hotly criticized from the political right, left and middle, for his attack ad on his Republican opponent, Dr. Rand Paul who, by the way, appears to be ahead in the latest polling.

The ad, which asks why Paul as a college student belonged to a "secret society" which "mocked" Christianity, was clearly aimed at raising doubts about the Republican in the minds of voters, many of whom take their Christian faith very seriously.

In a discussion with NPR's Robert Siegel, an All Things Considered co-host, Conway didn't retreat an inch from the attack, saying that candidates must be accountable for their actions.

Now, the ad itself is loaded with cheap shots. But it does raise the uncomfortable issue of Rand Paul, faith, and libertarianism's place with the Tea Party movement in general.

I'll leave Aqua Buddha aside for a moment. The fact is that many libertarians are atheists, or at least do not subscribe to any major religion. At the very least, they do not believe that the church should have a cozy relationship with the state anymore than they believe big business should have such a relationship. And legislation of any kind based on moral or religious grounds is practically anathema to a libertarian. Personal freedoms trump faith-based beliefs.

So what is going to happen if and when folks like Mr. Paul take office and actually try to represent Tea Partiers? These issues will not go away.