[Sudetenland]

Because haters gotta hate.

Over the past decade, a new type of "conservative" has sprung up. It used to be that conservatives didn't use personal invective to attack their political opponents, they used reasoned argument. Emotional attacks were strictly the purview of the left.

For some reason, it has now become common for conservatives to use ad hominem and twist facts to score political points in exactly the same manner as the liberals whom I used to hold in contempt--for that precise reason.

I do not believe it is a coincidence that this rise of the emotionally driven "conservative" has occurred concurrently with the rise of the Paul-bearer movement and libertarianism in the mainstream of politics.

Whenever there is a cult of personality, such as with Obama and with Paul, emotions run high and the ground work is set for personal attacks against any who dare to question the cult leader.

That's why they can't just leave it alone.

[kenavi]

Good post, but what is your evidence that "Paulistas" or libertarians in general are the ones who most use personal invective in political debate?

I think it is mostly "social conservatives" who do this.

Agree with Dr. Ron Paul or not, he's hardly the type to inspire a "cult of personality". He's kind of got the face that only a mother (who looks like him) could love.