“There is huge money to be made - by candidates, by book publishers, by...” — Steve Kornacki Quote

There is huge money to be made - by candidates, by book publishers, by merchandise peddlers - from small-dollar conservative consumers who are as enraged by their own party's establishment as they are the Obama White House.

The Paul name has been a divisive one at Obama-era CPAC gatherings, with rabid supporters of Ron Paul invading the hall to cheer on their man, jeer his Republican enemies, and in 2010 and 2011 delivering straw poll victories to him.

Generally, the real question in a midterm year is whether the damage for the ruling party will be severe or mild.

The Founders surely never imagined that a three-fifths majority would be the standard requirement for passing legislation in the upper chamber, and for most of American history it wasn't. But filibuster use skyrocketed in 1993, when Republicans found themselves locked out of the White House and big Democratic congressional majorities.

Candidates ignore New Hampshire at their own peril. You all remember President Giuliani? He's done a great job in the White House.

Internet companies created the social-media tools that fueled the Tea Party and Occupy Wall Street insurgencies, and that have helped political candidates rally grass-roots support.

Political parties are made up of people, individuals who vote and politicians and candidates who run for office. That's the basis of a political party.

I believe we all have the right as private citizens to endorse candidates and participate in the political process.