Paul Ryan's admiration for the philosphy of Ayn Rand is going to suck in the Libertarian Party, which was started by a bunch of Ayn Rand's disciples in the first place. But then, unless they're fielding a candidate of their own, they vote Republican anyway.

Ryan has lately tried to distance himself from Ayn Rand, but I'm sure it's because Rand was the kind of hard-charging atheist who has showers of sparks spraying out of her ears. And someone who admires her philosophical position is not going to go over at all well with the Religious Right.

So the fact that, in times past, Paul Ryan insisted that his staff read Atlas Shrugged--and if people in general understand what really Rand is saying in that book (the 50 page speech by John Galt) might just prove to be his--and Romney's--Achilles heel.

Don Firth