Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) isn't currently scheduled to speak at the Republican National Convention, but according to Reuters*, his son Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.)–the one with the future with the GOP–will be.

This is a sign that Rand Paul's clear attempts to be the libertarian-leaning Republican who actually cares if he's pissing off the rest of his party are working, so far. As I suggested in front of the senator during our joint presentation back in May about my book Ron Paul's Revolution: The Man and the Movement He Inspired, his future as a potential presidential candidate might be rich whether or not Romney wins this year

The idea was that Romney will likely be so terrible in terms of reining in government to affordable Constitutional limits that a primary challenge from the likes of a Rand Paul from the libertarian wing could help limn the divide in the GOP in a very vivid, and possibly even successful, way. The same logic applies whether Rand Paul in 2016 is running against an incumbent Romney (not that such a move on Paul's part is at all certain) or against whoever else steps up for the GOP crown in 2016.

As much as it annoys many of the Paul hardcore, it will be easier to help define the future of the Republican Party from a believable position of being Loyal Opposition rather than rebel outsider. So don't expect Rand Paul to attack Romney explicitly in Tampa. But I do hold out hope he may speak of serious spending cuts, serious curbing of government's civil liberties violations, and seriously sensible foreign policy in a way that implicitly does so.

Previous blogging on Rand Paul's Romney endoresement, his critique of Romney's foreign policy, and the early rumors back in June of a Rand Paul speaking slot (which seem to have been true).

My May speaking appearance with Sen. Paul:

*An earlier version of this post credited Politico for the news in both post and headline; Politico was quoting Reuters.