Hope for Ron Paul
Around these parts, Ron Paul is generally viewed with contempt. He’s the crazy, bumbling uncle who rants about American imperialism and indulges in what many are quick to dismiss as conspiracy theory. In our latest Ricochet Center of Gravity poll, he only received 3.5 percent of support.
Explaining in her WSJ column last week why Ron Paul can’t win, Kim Strassel wrote,
Of the 25% of voters who viewed him favorably, nearly two-thirds did not identify themselves as Republicans. Among self-identified "conservative Republicans," only 8% gave him a "strongly favorable" rating. You don't win a GOP nomination with figures like this.
Ron Paul may have zero shot at the Republican nomination; however, should he decide to run as a third party candidate, his presence in the race would have a serious effect on the outcome of the election. To which party’s advantage? The figures Kim Strassel quotes suggest a third party run by Paul may actually help Republicans.
This possibility is consonant with the ubiquitous Ron Paul buzz I've encountered over the past few months on my social media streams and in conversations with friends and acquaintances with whom I would never initiate a conversation about politics. I'm exuberantly asked numerous times a week what I think about Ron Paul. Unfazed by my less than stellar reviews of the man, these folks—Millennials without exception, I should add— go on to list the litany of reasons Ron Paul would make a great president. And all this would be unremarkable except for the fact that in most cases, these are people who voted for Obama in 2008.
A few days ago, I posted a Facebook query seeking out Ron Paul supporters who were willing to participate in an interview. I spoke with two young men (both were friends of friends) about whom they voted for in 2008, what the most important issue was to them in the ’08 election, why they support Ron Paul, and whether there is any topic or policy on which they disagree with Paul.
“I was watching a Republican debate a few months ago, sort of for comedic value,” Daniel, a 25-year old Silicon Valley software engineer explained to me, “but I noticed that Ron Paul was the only candidate up there who supported his answers with facts and evidence. He was straightforward and didn’t rely on talking points like all the others.”
Now an ardent Ron Paul supporter, Daniel has never voted for a Republican in his life. In 2008, he voted for Obama “for feel-good reasons,” he sheepishly conceded. “I wanted to be part of electing the first black president, which I now realize was not the best reason to support him.”
“I used to believe that government had a proper role in ensuring equality and making good outcomes,” Daniel continued, by way of a defense for his 2008 ballot. “It was only in listening to Ron Paul that I began to understand that this is not something the government can or should do. It’s not conducive with the cause of individual liberty.”
In wrapping up our conversation, Daniel had just one more thing to add, “You know, the Constitution actually is a great document. If only we’d paid attention to what the Founders intended, we might be in a better place as a country.”
26-year old Stephen works in the operations department of a local produce company in the agricultural town of Watsonville, California. In 2008, Stephen voted for Obama "in hopes of ending the war in Iraq and Conservative domination in Washington.” He was hopeful that President Obama “would end the war in Iraq, repeal the Patriot Act, end the Bush tax cuts, support alternative energy, and get the economy on track,” and today expresses his deep dissatisfaction with the President on every dimension.
Stephen thinks that both the Democratic and Republican parties are “an absolute joke and a real hindrance to most potential positive change in this country,” but he vigorously supports Ron Paul because of his foreign policy, his insistence on serious spending reductions, his opposition to the Patriot Act, his support of states’ rights, and “his belief in Austrian economics over Keynesianism.”
While Stephen disagrees with Ron Paul’s pro-life stance, he believes that Ron Paul is his ideal candidate because Paul’s policy stances are “based on the principles of Liberty as defined by the Founders of our nation.”
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Jul '11
Re: Hope for Ron Paul
Diane Ellis, Ed.
Unfazed by my less than stellar reviews of the man, these folks—Millennials without exception, I should add— go on to list the litany of reasons Ron Paul would make a great president. And all this would be unremarkable except for the fact that in most cases, these are people who voted for Obama in 2008.
Given the incredible across the board youth support, couldn't we find a way to use Paul to steal Obama's 'youth' vote from him? Furthermore, if it is true that the young and independents won Obama the election of '08, couldn't Paul win this election via the same formula if only Republicans would fall in line?
I posted on a topic similar to this one earlier today in the Members Feed. My point in that post is that we keep moving the 'goal posts' on our candidates. This is a pretty good example of just how far our party has moved away from where it used to live because of this endless 'goal post' moving.
Nov '11
Re: Hope for Ron Paul
When these people grow up, they'll look at the occupy crowd, and the tea party crowd, and see that they have more in common with conservatives than with liberals. Decades from now, the political debate in America will be significantly to the right of where it would have been had Ron Paul stayed in medicine. Some of his ideas are silly, but he's done what no other Republican has done: he's made the left look corrupt and misguided in the eyes of the under-twenty crowd.
Re: Hope for Ron Paul
Well said. I'm discovering that Ron Paul has inspired many of my contemporaries to read our Founding documents for the first time ever. This in itself is a huge coup.
Dec '10
Re: Hope for Ron Paul
He's on the state ballots, right? Can he primary Obama? ;-]
Dec '10
Re: Hope for Ron Paul
Diane Ellis, Ed.
Well said. I'm discovering that Ron Paul has inspired many of my contemporaries to read our Founding documents for the first time ever. This in itself is a huge coup. · Dec 20 at 12:12pm
Perhaps they're just figuring out that individual liberty is an inherently selfish idea and it dove tails perfectly with the world view they already have. What a rude awakening they'll have when they discover that personal responsibility is the flip side of the coin...
Sep '10
Re: Hope for Ron Paul
“I was watching a Republican debate a few months ago, sort of for comedic value,”
“It’s not conducive with the cause of individual liberty.”
Daniel goes from a smug Obama voter to a champion of individual liberty in the course of a few months listening to Ron Paul? There has to be more to his story..
In 2008, Stephen voted for Obama "in hopes of ... support alternative energy”
...but he vigorously supports Ron Paul because of ... his insistence on serious spending reductions
Paul’s policy stances are “based on the principles of Liberty as defined by the Founders of our nation.” ·
So does this guy still support subsidy for so called alternative energy? Does he realize that the first cuts on Ron Paul's chopping block would be subsidy to business of all stripes, including alternative energy?
I am often skeptical of some of the youth support for Ron Paul. I fear most of them think of liberty only in terms of drugs and sex. How many realize that Ron Paul's liberty also refers to paying for their own stuff, including healthcare?
Edited on Dec 20, 2011 at 1:51pmDec '10
Re: Hope for Ron Paul
Stephen Taylor has been on the Ron Paul newsletters lately. It ain't pretty:
Outside the Beltway article
James Kirchick has more:
Weekly Standard article
I want Ron Paul out. He's poison even to the good ideas he claims to support.
I think Paul is for many people just what Obama was in 2008, a tabula rasa upon which people projected their own hopes and desires.
Mar '11
Re: Hope for Ron Paul
I'm just really glad that we finally have someone representative of the best parts of our party. A "real American" who finally has a chance against the man, you know?
The kind of guy who embraces statements that indict the Satanic Bilderbergers, Bohemian Grovers, and Davos Men, and who knows exactly what the black helicopters are doing over his house.
The kind of guy who thinks we should investigate 9/11 because it was planned by George Bush and Dick Cheney and we have to reveal the hidden connections.
The sort of fellow who understands that Islamofascists are really misunderstood folks who just want to be left alone, but the evil imperialist Americans want to enslave them, and therefore they are justified in murdering civilians.
He's the sort of fellow who understands that its the Jews hooz behind alls our problems, and needs'a'be stopped.
Apr '11
Re: Hope for Ron Paul
Wow. The millenials get on my nerves, but you're over the top.
I've never heard anyone justify hedonism using Austrian School economic theory or the philosophy of the Founders. You seem to be saying, "Freedom is good, until you get the bill. You'll go big government like me, when you have to pay your own way."
That's just weird from a conservative. Really weird.
Apr '11
Re: Hope for Ron Paul
Crow's Nest: I'm just really glad that we finally have someone representative of the best parts of our party. A "real American" who finally has a chance against the man, you know?
The kind of guy who embraces statements that indict the Satanic Bilderbergers, Bohemian Grovers, and Davos Men, and who knows exactly what the black helicopters are doing over his house.
The kind of guy who thinks we should investigate 9/11 because it was planned by George Bush and Dick Cheney and we have to reveal the hidden connections.
The sort of fellow who understands that Islamofascists are really misunderstood folks who just want to be left alone, but the evil imperialist Americans want to enslave them, and therefore they are justified in murdering civilians.
He's the sort of fellow who understands that its the Jews hooz behind alls our problems, and needs'a'be stopped. · Dec 20 at 1:23pm
A wretched hive of untruths and villainy. I would even defend Newt Gingrich against such calumny. Wait, I actually have.
Dec '10
Re: Hope for Ron Paul
I am no fan of Paul, but the 9/11 "truther" stuff from him that I have personally made myself watch is not, at all, what people claim. In his own words, but paraphrasing, he refers to the conspiracy aspect as that of a conspiracy to cover-up incompetence on the part of the intelligence services and the government, not a conspiracy to actually create, or facillitate the events.
I disapprove of dozens of things about the man, as a person, and as a candidate, but the 9/11 truther stuff, from his own mouth, from what I have actually heard, is not at all as has been characterized by those whom claim him to be amongst the "Truthers".
Dec '11
Re: Hope for Ron Paul
So does this guy still support subsidy for so called alternative energy? Does he realize that the first cuts on Ron Paul's chopping block would be subsidy to business of all stripes, including alternative energy?
I am often skeptical of some of the youth support for Ron Paul. I fear most of them think of liberty only in terms of drugs and sex. How many realize that Ron Paul's liberty also refers to paying for their own stuff, including healthcare? · Dec 20 at 12:43pm
Edited on Dec 20 at 01:51 pm
I understand that subsidies are the first thing Dr paul would cut and rightfully so. It is an over-subsidized oil industry that has put our nation well behind others in terms of clean-energy production. I didn't say I wanted subsidies for alternative energy, as many of these are a joke (ethanol), just a free market so consumers can choose products in line with their values.
Dec '11
Re: Hope for Ron Paul
Mark Belling Fan
I am often skeptical of some of the youth support for Ron Paul. I fear most of them think of liberty only in terms of drugs and sex. How many realize that Ron Paul's liberty also refers to paying for their own stuff, including healthcare? · Dec 20 at 12:43pm
Edited on Dec 20 at 01:51 pm
Liberty is based on the constitution. What we have now is an out of control goverrnment that continues to mortgage our nations future...
Basically the US picks sides in a war, bombs the place to pieces, then gives money to help rebuild. this is completely unsustainable for our nation, but it continues because the corporate interests that elect our politicians are making Trillions off our taxpayers in 3 ways:
1. weapons and defense contractors to help fight the war(destroy stuff),
2. infrastructure contracts (rebuild stuff)
3. interest on the money the government had to print to pay the previous two. This is the worst part because it keeps us in an never-endind cycle of debt.
How is this liberty? Gov't takes our tax money and spends it how they please (how the corporations please really)
Sep '10
Re: Hope for Ron Paul
Jeff Younger
Wow. The millenials get on my nerves, but you're over the top.
I've never heard anyone justify hedonism using Austrian School economic theory or the philosophy of the Founders. You seem to be saying, "Freedom is good, until you get the bill. You'll go big government like me, when you have to pay your own way."
That's just weird from a conservative. Really weird. · Dec 20 at 1:54pm
Something is getting lost in translation.
I am a millenial. These people are my peers. Very few of them think in terms of economics. Terms like "freedom" and "liberty" are more likely to be associated with gay marriage and pot than with progressive income taxes and individual healthcare mandates.
In case my own position isn't clear, I am absolutely in favor of people paying their own way, including seniors.
Sep '10
Re: Hope for Ron Paul
Stevie Yo:
How is this liberty? Gov't takes our tax money and spends it how they please (how the corporations please really) · Dec 20 at 2:34pm
I'm just not even sure where to start here. How was that a response to anything I posted?
Sep '10
Re: Hope for Ron Paul
Stevie Yo:
I understand that subsidies are the first thing Dr paul would cut and rightfully so. It is an over-subsidized oil industry that has put our nation well behind others in terms of clean-energy production. I didn't say I wanted subsidies for alternative energy, as many of these are a joke (ethanol), just a free market so consumers can choose products in line with their values. · Dec 20 at 2:12pm
Thanks for the clarification. The original post from Diane was vague and seemed to imply a position in favor of subsidy.
Also, the oil industry in America are net payers of taxes into the treasury on a massive scale. I'm curious what their fair share should be?
I personally favor elimination of the corporate income tax, but that may be taking this discussion too far off the path.
Dec '11
Re: Hope for Ron Paul
My peers are people that are sick and tired of being lied to, sick and tired of money dictating politics in this country, sick and tired of a two-party system with the same Imperialistic philosophy on both sides of the aisle.
It is a travesty that politics in this country is often based on philosophies on trivial things like "gay marriage and pot", while the real problems facing the nation are so easily dismissed.
Apr '11
Re: Hope for Ron Paul
I've noticed some of the same things among some of my friends in high school. As far as I can tell, they're pretty liberal, and disaffected Obama supporters, and they've been dismissive of the other candidates but called Paul "brilliant".
Nov '11
Re: Hope for Ron Paul
Crow's Nest: I'm just really glad that we finally have someone representative of the best parts of our party. A "real American" who finally has a chance against the man, you know?
The kind of guy who embraces statements that indict the Satanic Bilderbergers, Bohemian Grovers, and Davos Men, and who knows exactly what the black helicopters are doing over his house.
The kind of guy who thinks we should investigate 9/11 because it was planned by George Bush and Dick Cheney and we have to reveal the hidden connections.
The sort of fellow who understands that Islamofascists are really misunderstood folks who just want to be left alone, but the evil imperialist Americans want to enslave them, and therefore they are justified in murdering civilians.
He's the sort of fellow who understands that its the Jews hooz behind alls our problems, and needs'a'be stopped. · Dec 20 at 1:23pm
What about the government HIV conspiracy? You forgot about that!!!!!
Sep '10
Re: Hope for Ron Paul
The best way to reduce the influence peddling is to reduce the amount of influence they have to peddle. So long as D.C. has the power of life and death over industry, there will be obscene amounts of money in politics. On this I hope we can agree.