The Ronulans predicted time and time again that Ron Paul was going to win Iowa, and win big; they were going to show us all that the Ron Paul revolution was huge, and would not be stopped. Well, it didn’t turn out that way, but I don’t think Paul supporters should feel disappointed.
I am not a casual observer of politics. Some people like hockey, some like baseball, others are football fans. My sport is politics, and I’ve followed it with an intense interest since I was a wee one. If there had been Senator trading cards, I probably would have collected them.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned in years of observing politics, is that candidates like Ron Paul not only seldom win, but seldom draw more than a few percent of the vote. If someone had asked me a few months ago what I thought Paul would do in Iowa, I would have said 5%, tops. The actual number was 10%, which in my mind is incredible. I don’t think that’s so much a testament to Ron Paul, who I think is a quite imperfect vehicle for advancing liberty, as much as it is a testament to how awful and uninspiring party politics in this country has become.
I’m honestly not sure what’s driving the Ron Paul machine. I’d like to think it’s a love of liberty, but I think he’s become a vehicle for a lot of quite disparate people who have just become disillusioned and upset at the whole political process, and that allows a lot of different groups to attach themselves enthusiastically to his message, which is fundamentally anti-establishment, and about as far away form status-quo as you can get.
Ron Paul’s 10% should be a shot across the bow to both parties that people are fed up. Even the Democrat who won, Obama, ran as an agent of change. If Paul wasn’t such an imperfect vehicle, I would argue that this 10% could be the beginning of something larger, but I don’t think Paul has the political acumen to turn his strong showing in Iowa into a real political movement that’s going affect lasting change on the Republican Party. It’s a pity, because the end result is going to be the folks that pushed Huckabee over the top having all the political power, and liberty minded people having nowhere to turn.
I don’t recall anyone predicting that. I was hoping for third and I’m about as optimistic as you get about RP.
In my view, it’s a fifty state campaign, a war of attrition.
Not here, but what I’ve seen in forums, and other online places, there were a lot of people saying this thing is huge, and was going to win big.
Crazy people are driving the Ron Paul machine. =)
“I’m honestly not sure what’s driving the Ron Paul machine.”
What’ driving it is the one thing that the status quo has long since lost touch with: honesty and integrity coupled with a genuine love for Liberty (not the pre-fab “freedom” that the Big-Gov apologists push). Of all the smears, lies, digs and snide comments that have been thrown at Dr.Paul, none have ever been able to impugn his honesty or integrity. The other side of the Liberty coin is personal responsibility for one’s own existence, a concept that’s anathema to a population looking to Mama government for their sustenance.
The same can’t be said for Huckabee, Hillary, Obama or any of the other cookie cutter MSM darlings. They’re all dissembling nursemaids for Mama.
What’ driving it is the one thing that the status quo has long since lost touch with: honesty and integrity coupled with a genuine love for Liberty
You’re right about this, but is that all that’s driving it? There were more than a few very non liberty loving factions that were getting behind him.
“There were more than a few very non liberty loving factions that were getting behind him.”
Such as?
Members of the anti-war left who were frustrated by the Democrats lack of passion for immediate withdraw, and liked the idea of non-interventionism. I seem to recall some donations from white supremacist groups.
“Members of the anti-war left who were frustrated by the Democrats lack of passion for immediate withdraw, and liked the idea of non-interventionism.”
If they support Ron for those reasons, more power to ’em. Dr. Paul certainly won’t be coming around to their point of view re: the Nanny State anytime soon.
“I seem to recall some donations from white supremacist groups.”
One group. Don Black and his group, Stormfront, also endorsed George W. Bush in 2004. I don’t recall seeing the MSM get their panties in a twist about it.
Besides being a scumbag, Don Black is an opportunist of the first order. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was the one that alerted the MSM to his contribution. He did it for the publicity and obviously to smear Dr. Paul by association.
I also don’t see the same outrage from the MSM re: contributions from various supremacist groups that back Obama, Hillary, Huckabee and others.
I’m not one of the folks who was outraged by it. Candidates can’t help the losers who endorse them. I also think he did the right thing in keeping the money.
I’ll say though, if the best liberty can do is 10%, that’s disappointing. I think it can do better, honestly, but Paul isn’t the vehicle for accomplishing that.
It’s only the start. Remember that the American Revolution began with only minority support.
It might be, but I have my doubts as to Dr. Paul’s ability to build a political movement. I’ve seen too many of these things look like they were going to turn into something, only to fizzle out in the end.
“I have my doubts”
Me too. My disgust at the status quo now outweighs my doubts.
Jamie,
Having met the man (in a non-political setting), I’ll repeat what I posted elsewhere: he scares the holy sh*t out of me, and the more I hear about him, the less at ease about him I get. I’m not planning on voting for McCain (open borders/amnesty, among others) or Romney (records and heath care, among others) but I’d feel a hell of at lot better about voting for them than voting for Dr. Paul.
I’m not basing that on “what I hear in the media” – I’m basing it on what I have directly observed. No, I’ll be one of the first to admit he didn’t blatantly link himself to any particular cause (such as but not limited to Stormfront or Troofers), but what I have heard him say (and do) adds much credibility to finding he may lean (whether some or heavily is immaterial) in their directions.