Ron Paul Nation
Campaign sowing seeds of "Radical Liberty"

Recently in a conversation with a business-analyst colleague of mine, we came to a dire assessment of the political realities facing us today: massive debt, wars abroad, the drug war and other persistent calamities on civil freedom, expensive government schools, a burgeoning police state in every realm of our lives—banning smoking to banning health supplements.

"What are we going to do?" my friend asked.

I responded, almost without thinking, "Radical liberty."

"Every area where there's a problem we know it's caused by entrenched government and the entrenched economic interests who benefit from government. The Drug War is the most disturbing example. Radical liberty means we apply the Sacred Nonaggression Principle everywhere and ruthlessly eliminate state coercion wherever we find it... quickly."

I continued, "It's the only solution. The grand strategy, in my humble opinion, is some kind of Bill of Rights enforcement project and an income tax strike— embraced on the street level by most Americans. Remember, the government belongs to us, not to the Mob nor to the Cartel."

"General, I'm a civilian. I outrank you."—Jim Rockford

This is where honest, thoughtful, caring Americans find themselves in late spring/early summer 2007. Enter the Ron Paul for President campaign. I haven't been keeping complete track, but most of my new friends in the Free State are working overtime to see that Dr. Paul wins the New Hampshire Republican primary. That will make a lot of Cartel politicians and media highly nonplussed.

Unless you've been in a political coma for the past several weeks, you'll know Congressman Paul (R-TX) has kicked some major buttski in debates among fellow seekers of the Republican Presidential nomination. In the MSNBC debate on May 3, Dr. Paul suggested that US foreign policy has served to exacerbate terrorism, to which Rudy Giuliani replied, "I'm shocked, shocked to find that imperialism breeds terrorism."

Rudy's outraged actual response implied anyone who questions the US government is a terrorist. His lunatic-fascist reaction to Paul's reasoned opinion catapulted Paul into an Internet celebrity. Then Dr. Paul went on to debates in mid-May in South Carolina—FOX wanted to exclude him but succumbed to popular outcry—and won the popular opinion poll over all ten candidates.

Dr. Paul has appeared twice on Bill Maher's Real Time; Bill is a huge fan. In early June, Ron's been interviewed by Jon Stewart on the Daily Show and he's participated in the New Hampshire debates. He's still winning most of the phone-in polls by handy margins. I've heard from Free State sources that the campaign is beginning to pick up serious funding... on the order of several million dollars.

Naturally, it's difficult to track all that has been happening in the media, but some of the early essential podcasts have been compiled by Lady Jane of Coalition of NH Taxpayers. Thank you, Jane. She also refers me to TheDailyPaul.com, which appears to be focused on the younger generation.

I particularly like this podcast for the "Ron Paul Revolution", which shows the intelligence and invigorating spirit of supporters of the one true conservative in the race—for peace and small government. Definitely check it out.

So that's the deal. Here, as the federal and state police power runs amok over the rights of all Americans (the feds are set to ravage Ed and Elaine Brown and their supporters in Plainfield, NH), I believe it is vital that Ron Paul make a difference in the 2008 campaign.

I've extended some caveats elsewhere about the libertarian purity of Dr. Paul—to my mind he is flawed on abortion rights, environmental science, and immigration policy, to name three biggies. But he would end the wars (in Iraq and on drugs), repeal the Federal Reserve, undo the income tax, and restore a sound, honest monetary system his first year in office. Standing against these enormous potential overnight accomplishments, his ideological flaws are peccadilloes.

Plus, he's likeable and smart.

My final comment concerns, "Who are these people?" Who are the supporters who have contributed $5 million to the RP coffers, who assemble en masse holding signs and loudly chant clever slogans, who staff the booths, and who seem to be coming out of nowhere?

Simple answer:

Constitutionalists, predominantly hard-money oriented, Christian-tinged, 2d-Amendment-promoting, opponents of strong central government and its control of banking. Many of them want to end the income tax, indeed, they believe as I do the income tax does not legally apply to most Americans. These are the true soul brothers of Dr. Paul. They've been waiting in the wilderness for a dream candidate like RP to take their country back from this arrogant collectivist bunch (left and right), from the Cartel and its minions.

The wait is over. They have money, they have numbers, and they're motivated. The idea of Ron Paul and the ideas of Ron Paul may galvanize millions of people looking for radical liberty, seeking a way out of our mess, eagerly anticipating a zero-BS restoration of a potentially great country.

Add to RP's natural base a Youth-of-America enthusiasm factor, the Internet, secular-pro-choice-green libertarians (like me) wanting a big break from the corporate-welfare state, and little ol' ladies who think he's cute, we may actually see victory... and freedom in our time.

So please get out there and beat the bushes, take part in this once-in-a-lifetime chance to deliver a knockout blow to the Cartel and to win one for the good guys.