GOP underdog Ron Paul raises money, hopes for ‘08
John Westover - November 16th, 2007Mahatma Gandhi once said, “First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win.”
Such is the rEVOLution that has begun here in this country. First it was ignored, until the Republican debates. During the debates and up until several days ago it was ridiculed. But now it has traction, and the fighting has begun.
On Nov. 5, $4.38 million was raised in one day, the largest GOP one-day fundraiser in history, for Rep. Ron Paul of Texas’ fourteenth district.
Paul, a 72-year-old physician, House representative, and Air Force flight surgeon during Vietnam, was considered a wack job during the first debates. His anti-war, anti-taxes, and anti-big-government views were dismissed by the “big dog” candidates at first.
But that was before they realized how popular he was. Paul shocked the American political sphere at the end of the third quarter by raising more than $5 million, more than “frontrunner” John McCain. To the neo-conservative “Republicans” who have only just established their foothold, Ron Paul is a scary prospect.
His message is simple: we can reduce the size of government, and return ourselves to the foundations of this country, if we change our philosophy about what the government’s role should be. He advocates cutting down the federal government in swaths – removing the IRS and income tax, eliminating the bureaucracy that is created by cabinet-level departments, and reducing government spending exponentially.
While many may claim that these departments are needed, the truth is that on a federal level they are not, and can be substituted with state-level institutions that are better equipped to regulate local issues.
Paul is pro-life and anti-gay marriage, but believes the federal government has no role in legislating such things, and they should be left up to the states. Watching him speak, it’s easy to see that he is honest and cares about his constituents and his supporters. His basic philosophy is that of the Founding Fathers: government should be for the people, by the people, and not much else.
The media has refused to cover Paul much. An independent study found that Paul’s name was mentioned approximately 4,500 times on major media outlets in the course of a year. Compare that to John McCain, whose name was mentioned 95,000 times. Does that seem suspicious?
The media is no longer our watchdog. The media likes him about as much as most politicians do. Why? Take a look at some Ron Paul rallies on YouTube. See the signs that say, “Dr. Paul cured my apathy.” Our apathy pays their bills.
Personally, I don’t think Ron Paul is radical or revolutionary. I think he is a balancing force for this country, a candidate who will save us from ourselves. A Ron Paul presidency could return this country back toward greatness, but it would take the power of the people to get him elected. If those who have despised the past seven years can move past the fact that he is a Republican, and those who are Republicans can realize what dire straits we are really in, then there is some hope left.
November 16th, 2007 at 11:16 pm
I agree, Dr. Ron Paul is a balancing force. And his freedom message has value for all Americans!