In January 2007 libertarian Republican Congressman Ron Paul of Texas announced on national television (C-SPAN) he would seek the GOP presidential nomination in 2008. I was ecstatic. What a great opportunity to have a member of Congress run for president who has warned about the evils of big government for more than 30 years. I soon sent the Ron Paul for president campaign a contribution and continued to send him support as did my wife until we both reached the maximum legal limit.
After Ron announced his candidacy I was invited by a campaign official to be his spokesperson in New Jersey. I had the privilege of representing Ron at presidential forums throughout the state. Needless to say, rank-and-file Republicans were dismissive—more like outright hostile—to his noninterventionist foreign policy and skeptical of his limited government vision for the America. With Republicans like this who needs Democrats? At these forums President Bush’s defenders were in attendance and any criticism of the former president’s policies were viewed as disloyal, and to some “conservative” Republicans a noninterventionist foreign policy is tantamount to “treason.”
Although Ron did not win the nomination and did poorly in the primaries despite raising tens of millions of dollars, he has ignited the political wing of the liberty movement like no one else in modern history. For that, his place in the annals of American history is secure; Ron is the only member of Congress who is a champion of limited government both domestically and internationally and is leading a movement to restore the American people’s liberties and for the federal government to pursue a noninterventionist foreign policy.
Although Ron turned 75 years old this year, he is a “young” 75 year old. His stamina is remarkable for someone his age. And there is an “army” of loyal supporters of all ages, waiting for its marching orders, who will “take to the streets” to promote the liberty agenda. In addition, Ron is literally all over the media, being interviewed about the Federal Reserve, the U.S. dollar, the budget deficit, healthcare, the housing market, foreign policy, the Tea Party movement, and gaining more respect from establishment talking heads.
Ron should have any easy reelection for his congressional seat on November 2nd and should announce his candidacy for the GOP nomination on January 1, 2011. Why this date? This is the first day that Baby Boomers become eligible for Medicare. What better way to announce his candidacy and present a plan to phase out the welfare state over the next, five, ten or twenty years? What an opportunity to discuss the massive failure of federal government financed healthcare.
In addition, Ron can point out the utter futile attempt to export democracy to the Middle East or any region of the planet and that “charity begins at home.” Moreover, Ron is in the best position of all the GOP presidential wannabes to say “I told you so.” A little self promotion is a good thing. Ron does not have to be too humble. He should reflect the angst the American people and discuss why the federal government needs to have a “total makeover,” before the tsunami of national bankruptcy creates another Great Depression.
Ron should articulate why it is imperative that the American people become financial independent—a goal that every adult and family in America should embrace. The nanny state, the entitlement mentality, the redistribution of income has brought the country to the verge of a massive financial collapse. “Reforming” the federal government means downsizing the federal government to its authorized duties as outlined in the Constitution.
Ron should take a page out of Ross Perot’s 1992 presidential campaign and buy a half hour of national television time or put his presentation on YouTube and present all the charts about federal spending, the decline in the U.S., the location of American bases overseas, etc., and point out that the federal government is bankrupt. Ron should make the case with the best script his advisers can put together that American people have been sold a bill of goods called big government.
The big government experiment has created an unofficial unemployment rate of more than 20%, trillion dollar budget deficits, unprecedented federal government spending, a massive decline in the value of the dollar, a one trillion military budget that is draining our economy, and endless hostilities overseas.
A Ron Paul campaign for the GOP presidential nomination beginning on January 1, 2011 would energize a large segment of the electorate, especially college students, independents, Tea Party types, civil libertarians, anti-war activists and conservative Democrats.
The “anti-federalist” coalition is building and the time is ripe to elect a president running on a liberty platform. So run Ron run.