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December 13, 2007
Why Republicans Should Love Ron Paul
Some thoughts from a message I just sent to a Republican who isn't a Ron Paul supporter:
I started out life as a Republican. I voted for Ronald Reagan in 1980 and would have voted for Ford over Carter in 1976 had I been old enough to vote. Shoot, I would have voted for Barry Goldwater in 1964, but I was only 3 at the time. :)
I grew disillusioned with the GOP during the 1980s as the "Reagan Revolution" failed to fulfill its promises. Instead of slashing government, Republicans made it bigger and more intrusive. The 1994 "Contract with America"? They should have called it the "Contract on America". To say that it was a dismal failure is the understatement of the century. In brief -- I didn't leave the Republican Party -- it left me -- and for many years I supported the Libertarian Party as the best alternative.
Now I am back, a Republican once more. A proud Ron Paul Republican, to be more specific. He has given me the hope that Barry Goldwater's party of limited, constitutional government may not be dead yet. And not only has Ron Paul brought people my age (46) back into the fold, but he has energized a whole new generation. When I attend Ron Paul Meetups I am usually one of the oldest people in the room. The average age of the supporters I know is probably mid-to-late 20s. Contrast that with the typical demographics of the local Pachyderm Club meetings at which I am usually one of the youngest people in attendance.
Consider the fact that if the GOP does not recruit and retain the next generation of voters, it is doomed to irrelevancy and eventual extinction. Consider that it is Ron Paul whose message is resonating with the younger voters. And it's not just his anti-war message ... I have heard more young people questioning the Federal Reserve and government giveaway programs than I ever thought possible.
Whether or not Ron Paul gains the GOP nomination in 2008, and whether or not he pursues an independent or third-party candidacy if he does not, ... Republicans alienate the legions of Ron Paul supporters at their peril. They are a powerful, grass-roots movement that, if welcomed, promises the Republican Party new energy and a new start in the new millennium. I invite all Republicans who don't yet support Ron Paul to consider this before you write us, or our candidate, off.
Political Thoughts | By joedumas | 8:53 PM