Ron Paul, 6 Million Dollar Man

Unbelievable. That is sometimes a trite word but it certainly applies to fundraising results of Dr Ron Paul's December 16 Tea Party. Imagine, a second tier candidate who holds what many consider either outlandish, out of bounds, or outdated ideas raking in that kind of manoy with three weeks to go to Iowa. That also puts him at around $18 million for the quarter with $20 million in sight.

What about Ron Paul stirs up this kind of emotion and passion? After all, it is one thing to put a bumper sticker on your car, support one candidate over another, or even donate $20. But to pull in this kind of money from people of all walks of life, from all over the political spectrum is amazing. I mean, if you pull five donors at random, you are likely to get people from the far left left, far right, and everywhere in between supporting his candidacy. You might have a Bible believing pro life evangelical, a pot head, a conspiracy theorist, a gold standard sound money economist, and an antiwar activist. What draws them together in this epitome of "Politics makes strange bedfellows?"

I believe there are three common denominators among most, if not all Ron Paul supporters. These three are related yet distinct and all have to do primarily with the role of government. They are strict constitutionalism, belief in decentralization of govt, and a basic mistrust of govt.

Strict constitutionalism is the view that when our founders signed our constitution, there was a definite intent in following it in the most strict and literal way. Also, when an office holder takes a vow to defend the constitution, he or she is swearing to uphold this in its literal sense and ought to support and vote in such a way that the constitution is not compromised, even when it might go against public opinion or even one's own opinion.

Belief in decentralization of government simply means a philosphical belief that the "higher" in government you go, the less involvement in our personal lives, that government ought to be. For example, it is one thing for a local government to be involved in education through the school board but it is entirely inappropriate for the federal government to have a say in the issue.

Mistrust of Government is not something you hear much of these days but it is very simple. It means that you are wary of the rules, laws, bills of government and that its citizens ought to keep a careful eye on the government to avoid abuses. the old saying has been proven true time and again. "Absolute power corrupts absolutely."

Now, if you read our founding fathers on these issues, you read of all three of these in all of their writings. We are to have a healthy mistrust of government and therefore establish checks and balances in the levels of government and the branches of govt. We are to basically have a view toward decentralization and put more responsibility in the lower levels of govt rather than the higher levels. Of course, we are to abide by our constitution literally, which puts in place checks, balances, and limitations because of the mistrust of govt and the protection of the powers of the more local governments from the federal governement.

The candidacy of Ron Paul echoes back to these ideas and the founding fathers. Listen to Ron Paul speak and you might hear what our founders believed and were willing to die for. Pay careful attention to these themes and on any issue, the proverbial light will go on in your head. You will see how, on every issue and at all times, this humble little man is speaking the truths of America, the constitution, and freedom. No wonder he is the 6 Million Dollar Man today!