Posted by
Likkerish on Saturday, October 13, 2007 5:48:36 PM
Ron Paul Claims To Be A Republican?
Many people cannot figure out what to think about Ron Paul and his exponentially growing support. How can he be so different from Bush and all of the other Republican candidates and still call himself a Republican? Is he really one of those damned RINO's (Republican In Name Only)? He doesn't seem to be from the political RIGHT, because he differs from his peers in the Republican Party on the war issue and the danger of so-called Islamofascist extremists.
So, is he really a "lefty" in conservative clothing? After all, he shares the views of most Democrats on the war. He wants to "cut and run," right? Okay, then, where should one put Ron Paul...on the LEFT...on the RIGHT...or perhaps smack dab in the wishy-washy-I can't-make-up-my-mind CENTER?
Well, he does describe himself as the most conservative member of Congress, so that would seem to push him to the RIGHT, correct? After all, he is pro life and pro second amendment. He has never voted to raise taxes and has never voted for an unbalanced budget. He was also one of Ronald Reagan's strongest supporters.
BUT...he is attracting support from all across the political spectrum. How can he be a true conservative, if Liberals support him? Something is WRONG here, RIGHT? If the LEFT is supporting him, how can he be called RIGHT? Hang in there....I'm getting to the answer.
Does Ron Paul Know Right From Left?
Is Ron Paul's campaign politically challenged? Do he and his supporters know RIGHT from LEFT? Or, are they all just WRONG headed? Is Paul's campaign a case of the politically blind leading the blind?
We don't live in a one-dimensional world (political or otherwise), as much as some people would like to think that we do. Though our brain seems often to have a penchant for single dimensional thinking, the world is, nonetheless, multi-dimensional. And, an ever increasing number of citizens are concluding that the LEFT-RIGHT dimension is not even the most important political dimension to consider. They are finding that it is not so critical whether their candidate agrees with them on the abortion issue, or the gay marriage issue, or the immigration issue, or whatever other pet issue happens to grab them. It has become apparent that there is one crucially important, political dimension to consider in this upcoming election, and one only. Wanna know what it is? Well, it's coming to a Townhall Blog near you very soon....
Ron Paul's Campaign Goes Vertical
HERE IS THE ANSWER THAT WE'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR!
Ron Paul appears to many folks, especially here on Townhall, to be flat WRONG in his politics. In fact, many are not so kind as to simply say that he's not a true RIGHT wing conservative. They say, instead, that he's "wacko" or that he's a "nut." But, Ron Paul's politics only seem WRONG to those who don't recognize that his popularity and support derive from the fact that he appeals to those whose thinking follows a VERTICAL dimension, not a HORIZONTAL one. It is only those who have one-dimensional (LEFT-RIGHT) minds who don't comprehend Ron Paul's appeal and that his supporters are growing exponentially, precisely because his message calls attention to this important VERTICAL dimension.
"Huh," you say, "that's it?"
Hold on now. I haven't described the dimension to you yet.
THE ANSWER...THE EXPLANATION OF THE RON PAUL PHENOMENON...was suggested over forty years ago in the comment of a very famous American during the Cold War with the Soviet Union.
Are you ready for this?
This very conservative person said something that explains why Ron Paul, today, is turning on people of all political persuasions, including Liberals! Speaking at the Republican National Convention in 1964, this individual, who would later rise to national prominence, called attention to the VERTICAL political dimension that accounts for the broad base of support which has mobilized behind Ron Paul. He said:
"You and I are told increasingly that we have to choose between a LEFT or a RIGHT. There is only an UP or DOWN: Up to man's age-old dream--the ultimate in individual freedom consistent with law and order--or down to the ant heap of totalitarianism. And regardless of their sincerity, their humanitarian motives, those who would trade our freedom for security have embarked on this downward course." (Bold emphasis added.)
So, there you have it, another dimension orthogonal to the LEFT-RIGHT axis, the UP-Down axis. And, this is the simplest explanation that you could imagine for the full spectrum support that a 72 year-old, ten-term Congressman is getting. Ron Paul is an liberty-enhancing UPPER candidate in contrast to his liberty-diminishing DOWNER opponents. Not only does he draw his support from across the political spectrum, but from all age groups and all economic levels as well. Dr. Paul's support from young people is, in itself, really quite phenomenal, for he is drawing crowds that one might expect to collect around a young rock star. At the University of Michigan recently, the crowd that gathered to hear him speak was estimated to be in excess of 2,000 people.
But, older people, too, who had given up on the political process, as well as Republicans who had become disenchanted by the unconscionable shenanigans in their party have all flocked to him in droves. Moms and Pops are being recruited by their children and grandchildren. This is clearly because, as Dr. Paul has said:
"FREEDOM IS POPULAR!"
Ron Paul's message speaks to people who want to be identified as UP, not LEFT or RIGHT. They want a President who will take them UP to the exhilarating heights of FREEDOM, not DOWN to the hellish pits of TOTALITARIANISM and loss of their personal and economic Liberty. Those, who do not understand Ron Paul's appeal and who also actively try to marginalize and diminish him in the Republican Party, doubtless will be found on the DOWN side of the UP-DOWN continuum.
By the way, the famous American was none other than fifty-three year-old Ronald Reagan.