Now, now, I know that Ron Paul hates me. I know that to some of you he is vile venomous snake. But follow me below the fold for what I hope is a reasonable defense of why all of us should give 25$ or so to this Republican insurgent.
Now I know this is a Democratic site and that you probably hate Ron Paul and all that he stands for (except on the little matter called the Iraq War). Let's think about things rationally though. You don't have to agree with someone on everything to find some common ground. How important is the war to you? That is a large question. Ron Paul is the only candidate bringing up dissent on the war in the Republican field. Is that worth a little money on our part? Doesn't the anti-war movement need people like Paul to represent the broad support the anti-war movement has in this country? I assure you that people like Paul exist. There are conservatives and libertarians that are sick of this war. Some never supported it. What if Paul could ignite an anti-war movement on the right? Do you doubt that there is a potential movement? There is already intellectual support for a anti-war revolt. Paul just needs help in bringing the grassroots to the cause. Witness:
William F. Buckley saying the war is lost: It didn't work.
George Will on the waste of Iraq:For What?
Patrick Buchanan on the war and fighting against the neocons:
GOP War on the War
These are three powerful voices on the right. They are all three intellectually sound opposers of this war. We have the candidate. We have intellectuals ready to defend him. Now all Paul and the anti-war right need is the people. But for that to happen there has to be funds and there has to be some possibly stealth support from the left wing anti-war movement.
Would it be so bad to have bi-partisan support to stop the war? Ron Paul will not be the nominee but I believe he can shift the debate on the right with some help. If we could get the right wing base to begin to question the premise that the war is right then our support of Paul is worth it. You don't have to intend to vote for him. You don't have to think he'd make a great president. What is 25$ when the guy opposed the war from the beginning. His courage to vote against the war in an election year in a red district should get him a few bucks.
I would go further. Help in any small way. Vote in the polls and say he won the debates. Get on his email list even if you just delete them when you get them. Help this guy out.
There are ingredients for anti-war right. Many of them are isolationist by nature. Look at the immigration issue. Most don't want their tax money going to help poor people here much less in Iraq. There are good arguments to propel a strong wing of anti-war Republicans. Paul as the leader. The intellectuals as the defenders providing talking points. Right now the problem is that most Republican voters don't even hear a rationale for opposing the war that is sympathetic to their views. We can change that. I think it is worth a bit of time and money to hurry along this withdrawal I hear so much about.
What is at stake? What could you buy with your support? How about the fact that we had a deadline for withdrawal passed but couldn't override the veto. That is pretty shitty. We don't have to win nor do I say we can win over every Republican. But there are some swaying and all they need is an indication that their whole party won't chew them to bits. That is what a strong Paul candidacy could do.
Just think about it.