The Ron Paul Revolution

POSTED BY Raleigh-Elizabeth Smith, 30 November 2007

Everyone knows they do things a little different in Texas, but unlike our sitting president, there's one Texan who doesn't try to solve major international problems by moving timber on his ranch, all while the photographers click away from a pre-established distance. Actually, there's nothing about distance that describes this Texan at all - he's the straight talking, no apologies, here's how I want it, no more IRS, Texas Congressmen Ron Paul. And he's starting a revolution.

That's the first thing his supporters will tell you. It's a revolution - a RevolLOVEution. And while his fellow candidates haven't taken him that seriously before, they are going to have to take notice now: 4.2 Million raised online in only one day this month. That's right, Rudy: Ron Paul is on track to be the biggest fundraiser on the right in the Fourth Quarter.

“It’s highly improbable that he will get into the first tier. But he’s colorful,” David Gergen, former White House adviser, told Politico. The newsmedia compares him to Pat Buchanan starting the cultural wars, or John McCain's uncanny ability to turn out more donations online than one George W back in 2000. And he's definitely not the Gravel of the Right. But to start making comparisons fit Ron Paul is to miss the Straight Talk Express. Paul is like nobody the Right has seen before. At least, not recently.

The Philadelphia Bulletin, a conservative "family newspaper," explains the draw: he's the only candidate they have they can count on. "But while those vying for power in the party may have disagreed on the political means utilized to advance GOP interests," Joe Murray writes, "It was safe to believe that everyone was in agreement on the ultimate end: an America that is independent, self-sufficient, secure, culturally united and free from foreign entanglements. This, however, is no longer the case."

Unless you look at Ron Paul. From the Paulies we saw in Florida - and they were out with the same force we usually see online - we learned, this guy is someone they've been attracted to for a long time. They heard about him years ago. They've been calling his toll-free number to learn more about his politics and listen to his voting record. They've had nothing short of direct access to the elected official - a pretty novel thing, if you think about it. There's no line of press-secretaries and public relations specialists that keep the Paulies away from their man. They're encouraged to be involved. Ask questions. Give answers. It actually seems like - ahem - a pretty novel idea: democracy in action.

And making room for democracy in politics today is tantamount launching a revolution.

The kind of people that are jumping on the bus are ones like Brad Sanford, 29, a Silicon Valley tech worker who told the SF Chronicle he never had been involved in politics or campaigns until this year. Sanford first learned about Paul on cable programs like Bill Maher and Jon Stewart. Since then, he's joined a "Meetup" group for Paul and is now walking door to door for the candidate, "because he said the candidate is strongly against the war in Iraq and can appeal to millions who believe that America has "strayed too far from our values" and fundamentals laid out in the Constitution."

"For young people, it's the war; for older people, it's a straight common-sense approach" to taxes, the economy and values, said Holly Clearman, California field coordinator for the Paul campaign.

Clearman said the life of a Ron Paul supporter used to be a lonely undertaking.

"I thought there were only 10 of us, and nobody I knew," she said. But that changed in recent months as the candidate raised $9 million this quarter, and "the cat is out of the bag."

And out on the streets. Meanwhile, as the other candidates started going for blood in St. Pete, Paul was the only candidate to stay in the spin room and answer questions until the end. Down the road, six hundred people filled the halls of the St. P Palladium just waiting to hear the man himself.

They are devoted voters who know what they want, and what they want is Paul. And he's all they want. Many weren't even Republicans until Paul came around. And when it comes to being "Republican," they're nothing like the rest of the party.

Maybe that's what's got the Old Guard so scared - they don't know what to do with him, so they just call him "colorful." Just this week the Republican party of Virginia required its primaries voters to pledge they'll come back in November and vote for the GOP - whomever gets the bid. And unless they choose Paul, they'll risk the most interesting thing that's happened to them in years: nomingating a candidate for change.

It's time the RNC listens up: their biggest traction on the ground is a candidate they don't even take seriously. Will the people make their voices heard?