By Austin Marks

As some of you may know, Ron Paul (a Republican Presidential candidate) held a rally in Kansas City’s Union Station this past Saturday. In attendance were nearly 3,000 enthusiastic Paul supporters holding signs and shouting chants like, “End the Fed!” and “President Paul”. I’ve been a Paul supporter for awhile now, and the thought of meeting him or simply watching one of his energetic speeches in person was definitely on my life’s ‘To Do’ list (like attending the concert of a songwriting hero of mine). I’ve watched numerous videos and read a ridiculous amount of articles, but nothing has the same impact as an ‘in-the-flesh’ moment with one of your political and philosophical heroes.

He started his speech with some bullet points (a summary of his goals as President, if you will), “The Constitution – Sound money – End the Fed – Repeal the 16th Amendment – Equal justice under the law – Repeal the President’s power to assassinate American citizens – Repeal the authority for the President to use the military to arrest American citizens – Fight only wars that are declared, win them, and come home – End all the unconstitutional wars today and bring our troops home – Balance the budget – Repeal the Patriot Act.” Paul said.
Paul has long been a sort of enemy to the Republican Party (after all, he wants cut spending, bring our troops home, audit the Federal Reserve, and repeal the Patriot Act! How dare he!?) But, as many Republicans are starting to figure out, he’s not going anywhere soon (judging by the size and energy of his supporters), which means he will have a large impact on what happens this November. He will either redefine the Republican Party with his Libertarian philosophies or split the Republican Party due to their unwillingness to adapt to the world we live in and accept that their policies are simply not working (and never have).

Throughout Paul’s speech, he talked of the growing power of the federal government and its increasingly vise-like grip on the people’s personal liberties (whether the source of the tightening comes through the power of the Patriot Act, the National Defense Authorization Act, the still potential Stop Online Piracy Act, the War on Drugs, etc.). He’s often credited with being a proponent for States rights or a stronger State government; but he realizes that the States can be just as oppressive. Ron Paul spoke in favor of self government; a concept where the government doesn’t try to protect the people from themselves, where the government doesn’t take from one group and give to another. He spoke of the scenario the United States faces with our ever-increasing military industrial complex and police state; and, mixed with our current welfare programs, it has lead us into bankruptcy (considering we have a deficit nearing $2 trillion, and a national debt nearing $16 trillion… increasing at about $4 billion a day). Paul pointed out how the Soviet Union fell, how Rome fell, and how we’re heading in the same direction. It won’t be the death of men that will cause this country to fall… it will be the death of the dollar that will cause this country to fall. With our current rate of spending, the Federal Reserve’s power to print money and control interest rates, and congress’s outright denial to cut anything, this is the undeniable direction we are headed.

Unlike all of the other Republican Presidential candidates, Paul doesn’t blame Obama (or even Bush) for all of the problems we face today. He blames the practice of Keynesian economics within our political system (which has been going on for the past 70+ years), which promotes the central bank (a.k.a. the Federal Reserve), the printing of money, and excessive government spending (resulting in war, increase of corporate welfare, decline of social welfare, and disappearance of the middle class).

Though Paul’s chances of being the Republican nominee are seemingly slim, the hope pouring out from his supporters is as strong as ever. The result of the following primaries and caucuses will either make or break the Republican Party; because the majority of Paul supporters (mostly made up of Libertarian minded folk) don’t generally cling to a group or club when voting for a candidate… and that’s all the Republican and Democratic Parties really are, anyway (putting us at war with each other, while both Parties continue to spend us into oblivion).

I know a lot of self proclaimed progressive people, and I like to consider myself a progressive person as well (after all, favoring progress is generally a positive position to take), but I’ve become more and more aware that being a “progressive” person is a completely relative concept. Progress to some is tyranny to others. Where do we find the balance?

In a world controlled by people who so easily condemn one group of people for not accepting their relative truth/perspective; self government is, seemingly, the only true and real government (relatively speaking). But I’m a little biased toward my own perspective.

Peace.