Ron Paul points the way for the GOP

They've mocked him, ignored him and now they're trying to emulate him. Ron Paul has a new identity: unlikely role model for the Republican Party.

The congressman and former presidential candidate took only a small percentage of votes in the election. But while he may not have the White House, he sure has the fans.

Throughout the campaign, the Paulites showed themselves to be both enthusiastic and mobilised. They are also web-savvy, descending in droves on news sites that critiqued their candidate.

And it seems the GOP gurus were taking notes. Washington Wire reports today that:

...the six men vying to run the Republican National Committee praised the grassroots enthusiasm Paul tapped into during his campaign—and discussed how they would like to capture that enthusiasm to expand the party’s appeal.

Comments

[Jez W]

On an International level Ron's blanket isolationism would be a disaster maybe- especially with the power vacuums left were filled by whoever, as an opinion only.

On a domestic footing, nationally and financially, for all Americans in the USA he was the man!

Believe! :)

[Candadai Tirumalai]

During the presidential campaign Ron Paul generated enormous enthusiasm among his supporters, who in their telephone comments to talk shows made it clear that no other candidate deserved to be mentioned in the same breath. An obstetrician-gynecologist, a breed far rarer than lawyers in politics, he is in some respects a throw-back to an earlier era, which he invests with a modern atmosphere: something of an isolationist in foreign policy (harking back to George Washington's warning against entanglement in foreign alliances), a hard-money man who distrusts the Federal Reserve, and a libertarian who wants Government out of private conduct. Like Gladstone he can think in a wide context. Though a Republican, he refused to endorse his party's nominee, John McCain. At the moment the GOP sems to be Six Or More Characters In Search Of A Leader. Ron Paul is more likely to enable the party to rethink itself and broaden its support among independent voters than as a leader in person.

[gus]

Dr Paul has powerful enemies...the socialists for his work ethic, the atheists for his Christianity, the abortionists for his mercy, the America haters for his patriotism and the homosexuals for his straight honesty. His courage to say truth is thrilling and inspiring but I fear his enemies will kill him to silence him.

[Andy C]

he's got less of a clue about the economy than John McCain did - wants to take us back to the Gold Standard '"because it used to work".

Frontal lobotomies won the Nobel Prize for medicine in 1905 too and we stopped doing those years ago Ron.

[Mrfixit]

Ron Paul is what the republicans sold themselves as. He is genuine in his push for smaller, less intrusive government. Unfortunately, I think the Rebublican leadership is only interested in re-inventing themselves as a marketing tactic. They railed agaist pork, until we put them in the drivers seat, and then it became the bus to pork city! I just don't trust the Republicans anymore. I'm going Libertarian.