Ron Paul’s Family Tree: The Liberty Movement Under a Republican Banner
When Ron Paul decided not to make a 3rd party Presidential run some of his supporters did not understand his decision. It is now becoming clear that running third party would have been a shortsighted political decision.
Now with his Liberty PAC he will be supporting candidates who see eye to eye with him on the essential issues such as true free market economics, non-interventionalist foreign policy and sound money.
By setting the example of how to acquire and retain a seat in Congress which gives him a platform to educate the masses, he has truly created a political movement rather than a one shot Presidential campaign.
In 2010 the liberty friendly candidates who have the greatest chance at success are direct descendants of the Ron Paul campaign in some respect. Prominent examples of potential Liberty candidates who were involved in Ron Paul’s 2008 campaign are Peter Schiff who was an economic advisor to the campaign, Rand Paul who is Ron Paul’s son and worked as a surrogate for the 2008 campaign, and Adam Kokesh who has been involved in Ron Paul’s Campaign for Liberty and is considering a run for New Mexico’s 3rd district House of Rep. seat. All of these candidates and more who may be affiliated with the Liberty PAC are likely to run as Republicans.
Every campaign that is successful in 2010 is likely to spawn more qualified candidates who will run for office in the next cycle. This would create a family tree chart that has the potential to blossom into a full fledged historically significant political movement.
Ron Paul has once again demonstrated his political intelligence by having his Liberty PAC only support candidates who are not running against Republican incumbents.
By not taking on Republican incumbents, Ron Paul’s Liberty PAC will get more bang for their buck. These races are likely to have less involvement from the Republican National Committee, at least on the House of Representatives level.
This quasi deal with the mainline Republicans will allow the Liberty candidates to acquire mainline Republican votes if they are able to emerge the victor in Republican primary. Basically the Liberty candidate will be using the Republican name but once they enter Congress they will not be voting the party line. While there would be some potential to collaborate with mainline Republicans on voting down legislation for government programs sponsored by the Democrats and possibly cooperation on drafting legislation that would cut Federal spending, overall the Liberty candidates would be in a voting bloc all their own. This could lead to a new and interesting dynamic in Congressional politics.
Some Ron Paul supporters may argue against this plan on the grounds that the Republican brand name is tarnished. But if the candidate himself is able to openly criticize the recent performance of mainline Republicans in Congress while having maintained a principled record themselves, the Republican label becomes an asset rather than a blemish. The way it becomes an asset is because the Republican Party right now is an established party with millions of loyal voters that are searching for new and exciting ideas. So while the likelihood of the current Republican leadership crossing over to the ideas of Ron Paul, long time Republican voters are people who would benefit from the party moving in a new direction.
Using the Republican label to get on ballots and in debates is a no-brainer when you consider the candidates are coming from outside of Washington. And they are being “drafted” by the Liberty movement, rather than their own ambition as is often the motivation for most candidacies.
Successful campaigns create more public figures for the movement to evaluate. This process eliminates the perception that a potential candidate is an opportunistic individual, but rather has a set of principals in which he truly believes.
Of all of the potential Liberty candidates currently considering a run for Congress, I believe that if Peter Schiff does indeed run for the US Senate in Connecticut he will be the movement’s figurehead for this cycle. Partially because he would be taking on a big name Democrat in Chris Dodd and also because Dodd was directly involved in the recent AIG scandal as well as an avid supporter of recent bailout packages, if Dodd were to lose to Schiff it may be seen as a referendum on the economic policies of the Obama Administration. But primarily Schiff who is an economist by trade may reap the rewards of great timing. He has been warning of the consequences of the nation’s economic policies for years and now that the nation is suffering through this crisis common sense may lead people to him for answers. If Schiff were to defeat Dodd in the general election, such a victory would send a message not only to the Republicans and Democrats in Washington, but to the nation as a whole that the Liberty movement is indeed legitimate.
Comment by Peter on 1 June 2009:
Great article! Hit the nail right on the head as to what is taking place today. As well as confirming that Ron Paul is a wise and patient old Doctor. His ulitimate goal is not to gain personal power or popularity but rather to nurture a movement.And the idea is really catching on.
I met Congressman Paul once. He said that the yearn for Liberty has already started and there is no stopping it. With or without him. Thanks to people like you.
Peter
Comment by Phil on 1 June 2009:
Great article. Just a couple of typos…
“While _there_ would be some potential to collaborate…” instead of “While their would be some potential to collaborate…”
Comment by macbeth76 on 1 June 2009:
I am curious how you will get Republican support for the decrease in defense spending. Most GOP supporters, avidly support a strong military. Secondly, on the social issues, I can’t rationalize CFL’s stand on abortion- I thought the goal is to get the government OUT of people’s business. If that approach was taken on social issues as well, it would pick up support from liberals who don’t necessarily agree with the Democratic strategy on the economy.
Comment by CindyLou on 1 June 2009:
It’s a new third party — without the new party! It just might work!!
Macbeth76: Regarding the abortion issue, as I understand Ron Paul’s position on abortion, it should appeal to both pro-life and pro-choice: Let the states decide.
Comment by schiff2010.com on 1 June 2009:
@macbeth76 We can no longer afford our military empire and we will have to cut defense spending. Whether we choose to stop spending or foreign countries just stop lending us money either way it come to an end.
Comment by Brian on 22 June 2009:
Non-intervention does not mean a weak military. It means refocusing our military for the defense of our country rather than interfering in foreign affairs. This refocus allows for less spending AND a stronger defense of our nation while at the same time avoiding “entangling alliances”.
Comment by Lisa Way on 28 March 2010:
THANKS to the Shaun Booth, the author of this article! I regret that I have only just now come across it. Booth has tackled an issue raised by many Ron Paul supporters, which I myself and other, more educated people have attempted to field with much less finesse and detail. Well done.
Comment by Lisa Way on 28 March 2010:
I think many Americans could agree that national defense is of paramount importance– perhaps it is The defining role of our federal government.
@macbeth76 asks excellent questions, one being “how you will get Republican support for the decrease in defense spending?” In Brian’s concise response here, he reminds us that non-intervention does NOT mean weak national defense.
In sorting out this issues, we MUST also become aware of the fact that so called “military spending” is not always spending for our national defense!
President Eisenhower (a Republican) warned against the military industrial complex, which has led unwitting taxpayers into a thicket of profiteers who charge $500.00 for a $20 hammer (nails not included). This is only one tiny example you may recall of the vast budget outlays covered under the umbrella of “military spending”.
So, we MUST identify which portions of military spending are actually promoting national defense, and distinguish them from spending which is simply a heinous waste of taxpayer money pouring over egregiously padded bills for common hardware store objects (just one tiny example). Cut the latter, and you will see a HUGE chunk of funding that could be spent on ACTUAL NATIONAL DEFENSE– perhaps better flak jackets, ENTRANCE AND EXIT STRATEGIES for our troops!, U.S. border security, actual enforcement of immigration laws, etc. etc.– or it could be spent on anything else for that matter, e.g., education or, dare I say it: health care.
[see: Rand Paul on National Defense/Foreign Policy at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76lb9kAbXr4 ]
All we need do is simply follow the procedures already in place, and compel our local and state representatives to follow these procedures which are clearly delineated in our constitution. Call them up and call them out and hold these folks accountable for what they do and say and spend! They work for WE THE PEOPLE! FOLLOW THE MONEY and compel them to show us the COMPLETE balance sheet! Then and only then can we begin to learn where and how to stop the bleeding and cut fatally unnecessary costs.
This is but one aspect of what we mean when we apply the word “transparency” to our government.
Please, let us not attempt to save the world while sacrificing all that is our U.S.A! We are of no use to anyone if we’re broke, disillusioned and disenfranchised.
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