The influence of Ron Paul

I had a teacher in High School who was absolutely brilliant.  He would stand up at the board and multiply 3 digit by 3 digit numbers in his head like he was adding 2+2.  (Some of you probably know who I am talking about)  The only problem is that I still do not know how he did it because he could not teach it to me.  Call it the inability to influence.

 The same can be said of Ron Paul.  I think it is important to look at both his past and possible future influence.  First, let’s just get one thing clear.  Mr. Paul is a career politician.  Most people know he has been the representative of district 14 since 1996, but his stint in politics goes back to 1971.  He has been in politics longer than I have been alive.  In this regard he is no different than the lifelong politicians on the left that we love so much.  Also, just to put it out there, in 1988 he ran for President as the Libertarian candidate.  Even he would agree that he is not really a conservative, but libertarian.  I guess the best way to describe him would be a right leaning libertarian. 

 Since he has been in Congress for so long, let’s look at his past first.  Some will immediately look at his record and see that over the last 20 years he has never been able to pass a single piece of legislation…very few of his proposals have even made it out of committee.  This is somewhat interesting and I have mentioned it before, but I believe there is more to it.  Especially when you consider there are other conservatives out there that would believe the same things he does.  I mean, all of his ideas are not crazy, right?

 Aside from his legislative record, we should also look at the progression of government during his time in office.  No one can argue against the fact that the size and scope of the federal government has increased dramatically during this timeframe.  Ron Paul supports limited government and votes so, but this obviously has not been enough.  He has not been able to really influence the body that he has worked in for all those years, even those within his own party.  So the question then begs itself, why? 

 This is my personal explanation.  I believe to succeed as a Congressman you need to be a persuasive master. To be effective you must have the interpersonal and leadership skills necessary to influence others to your side.  And you must make these logical arguments without demeaning your colleagues…or at least those in your party who share many of the same views.  This is the reason that I believe Ron Paul has failed to influence our government from the position that he holds.  Maybe I am wrong, but it does make sense when you look at his congressional record.  He believes in an isolationist foreign policy and I think he has done the same with himself in the House of Representatives.

 This probably has occurred because of how his organization treats people and the tactics they try to use to get their way.  It is an ends justifies the means type mentality…Alinsky anyone.  They teach their supporters how to disrupt political conventions (specifically Republican) and they do a good job of it.  In our local Republican convention during the last election cycle the Ron Paul organization bussed people in from all over the state…one man was actually from Hawaii.  A little outside district 14 I would say.  Their behavior was described as “extremely unsettling and in such very poor taste” by one person I talked to.  This was possibly due to Ron Paul’s grandson yelling insults at everyone.  Possibly.  This was just in our area, but reports tell of the same things throughout the state and throughout the country.  This might have something to do with why he does not have the influence that you think he should or perhaps thought he did.

 The following press release gives another example of tactics used by his organization; once again from the last election cycle.

Today, Harris County Court at Law Judge Roberta Lloyd held a hearing on last week’s misguided and misfiled lawsuit against the Republican Party of Texas by former Harris County Republican Party Chairman Gary Polland and current Texas State Campaign Coordinator for The Committee to Re-elect Ron Paul.  Judge Lloyd ruled that Mr. Polland had filed his lawsuit and request for a Temporary Restraining Order with a court with no jurisdiction in the matter.  Mr. Polland and Ms. Medina were seeking to evade rules passed by Republican grassroots and used for decades to conduct the Texas G.O.P. Convention and thereby disenfranchise the legal delegates and alternates from the convention process. “Today grassroots leaders of our State were saved from the litigious cajoling of a disgruntled few who resorted to judicial activism rather than use the appropriate venue of the Texas Legislature to change an existing statute they didn’t like or didn’t understand; and they were thwarted by a judge who knew it was wrong,” said Hans Klingler Texas G.O.P. Spokesman.  Gary Polland is the former G.O.P. Chairman of Harris County and Debra Medina currently serves as the Texas State Campaign Coordinator for The Committee to Re-elect Ron Paul and the Wharton County G.O.P. Chairman.  Neither individual has ever expressed interest in changing the Party rules or this statute according to public records, nor have they attempted to get a bill filed doing so.  “For all of Gary Polland’s and Debra Medina’s histrionics, both have shown an incredible lack of understanding of the Party process or the Texas Election Code.  The Republican State Convention has always and will continue to be conducted in full compliance with the law and the rules passed by the grassroots. If someone wishes to change the law, they have an opportunity next year when the Texas Legislature convenes.  You would think two political operatives like them would know that?” Klingler questioned.

There have been way too many accounts like this for me to just simply dismiss them.  It has to be at least a part of the reason he has such little effect on our government.  So why would so many people support him or still vote for him knowing how little true influence he has to progress the conservative agenda.  Well, first off, unless you let it be known that you do not support their candidate, they treat you fine.  But when they find out, the hate mail begins and if you are involved in any way with the Republican Party, they will specifically target you.  Many outside the party do not see these things.  All they see is a candidate that is fiscally conservative so of course they vote for him, and who can really blame them.  But the real question is that if you are reading this and now know a little more about how his organization operates, will you still vote that way.  Unless you are a libertarian, why would you not vote for another strong conservative who is not a career politician?  Someone who can and will work with his colleagues to promote our conservative ideals. The only possible reason is that you may think that he will have more influence in the future.  So let’s look at the future.

I know Al Gore is every conservative’s most favorite person ever.  Well, what would happen if Mr. Gore actually came up with a great idea. (I know, far fetched) Would anyone really take him seriously anymore?  I would argue not.  And I am afraid that Ron Paul now finds himself in the same position.  He has alienated so many people, burned so many bridges, that it would take a lot for anyone to really pay attention.

 Now I am a realist. Considering the ridiculous amount of money his campaign pockets from the American public (most of which comes from out of state), it will be hard to vote him out of office. But maybe at least the revelation of these somewhat well kept secrets from his constituents will bring about change.  If not change in who will represent the GOP, then perhaps a change in the Ron Paul organization itself.  Maybe they will come to understand that you should treat others with respect and operate within the rules.  Personally, my conscience will not allow me to vote for him even if I could (I have recently moved into district 22, but am still in Brazoria County).  I think he should honor his stance on term limits and step down.  At this point, the only way I think he could possibly have influence on policy is to work on a staff of a President.  But then again, could he work well with others.  Stay tuned for more…as this is not the only reason I do not support him

 Oh…and what about that Scott Brown…A Republican Senator in Massachusetts, who would have thunk it…my money is on the House trying to pass the Senate health care bill on a simple majority though…by any means necessary according to Pelosi.