Colleen O’Connor: Ron Paul’s Message Appeals to Younger Voters
Paul has energized a passionate group of younger voters who are against many current political trends.
So much fun.
So little time.
Mitt Romney may effectively capture the Republican nomination by the end of January—with probable wins in both South Carolina and Florida—and close off the fascinating slugfest of GOP debates and primaries by the end of this month.
A pity. So much more could happen.
Ron Paul is just reaching his stride and energizing the “other base” of the Republican Party—not the angry, imploding Newt Gingrich. Not the pumped-up Rick Santorum. And not the Democratic fill-in, Jon Huntsman, and not even the Tea Party.
Paul is going the distance because of the passion of young, anti-war, anti-bailout, anti-Fed, anti-government, anti-globalist voters. And, if current events keep turning in his direction, Paul may just turn the Republicans, if not the country, around.
Look at the FoxNews.com exit polls from New Hampshire here. Paul trounces Romney among the young.
Watch the faces and the fist-pumping crowd of these young true believers that flock to his “liberty” cry.
And listen to Paul’s speech after placing second to Romney. No teleprompter, no notes, just defiance, conviction and passion for his cause.
Paul has tapped into the rage of many Americans, but especially Republicans, Libertarians and independents who rail against the Federal Reserve (“audit it”); against the bank bailouts (“let them fail”); and against the war on drugs (“it has failed”).
But pay closer attention to his “get out of these wars of choice” message.
This is Paul’s secret weapon—“peace,” the word that became unfashionable after George McGovern’s landslide loss to Richard Nixon during the bedlam and backlash against the Vietnam War.
Paul has re-framed the anti-war debate using accounting, wrecking-ball phases and unanswerable questions to drive his points home.
Why can’t these countries defend themselves?
Why is the U.S. the “policeman of the world?”
Why should the U.S. make the world “safe for democracy” while taking it away at home?
Read: Patriot Act; latest National Defense Authorization Act (that arguably allows for arrest and indefinite detention of American citizens on American soil, without benefit of counsel or trial); the Internet “kill switch”; and the grumbles about the TSA and the overreach and/or incompetence of Homeland Security (read: Fast and Furious scandal and the latest Washington Post report that U.S. agents laundered drug money for Mexican Colombian cartels).
The price Americans are paying is too high, Paul argues. Not just in costs of the wars (trillions) or the loss of lives (thousands of Americans, tens of thousands of “enemy combatants” and “collateral damage” civilians, but also in loss of liberty.
Paul has given voice to a growing undercurrent of dissatisfaction in the country among voters of all persuasions: the never-ending wars.
As Gingrich and Santorum bang the drums for more war—with Iran (pre-emptive if necessary)—they flail and fail in the polls.
Gingrich, now more Sherman-esque than Churchill-like, is seeking revenge against Romney—at any cost.
Gingrich wraps himself in the Ronald Reagan legacy, while simultaneously violating Reagan’s 11th commandment, “Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican.” The former speaker’s sole reason for existence now appears to be “destroy Romney.”
Meanwhile, Romney marches along, picking up delegates and endorsements, including a fistful of former U.S. ambassadors to the Vatican, while Paul tackles and pins the rest of the field on their hypocrisy.
Paul’s most withering remark was calling Gingrich a “chicken-hawk” for receiving five deferments during the Vietnam War. Paul served as a flight surgeon.
When Gingrich tried to counter with his trademark “professorial snide” putdown by saying that he was “prevented” from serving because he was married with one child, Paul stared angrily into the face of the New Hampshire debate cameras and responded, “I was married with two children and I went.”
Another bunch of ongoing wars, plus another flare-up threatening to escalate from bravura to bombs—in Iran—has Paul’s rallying point on the cusp of replacing James Carville’s legendary mantra, “It’s the economy, stupid.”
Paul’s dire warning may become 2012’s latest bumper sticker: “It’s the wars, stupid.”
Dominic
11:06 am on Friday, January 13, 2012
Well said, The youth will change the dynamics of this dissident Government over the next two decades, If there is any Country left to change...
KittenJuggler
11:20 am on Friday, January 13, 2012
Who wouldn't like Ron Paul? He'd definitely stand up for America! Foreign leaders would naturally respect this Texan.
pablo
11:30 am on Friday, January 13, 2012
By "youth", it looks like people that use the internet and have long ago stopped listening to CNN and Fox. Note to Fox, MSNBC and CNN: Internet is the future. Paul's popularity is the inconvenient truth for you.
linda curatolo
2:22 pm on Friday, January 13, 2012
I'm a 56 year old lifelong democrat who is supporting Ron Paul. He is attracting people who have an open mind and crave honesty. I guess young people aren't jaded enough to accept hypocrisy and corruption as 'just politics as usual.' Am I being immature to believe the same? Yes, immature . . . but in a good way.
Allen Marshall
6:55 pm on Friday, January 13, 2012
COME ON PEOPLE, OPEN YOUR EYES!
these are the brave men and women serving and have served this once great country,
they are the ones ACTUALLY fighting in these wars, if you cant take there words for it,
then whos word can we take? these are the people we entrust to protect our very lives from abroad,
more than 75% of the ACTIVE military support Dr. Paul. what does that say for them when everyone
is saying ignorant, presumptuous, misinformed statements about the constitutions champ?
so people please remember, when you call names at paul supporters, you are insulting the men and
women who are out fighting the wars you apparently support by not supporting Dr. Paul.
remember people its not the politicians out there fighting,
its our brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers! AMERICAS FAMILIES BLEEDING, FIGHTING, DIEING
FOR YOU!
RON PAUL 2012!TAKING BACK FREEDOM!
DR.PAUL OR NOTHING!
Louis Nardozi
7:25 am on Saturday, January 14, 2012
All of us Paulians in the blogosphere need to help Paul implement his strategy.
Paul's strategy is to argue the issues. When sticking to the issues and relying upon his record he is so compelling to the vast majority of people once they are fully informed nothing can sway them from supporting him.
If he starts attacking his opponents and relying upon emotion to sway people he will be vulnerable to the same and lose his unassailable position. As his supporters, our job is to emulate him and not engage in emotional attacks. Differences with other candidates should be limited to pointing out undesirable positions or logical inconsistencies with the other candidates' positions, arguments and statements, or the arguments, positions and statements of their supporters.
Something I've recently found quite useful is the following link which shows how to identify specious arguments:
http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/index.html#index
It can be useful when replying to various attacks against Paul by pointing out that they are logically fallacious. If attacks can be defused NO ONE can argue with Paul on the positions - his positions are eminently defensible.
Vote Vertebrate - Ron Paul 2012!
Autonomy4ALL
11:03 am on Saturday, January 14, 2012
Why oh why do you not seem to see or choose to ignore the middle-aged Ron Paul voters? They're everywhere.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxQj4akljR4&feature=autoplay&list=ULt1XE7wMOOu4&lf=mfu_in_order&playnext=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22Mj7z3VHGs&feature=socblog_th
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DD8TNWZe22M&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Aiz85NejIyE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6M4IW2jExI&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=WhxJ1XUGLR0#!
Jackson Baer
4:20 pm on Sunday, January 15, 2012
I'm really hoping Ron Paul surprises with a first or strong second in South Carolina. Santorum is the worst candidate (along with Perry) and Paul is the only one I can get behind. Freedom & liberty are important to me.
http://www.whatthehellbook.com/2012/01/05/fired-for-not-believing-in-hell/
Love Paul
7:35 pm on Sunday, January 15, 2012
Ron Paul, a patriot, who has honorably served his country, defends both the constitution and civil liberties, and is for peace and prosperity. Dr. Paul has the wisdom, foresight, honesty and integrity to be president.
Dr. Paul believes spending and deficits are destroying this country. Dr. Paul's budget plan would save $1 trillion in the first year. Besides the spending cuts, there are other issues of importance to voters. For conservatives, Dr. Paul scores an A+ on all of them: Second Amendment protection, pro-life record, right-to-work, pro-business, anti-tax, states' rights, you name it.
Dr. Paul also believes America should have the strongest national defense on earth — which he believes begins with not trying to constantly police the earth. Right now, our government puts our best and bravest in harm's way on a regular basis for questionable reasons and with no discernible notion of victory. This is not supporting the troops. It's abusing them. Dr. Paul wants an end to this absurd, costly policy.
The voters have declared Dr. Paul the alternative to the liberal, flip flopping Mitt Romney. The other candidates are simply irrelevant. In the New Hampshire Primary, Dr. Paul received more votes than all the supposed Anti-Romney (Santorum, Gingrich, and Perry) candidates combined.
The question for Republican voters is not whether they can afford to vote for Dr. Paul - it's whether they can afford not to.
America Needs Ron Paul.