Thoughts on the Future of Ron Paul and American Liberty

Well, the news is in. Ron Paul has now formally announced on his website that he will be discontinuing his bid for the presidency. It has now reached the point where it is certain that he will not obtain the Republican nomination, and that it would be too costly to continue his campaign.

Ron Paul may be down for today, but he is not out. If at all possible, I plan on writing him in when I cast my vote for U. S. President this year.

No doubt John McCain has the majority of support from the GOP, and Barack Hussein Obama seems to be leading the Democratic side of the race. Both are just as unprincipled and wrong, and there is no way I am voting for either of them; they are not the least worthy of my support.

Now, the people of America are increasingly disfavoring the war in the Middle East, and Obama has spoken against it as well. McCain, on the other hand, has said that he is willing to stay in Iraq for another full century if he deems it necessary. Given his war-mongering mentality, he would no doubt use every excuse in the world to send America at war with other nations who don't like us, as well. For nearly a century, hardly a generation in America has come and gone that has not gone to war abroad, over matters of foreign policy. By now, the people of our nation are coming the realize the high cost of living lives of war, and we are sick and tired of politicians who send us and our fellow-countrymen to give their lives for those politicians' popularity.

However, the people of America are also not terribly fond of the folly and nanny-like mentality that the liberal Democrats have consistently betrayed. Americans are against war, because they love their country. One does not have to love war to love his country, and we are realizing that the liberals hate America and everything it stands for.

The results of this election, if indeed decided in a purely constitutional manner -- by the people of America and their representatives, will be determined solely by whether Americans are willing to put a liberal in power in hopes that the war will end, or whether they are willing that the war should continue, just to keep a liberal out of office.

But it doesn't have to be that way. If enough people write Ron Paul in for President, our nation may still have a chance, politically speaking. I think that our political future on a national scale would be a lot brighter if a true, principled Republican were elected to office.

HOWEVER, let's keep in mind that Ron Paul's message has been focused largely on diminishing the size of the federal government. Of course, that would remove many barriers to the free excercise of our constitutional rights, but it also means that much more personal responsibility would fall on the shoulders of the individual citizens -- you and I. Our government was meant to dissipate from the local level -- first individuals, then families, than churches, communities, states, and then the nation. Words like "freedom" and "liberty" cannot possses their true meaning if they are synonymous with "licentiousness" and "each one pursuing his own selfish interest." Liberty means doing what is right, without being forced to do it by the coercive power of government. For this reason, our Founders stressed individual morality. It was this theme that was key in George Washington's Farewell Address:

Of all the dispositions and habits, which lead to political prosperity, Religion and Morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of Patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of Men and Citizens. The mere Politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connexions with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked, Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths, which are the instruments of investigation in Courts of Justice? And let us with caution indulge the supposition, that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect, that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.

It is substantially true, that virtue or morality is a necessary spring of popular government. The rule, indeed, extends with more or less force to every species of free government. Who, that is a sincere friend to it, can look with indifference upon attempts to shake the foundation of the fabric?

So then, the ultimate destiny of America rides, not on the shoulders of Ron Paul alone, or any other public official. It rides on our shoulders, and our ability to practice and spread the practice of virtue and morality. Christians, first and foremost, should be the leaders in this effort. Without that, our American experiment will crumble entirely. As we see the building blocks of our country fall and shatter around us, let us hope and pray that it is not too late. Let us take our rightful responsibilities, and pray that our efforts are not in vain.