Opinion: Rand Paul is liberty’s missing link
Former Texas Congressman Ron Paul started a political fire in 2012. Collecting over two million votes nationwide and sparking a youth movement within the Republican Party, no other Republican candidate over the past two-plus decades has made a comparable impact on the future leaders of our nation. No other Republican candidate in recent memory could convince a generation to educate themselves on Austrian Economics and the Federal Reserve or quite frankly educate themselves at all outside of what half-assed economic platform they’re trying to beat the Democrats with that year. No other Republican candidate could convince a generation that grew up around 9/11 and The “War” on Terror that our interventionist foreign policy is a sickening black eye on our reputation and a never ending black hole in our wallets.The Revolution that Paul has been fighting for since he was first elected to Congress in 1976 has begun. Though just over three months after Election Day, his supporters are in the midst of a civil war. The battle being fought is over Paul’s son, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul. The younger Paul has made it clear that he has strong intentions to run for president in 2016 and has been anointed the de facto leader of the Tea Party movement as seen by his State Of The Union response opposite of Republican Sen. Marco Rubio’s. However, Rand Paul’s early push to the pedestal of the Republican Party reaches further than Tea Party Express sponsored comments. From grilling Hillary Clinton at the Benghazi hearing this January to releasing his own budget proposal, it is clear that Rand is positioning himself for a battle. But it is the battle going on under the surface that is concerning.Libertarians and “Ron Paul Republicans” have begun to split apart under Sen. Rand Paul as if some of his views are a betrayal to their core values. And perhaps they are, for it was Rand Paul himself who was quoted in a 2010 Time magazine article as saying, “I’m not a libertarian.” Rand is not Ron and to his credit he has never pretended to be. But this hasn’t stopped true Libertarians from ripping him apart as if he was some sort of traitor.Following a recent trip to Israel capped off by a dip in the Dead Sea, Rand Paul stated that “any attack on Israel will be treated as an attack on the United States.” Despite not wavering in his stance to cut off foreign aid to countries like Israel, (but only after it has cut off anti-American nations) many Libertarians seemingly took this quote as support of an interventionist foreign policy. Many Libertarians are wrong.Despite spending all of 2012 explaining to conservative voters what the difference is between a non-interventionist foreign policy and an isolationist foreign policy on behalf of Ron Paul, that difference was conveniently forgotten following those comments from the younger Paul. Having allies in the 21st century while governments are in the process of creating pigeon drones should be viewed as an acceptable position. In a world at war even non-interventionists need backup.Whether some like it or not, Rand Paul’s gradual acceptance into the leadership of the GOP should be viewed as the missing link for the flourishing liberty movement. While he may not be the man Libertarians across the country hoped for, he may be the man they need. Paul being accepted by the likes of Bill O’Reilly and Glenn Beck provides a platform for future pro-liberty politicians such as Michigan Rep. Justin Amash and Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie to jump to the forefront. This platform will be the key to continuing the “Ron Paul Revolution.”Despite the massive strides taken over the past four years, the fact of the matter is the majority of the country was not ready for Ron Paul. But Libertarians today need to be ready for Rand. There is no other candidate more prepared for 2016 with the resources to push a pro-liberty agenda further into our national psyche than Rand Paul. If the next Ron Paul is to be accepted by this country in the future, this infighting needs to end today.
