Support for Ron Paul
from the Left:

The following is a Democrat / Liberal viewpoint on why it is important for everyone, regardless of party affiliation, to support Ron Paul in his bid to win the Republican party nomination.

Please also read the author's follow-up post for clarification: He's
NOT trying to convert Democrats, Greens, or anyone else into
Republicans. He is just making the point that it would be good for all
political parties to see Ron Paul win the Republican nomination.

Remember... This article below is coming from a self-professed LIBERAL
DEMOCRAT that is supporting a libertarian republican. But don't let
that surprise you. After all, Ron Paul is Bill Mahar's "new hero!"

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The Insurgency on the Right

by Michael Bryan

I'm helping the Ron Paul supporters with their local organizing. I
have attended two Ron Paul meetups and intend to continue lending a
hand. Why would I, a confirmed liberal, want to help Republicans
organize for a Republican candidate? Well, by the end of this post, I
hope a lot of you will want to do the same.

Like many liberals I am deeply disturbed by the political environment
in the Republican party. They are quickly becoming (if they are not
already) the party of American fascism, and that fascism is marching
draped in the flag and carrying a crucifix. But it is not just
liberals that see this trend clearly. Many conservatives see it too,
and they don't like it any better than we.

It could be that the GOP is beyond redemption. It could be that all we
can do is hope to beat the snot out of GOP candidates in enough races
to preserve our Constitution and our democracy. I don't think that is
realistic or wise. In order to preserve the integrity of our political
system, we need a loyal opposition whichever party is in power; the
GOP is increasingly nothing of the sort, and only reform from within
can correct that.

It is purely self interest for Democrats to support and encourage
those within the Republican party who are real,
Constitution-respecting, small government conservatives to retake
their party. The fascist wing of the GOP doesn't see the Democratic
party, or any opposition, as legitimate; real conservatives do. We are
in the fight of our lives against those who would make opposition to
their designs to radically alter our society a crime and use the
powers of government to destroy their enemies. Our natural allies in
that fight are not just other liberals (we are weakened if we limit
our alliances such) but those in the other party who are just as
disturbed by the past 6 years as we.

The only way that major parties have ever reformed is from within. It
is going to take a massive grassroots revolt within the Republican
party to remake the party. Many progressive Democrats have some
experience with that as our own party continues to experience such a
beneficial grassroots activist insurgency. Both parties have been
hollowed-out in recent years as more citizens become alienated from
the political process and civic affairs. The result is that
well-organized ideologues with fringe ideologies and lots of money
have been able to effectively capture both parties. The main
difference is that our ideologues aren't nearly so malignant or
vicious as theirs. Conservatives will face some seriously nasty and
deeply motivated activists to retake their parties; progressives faced
mostly ossified indifference and little organized resistance to
greater participation at the local level.

Those of us who are organizing and encouraging a reformation within
our own party have an opportunity to forge ties with like-minded
insurgents in the other party. Those links will be the basis of future
cooperation both sides will need to retake our political patrimony
from the cynical manipulators who have seized both parties, and to
move our nation forward with a fundamental respect for civil rights
and our nation's vital traditions.

By helping Ron Paul supporters, we help ourselves. We don't have to
agree on every issue to agree on fundamental respect for the
Constitution, respect for civil rights, and respect for the integrity
of our democratic process. Clearly, not everyone supports those values
anymore; those that do, despite any policy differences we may have,
are objectively allies in the fight to keep the American experiment
alive.

There is only a small spark of respect for American civic values in
the GOP's nomination contest. That spark is Ron Paul. But there is a
massive reservoir of people who can nurture that spark into a prairie
fire of reform within the GOP. We progressives need to ensure that the
spark doesn't die out and that the real conservatives among the
Republicans and Independents on the right have a chance to catch that
spark.

I don't want to see another Republican President any more than the
next Democrat. But I do want to see a Republican nominee who stands up
for civil rights, who speaks sensibly about America's place in the
world, who insists on the rule of law and rejects the exceptionalism
and emergency powers advocated by every other GOP candidate. I want to
see the Republican party rally around a voice that is not encouraging
them to tear apart the Constitution in fear of terrorism. I want to
see a Republican nominee who will enable the American people to
experience a campaign of hope and ideas, not of fear and McCarthyism.

There is only one way I can see to make that happen: do everything we
can to ensure that the GOP nominee is Ron Paul (as unlikely as it
seems right now). Howard Dean was never expected and his rise was
extremely unlikely, but now he heads the DNC and is bringing many
progressive values to the party's operations. Reform is an ongoing and
protracted process, especially for part-time citizen activists. There
are conservatives out there hungry for an honest voice that reflects
their values: a Dean-like surge could happen in the GOP (indeed, it
seems to be the only thing that can save the party) and we Democrats
should encourage such a revolt.

So break out your checkbooks and donate to Ron Paul. Get off your
duffs help organize Ron Paul events and spread the message of
Constitutionalism among our conservative brothers. Stop thinking in
purely partisan terms and start thinking strategically. The GOP
nomination is just as important as our own nomination contest. Perhaps
even more so, since at least all of our candidates support the
Constitution and the rule of law. This is our fight, too.


This article was originally posted at:
http://arizona.typepad.com/blog/2007/06/the_insurgency_.html
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And here's the follow up post by the author...

Obviously Dr. Paul is not the right candidate for the Democratic
party, I argue only that he is the best candidate for the GOP. To the
extent that a sane GOP is good for Democrats, Paul is also good for
Democrats, but obviously all the defects that J. Lamb points out would
preclude me from wanting him to be President. But it is exactly some
of those defects that amount to 'features' making him a beneficial
moderating force in the GOP if nominated, or even if he only stirs up
a grassroots movement in the GOP and scares the cr*p out of the
apparatchikis, as Dean did for the Democrats.

Obviously, (or so I thought) I am not asking Democrats to vote for Dr.
Paul [in the general election]. I am asking them to support his
Republican nomination, which is a much different, and clearly
strategic action.

Posted by: Michael Bryan | June 14, 2007 at 02:25 AM
[End of post]
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Editorial notes

added by Bruce Arnold, at OzarksVoter.info

Please note that I added "[in the general election]" to the above, to
further clarify the statement.

That follow up post from the author is in response to a blog comment
by "J. Lamb" that dismissed the author's idea, with the example: "It
also means that he [President Ron Paul] would not invade Darfur to
eliminate the genocide there."

I also feel compelled to point out this: While we can all clearly
despise the horrible killings going on in Darfur, and in conflicts all
over the world... Liberals must eventually accept the fact that the
United States is NOT the World Police - and practically every attempt
we have made at any sort of Police Action has been a disaster. (Iraq,
Afghanistan, Vietnam, Korea, etc...) If "J. Lamb" would like to
volunteer him or herself to go overseas and fight someone else's war,
then we could admire that. But volunteering U.S. soldier's lives and
billions of American dollars is not admirable, and it is not true
compassion. If we choose to begin an "American Foreign Legion" - then
let's amend the Constitution and do so!  But let's not continue
ill-advised military adventures without congressional declarations of
war. It is clearly and plainly illegal, and it is also morally wrong
to go about nation-building in this way.

The government, economy, and society of the United States is falling
apart. We need to focus on rebuilding "our own house" for a few years.
If we get ourselves straightened out, get our own house in order, then
we will be in much better shape to help our friends and neighbors all
over the world!  And remember this also: Ron Paul, even if he manages
to win the Presidency, will not be "King for Life" - at most he will
have 4 to 8 years. Those few short years would be spent mostly just
fixing the mistakes of the previous administration! It is because of
this that I feel genuinely sorry for whomever wins the next
presidential election: They will have to deal with the mess that is

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I understand how very busy most all Americans are. I know
you don't have time for much else in your life. But some things are
worth making time for. Working to improve our country is one of the
best things you can do to improve just about everything else in your
life!

So please consider attending a Ron Paul Meetup near you.

Here's where to find one:
http://ronpaul.meetup.com/
(It's easy... Put in your zip code and click the "Go" button to find the Meetup nearest you.)

At the very least, just do some research about Ron Paul, so you can make up your own mind about him.

Here's a couple of good places to start:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Paul
http://www.OzarksVoter.info/


Do something good for America as a whole, and you'll feel better about yourself in the process. I know I do!

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