When Ron Paul spoke of freedom and a government bound by the Constitution during the Presidential campaign, he was largely written off as a crank, completely out of touch with reality, who would never become the President.  And so, the media barely covered his campaign, which did not end until last week, long after John McCain had been declared the presumptive Republican nominee.  But the Texas Congressman has announced a new campaign, the Campaign for Liberty, which may prove to be a potent force in the future political arena.   

Ron Paul’s Campaign for Liberty will mainly focus on supporting libertarian-minded candidates sympathetic with Paul’s politics in elections across the country.  The campaign will also seek to hold various events, and initiate programs to educate the American people about Ron Paul’s message and “The Revolution.”  Paul’s recent book The Revolution: A Manifesto provides the basic platform for the campaign focusing on a non-interventionist foreign policy, constitutional principles, a completely free market economy, limited role and size of government, and a sound monetary policy.

Paul, the oldest of the Republican candidates, seemed to have the greatest support among young people throughout the campaign.  Paul also raised the most money out of all the Republican candidates in the fourth quarter last year, and broke the record for online donations, raising over $6 million in one day.  He consistently noted that his message of freedom was creating a coalition of supporters that crossed the boundaries of political parties, race, and social class.  Unfortunately, what seemed to be a swelling of support did not transfer to votes during the primaries.

The stickiest issue for Paul during the Republican primaries was his stance on Iraq and foreign policy.  Paul was the lone Republican who believed America should pull its troops out of Iraq due to his belief in a non-interventionist foreign policy, and his view that the U.S. military was overstretched (operating in 130 countries), and overspending at a rate which would cause the dollar to hyperinflate and become worthless.  It’s noteworthy to mention that not all libertarians agree with Paul’s views toward foreign policy.

Paul is quick to mention in his book, that while many have labeled him an isolationist, “The real isolationists are those who choose to use force overseas to promote democracy, rather than seeking change through diplomacy, engagement, and by setting a positive example.  The real isolationists are those who isolate their country in the court of world opinion by pursuing needless belligerence and war that have nothing to do with legitimate national security concerns.” 

Paul notes that current President Bush seemed to feel the same way when running for president in 2000.  “I’m not so sure the role of the United States is to go around the world and say, ‘This is the way it’s got to be.’…I think one way for us to end up being viewed as ‘the ugly American’ is for us to go around the world saying, ‘We do it this way; so should you,’” said Bush in a debate with Al Gore.  And on nation building in Somalia, Bush said, “And so I don’t think our troops ought to be used for what’s called ‘nation building.’  I think what we need to do is to convince the people who live in the lands [themselves] to build the nations.  Maybe I’m missing something here—we’re going to have kind of a ‘nation-building corps’ from America?”

The Congressman’s domestic policies are much more approachable to the average conservative.  The basic message is freedom for the American people, and actually following our own laws.  The government has its hands in every sector of society whether it’s education, business, healthcare, or your own wallet.  Eliminating the government from these areas, which the government wasn’t involved in for most of America’s history, would not only give freedom back to the people in taking care of themselves and living their lives, but cut unnecessary government regulations, taxes, and spending, while allowing the free market to actually work.

Paul cites numerous examples on how basic constitutional principles have been completely ignored or “reinterpreted” in recent years, creating an extremely bloated, powerful, and unconstitutional federal government, which is exactly the opposite of the Framers’ intentions.  Paul quotes Thomas Jefferson as saying, “On every question of construction, carry ourselves back to the time when the Constitution was adopted, recollect the spirit manifested in the debates, and instead of trying what meaning may be squeezed out of the text, or invented against it, conform to the probable one in which it was passed.” 

He then shows how some in Congress today feel about the Constitution.  In discussing the power to declare war prior to Iraq, which rests with Congress and not the President, “The chairman of the International Relations Committee (Henry John Hyde) responded by saying, ‘There are things in the Constitution that have been overtaken by events, by time.  Declaration of war is one of them.  There are things no longer relevant to a modern society.  We are saying to the president, use your judgment.  [What you have proposed is] inappropriate, anachronistic; it isn’t done any more.’  What a relief that we have people in our government who will keep us posted on which constitutional provisions they have decided are no longer ‘relevant’!”

While some of Congressman Paul’s views are controversial, many make complete sense.  America was not set up to be an empire with a strong central government that interferes in every aspect of people’s lives.  America is supposed to be a republic, where the people are powerful and free, and rely on themselves and their local and state legislatures for common matters when necessary. 

Though it is unlikely that Paul will ever become President, or a majority of men and women like him will sit in Congress anytime soon, perhaps the Campaign for Liberty will begin to make inroads into mainstream political thought.  Glenn Reynolds, Professor of Law at the University of Tennessee, points out that, “Socialist candidate Eugene Debs, after all, never got elected President either, but within a few decades much of his platform was adopted by the Democratic Party” adding, “May Paul enjoy similar influence on the future of national politics.”  The revolution continues.