Ron Paul repeatedly winning the vote of the younger generations.
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/01/31/what-is-so-appealing-about-ron-paul-to-young-voters/
Please understand, in no way do I think Ron Paul is the perfect candidate. I have a few issues with his stances, namely, the fact that I am opposed to state rights. I believe individual rights trump both state and Federal and that the point of the two governments is to be in constant opposition to protect the rights of the individual.
That said, the media (& his own party’s) repeated attempts to silence Ron Paul and his message, leads one to be concerned about the system. Today, CNN casually leaves Ron Paul off the tally listing. I could understand if they simply include Romney and Gingrich. But they included Santorum, who had one win and less delegates than Ron Paul.
But here is the interesting case study. I’ve noticed that election after election that Ron Paul is winning the young vote 29 and under, and a lot of the mid-30’s crowds as well.
What does this say? Some are finally starting to talk about this trend.
I am of the opinion that Ron Paul is really the 2016 candidate. But he will probably be too old to run at that point.
What do I think is leading to this support?
1. He is the only candidate talking about getting rid of America’s debt. The younger generations understand they’re going to inherit this debt. Who wants to inherit your parent’s credit card debt. When grandpa says let’s pay it off, I’m with grandpa.
2. He is the only one addressing the issue of the American empire and militarism. What many criticize him for as “isolationism”, but is in fact merely non-imperial behavior. Ron Paul supports free trade, diplomacy. I think this approach makes greater sense to me. I see how we’ve handled Cuba. 1/2 a century of embargo and zero effect or achievement of goals. I believe the sanctions are the wrong approach. That increasing trade relations would do more to bring down the regime and further change. We can look to China, which is still no rose garden. But it’s been the introduction to capitalism that has encouraged change, not embargoes.
3. He comes across as not part of the big entrenched government beaucracy. I think this is what a lot liked about Barack Obama as a candidate, they had the hope that he would not be a typical entrenched politician. Many have since become disappointed and disenfranchised with President Obama on these matters.
4. On a number of social issues, Ron Paul’s libertarian approach gains approval of a generation that views the world much differently than it’s predecessors. Most younger people seem to want government out of marriage. Something Ron Paul supports, perhaps for different motivations. But the results are the same.
All of this needs to be noted by the Republican party who is more and more increasingly being seen by the younger voters as an old boys club which is simply concerned about politics and elections, and not the issues.
I think 2016 and 2020 will have very different platforms to today’s politics. The Republican party has done much to impede Ron Paul. They are failing to grasp that it is not a man, but an ideology. In truth, were the ideology to have a better figurehead than Ron Paul, I believe the primary would already be over.
Eventually things will change regardless. A nation cannot continue to have $1 trillion deficits without eventually facing the muster.
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