We Are Politics

We Are Politics is proud to present and article from guest writer Valerie Sargent Martin who offers her take on Texas Congressman Ron Paul's candidacy for President.

Last Tuesday, August 23rd, Rasmussen released polling data which showed that voters who identified neither as Republican or Democrat preferred Texas congressman Ron Paul for president over current president Barack Obama by a margin of 10%. This was the widest margin of any of the current crop of Republican candidates and reflects the strength of Ron Paul’s message with independents and those who identify as third party voters. It also contradicts the mainstream media meme that Ron Paul can’t win.

Let’s review some of the reasons 2012 could be the year for a Ron Paul victory.

1) Paul Already Has a Record of Winning

Ron Paul consistently defeats more mainstream, GOP funded challengers during every Republican primary for Texas’s 14^th Congressional District. In 2010, he won the seat by a 70% margin in a four-way race.

Ron Paul also won the CPAC straw poll in both 2010 and 2011. He won the Southern Republican Leadership Conference poll in 2011 after losing in 2010 by one vote to Mitt Romney. Most recently Paul had a very strong 2^ndplace showing in the Iowa Straw Poll, losing to Michele Bachmann by less than 1% of the vote.

Ron Paul’s son, Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, along with Utah Senator Mike Lee, and Michigan Congressman Justin Amash won their respective races campaigning on what is essentially Ron Paul’s platform. These races demonstrate that Paul’s brand of principled conservatism can and will win over voters, particularly younger voters and independent voters.

2) Paul Has a Base of Loyal Young Voters

In the August 24, 2011 Gallup poll, Ron Paul was the candidate most preferred by Republicans and Republican-leaning voters aged 18 to 29. Many young voters supported Paul in his 2008 campaign. Now these same voters have become experienced campaigners and activists. The straw poll successes at CPAC, SRLC, and Iowa are directly related to the knowledge and enthusiasm of Paul’s young supporters and their desire to make Paul’s 2012 presidential campaign a success.

3) Paul Excels at Fundraising

Ron Paul outlasted so many other candidates in the 2007-2008 presidential election because of his fundraising ability. He is currently on track to repeat that performance. Paul had $4.5 million cash on hand at the end of the second quarter, second only to Mitt Romney, and had no debts. Since Ron Paul began his race for 2012, he has had three ‘moneybombs,’ the most recent of which was held on his birthday and raised $1.8 million in 24 hours.

4) Paul’s “Odd” Ideas Now Mainstream

Traditionally American ideas such as following the Constitution, personal responsibility, and small government fell from public consciousness after many years of deficit spending by politicians of both parties and growing government at an ever increasing pace.

Paul’s presidential campaign in 2008 re-awakened the desire for freedom and liberty in many Americans. For thirty years Paul has been the champion of low taxes, sound money and constitutional government. Paul’s ‘no’ votes against stimulus deals, against TARP bailouts for banks, and against corporate welfare were considered extreme by some at first, but now reinforce his free-market credibility. Paul’s once ‘radical’ idea that the Federal Reserve, a private central bank that loans us our own money at interest, should be required to open its books for the American people to see, is now echoed broadly by other Republican candidates for president.

5) Paul is Only Candidate Radical Enough to Do What Needs Doing.

Our country finds itself at an economic crossroads. We face a $14 trillion dollar debt and the possible collapse of our currency. Ron Paul has warned of this eventuality for his entire congressional career and has consistently campaigned on the idea of abolishing whole departments of federally funded programs, including the IRS, the Department of Energy, and the EPA. Only Paul’s plan would incrementally dismantle unconstitutional programs to return America to its historical place as a savings-fueled, production-led economy.

6) The Military and Public Opinion Support Paul’s Views on War

In the 2008 Republican primary, Ron Paul gained notoriety for being the candidate most opposed to the wars, a position that caused friction among Republicans who doubted the distinction Paul made between constitutionally-mandated defense and a foreign policy of nation-building and policing the world.

But that distinction, along with Paul’s call to withdraw troops stationed around the world to defend American borders at home, has resonated with members of the military. The result? Paul is the greatest recipient of campaign donations from members of the U.S. military, both in the 2008 election and so far in 2011. In the second quarter of 2011, Paul received $36, 739.79 in total donations from members of the military, more than the $15,298 the rest of the Republican field received combined.

Paul stresses the need to end our wars in order to free up resources that could be better spent balancing our budgets and pulling America out of our recession. He believes that this can be done without any risk of compromising our safety, and he is on the side of public opinion. A June 2011 poll showed that 55% of Americans believed that withdrawing fromAfghanistan would not make the U.S. more vulnerable to terrorist attacks. This is an increase from December 2009, when 43% of Americans responded that withdrawing would not increase vulnerability.

(Valerie with Congressman Paul)

Oddly enough, the biggest obstacle to victory Ron Paul faces is from within his own party. The August 24^th Gallup poll shows that only 82% of Republicans would choose Ron Paul over President Obama, the lowest percentage of any of the current crop of top-tier candidates, which includes Michele Bachman (86%), Rick Perry (92%), and Mitt Romney (91%).

If  Ron Paul reaches out to fellow Republicans by emphasizing his constitutional support of life and liberty, and using his consistent voting record as proof of his integrity over his 23 years as a Texas Congressman, and if fellow Republicans are willing to abandon the presupposition that Ron Paul has no chance of winning, Paul can bridge the gap he faces within his party.

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      Valerie Sargent Martin is a political activist and former candidate for United States Congress.  Valerie currently serves as 2^rd Vice-Chair of the 8^thDistrict of the Georgia Republican Party and as a vice-chair in the Houston County GOP.

Valerie holds a Master's Degree in international business administration from Mercer University. She traveled to China in 2009 as part of her field-study requirement. Valerie works as a technical writer and information technology business analyst. Her work involves product development for U.S. Air Force bases around the world.

Valerie lives in Bonaire, Georgia, with her husband, Jessie Martin, and two children, Isabel and Zane. She attends Sacred Heart Catholic Church. As a health enthusiast, Valerie has been an avid runner for nearly twenty years and regularly participates in marathons and triathlons.  

Valerie can be contacted at thevaleriesm@gmail.com and followed on twitter @valeriesmartin .