Date: January 20, 2029 at the Ron Paul Constitution Day Celebration (20 years after the Ron Paul Inauguration)
Heidi was tired after the long day and she had just started the long drive home to North Carolina. Her teenagers were already fighting and the traffic jams were horrible heading south from Washington, DC on Interstate 95. Every year, hundreds of thousands of Americans made the annual pilgrimage to The Ron Paul/von Mises Freedom Institute housed in the former Federal Reserve Building. A big rally was always held in the park area between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument to celebrate the 2008 election victory of Ron Paul and the return of the original American Republic & Constitution during his administration.
The institute had become the economic, political and philosophical guardians of the Ron Paul Revolution providing the decentralized leadership, education and tools necessary to keep the United States back firmly on the original track of our Founding Fathers. Plans were being made by a private citizen group (with no government funding of course) to erect a monument to President Paul facing the Washington monument in front of the Lincoln Memorial.
She had also enjoyed their walk along the Confederation Mall and seeing the new statues of Mises, Rockwell, Friedman, Hayek, DiLorenzo, Block, Skousen and others in the Museum of Free Market Economics located in the former IRS Headquarters building also on the Mall. Several rooms were maintained in the fashion of the time showing how things were back when we had an IRS and the hated income tax with all the threats, penalties, audits and wealth confiscation. Back then no tourists were allowed and it was open for appointment only sort of like an American version of the dreaded Nazi Gestapo or Soviet KGB headquarters. The main difference was there had been no torture. All the government wanted back then was your wealth and they took it at will. This kind of America seemed so long ago.
Arriving at her car, Heidi discovered her keys were locked in the ignition and she felt very stupid. She had heard how few even locked their cars anymore in DC because here as everywhere else crime rates had crashed with the decriminalization of most drugs along with a successful private drug education and prevention programs. Yes, there was still some crime mostly by out of work drug dealers and former IRS employees who couldn't break their criminal habits of stealing for a living but most former government employees had made an easy transition to the productive private sector.
A friendly cop came by and offered to unlock the car which he did and she paid him the $20 ticket charge on the spot. He had offered to take one of the private $20 gold certificates now competing freely with the paper dollar but she preferred to pay the charge with paper. Now, the US government had accumulated a large surplus of gold and with the Federal Reserve gone, the gold-backed paper currency had now appreciated to even with the former competing private gold certificates.
As she passed from the District of Columbia into Virginia, traffic dropped off considerably as many of the celebrants were staying in the area. She subconsciously pressed the gas and increased speed from 65 to 80 mph. Gone were the national speed limits as each state now set the speed limits on all roads based on local conditions and traffic.
Washington DC was now a high tech center as the hundreds of thousands of former government employees had left the area when the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Education, Energy, Health & Human Services, Labor, Transportation, Homeland Security, Housing & Urban Development were closed down and their parasitic jobs were ended by the Ron Paul Administration and the Congress. The remaining Cabinet level departments of Defense, Justice, State, Interior were doing a great job. Treasury and Veterans Affairs now functioned well within the confines of the Constitution and the intentions of our Founding Fathers as did all of the remaining departments at a fraction of the budget and number of employees.
The teenagers were tired and bored and kept asking, "are we there yet?" Heidi responded, "Only 3 more hours so watch your movies or work on your online homework." Her oldest daughter, Ayn at 14 said, "Washington was great but I liked the museums far more than the boring speakers. Will you explain what was so great about Ron Paul?"
Heidi thought back over 20 years and this is her story. "Your papa Ron liked Ron Paul although he always said he was too honest to be president but I met Dr. Paul along with your aunt Samantha and granny Tami back on a July 4th weekend in 2007 at the FreedomFest conference in Las Vegas. It seems like it was almost yesterday."
Ayn asked, "Mama what was it like before Ron Paul became President?" "Well we were involved in wars across the Middle East and our armed forces were based all over the world. Our policies and actions had served as a recruiting tool for terrorists like al Quada. "Mom, what is Al Quada?" asked Ayn. Heidi answered, "Oh, it isn't around anymore and they basically vanished and their recruits went elsewhere as America began to withdraw its troops and close bases in Moslem regions of the world. As it turned out our foreign policy and occupation were their greatest recruiting tool.
Here at home, the government stole almost 40% of our income each year with the income tax while cops often tasered innocent people, old folks, pregnant women and even teenagers at will. Ayn questioned, "Mom, you are kidding?" Heidi answered, "No, but YouTube and everyone having video cameras back then, pretty much put an end to police excesses.
So
How Did Ron Paul Win the GOP Nomination? - If I remember right, Ron Paul's popularity really began to surge in March after the American backed dictator of Pakistan was deposed in a wave of violence and anti-Americanism. It was clear to everyone but Fox News and the Neocon's that our support and their outrage at the Bush foreign policy had triggered the collapse of nuclear armed Pakistan. When the civil war began and some of the nukes were lost to extremist elements, many more Americans began to question our foreign policy. The mainstream media could not control the foreign policy debate as more Americans began to get their news on independent internet news sites.
Americans began to see the benefits of a return to Ron Paul's and America’s original non-interventionist foreign policy which we had followed in the early years of The Republic. It was in early 2009 and we were in an election year with the usual lying politicians in both parties running for President, except for Ron Paul who always said what he really thought regardless of the popularity of his views. This was a refreshing change to all the other candidates.
"Mom, I don’t understand. Just what was the mainstream media?" asked Ayn. "Remember the visuals in the Museum of Free Market Economics showing the television networks and the print newspapers still around back when I was a kid. Her older brother Ronnie said, "I remember the blond channel with all the pretty but dumb women and their weird hair. Yea, I know and I remember all of those final newspaper editions of “The Wall Street Journal”, “New York Times” and those news channels all owned by the big media elites."
Heidi continued, "As I remember, at first the MSM ignored Ron Paul, then they said he couldn't win, then they smeared him and all the while his popularity continued a slow but steady rise. Paul actually came in 3rd. in the New Hampshire Primary probably because of his debate exclusion by Fox News and all of the establishment candidates trashing each other in a frenzy of negative ads and destructive dirty politics. The voters in the “Live Free or Die” state of New Hampshire were fed up and the surprising results was a narrow McCain victory over Romney followed by Ron Paul in third place.
Then the GOP elites and political establishment went crazy calling Ron Paul everything in the book except the Anti-Christ. The good doctor was hatefully smeared by nearly all in the establishment with terrible names like extremist, kook, crazo, supremacist, America hater, anarchist, radical libertarian etc. Paul always just smiled back at the taunts and lies and repeated his message of prosperity, freedom and return to limited constitutional government.
The First Contest - In Iowa Paul surpassed expectations & MSM polls but he ended in 5th place, just behind McCain & Thompson but far ahead of Giuliani. This was about as expected but everyone knew you can't win elections coming in 5th.Thank You Rupert Murdoch & Fox News – Ron Paul would have placed a distant 4th or lower in New Hampshire except for the outrageous forum exclusion by Fox News. This galvanized the Paul supporters across the United States and specifically in the “Live Free or Die” state. Paul’s polling numbers rose sharply and many independents and undecided Republicans didn’t appreciate an outsider like Fox deciding who was to be included in their New Hampshire forum. The NH primary result was McCain soundly beat Romney after his poor showing in Iowa and with Paul 3rd. Up in Michigan on the 15th, Romney finally won a primary but many anti-war Democrats crossed over in the open primary and Paul placed a close second with McCain 3rd.
Suddenly The Emperor Had No Clothes- The 2nd place Michigan finish scared the establishment and the word was out, “destroy Ron Paul” at all costs. Paul was threatening the special interest elites who controlled both parties and they were discovering to their horror that they were ill-equipped to stop this new kind of decentralized, internet driven movement.
What the collapsing MSM started to understand was that newspaper endorsements, editorials and the myriad of cable ready talking heads and expert opinions designed to control public opinion and build or destroy candidates as needed didn’t work anymore. Americans still had their favorite editorialists, talk radio hosts and cable experts but the new internet media like www.lewrockwell.com and others were actually educating readers to think and ponder the benefits of liberty and a return to the original Constitutional Republic of our Founding Fathers for themselves.
They Had Lost Control Of the Debate - With the candidacy of Ron Paul, now sound money, the Federal Reserve, the failed drug war, the Income tax and our empire like foreign policy were now all open to debate. Neocon talking heads on TV and talk radio were losing their ability to impact the public and control the political debate. The Fox debate exclusion had fueled the fires of support for Paul resulting in his strong vote in NH and Michigan. Rupert Murdoch was embarrassed as his attempt to out-fox Ron Paul was a running joke on the other networks competing with Fox. The headlines and talking points kept asking “Is Murdoch a secret Paul supporter?” He was furious!
Thank You Bill - Suddenly, an important hour long interview on the top Fox interview show was announced. Bill was the toughest interviewer they had! I still remember Ron Paul’s final interview on this show as Bill hurled taunt after taunt and attack after attack and the kindly, elderly doctor just grinned and said, "Bill, I know you’ll come around. Why does your network and Rupert Murdock fear our vision of a balanced non-interventionist foreign policy, a free market, no income tax and sound money so much?"
Bill’s massive ego just couldn’t take this and he seemed to lose control and professional perspective toward Ron Paul. Of course, the interview was cut short to a commercial with Bill in mid-sentence yelling and screaming outrageous charges like “you have no right to run in the Republican Primary, I know foreign terrorists support your campaign, you hate Lincoln don’t you and yeah, you probably would have fought with Lee and those damn Confederate terrorists against General Sherman wouldn't you."
The interview was two days before the South Carolina GOP Primary and when Paul responded, “ well I would have protected my home from outside invasion, occupation and destruction and reconstruction if I had lived back then in South Carolina or today if I were a citizen of Iraq or Iran." The people of South Carolina knew their history and had never forgotten the 3 year bombardment of civilian Charleston and the burning of Columbia by Sherman . At that moment, Ron Paul’s polling numbers exploded in South Carolina just before the primary. Ron Paul won the S.C. Primary but he was still polling nationally at around 15%.
The Failed Assassination Attempt - But what really galvanized public opinion in support of Ron Paul was the failed assassination attempt. Just after winning the South Carolina Primary, he was wounded in the arm by a crazed lone gunman who immediately talked to the cops and was discovered to have planned the murder attempt all by himself. The media said it was a disgruntled libertarian but within a couple of days, the assassin hung himself while in FBI custody. Since Paul was not seriously injured, the story would have died there if the mainstream media had gotten their way.
You see unlike today where we have a free-market of internet based news, editorials and commentaries ranging across the political spectrum, back in 2009 just a few large media conglomerates controlled the press except for the newly developed internet news sites. The public began to understand from internet news commentators how this had always been a pattern in the US. Politicians and public figures had the right to do and say about anything unless they began to capture broad public support and threatened the economic elites who controlled the two political parties and the media. There were similarities between the attempt on Ron Paul and the attacks against, Lincoln, King, George Wallace, John & Robert Kennedy and the threats to Ross Perot.
The failed assassination attempt combined with the sudden turmoil in Pakistan and the Turkish invasion of oil rich northern Iraq caused oil to rise over $150 a barrel, the stock market and dollar fell like a rock all while the mortgage and housing problems worsened and Ron Paul's popularity rose correspondingly. Americans were fed up with conventional politicians and their policies. True, it would be a long primary race but the South Carolina Primary was the beginning of the end for the Neocon control over America." This ends Heidi's story looking back at the election of Ron Paul and as told 20 years in the future.
This of course is just a story and the part about Bill's interview will likely never happen. Still the Ron Paul Revolution is real and regardless of whether he wins the GOP Presidential nomination and goes on to win the general election or not, the Ron Paul movement represents a paradigm shift in American politics. The political elites and their special corporate interests are losing control over the two-party political monopoly. When this will translate into their final defeat and the rebirth of the American Dream of our Patriot Founding Fathers of limited decentralized government combined with maximum personal and economic liberties is open to discussion. The timing is the question, not the final outcome.
I will close with the final paragraphs from my book listed below as it is appropriate for all involved with the Ron Paul Revolution who love freedom and seek a return to the original vision of our Founding fathers.
Do Your Duty!"Duty is the sublimest word in our language. Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more. You should never wish to do less." - Robert E. Lee
It is our duty as Americans to restore the birthright and legacy of our patriotic Founding Fathers to future generations. If we do any less, we have failed our country, our heritage, and our posterity.
Over 230 years ago, the founders of this nation fought for the independence and secession of our individual colonies from the British Empire. When they won, the American Dream was born with our first central government, the Articles of Confederation. Almost 150 years ago, my forefathers here in North Carolina again fought for the right of state sovereignty, independence, and struggled against a foreign invasion, yet they lost. Two republics died at Appomattox Court House at the end of the War Between the States and they were replaced with the beginning vestiges of institutionalized theft, conquest, and an all-powerful federal government that we fear and reject today.
Lovers of liberty and freedom must again fight with education, our wealth, and ultimately political action for our liberty and our property that we have rightfully earned with honest toll. We must stand fast against those who would dishonestly steal our property and destroy the last vestiges of the original Patriot Dream of our Founding Fathers. Protect your wealth, defend your liberty and work to advance the restoration of freedom and liberty to our nation. Can I do any less for Heidi and my other children and coming grandchildren and can you do any less for America and your posterity?
Written on the evening of the Iowa Caucus after the results were announced.
Ron Holland is a retired Asheville, NC, investment consultant, financial and political writer, who was head of a national investment firm. He now markets ski mountain property at Wolf Laurel resort. He is author of the new online book, "The Swiss Preserve Solution" that discusses many of the political, economic and foreign policy events discussed above. Heidi Holland is in the 5th grade at Mars Hill Elementary School and she is a Ron Paul supporter. This essay is Part 2 of a three part article series on the Ron Paul election and Presidency. See: President Ron Paul - Could He Really Win? (Part 1) Part 3 is coming soon!
Ron Paul supporters, be sure to vote in the new Free Market Hall of Fame “Issues, Programs & Politics Survey“ at http://www.freedomfest.com/halloffame Make sure you complete question #4 (If Ron Paul is not on the GOP ticket as President or Vice President, will you vote Republican, vote Democrat, consider a third party or stay at home in the general election.) Ron Paul supporters need to let both parties know they will not be taken for granted in the 2008 elections.
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