I want to encourage anyone stumbling onto this blog to check out my new blog at www.ronspeak.com.  Think Rink will remain my active blog for personal musings and observations not specifically limited to Ron Paul’s historic candidacy.

Other candidates claim they will unite people, but one candidate has already managed to do it.

It’s been two weeks since the historic “Money Bomb” on November 5th enthroned Ron Paul as the undisputed King of Online Fund-raising. His $4.3 million haul eclipsed all previous single day online efforts by more than a cool million. The event also earned Dr. Paul much deserved, and long overdue, positive mainstream media coverage. Of course, it was accompanied by the predictable slew of smear articles as well. Some poked fun at Ron Paul’s November 5th total because it fell so short of the ambitious $10 million goal. Others inferred that the 37,000+ donors simply represented all the Ron Paul supporters in America giving a hundred-or-so dollars. After all, even internet geeks living on Hot Pockets in their mom’s basement can scrape together a hundred bucks. Therefore, the success must have been a one-time fluke and a novel publicity stunt, nothing more. Or was it?

To set aside any doubts, another bomb is set to go off on December 16th, in remembrance of the Boston Tea Party. Currently, there are as many people signed up to donate for it at teaparty07.com as were signed up on November 5th, and there’s still a whole month to go. I’ll go out on a limb and predict that his November 5th record will soon be eclipsed.

They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, so it was only a matter of time before someone else decided to try and outdo him. The thought process goes like this: “If a second-tier kook like Ron Paul can raise $4.3 million in 24 hours, just imagine what we can do! The American people love us. Just ask Zogby and Rasmussen.” So far, four other candidates have “money bombs” set to explode before the end of 2007. Or perhaps, blow up in their faces. Let’s take a look.

Obama’s money bomb went off last Friday, November 16th. Perhaps you missed it? Don’t feel bad. Apparently his grassroots supporters missed it too. With a goal of $5 million in 24 hours, they raised just $4,650.

Mike Huckabee is shooting for 10,000 pledges to give a hundred dollars each on November 20th. Since Huckabee is “the one candidate who can truly better our children’s future,” the website is nov20forthechildren.com. As of the 17th, there are 176 people pledging to give a total of $31,951.

Then, on November 21st, we have “Fredsgiving Day.” According to one blog, since they’ve “now seen what the Paul Bots have been able to accomplish for a candidate who lacks the considerable support that our man Fred now has” they should easily be able to “one-up the Paul campaign.” So, while many of us are busy gorging ourselves on turkey and stuffing, Fred Thompson supporters will be donating a c-note each in hopes that the campaign will be “flush with lots of cash” at the end of the day. As of this writing, a whopping sixty-six “Fred Heads” have pledged their support.

Mitt Romney’s day is December 7th. With no specific total dollar goal, donors are encouraged to give a minimum of thirty dollars to the effort. Why thirty bucks? That’s ten dollars for each leg of the “Regan and Romney’s Three-Legged Republican Stool.” So far, the official website has signed up 115 people. They claim another 900 or so have signed up on Facebook, Myspace, and Shoutlife combined. Even with 1,000 people signed up so far, it’s safe to say that Mitt is on track to make himself another seven-figure loan at the end of the quarter.

Of the four, Obama’s results are the most surprising. He seems to have considerable support on both the grassroots and college campus level, with a large percentage that would qualify as “web-savvy.” Perhaps his fizzled “bomb” testifies that the depth of his support is far smaller than the breadth? By contrast, Ron Paul’s base of support is undeniably deep, but what remains to be seen is just how wide it is.

I predict that come December 16th, Ron Paul will prove that he is “the Bomb,” and that the others are simply duds. So far no other candidate has inspired the passion evident in the Ron Paul rEVOLution. No other candidate has motivated an army of grassroots activists. No other candidate has produced as many votes in the online polls. No other candidate has achieved as many victories in straw polls. And no other candidate has received an exponential increase in donations from individual voters. Perhaps it’s time to stop asking if Ron Paul’s online support is going to materialize into primary votes, and begin questioning the support of the other candidates.

Will they be able to translate their phone support from traditional polls into, well…anything other than phone support in traditional polls?

Armed only with five smooth stones, an Israelite shepherd boy who would be king took down a Philistine giant.  It’s a historical event that is known better as a Sunday school tale.  Ron Paul, a Texas Congressman who would be President, has managed to gather his own tidy arsenal of smooth stones, and he is taking aim at his gigantic opponents. 

Reporting yesterday that his campaign contributions increased 114% in the third quarter, Ron Paul can only be described as a candidate on the rise.  In a quarter which is normally known for significant dips from contributors, Dr. Paul once again defied the mainstream.

The five-million dollars he raised in Q3 included raising an amazing $1.2 million online in the last seven days of the quarter.  Emboldened by this success, the bar has been raised for fourth quarter, and the Campaign is shooting to raise $12 million over the nexy 90 days. 

His success, no surprise to those who have been on board since the Revolution began, has already resulted in one of the first fair and balanced piece of mainstream media coverage on ABC news.  Are they hoping RP will float a few of those newfound dollars their way in the form of advertising revenue?  Perhaps.

In any case, Ron Paul can no longer be ignored, has demonstrated he is here to stay, and is the only reason Election ‘08 is shaping up to be a race worth watching.  Take aim, Dr. Paul.  The giants are coming for you.

“I don’t want to waste my vote.”

If you are a Ron Paul supporter, you have no doubt heard this. What’s surprising is not that  people say it, but the kind of people  who say it. I speak to intellegent, well-informed people, who overall agree with Ron Paul’s refreshingly sane political views. In the end, however, they aren’t going to “waste” their vote.

Americans still have the right to vote. We can cast a ballot, and let our voice be heard. Regular people, like you and I, can state our preference regarding the executive branch of our federal government. It is one of the pillars of a Constitutional Republic. So, what exactly is a wasted vote? I think the simplest definition would be to refuse to cast a vote. You have the right, the opportunity, and the inclination to vote, and decide against it. Refusing to vote, considered unpatriotic by some, and a way of life by others, is the definition of wasting a vote. Yet, refusing to vote does have a measurable effect on the outcome. It gives greater weight to the votes that are cast. A refusal to vote is a vote by default.

This is the assertion people are making when they say a vote for Ron Paul is a wasted vote. They see it as the equivalent of not voting at all. Why? Not because it won’t have any effect, but because it will only make it more likely that the greater of two evils will win. Let’s not entertain such idealistic notions that the best candidate can win. Instead, you might as well cast a direct vote for the “lesser” of two evils, since our only choice is really between the two evils, anyway. The other candidates are just for show.

Even if this were true, are these people enraged about the fact that we only have an illusory choice in the matter anymore? Does it bother them that it’s really a race between “two evils?” Nope. That’s just the way it is. Accept it, and move along with life. This is evidence of how much hope has been lost, not only in the election process, but in the power of protest.

Casting a vote is a form of protest. It is a protest for something, and against something else. Throughout history, protests have both succeeded and failed to bring about the desired change. It’s not about the outcome, but the act. Protest is inconvenient, socially unacceptable, and places us in a vulnerable position of having people ridicule or attack us. This is why true dissent is about fighting for something worth fighting for, regardless of the outcome. But this runs counter to the prevailing attitude in American culture.

No longer is it enough to just believe in the fight, but we must be guaranteed a shot at victory. Yes, before we fight a battle, we want to be assured that we will come out on top, or at least be able to hold our heads high after a dramatic defeat. Rocky Balboa lost his first match against Apollo Creed. But at least he managed to go all fifteen rounds. We’re only willing to lose as long as we can go out with a roar, not a whimper. On this basis, the Revolutionary War would never have been fought. The possibility of defat was too great. No protests would ever be waged. No Davids would ever stand up against any Goliaths. The message is clear: Instead of casting a vote that would signify our genuine choice, but might result in defeat, it is better to betray our convictions to be a part of the winning team.

So how do I define a truly wasted vote? I think a wasted vote is one that does not represent the true choice of the voter. You think Fred thompson is the answer to all our troubles? Then by all means vote for him. If everyone honestly voted according to their genuine convictions, not according to how many other people are on the same bandwagon, this election would be very interesting indeed. Remember, whoever the winner is, they are going to insist they received a mandate from the American people, and quote the vote totals to prove it. Are you prepared to give a mandate to Rudy or Hillary?

Can Ron Paul win? Of course he can win. Congressman Paul has recieved over $1.2 million in “wasted votes” during the last seven days of fundraising in September. Enough “wasted votes” have been cast since June to place him in the top three candidates in twenty out oftwenty-six straw polls. The real question is “Will he win?” More importantly, will you have been a part of the greatest political upset in political history if he does win?

The ideal conditions exist to allow for a Ron Paul victory. A crowded Republican field with no clear Establishment front-runner. A group of Democratic candidates being exposed as little more than the “good cop” foil to their Republican “bad cop” adversaries. A decentralized system of grassroots supporters growing daily in numbers, with instant communication and information dissemination capabilities at their fingertips. A growing war chest of campaign funds. And a man of integrity delivering a timeless message to a nation of people who are ripe to hear it.

Ron Paul may not win the Republican Primary, and he may not win the election. But I plan on wasting my vote on him anyway.

With a goal of raising $500,000 in the last six days of the quarter, the “Paulites” stepped up to the challenge and reached the goal in just 72 hours.  With three days to spare, the goal was doubled to one-million dollars, and should be easily reached before the deadline. 

So what did Congressman Paul have to say about the results?  “Frankly, I’m floored!” 

What remains to be seen is how floored the mainstream media will be, as well as his Republican Party opponents, when the third quarter campaign totals are announced in the upcoming weeks.  With funds currently coming in at a rate of over $10,000 per hour, whatever the total is, the results will be hard to ignore.

I am pro-life, and anti-abortion.  If you are a Christian, you most likely oppose abortion, too.  This flows from the belief that life is sacred, not result of a cosmic accident, and begins at conception. This is rooted in scriptures in the Bible which says that we were knit together by God in the womb, and fearfully and wonderfully made, among others.

Another thing most Christians believe is that aborted babies go to heaven to spend eternity with God.  This is not based on an emotional need to believe that those babies have gone to a better place, but also on Scripture.  When King David lost his child after his sin with Bathsheba, he is comforted by the knowledge that they will be reunited in the presence of God one day.  We talk of the age of accountability, an ambiguous point at which children become accountable to God for their sin.  It is generally understood that young children who die before then are accepted into the presence of God prior to embracing Jesus as Savior.

But, what I am about to say may enrage some people who will read this.

The tradgedy of abortion is multi-faceted.  Every abortion robs a soul of the opportunity to live.   A woman’s and man’s conscience is damaged by endorsing the act.  Many carry a weight of guilt that follows them through life, and sometimes keeps them from receiving the forgiveness that God offers. Brothers are denied sisters. Grandparents denied grandchildren.  The soul of our country made coarse and hollow from the destruction of the innocent.

Yet, from an eternal perspective, these children are secure.  They are safe in God’s arms. It can even be argued that some of them have been spared terrible circumstances and lives.  In fact, it is possible that many of the unwanted children would have never embraced the truth of the Gospel, and ultimately died later in life, seperated from God. 

Let me remind you, again: I am pro-life, and anti-abortion. I am just verbalizing a theological truth that exists regarding this issue.  Aborted babies are in the presence of God, and some are possibly there who would not be if they were allowed to live.

But, abortion is not really the point of this article. The War in Iraq, and ultimately all war, is.

It has come to light that rather than the 150,000 Iraqis who have reportedly been killed since we invaded in 2003, the number likely exceeds 650,000.  Please, research it yourself, rather than just swallowing the numbers from the Pentagon and reported on CNN.  But even if “only” 150,000 have died, where does that leave us? 

It leaves us with 150,000 souls who have entered eternity.  Where have they gone to, I ask?  About 3% of the people in Iraq are estimated to be Christians.  Out of 150,000 dead, perhaps 4,500 have gone to be with Jesus.  Conversely, 145,500 are weeping and gnashing their teeth. Forever.

No wait…. lots of the casulaties have been children…perhaps 20,000.  As we have noted, they are in the presence of God.  That leaves “only” 125,500 souls whose lives have been cut short, with no hope for all eternity.  Are we bothered by this? How do we justify our duplicity?  From an eternal perspective, the War in Iraq has robbed God of over 100,000 (perhaps 600,000) potential worshippers so far.  Abortion?  These souls worship in the presence of the Lord as we speak.  Am I minimizing the atrocity of abortion?  Absolutely not.  But have you minimized the atrocity of the War?This is not about which atrocity is greater, but that both abortion and the war are atrocities, with the war having potentially greater consequences stretching into eternity.

Why is the church silent?  Why is the church not concerned for the souls of these dead Iraqis?  Why not concerned with the thousands more who will die in the coming weeks and months as this will certainly continue?

Maybe we reason with ourselves:  After 9/11, they had it coming, right?  And what about those WMD’s?  Better them than us.  Certainly, these are the remnants of Saddams regime that make up the bulk of these numbers.  They must be eliminated for Democracy to prevail.

Unfortunately, the evidence does not support these assumptions.  Iraq and 9/11 are unrelated.  they never have been.  There were no WMD’s.  The Iraqui military forces, many of whom were ready to support the US efforts to bring stability to Iraq, were disbanded shortly after we took Saddam out of power.  The majority of these casualties represent civilians.  Men, women and children who simply want to live their lives in peace.

Don’t misunderstand.  These deaths have not been all at the hands of American military forces.  There are many reasons and many culprits.  However, it is the destablization of Iraq since we invaded that has laid the groundwork for what has transpired.  It’s a quagmire.  FUBAR.  And our foreign policy is what has created it.

The church is vocal about abortion, as it should be.  Many of us base entire elections upon which candidate vows to protect the sanctity of the unborn life.  But our hypocrisy is revealed as we silently endorse the killing that continues in a land far away, with no end in sight.  We do nothing, we say nothing.  We have blood on our hands.

And what of Iran?  An attack is almost a foregone conclusion.  In the year 2000, less than 1% were estimated to be Christians.  So, as we gear up to turn Iran into a glass parking lot, keep in mind that for every 1,000 who are killed there, roughly 996 will enter eternity seperated from God.  Except for the children, of course.

Our justification this time?  It sounds too familiar.  They might get some nukes in the future, and in turn, might bomb the United States.

Come to think of it, a pre-emptive strike on Iran may not be such a bad idea after all.  It may be the only way to prevent us from reaping what we’ve sown in Iraq.

Ron Paul is not the Messiah.  Nor do I worship him.  However, I am a proud member of the Church of Ron Paul.  As a former pastor and church planter, the parallels between the movement started two-thousand years ago by a guy named Jesus, and the movement I see happening today, ignited by a guy named Ron Paul, are striking.  

Before I get too far, let’s define the word “church.”  It comes from the Greek word “ekklesia,” meaning “gathering” or “called out ones.”  I am not using the term “church” in a denominational sense, or in reference to a place, but in reference to a group of people.  The New Testament church began as a diverse, dynamic, and passionate group of people, both on a local and global scale, who identified themselves as followers of Jesus Christ. 

Ron Paul’s message of freedom and liberty has spawned a church of sorts.  When I became a local Meetup organizer, I had no idea what I was getting into.  We started with a whopping twelve members in May of 2007.  However, in less than four months this group has blossomed into two Meetup groups with a combined total of over three-hundred.  This is but one example of hundreds around the country.

So what are the parallels between the New Testament church, and the Church of Ron Paul?  I have identified at least six. 

1. A faith founded upon ancient writings.  Christians put their faith in a collection of the ancient scriptures, considered to be the Word of God.  They take their marching orders from the Bible.  Ron Paul and his followers take their marching orders from another set of ancient documents.  It’s not “Thus saith the Lord” but ”Thus saith the Constitution.”  Though not divinely inspired, they still require our strict adherence.  Contrary to popular opinion, they are not outdated suggestions subject to our changing whims, and the Church of Ron Paul consistently points back to these founding documents as the pillars of our freedom. 

2. A transcendent truth embodied in a man.  Jesus Christ has attracted followers because He was the manifestation of universal truth.  Not only did He speak it, but He modeled and lived it.  Ron Paul embodies a universal truth regarding freedom and liberty that resonates within the hearts of men and women around the world.   He speaks a message that restores hope to people.  He claims it’s the message, not the man.  However, his integrity gives the message greater weight.  His speeches from decades ago sound the same as those he gave last week.  he is the champion of the Constitution.  Not a hypocrite, he walks the talk.

3.  A fellowship of diverse individuals.  The social boundaries that separated the tax collectors, prostitutes, doctors and lawyers of Jesus’ day are similar to those that prevent Democrats, Republicans, strippers and pot-smokers from peaceably coming together in our culture.  Yet, just as Jesus’ gospel of liberty united diverse people together two-thousand years ago, the message of Ron Paul is doing the same today.  The cultural cross-section of people represented at a local Meetup group is staggering.  We are indeed a motley crew.  This diversity has developed naturally because, as Dr. Paul has observed, “Freedom is popular.”

4.  A desire to evangelize and make disciples.  The Great Commission of the New Testament is summarized in two words: go and teach.  It is what has motivated international mission trips and evangelistic outreach efforts of churches for centuries.  Likewise, supporters of Ron Paul have a near religious fanaticism about spreading the word any way they can.  YouTube videos are our Bible tracts.  Our street preachers hold banners along freeway overpasses.  We are seeking converts, and make no apologies.   

5.  Self supporting through voluntary giving.  The level of generosity demonstrated by individual supporters to the Ron Paul Campaign is astounding.  Currently the “Raising to Win” drive is shooting for $500,000 in six days.  Contributions are currently coming in at a rate of $10,000 per hour.  Ron Paul has a history of thrift and prudence with other people’s money in Congress.  His presidential campaign has adopted the same stance.  The generosity of the American people should not be underestimated when they find something worth giving to, through channels they can trust.  

6. Numeric growth in spite of opposition.  Throughout history, the seed of the church was the blood of the saints.  The persecution of Christians has frequently occurred, not only from oppressive political regimes, but also from religious groups claiming to be Christian themselves.  Yet, the church often flourished during the harshest opposition.  We see the same thing as Ron Paul himself, and his supporters, are ridiculed and marginalized by members of the Democratic and Republican establishment.  Their attempts to detract from the movement are backfiring, drawing more supporters into the fold.

The Biblical message of liberty from bondage existed long before Jesus walked the earth as a man.  Likewise, Ron Paul’s message of freedom existed long before he gave it a contemporary face.  But he alone is currently turning over the tables of the money changers, and calling out the hypocrisy of our political Pharisees.  As far as my soul is concerned, I am trusting in Jesus.  But as far as my country is concerned, I’m putting my trust in Dr. Ron Paul.

They say Ron Paul is skinny because he won’t let special interests buy him lunch.  While this may be true, the grassroots campaign is incredibly fat with the volunteer efforts and contributions from Ron Paul Revolution foot soldiers who are taking the movement to the street.  This grassroots movement has sprung up partially due to the fact that Ron Paul’s National Campaign initially had significantly less money than their corporately-funded opponents.  However, is it possible that this lack of funds has actually been a blessing in disguise?

Necessity is the mother of invention, and there seems to be no end in sight to the inventions being created on a daily basis by individual Ron Paul supporters.  These creations range from professional quality banners, signs, flyers and posters, to eloquently written articles across the web, and in local newspapers.  On a micro level, the grassroots campaign efforts are a demonstration of the unregulated, free-market forces that Ron Paul espouses.A simple internet search will reveal a number of websites that are designed, hosted and paid for by individual Ron Paul supporters.  These websites contain everything from news articles to video clips to products.  Nearly all of this content is created or contributed by individual supporters. Need a t-shirt?  Currently, there are dozens of different t-shirt designs produced by independent people. In addition, you can find stamps, buttons, bracelets, commemorative coins and even pizza-delivery-style illuminated car toppers.  All of this in response to a huge demand in the marketplace, with innovative Ron Paul supporters rising up to meet it.  There has been no external oversight committee or price controls.  There have been no marching orders from a central location.  Supply and demand has taken over.  The best products are passed along word of mouth through a decentralized web of email addresses and social networking sites.  Local Meetups in various parts of the country are all passing out some of the same materials, no prompting necessary.  It’s called “emergence.” It is also an example of the open source trend that seems to be emerging on the web.  Different people from across the country are sharing their creative content for free in many cases.  Reproducible files for business cards and banners are posted for download.  DVD content is freely distributed for copying. All of the financial resources and personal effort expended by the “Paulites” has not eroded the National Campaign’s ability to raise funds, either.  Though they started with almost nothing when he announced his candidacy, the National Campaign recently raised more money than the entire GOP at the Texas Straw Poll.  In San Francisco, Ron Paul spoke at three sold out fundraising events, with $500-$2,000 admission prices.  Thousands of dollars were contributed in the Meet-up Fundraising Contest held last month.  The grassroots effort is contributing money and materials through every avenue available, and it is growing every week.It has been estimated that the value of the man hours and energy being put into the campaign on a local level by individual supporters is in excess of $10 million per quarter.  This is excluding contributions made directly to the campaign.  This catapults Ron Paul’s real campaign war chest into the same stratosphere currently inhabited by only Clinton, Romney and Giuliani.  Can anyone say “first-tier candidate?”The grassroots movement has no written constitution, but has proven to be self-legislating when it comes to handling schisms and in-fighting that has periodically surfaced concerning tangent issues.  An unwritten code has been almost unanimously accepted.  Focus on the issues that Ron Paul is focusing on.  Present Ron Paul’s public position papers and debate responses.  Don’t get sidetracked on issues he has not specifically addressed.The National Campaign has made suggestions and given some guidance to local groups, but there have been very few national conference calls.  There has been little “damage control” necessary.  It’s as if there are hundreds of sovereign “states” with thousands of individual citizens, and a “federal government” that has exercised a few limited powers, but is otherwise leaving things to the people.  Sound familiar?

The truth is that the other candidates wish they could manufacture what is happening organically in the Ron Paul revolution in their own campaigns.  They wish they could get thousands of individuals to sacrifice their money and their time, to contribute their creative energy and vision, to get their name out in front of the masses. But they can’t.

The Ron Paul Revolution may end up being one of the great contemporary examples of the free market in action.  It promotes personal sovereignty, and keeps power concentrated at the local level.   It rewards creativity and excellence, and creates stability and diversity in the marketplace. 

Imagine that.  The Founding Fathers may have been onto something after all.

“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” Gandhi

It is obvious that, after seeing the Fox News Debates on Sept. 5th, 2007, the mainstream media and GOP see Ron Paul as enough of a threat to stop ignoring him, and to start ridiculing him. From using a split screen to show Giuliani smirking as Ron Paul answers his questions, to the background chuckles as he is asked questions, Ron Paul has apparently become the butt of an inside joke. 

However, with a 33% win in the post-debate poll, it is Ron Paul who should be laughing. Of course, Sean Hannity could not resist making the ridiculous statement that the “Paulites” had spammed the poll. The argument, both false and illogical, is used to attempt to plant the seed in the minds of the American people that Ron can’t win, and conclude he is a “wasted” vote.

If it were possible to vote multiple times from one cell phone, then what would be the advantage for Ron Paul anyway? The mainstream media would have us believe that the “front-runner” candidates are so popular, wouldn’t their supporters also text multiple times? In any case, it is impossible to vote twice.  I tried it to make sure. So, unless Ron Paul supporters have suddenly become an independently wealthy group of lunatics, with dozens of cell phones each, the results must be representative of REAL PEOPLE.

The bottom line? The FOX News talking heads would have us believe that when the polls show unacceptable results, they must be wrong. This argument is wearing very thin. The American viewers who were paying attention were sure to see the obvious bias of the debate coverage. A full thirty minutes passed before Dr. Paul was given a chance to answer a question.  This, after the “big three” had answered two or three each.  Tancredo was also given very little time compared to McCain, Romney, and Giuliani.  

The bias was not only in the in total time, but also the placement of the time. McCain, Giuliani, and Romney got both the first and the last word in the minds of the American people, opening and closing the debates.  Then, they were the first to be interviewed by Neocon lapdog Hannity. 

Ron Paul will not win over the entire Republican base.  But he does not have to.  The Ron Paul Revolution embodies the United, not Divided, States, as Huckabee would insinuate.  He is pulling support from both sides of the aisle, drawing in the independents and the disenfranchised as well.  The Republican and Democratic voters who put party loyalty above the issues will never vote for Ron Paul.  Fortunately, they represent the minority.

So here we are, in the second phase of Gandhi’s aformentioned four phases.  This is good news, because it means we are starting to make a difference.  However, I predict that it won’t take long for them to move into full attack mode, looking for any and every opportunity to discredit and expose the skeletons in the closet Ron Paul must be hiding from the American people.  Fortunately for us, we have a man with the integrity, character, and voting record to back up what he says.