I don't know that much about him, though he seems intriguing, from what the
little I have heard. I am certainly troubled by the way the process
essentially shuts someone like him out from real contention in many ways; a
point made, ironically, by the Iranian president on Charlie Rose last night.
That is, out a country of 300 million, even 4 years out, the number of
American citizens with any realistic chance of becoming the next president
was probably well under 100 (counting those with the interest, desire, name
recognition, financial resources, minimal qualifications, etc.) By 2 years
out, this number was down to maybe 20, max. By now, it's down to, what,
maybe 2 or 2 in each party - maybe 5 persons with any real chance?
But again, all of this is OUR fault; for acquiescing to the existing system
and state of affairs, and for so long. And I would include in this the
failure to question institutions like the Presidency over the last 231
years, since we declared independence. The institution, which Bush has
given us the great gift of helping show, if we'd only see this, is an
obsolete anachronism in a modern world; one which confers infinitely more
power and consequentiality onto any modern occupant (not just Bush) than the
King of England we claimed to have revolted against because we didn't want
to live under such a powerful personage. That we accept all of this and
don't even think to question, that we can question any of this, is
reflection of our disempowerment and our distorted perception that the
people who gave us this government were not only the smartest people of
their time, but were effectively deities or messagers of deities or a
religion or other absolute truth; such that the system they gave us 230 plus
years ago would also be the best possible system for all time, no matter how
much things change.
If Paul is really for change then he should probably try to run as an
independent, perhaps in coalition with one or some others; maybe even
establish a new movement or even party. If I were him, I would go directly
to the people, over the heads of the mainstream media and political
structure. But if he is holding himself out (or being taken) as yet another
Messiah, another white knight, then that is a pseudo answer. The real
answer is for a leader to, as Bill Bradley says, reflect back on the people,
to show and inspire them and us to empower ourselves to bring about real
change, including making whatever changes are needed. Always looking for
this or that white knight who we desperately hope has the answers we can't
come up with ourselves; hoping they will make better all that the past
white knight-now-turned-Demon-Bush-Cheney ended up making such a mess of.
The answer isn't to find one white knight to clean up the mess of another,
fallen one. The real answer is for us to stop relying on white nights,
experts, gurus, religions, ideologies, parties, political leaders, religious
leaders, teachers, etc. and start realizing that we have the capacity to
come up with our own answers, and start doing so.
Randall
----- Original Message -----
From: "Matthew Taylor" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, September 25, 2007 9:10 AM
Subject: Re: [CGUYS] Fw: [CGUYS] [ OT WARNING!!!!
Like him, hate him, think him a loon or a wise man, but Ron Paul is
definitely not cut from the same cloth as the other candidates for
President.
On Sep 24, 2007, at 3:46 PM, Randy wrote:
Someone for real, fundamental change wouldn't run for President
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