Wednesday, October 3, 2007

Ron Paul astounds with $5m in 3rd quarter

Amazing news, but not unexpected by those who have been following Ron Paul's campaign closely:

The Ron Paul 2008 presidential campaign raised $5,080,000 during the third quarter of 2007. That is an impressive 114 percent increase from the second quarter. Cash on hand for the Paul campaign is $5,300,000.

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Ron Paul's 114 percent increase is in stark contrast to the decrease suffered by Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani, and John McCain. Romney's fundraising was down 29 percent. Giuliani was down 40 percent. McCain was down 55 percent. [source.]

The third quarter (which includes the slow summer months) is normally a slower quarter for presidential campaigners. Ron Paul defies this trend by more than doubling his total earnings , putting him in a very good place for the upcoming months.

This is really "go time" for Ron Paul supporters. His campaign is growing stronger and his base is becoming wider. The more people that hear Ron Paul's message and and the more people that learn what he actually stands for (as opposed to media misrepresentation) - the more supporters he will gain. Mainstream news organizations such as the Associated Press, Reuters, the New York Times, USA Today, and cable networks are being forced to take notice.

Ron Paul's earnings put him well ahead of Mike Huckabee, another appealing candidate to conscientious Catholic voters. It will be very difficult for Huckabee to continue campaigning with his limited funds. Ron Paul, however, with a 100% pro-life voting record and a platform very much in-tune with Catholic social teaching, continues to gain momentum. In a related vein, I think the totality of his positions as well as his previous record make him a more favorable candidate in many ways than Fred Thompson.

For instance, his opposition to the Iraq War is not a result of an isolationist tendency. He believes the US should not go to war illiegaly and without a declaration of Congress. He supported the war in Afghanistan, for instance, because it directly focused on eliminating terrorist cells and was conducted within the rule of law.

He is a strict constitutionalist, and will not vote for any legislation that he believes contradicts it. This principle has earned him the nickname "Dr. No", but it also reveals a man who is uncompromising in his principles, even if it means political harm.

Again, his take on economics issues is nuanced and well-founded, in contradistinction to the profligate, dangerous spending increasingly embraced by the mainstream GOP. He wants to eliminate undue taxes and let people keep the fruits of their labor. He supports personal liberty, but includes within his definition of a person the unborn child from the moment of conception.

Ron Paul is also not afraid to change his mind when he is proven wrong, as his stance on the impermissibleness of the death penalty in America demonstrates. He is a politician without the vices that sadly characterize most politicians.

That's just a few things about Ron Paul. There is much more to say. Please continue reading these pages or ask in the comment box about clarification regarding his views on other issues. Thank you!