more traction for paul

Was just cleaning out my email spam box and happened across another "Us vs. Them" mass email update from some conservative internet site -- I've mysteriously ended up on several such mailing lists over the years, but it all gets routed directly to the spam box and I almost never look at any of it. But this one was different. Its headline was this Ron Paul article, which discusses how Paul has slowly but surely become a quasi-significant presence in the Republican fray. Not that this has caused him to get any more attention from the puppet masters in the so-called "mainstream" media, but his army of supporters is at least growing by leaps and bounds.

Although I thought the article was at least partially incorrect in implying that Paul's support comes from a hodge-podge mix of various fringe groups and disenchanted voters -- I think his support includes more (real) conservatives than the article's tone accounts for -- the author(s) did hit the mark with this one: "[H]e appeals to a mix of liberals and conservatives who feel alienated and deeply distrustful of the government." Um, yeah, I'm most definitely in that camp. I'll gladly hoist the extremist flag when it comes to my opinion of government at higher levels. I don't know how many Paul supporters are actually liberals who just want a new face, but it's not hard to see how a candidate who actually has real ideas and isn't afraid to confront the real issues facing younger voters would have widespread appeal across ideological lines.

Unfortunately for America, there are far too many "emoticon voters" out there who just want somebody who looks slick, sounds smooth, and tickles their good feelings, but it's reassuring to see Paul getting some numbers. I wouldn't have guessed there would be that many folks with the sense to even consider his message. I wouldn't say it's restored my faith in the American populace by any degree, but much more of that behavior from the masses and I might just start coming around.