On February 28, 1854, 30 individuals who opposed any further compromise on slavery met in a little white schoolhouse in Ripon, Wisconsin and vowed to influence the American political climate. They didn't yet have a name for their group, but they had a burning issue. In June, 1854, Horace Greeley editorialized that the people behind this cause should call themselves the "Republican Party," and the name took hold.
Four months after the little Wisconsin meeting, on July 6, 1854, nearly 10,000 people attended a mass rally in Jackson, Michigan, to further the cause, and the Republican Party became an official party. Four months later, 13 members had been newly elected to the U.S. House of Representatives as Republicans.
The rest is well-known history. Republicans won the U.S. Presidency 6 years later in 1860 and determined political policy in the U.S. for many years thereafter.
How could such a profound change in the American political scene happen so quickly? It had to be a miracle, right?
The miracle was Republicans had a single burning issue that resonated deep in the majority's heart and soul, and it was an issue not being satisfactorily addressed by anyone else.
Fast forward to 2015 and the campaign to nominate Rand Paul. Pundits say it would take a miracle. We ask: Is there a single burning issue which tugs on the depths of people's souls, and is yet an issue not being addressed by opponents?
In his candidacy announcement speech, Rand talked about not a single burning issue, but several issues. Please take a moment to honestly grade these several issues against our question.
(1) Cutting spending and debt/fixing crony system of government. All voters feel wrenched deep in their soul about this, true or false? No other candidate is addressing this issue, true or false?
(2) Freeing America's capitalism/prosperity for inner cities and everyone. All voters feel wrenched deep in their soul about this, true or false? No other candidate is addressing this issue, true or false?
(3) Freeing education/school choice. All voters feel wrenched deep in their soul about this, true or false? No other candidate is addressing this issue, true or false?
(4) Rational foreign policy/willingness to recognize and defend against true enemies. All voters feel wrenched deep in their soul about this, true or false? No other candidate is addressing this issue, true or false?
(5) Insuring citizen privacy from government spying. All voters feel wrenched deep in their soul about this, true or false? No other candidate is addressing this issue, true or false?
If you've graded the above honestly, you will know whether millions of people are likely to suddenly feel a gut level urgent calling to jump on Rand Paul's bandwagon. You will know if Rand Paul's approach is good enough to create a political miracle.
Strangely, there is a burning issue which Rand Paul did not mention and which would create the needed miracle. And strangely, it's the same issue that originally gave rise to the Republican Party.
No compromise on slavery.
Show a man that he is being enslaved, and his entire soul will cringe deep inside. Tell a woman that for her own good she needs to agree to be a slave, and her entire being will rebel. Slavery is a deeply wrenching burning issue.
Liberal-progressive Democrats and machine Republican enablers have been increasingly asking the American people to accept slavery "for their own good," and in many instances simply enslaving people against their will. Not everyone recognizes this because of the illusion of "government by the people." But what happens if a candidate starts pointing out that the emperor has no clothes? What happens if a candidate starts calling a spade a spade?
Unfortunately, Rand Paul will not come right out and declare: "It's not about this surface issue, or that surface issue, or any surface issue. It's about slavery!" clearly stating the one burning issue that no one else is addressing. So the miracle will not be created this time around.
Yet most of the issues mentioned by Rand Paul imply he would end today's form of slavery. In their intellects, people may not take the hint and may not make the connection. But inside themselves implications are felt, each a little soul-impregnation. So Rand Paul continues planting seeds, like Barry Goldwater or Ron Paul before him.
Will Rand Paul win the Republican Party nomination? Probably not, unless he shifts from hinting and implying to specifically pointing out that slavery by any other form is still slavery.
But he is sowing seeds far and wide. Even atheists can understand the following teaching of Jesus:
And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the wayside, and the fowls came and devoured them up. Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth, and when the sun was up, they were scorched and because they had no root, they withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprung up, and choked them. But others fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
Assuming Rand Paul fails to win the nomination of the anti-slavery party, his campaign is nonetheless a winning campaign. Why? Because there are always some seeds that fall on good ground and bring forth fruit.
The device which even more deeply prepares freedom lovers for success, A Course in Miracles , talks about our ultimate need to free ourselves from every kind of slavery:
You have been told to bring the darkness to the light, and guilt to holiness. And you have also been told that error must be corrected at its source. Therefore, it is the tiny part of your self, the little thought that seems split off and separate, that the Holy Spirit needs. The rest is fully in God's keeping, and needs no guide. But this wild and delusional thought needs help, because, in its delusions, it thinks it is the Son of God, whole and omnipotent, sole ruler of the kingdom it set apart to tyrannize by madness into obedience and slavery.
Also available free of charge online:
Course in Relationship Miracles
1 comment:
Give him time. We have yet begun to fight in this campaign.
What's different this time? In hundreds of counties across America, people with the philosophy of Ron Paul have been getting elected to committees over the last 3-7 years. In my county I've been on the committee 5 years and we are 40-45%. And in August 2014 I was elected Chairman. We are the largest county committee in our state. We are assimilating ourselves into the party and doing the work (I'm also on the state committee). In fact I am getting called "establishment" by some Ron Paul people. Which I consider hilarious. I am Ron Paul in philosophy and I fully support Rand. Just as Rand is doing what is necessary to position himself for 2016, so is the movement. We are ready to roll for Rand when the time comes.
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