Leadership to Freedom

It’s not often that you find someone in politics that has the character to do what’s right, and stand by what he believes regardless of the consequences to his career. It takes courage to stand up for what you believe in and never waver, even when you know that you can get ahead by going along with the majority.

In Orrin Woodward’s book ‘Resolved: 13 Resolutions for Life‘ he devotes a chapter to having character; Choosing character over reputation anytime they conflict. He gave a great example of a man who displayed character using Ludwig Von Mises, and how he promoted the Austrian theory of economics knowing it to be correct. He did this when everyone else around him was getting ahead and accepted by the establishment by saying what people wanted them to say. Ludwig Von Mises stood by his beliefs at great personal cost, because it was the right thing to do. That is character.

Ludwig Von Mises may be gone but his kind of influence lives on; most notably through the Ludwig Von Mises Institute. There is such a man alive today however, and his name is Ron Paul. This article is not going to go into much detail on his ideas, but will be about why his character is so important in how he attracts his followers, and how his character is what makes it so easy to hear what he has to say and believe in it.

Many people, especially in the mainstream media (MSM), don’t understand how someone with Ron Paul’s views and stature can attract so much enthusiasm, from so many people. There confusion is understandable since many pundits in the MSM try to not even talk about him, or always put him down for his views when he is mentioned. What they don’t seem to understand is the influence of someone who has the character to stand up for what is right when all he has to do to be accepted is fall in line with the status quo.

A true man of character will not fall in line to save his reputation however. A man of character will stick to the truth and never waiver from his convictions when they are shown to be correct. Let’s look at what Ron Paul has done to show his unwavering character, and see why this attracts followers like no other politician.

He is the only politician I’ve seen that does not say things or promise things with the intent of winning votes. He has always voted for what he believes, and does not flip-flop on his views to please the crowd. From his extensive studies in economics and the principles of freedom, he tells people how things actually work, even though it’s not what most people want to hear. Most politicians make promises to people in order to win votes, regardless of what it means to future generations or to people’s freedom. They will promise things the government can’t afford and let future generations foot the bill; plus interest. They will pass laws in the name of security or religion to win votes even though it removes people’s freedom; even though it stops them from making their own choices when those choices have no effect on those around them. Ron Paul on the other hand, who knows it’s wrong to tax people just to please a special interest group, will never do such a thing. He will fight for the future generation of Americans who will have to foot the bill on the money that is burrowed. He will fight for your right to make your own choice even if he himself doesn’t agree with it. Even though the majority of Americans want to get something for nothing he will not promise these things to win votes, because he knows it’s wrong. Even though the Republican base is completely against drugs and same-sex marriage, Ron Paul who is also against this will stand by his principles of freedom and let people decide for themselves. He does this knowing it costs him support. Other politicians have no problem controlling the lives of certain groups if it will get them votes, regardless of the cost to individual freedoms. Ron Paul is a man of character.

In the Republican primary, he could have fallen in line with what the establishment wanted (bigger government, no cuts to military, cuts to programs that the poor are counting on…) If he did he might have had a much better chance of getting the nomination. Instead, even though he got booed on his foreign policy ideas, he stuck with them because he knew the truth about what is happening in the world around us, and he wasn’t going to lie to the people just to get votes.

His whole career he has being saying the same things, and promoting the same ideas even though he was often ridiculed for them. He never let that sway his actions or his speeches. He always said what he believed, and his actions always followed his words. The best example of this is his foreign policy. So many people have said they would support him if not for his foreign policy. Paul was warned over and over again that if he kept his mouth shut on foreign policy he would do very well, but that would not have been the right thing to do. The right thing to do was to be honest about his beliefs, and how the current foreign policy was bringing down the country and causing more danger to the American people than his idea of peace. He could have caved in if all he cared about was personal advancement; but Ron Paul is a man of character.

I believe that he has the following he does now because he didn’t fall in line. With so few politicians having the character to do what is right, he stands out like a beacon. He will not lie to you. He will not vote on laws that will sacrifice future generations to satisfy the immediate desires of people today.

Like Ludwig Von Mises in his time, Ron Paul is intent on spreading the principles of economics that actually work, even though it goes against everything that the establishment teaches and promotes. The establishment needs the system working the way it does, because it is what gives the government its power. Ron Paul knows this and he sees how politicians are using the current system to promote their own agenda and careers. He sees how they are constantly reducing our freedoms day by day and is standing up for what people are starting to see as an important issue; freedom. And this has cost him politically. He is shunned by the rest of his party because his beliefs would hurt many in his party who uses the system for their own benefit. Shunned as he is, he refuses to capitulate to them. He  has stood by his convictions to the end.

One of the main reasons Ron Paul has attracted so many people these days is because people are waking up to the problems around them, and are starting to feel that the system we have is broken. The fact that Ron Paul has continually stood by his principles and never used his power for personal gain has shown people that he can be trusted. Even though you may not believe in everything he says, his integrity attracts people to hear what he has to say. We know that he is not just saying it to please people, but that he truly believes what he says. Without that trust, his ideas would still be considered on the fringe, instead of being seriously discussed in debates and in the media today. The fact that all his predictions that he has been making over the past 30 years is coming true helps in this area, but people wouldn’t not have taken the time of day to look into these ideas if he didn’t show himself to be a man of character from the beginning.

Even though other candidates got more votes in the primaries, none of them had more people come to their events than Ron Paul. No one cheered for the other candidates like they did when coming to support Ron Paul. That is because the people believe in Ron Paul, while the people who support the other politicians are supporting them more out of resignation than out of belief and trust.

Although the story might be over for Ron Paul’s presidency, his character will live on. His leadership has attracted throngs of people to his ideas, and his influence has inspired others to take up the call of liberty. His character is the key to his leadership ability, and it is this that has allowed a whole new generation to take up that call of freedom. I believe these people will be inspired through Ron Paul’s example of character to do the right thing themselves, and spread the principles of freedom and prosperity throughout the nation. I believe these followers will do so with character. Ron Paul led by example, and example is the best way to lead.