Ron Paul thinks it’s time. I do too, not because I think he has a realistic chance of winning, but because the ideas he has offered for 30 years need to be a part of our mainstream political discussion.

Paul says “no” to most any government initiative that falls outside the bounds of those functions specified in the Constitution, thus he is despised by traditional Republicans almost as much as by Democrats. His minimalist philosophy of government offends the Peoples’ Party and the Party of Big Business alike.

For far too long, we have been offered a ridiculous choice in American politics. We can go with the party that openly advocates expanding government or we can vote for the party that advocates shrinking government while surreptitiously expanding it. Hmmmmm…raise your hand if you think this is a con.

Ron Paul seems to be a true libertarian. He wants taxes lowered, government shrunk, and politicians out of bed with business. He wants sound money and sound spending decisions. He sounds to long-time libertarians like me as if he can at least get people to talking about a new approach to government–one that won’t bankrupt us as a nation and squander our individual rights.

I don’t know whether Ron Paul can even make a dent in the armor of today’s vested interests. When you take on crony capitalists and their legislating whores, somebody is bound to get upset. Look for dirty politics from both sides. I cannot imagine how far they would go to keep him from winning.

And by the way, even if you don’t agree with him, cheer him on. He is doing us all a favor by challenging the Republocrat establishment. I for one wish him well.