Crazy Is Not Taking Ron Paul Seriously

It is true that Paul has yet to have the successful poll numbers seen by Mike Huckabee in Iowa. Some polls have Huckabee in a statistical tie with Mitt Romney, and an upset may be brewing in the Hawkeye state.

So can we just ignore Paul's impact because of his lack of prominence in the polls? I think not.

Paul attracts many conservatives and independents alike because of his principled positions. He touts liberty and wants limited government that adheres to the Constitution. This can be seen by looking at a few of his positions: on foreign policy (end foreign wars and entanglements like the United Nations), on monetary policy (junk the Federal Reserve and return to a gold standard) and domestic policy (eliminate government agencies like the IRS, FBI and CIA).

Are these positions unusual in the current political environment? Sure, but they all represent ideas consistent with a conservative philosophy. The Republican party has struggled mightily for its soul of late because of political expedience. Fiscal conservatives and social conservatives no longer see eye to eye. Karl Rove's drive to develop a permanent majority has foundered, and many conservatives want to remake the party.

Some have found Ron Paul, and so we can't ignore his influence on this election. I early on called him a dark horse and predicted he would leave a mark on this election. He has whether or not he wins a primary.