Ron Paul: Official Republican Punching Bag, or Laughing Stock?

The old saying goes, if you turn around and nobody is following, you're not leading. Ron Paul is a first rate Libertarian, and by many accounts, an excellent representative for the constituents in his district. But throughout the Republican debate of September 5, he was laughed at, and scorned by his fellow Republicans on stage.

Is that an indictment of his policy by Republicans? Yes. Republicans didn't give him a strong show of support at Ames and haven't shown much support in the polls. More than that, on the other hand, it is an indictment of his choice to be a Republican. The Republican party of 100 or 150 years ago is nothing like the Republican Party of today, and with good reason.

The United States isn't a nation on the far side of the Earth, removed by communication and travel barriers from its European roots. The United States of today is a nation immersed in the woes and good fortunes of the world. The trade and political structures of the modern world are complex and demanding. An isolationist plan is a plan for economic deprivation and political malaise.

If we don't lead, I don't know of another country that will. I've said repeatedly that Ron Paul's ideas on small government are appealing. But the price for them - abject defeat at the hands of Jihad - is prohibitively expensive. We will get killed with an isolationist policy.

That isn't hyperbole.

It's time for Ron Paul to pack the crates and head back to the Libertarian Party. He'd be well suited to lead them and the Quixotic crusade against the inevitable. He's not suited at all to lead a party who doesn't know whether it should mock him or shun him. The Libertarians will embrace him and he won't be missed on the Republican ballot.