At Liberty Conference, Ron Paul Supporters Move Forward

By: Alex Bruns

Creative Commons photo courtesy of Jayel Aheram.

When Brian Doherty, senior editor of the Libertarian magazine Reason, wrote "Radicals for Capitalism: A History of the Modern American Libertarian Movement" in 2007, Texas Rep. Ron Paul's name appeared on only three pages. Concerning political movements, "politicians are lagging indicators, not leading indicators," Doherty said.

Even though his back-to-back presidential campaigns in 2008 and 2012 failed, Paul managed to win a victory of sorts: using some of the money he raised campaigning, he started a political advocacy organization, the Campaign for Liberty.

"Since the world is imperfect, we'll never have perfect liberty," Paul said at the group's September annual conference in Northern Virginia. "But if we don't campaign for liberty the other side is going to keep campaigning for statism and big government and they are our enemy and we must stop them."

Campaign for Liberty is focused mostly on grassroots organizing. Supporters came from as far away as Arizona to take part in the three-day, second annual Liberty Political Action Conference.

Over the last few decades the two main American political parties have diverged, shifting to the left and right. The ranks of self-identified, and disenfranchised, independents swelled. Even though the so-called liberty movement has always had its core supporters, the crowds showing up at Paul rallies during the Republican presidential primary represented a newer, younger sort of Libertarian enthusiasm.

"I am trying to attach to the movement because I have strong feelings about their core argument," said Kareem El-Heneidi, a technology consultant from New York. "I'm in a quagmire because originally I was a Republican, defected to Democrat, and now seeking Libertarianism but without reversing the important progress this country made in protecting the poor and the weak."

At the conference it was clear there is a divide. When Paul delivered the keynote address, the crowd cheered with the same level of enthusiasm for a line about a laissez-faire approach to government and leaving those with less power to suffer their own losses, as they hooted for calls for a compassionate sort of Libertarianism -- one that protects the worst off.

Paul was indeed the rock star of the event. Republican Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky, and Jim DeMint of South Carolina, and GOP Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan each spoke to the gathering on Thursday. But the elder Paul was the main attraction.

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At Liberty Conference, Ron Paul Supporters Move Forward