First of all, I have to say I am a Ron Paul supporter. Wholeheartedly. Did you see him on Leno last night? I hope you did – because it was a nice surprise to see him finally get a fair shake: Jay brought some attention to the fact that Dr. Paul has been snubbed by FoxNews without good reason, and Jay also allowed Dr. Paul to clarify a couple of things being said about him.

Hopefully, more people will hear about him and they’ll like him. If that happens, they won’t like him for an idiotic reason, such as his race, his looks, his sex, or his party affiliation. They’ll like him (i.e. support him) for better reasons.

I like Ron Paul for a few (good) reasons. I’m not a political analyst and I’m not a political science super-genius, but I consider myself a good judge of character and I am a believer in justice as well as a guy who wants what’s best for my country. (Oh yeah and I’m a guy who is open to others’ opinions, which means I’m not blindly loyal to a political party.)

So why do people like Ron Paul? If most Paul supporters think the way I think, there will be a few basic criteria. Here are my quick reasons for liking Ron Paul:

1. He is honest and open. How do I know that? Well…it might sound foolish, but you can just tell by listening to him and watching him. He’s a person who looks honest and who looks like he has nothing to hide. But let’s say you need evidence that he’s open and honest: in that case, do a little Googling (and YouTube-ing) and you’ll find that he really IS exactly who he says he is – he’s consistent, he’s been very plain and open, and there’s no evidence he’s been hiding things from the American people.
   Now, contrast that with the other top five candidates in both parties. Tell me of who else this can be said. So yeah, I like Ron Paul because essentially I feel I can trust him to tell me the truth.
2. He shows wisdom coupled with character. I’ll not get into specifics (again just Google and read for yourself) but the guy is not only smart (that’s one thing) but he’s wise. (There’s a difference by the way. Intelligence can be exclusive of wisdom.) He reminds me of a lot of older people I’ve known in my life who just…know stuff. Older people know stuff because they’ve lived longer, done more, made more mistakes, observed more things, and experienced more events than us young folks. So they’re worth listening to. But listening to him speak about issues such as health care, the economy, the war, and our national debt has shown me that not only does he understand the issues at stake but he understands them with greater depth than I’ve seen from the other candidates. Is it because he better understands the principles behind the way things work? Is it because he’s being truthful, while they are not? No, those aren’t necessarily the reasons. I think what he says rings more true because he has solutions that aren’t always easy. That’s where the character comes in: instead of telling me everything is just gonna be all right, he tells me I’m gonna have to buckle down and get out of debt and we can’t just keep printing worthless paper money. (Am I just crazy, or isn’t that actually the right thing to do???) He seems to think he has some kind of….responsibility to me, as well.
3. He doesn’t just follow the crowd. He doesn’t seem to be the kinda guy that can easily be fooled. He doesn’t go with the latest winds of change. No, he is a person who consistently abides by set principles. When he makes a decision, he gives solid reasons for doing so (reasons you can understand when he’s done talking, by the way).  He holds unpopular positions when the situation calls for it, whether the vast sea of sheeple oppose him or not (our awesomely successful war in Iraq comes to mind as well as those heartwarming Patriot Acts). It’s not that he’s a “maverick” or a “rebel” that I like about Ron Paul – it’s the fact that he’s willing to fight for the right thing even it is means he has to stand alone. Isn’t that what LEADERS are supposed to do?
4. He represents my interests. He’s not a Washington career politician who’s on the payroll of the lobbyists – right now Google the terms “ron paul lobbyists” and see what you get? If you don’t read some of those excellent articles just look at the headlines and you get the message right away: “Why Lobbyists Hate Ron Paul”, “DC Lobbyists Can’t Stand Ron Paul”. Sentences like “lobbyists don’t even bother to visit his office anymore” make me smile. Charts like this make me trust the guy more. So if he’s not busy taking handouts, what’s he doing? Well, he’s always talking about stuff like a “free society“, “liberty“, “individual rights“, and keeping government in check. It almost sounds like he’s still one of “us” – a regular American who wants what’s best for his family and country – and not a DC Robot who no longer cares about us common folks. (Hmmm…) Maybe it’s because he values our Constitution and is aware enough to realize that once our Constitution is done away with, so are we. Heck, when I read what this guy stands for I know he’s actually doing his job.

Is he a politician who’s trying to impress people? Is he a politician who, when asked a question, just talks and talks – without ever actually answering the question? Is he a slick performer who’s all sizzle (and no steak)? There’s ample evidence that he’s NOT that guy. He’s the guy we all want to have, and the guy the Average American will think he’s getting (regardless of who Average American votes for).

No one wants the “slick politician”. Everyone wants the leader who will do what’s right and actually help our nation. And overwhelmingly, that’s the leader I see when I examine Dr. Paul – genuine, good person who will be a strong leader and do what is right.

And that’s why people like Ron Paul.

Stumble it!