Some Hard Questions That Are A Decade Late

"The unsophisticated people are always taken in by appearances, and the world consists mostly of the unsophisticated"

While I disagree with Matt Erickson on a lot, one of the most salient points he recently made when it comes to using the Libertarian Party, or any platform, to “spread liberty,” is: how do you “spread liberty,” or even begin a movement where people are demanding a smaller government without control of the media, academia, etc.? The neoliberal establishment, as well as the “woke fiends,” didn’t just jump on the scene and seize power. No, they had a plan that took generations to take control of communication and education.

So, what’s the Libertarian plan? Even if Ron Paul managed to get elected in 2012, do you honestly believe he could’ve ended the Fed? Gotten the State out of academia? Shrunk the government? No. The same Cathedral that demonized Trump for four years would’ve gone even harder at Dr Paul because they know he’s serious and not a buffoon. So, again, what’s the plan? Or is this the libertarian version of “Trust the Plan”?

Re-igniting the Ron Paul Revolution sounds all well and good until you ask what it has achieved other than turning a bunch of people into theory wonks. The Free State Project was in force before Dr Paul’s 2007 run. Yes, the Mises Caucus was created because of the Ron Paul Revolution but Dr Paul ran as a Republican. He was on the big stage. I doubt any LP candidate will come close to a debate stage… ever.

Again, what’s the plan? Say the LP puts up a candidate that ignites a “boots on the ground” movement with “Money Bombs” and young people chanting mantras, what’s next? Do you funnel them all into the Mises Caucus? And for what purpose? The only purpose I can envision that has a chance of being successful is to train them to become locally active. I honestly believe there are many areas of the country that can be changed locally. If that is the plan, cool. I’m all for it.

But I will mention one more concern. What if it all fails? What if there is no rebirth of the Ron Paul Revolution? All of those people who have recently bought into the re-igniting the Revolution plan, what happens to their psyche if this all fails? And when you take into consideration the last 16 months and how dependent the culture is on big government, assuming this is going to work may be sophistry. Do I hope it works? Yes. Do I expect it to? I have my doubts.