Republicans will have a bright future if Paul wins

Maybe you do not agree with his foreign policy of peace and non-interventionism.

Perhaps you heard some sort of distortion that he wants to legalize heroine when, in reality, he wants to leave that decision rightfully, and Constitutionally, up to the states.

The fact is, this presidential election is neither about heroine nor entirely about foreign policy. It is about the economy, and no Republican candidate knows economics better than Texas Congressman Ron Paul.

Small government Conservatism is all the rage with Republicans these days, and no candidate better represents that movement than the founder of the Tea Party himself, Ron Paul.

In commemoration of the Boston Tea Party, a moneybomb was held on December 16, 2007, when Ron Paul raised $6 million in a 24-hour period. This was the very beginning of the Tea Party movement.

Yet, the undeniable fact of the matter is, Paul still does not win over mainstream Republicans. Many, who in fact claim to be passionate Tea Party members, think of Paul as a "kook" or "crazy."

But still many of these people parade as small government aficionados and rave about the foul taste Obama has left in their mouths, while simultaneously writing off the single candidate who truly believes in freedom and small government in favor of establishment figures such as Mitt Romney, Rick Perry and Palin-esque Michele Bachmann.

Paul has been ahead of the curve on economic issues. He was the first to raise questions about the Federal Reserve and its effect on the economy through the business cycle.

Now, the business cycle discussion is being talked from newer angles and much more intellectually.

Paul has been a different kind of politician in that, namely, he has shown integrity throughout his time in Washington.

Indeed, he has been the most consistent politician in, perhaps, American history. Paul has stood true to his principles and convictions through the decades, being the lone "no" vote in Congress numerous times.

Not once in his decades of political service has Paul once voted to raise taxes.

Social conservatives need not fret. Paul is vehemently anti-abortion and favors repealing Roe v. Wade. Additionally, he defines marriage as being between a single man and a single woman.

However, what separates Paul from the other candidates on these issues is that he does not allow his personal views to come into conflict with his views on the role of government.

Make no mistake, while Paul is a social conservative, he is a small government proponent first.

That means allowing anti-abortion and pro-gay marriage laws at the state level if such laws are passed.

Maybe that infuriates you about Paul, but it shouldn't. It is a sign of true principle and love of the Constitution.

No other Republican candidate for the presidency can claim to have such fondness of the Constitution or of limited government.

That's what Republicans want these days, isn't it?

In actuality, a person cannot truly be in favor of small government if he only favors it in the realms that appeal to him. Social freedom and economic freedom go hand-in-hand, and this is reflected in Paul's ideology.

And that is exactly why Ron Paul is the best choice for the Republican nomination. He truly represents what Republicanism and Conservatism are all about.

Principle and conviction are not all this Congressman has to offer. Paul stands the best chance of beating Obama in 2012.

In such an election, he would have the Republican vote locked up, courtesy of all the anti-Obama journalism of the past three years.

Furthermore, he wins many left-leaning voters who are disenfranchised by the lost promise of "change."

While his relatively high popularity with the Left may surprise some, it is as Paul optimistically proclaims, "Freedom brings us together."

There is something special about a candidate who can bring people of typically differing political views together.

Detractors claim that Paul appears "unpresidential," yet there's something undeniably very likable about him, something refreshing.

Conjecture abound, maybe it's his integrity and honesty, or maybe it's the freshness of a candidate who has real principles that do not change with the election cycle.

Maybe it's the way he refuses to go with the grain for political gain.

Whatever the case may be, Ron Paul is not only the best candidate for the Republican nomination, but he is the best choice for President of the United States.

But he has to get that far first.

All that really keeps him from being considered a top tier candidate by mainstream outlets is his foreign policy. For the next election, Republicans should put aside their beliefs on foreign policy and elect someone with integrity, intelligence and real knowledge of economics. Not another talking-point spewing figurehead.

That way, we all win.