There is power in story. Narrative conveys truth and is a powerful persuader. With nearly every detail of his real life locked away, Barack Obama became the President in large part because of the created narrative – he is the smartest man in America (who said there were 57 states); his primary nomination meant the sea levels would change; he won a Nobel peace prize (though never did anything to earn it).
As we near the Iowa Caucus, Ron Paul is looking to win. (This is in large part because of Obama supporters switching parties just to vote Ron Paul in the Republican Primary then support Obama in the general.) Ron Paul also has a powerful narrative. Most Ron Paul supporters are only capable of shouting:
RON PAUL TWENTY TWELVE!!!!!! RON PAUL TWENTY TWELVE!!!!!!
But the real narrative goes something like this:
Ron Paul alone stands as the libertarian messiah, much as Obama stood as the leftist messiah. In Ron alone can the country attain salvation. Ron alone has been standing against all other politicians regardless of party affiliation. RON PAUL 2012!!!!!!!
Our lingering teenage angst and our desire to rage against the machine find a lone rebel appealing. Yet a few aspects of this are troubling. Here’s the first:
What has the man actually gotten done in all his years in Washington?
Ron Paul couldn’t get anything done, he’s just one guy, and the two party system is a crock – they’re all united against Ron Paul. RON PAUL 2012!!!!!!
And herein lies the problem. The guy has proven that he can’t accomplish anything. For decades. And that’s from his own campaign website. His supporters tell me he finally got a partial audit of the Federal Reserve. That’s great. Decades of being paid from taxpayer dollars, and he has one accomplishment? And a partial audit at that. He has never gathered a coalition. He has never convinced others to go along with something he wants to get done. The president needs to be someone who can get things done.
If his own narrative is correct, then everyone in government is against him. That means that all he can do is veto – but congress can overpower a veto with enough votes, and they’re all supposedly united against him.
If Ron Paul supporters are right about their candidate, he’s incapable of even advancing his own policies as President.
