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New ideas are a scarcity in Washington, D.C. Each election cycle we are told the candidates differ. The Republican is pro-life and the Democrat is pro-choice. The Republican wants war in the Middle East and the Democrat wants fewer troops in war and would consider "humanitarian" war in Africa. So as the election approaches, we all sit and fight over these issues. While the debate is good, it is only good to a point.
We should know what we believe in, but we need to realize there is only ever one choice when we pick a candidate. That choice is more government. This is where Paul changes the debate: We now have a choice of less government, not just a choice between a social conservative who will tell us how to be moral or a Democrat to tell us how to be an egalitarian. There are three candidates for big government, and Paul is for limited government.
Normally there is no option for tolerance and freedom. Paul’s candidacy teaches us that we need to stop asking who the best candidate for my personal ideals is, and start asking who will give me the freedom to live my ideals. Paul has implanted in the minds of Americans an idea far greater than him or his candidacy.
The idea Paul promotes is that to achieve the best American society — the best human society — we must resist the temptation to use force. Instead, we must embrace ideas and persuasion. We as individuals should see, assess, and discuss problems with each other, not use a mafia middleman to impose our will on someone we disagree with. If we move people to our belief by our persuasion, not only will they embrace the good idea, they would do so on their own free will. To agree to do something because of acceptance is by far more virtuous than doing something under threat of force or punishment
