The Ron Paul rally
I decided not to try to go to the music fest in St. Paul, in part because it was rainy, but also because I actually looked at the schedule of the Ron Paul event and saw that there were some speakers I'd like to hear.
I got there around 11:30 in case there were any ticket hassles. (I'd bought one on Sunday, but it was just a wristband thingy so I wasn't sure it was going to be accepted. It was, but in any case, by the time I got there they were giving away tickets.) I found an eager throng just hanging out in front of the Target Center flashing signs and buttons and handing out tons of literature. Inside, it was jammed. The atmosphere was very electric; everyone very keyed up. I talked to a few people who were very friendly. The crowd was a mixed one, mostly young but plenty of all ages and styles in the spectrum. We were all waiting for them to actually open the doors
Once they did so I went to my ticketed seat, which was to the extreme side of the stage. It was actually a pretty good seat. The sound was excellent, and in any case they had big screens so I could see everyone (I was actually behind the speaker when he or she was at the rostrum).
These RP people are enthusiastic! That's an understatement. They are absolutely messianic about RP. His name is everywhere, constantly. I don't think he's pushing that, demanding that of his followers; I think he's just doing his thing and it's happening to him. He's unquestionably trying to build a movement, but I don't think he's meant it to be the personality cult it is. I'll also say they really ran a very tight event. It moved along perfectly, flawlessly, very slickly done. It was very much in the style of a campaign event, although what I think the campaign was for was not actually a candidate, i.e., RP, but for a new phase of the movement, the Campaign for Liberty.
The crowd was large but by no means was every seat filled. My section was largely empty. I sat just behind a couple of guys who'd come all the way from northern California for this event, and indeed, there were people from all over the country there. These guys were very nice, friendly, rather excited when I told them I was new to the RP thing and there just to listen and learn. I got a similar response from several other people I chatted with throughout the day. I find it very hard to put these folks in a box. Their belief sets seem very individualistic, hard to predict as to what ideas and concepts one will find together in a given person.
You can see the schedule of speakers/performers and get some brief bio's at the Rally for the Republic website. I'll just dash off a few impressions here.
The first guy, Howard Phillips, I found somewhat repugnant. He seemed to be the kind of right-wing repub in an older mode, less libertarian on social issues. I felt very much the same about Grover Norquist, who came on a little later. He had a very vicious tone (well, he's rather known for it), used some truly repugnant metaphors. Compared to those guys I found the John Birch Society guy, well, better. I must say, I never thought I'd be sitting someplace listening to a Bircher give a speech. While I didn't particularly like him, I admit he didn't seem to be a monster.
One of the really great talks was by Bill Kaufmann. He coined what I thought was the quote of the day: "John McCain cares more about the Georgia of Stalin than the Georgia of Ray Charles." Another striking statement, which I don't think I can produce word-for-word, was essentially that the only foreign policy compatible with strong families is one of peace! He also led the crowd in a brief chant of "WAR....what is it GOOD for!" Obviously a pop music lover! He gave a nod to the local movement, i.e., the buying of local goods, services, and food in our communities -- something I'd previously only heard from the environmental left. He even gave some props to Ralph Nader! I actually found his talk quite inspiring.
Lew Rockwell gave a pretty interesting talk, very professorial, a more quiet rhetorical style than some of the other speakers. Rockwell runs a website full of libertarian info and opinion. I read a column there by Karen Kwiatkowski, one of my first exposures to the anti-war right (back then she was posting on a military site, the name of which I can't recall). She actually worked in the military in Rumsfeld's Pentagon under Douglas Feith during the runup to the war, so I found her insights quite interesting. She now writes more generally on libertarian politics.
The former governor of New Mexico, Gary Johnson, was interesting. He again exhibited that mixed bag of ideas in his description of his tenure.
Bruce Fein is another of my heroes on the right and when I discovered he was going to be on the program that pretty much sealed the deal on skipping the music concert. He's a constitutional scholar and worked in the Justice Department, I believe during the Reagan administration. He came to my attention because he has been one of the strongest public voices for the impeachment of this administration. His speech was very strong.
But the speaker that really "tore da roof of da suckah" (to quote George Clinton) was none other than Minnesota's own former governor, Jesse Ventura. Oh my goodness! Although he's been away from politics for several years (living in Mexico, actually) he was the old roarin' Jesse of yesteryear (although physically he definitly looked aged and just a bit frail). He totally rev'd the place up several notches (which I frankly hadn't thought possible!) In fact, at one point he quite literally was only a few words away from calling for armed revolution. I am not exaggerating! I suspect if he'd told everyone to leave the building and march down Hennepin Avenue to the Federal Reserve building and trash it...they would have! My new buddies were blown away by him! Loved him. Interestingly, he also all but announced his candidacy, I think for president, in the next election cycle. He also raised some 9/11 questions (which everyone cheered about), and very forcefully called for the opening of the coming debates to other candidates (which everybody cheered for). Wait a minute...these people cheered for everything, constantly!
Speaking of armed revolt, another speaker, an Iraq vet whose name I unfortunately missed, also came very near to calling for insurrection. I did notice, by the way, that while when I first arrived there was a very minimal police presence outside, and only rent-a-cops inside, by the time of Jesse's speech there were significantly more battle-dressed (my own term: not full riot gear but seemingly a little more than typical patrol uniform, especially the plastic handcuffs hanging from their belts) cops in the arena. In fact, it strikes me as a little ironic that while the full "forces of the Empire" riot battalions were marching around St. Paul, macing people standing by the side of the road and arresting this or that scrawny badly dressed kid in a black kerchief, over in Minneapolis these folks were very near calling for armed revolution!
Well, it was around 6 p.m., a not-so-interesing band had taken the stage, and I finally burned out. Although I was only an hour or so away from RP himself speaking, I just had to go. I was just plain worn out by it all. On the one hand I was kind of kicking myself for missing his speech, on the other, I didn't feel too bad about not being overly obsessed with the man himself. It's the ideas they're putting forth that are ultimately more important and more interesting.
What is it that brings these two extreme ends of the political spectrum, far right and far left, into alliance? At times during various speeches I could have closed my eyes and imagined myself at a Nader or Kucinich rally. The vitriol directed at Bush especially, and also McCain, was very strong, positively hateful at times. After thinking about it for awhile, I've tentatively concluded it is the absolute trashing of the Constitution under the current administration. The far right has always been constitutionalist; the left a perhaps bit less explicitly so. But as Bush et al have continued to destroy the Constitution the left has had to talk more and more about it and become more and more conversant with it. The other thing, of course, is the disasterous Iraq war. The RP folks tend to be isolationist and vehemently object to the war on that principal, not to mention the financial ruin it is causing.
The interesting question in my mind is whether this could really be some new sort of politics, something really new. For example, at some point during the primary season people were bandying about the idea of a Ron Paul/Dennis Kucinich presidential ticket! Or will the issues we don't agree on end up being dealbreakers...and coalitionbreakers.
I got there around 11:30 in case there were any ticket hassles. (I'd bought one on Sunday, but it was just a wristband thingy so I wasn't sure it was going to be accepted. It was, but in any case, by the time I got there they were giving away tickets.) I found an eager throng just hanging out in front of the Target Center flashing signs and buttons and handing out tons of literature. Inside, it was jammed. The atmosphere was very electric; everyone very keyed up. I talked to a few people who were very friendly. The crowd was a mixed one, mostly young but plenty of all ages and styles in the spectrum. We were all waiting for them to actually open the doors
Once they did so I went to my ticketed seat, which was to the extreme side of the stage. It was actually a pretty good seat. The sound was excellent, and in any case they had big screens so I could see everyone (I was actually behind the speaker when he or she was at the rostrum).
These RP people are enthusiastic! That's an understatement. They are absolutely messianic about RP. His name is everywhere, constantly. I don't think he's pushing that, demanding that of his followers; I think he's just doing his thing and it's happening to him. He's unquestionably trying to build a movement, but I don't think he's meant it to be the personality cult it is. I'll also say they really ran a very tight event. It moved along perfectly, flawlessly, very slickly done. It was very much in the style of a campaign event, although what I think the campaign was for was not actually a candidate, i.e., RP, but for a new phase of the movement, the Campaign for Liberty.
The crowd was large but by no means was every seat filled. My section was largely empty. I sat just behind a couple of guys who'd come all the way from northern California for this event, and indeed, there were people from all over the country there. These guys were very nice, friendly, rather excited when I told them I was new to the RP thing and there just to listen and learn. I got a similar response from several other people I chatted with throughout the day. I find it very hard to put these folks in a box. Their belief sets seem very individualistic, hard to predict as to what ideas and concepts one will find together in a given person.
You can see the schedule of speakers/performers and get some brief bio's at the Rally for the Republic website. I'll just dash off a few impressions here.
The first guy, Howard Phillips, I found somewhat repugnant. He seemed to be the kind of right-wing repub in an older mode, less libertarian on social issues. I felt very much the same about Grover Norquist, who came on a little later. He had a very vicious tone (well, he's rather known for it), used some truly repugnant metaphors. Compared to those guys I found the John Birch Society guy, well, better. I must say, I never thought I'd be sitting someplace listening to a Bircher give a speech. While I didn't particularly like him, I admit he didn't seem to be a monster.
One of the really great talks was by Bill Kaufmann. He coined what I thought was the quote of the day: "John McCain cares more about the Georgia of Stalin than the Georgia of Ray Charles." Another striking statement, which I don't think I can produce word-for-word, was essentially that the only foreign policy compatible with strong families is one of peace! He also led the crowd in a brief chant of "WAR....what is it GOOD for!" Obviously a pop music lover! He gave a nod to the local movement, i.e., the buying of local goods, services, and food in our communities -- something I'd previously only heard from the environmental left. He even gave some props to Ralph Nader! I actually found his talk quite inspiring.
Lew Rockwell gave a pretty interesting talk, very professorial, a more quiet rhetorical style than some of the other speakers. Rockwell runs a website full of libertarian info and opinion. I read a column there by Karen Kwiatkowski, one of my first exposures to the anti-war right (back then she was posting on a military site, the name of which I can't recall). She actually worked in the military in Rumsfeld's Pentagon under Douglas Feith during the runup to the war, so I found her insights quite interesting. She now writes more generally on libertarian politics.
The former governor of New Mexico, Gary Johnson, was interesting. He again exhibited that mixed bag of ideas in his description of his tenure.
Bruce Fein is another of my heroes on the right and when I discovered he was going to be on the program that pretty much sealed the deal on skipping the music concert. He's a constitutional scholar and worked in the Justice Department, I believe during the Reagan administration. He came to my attention because he has been one of the strongest public voices for the impeachment of this administration. His speech was very strong.
But the speaker that really "tore da roof of da suckah" (to quote George Clinton) was none other than Minnesota's own former governor, Jesse Ventura. Oh my goodness! Although he's been away from politics for several years (living in Mexico, actually) he was the old roarin' Jesse of yesteryear (although physically he definitly looked aged and just a bit frail). He totally rev'd the place up several notches (which I frankly hadn't thought possible!) In fact, at one point he quite literally was only a few words away from calling for armed revolution. I am not exaggerating! I suspect if he'd told everyone to leave the building and march down Hennepin Avenue to the Federal Reserve building and trash it...they would have! My new buddies were blown away by him! Loved him. Interestingly, he also all but announced his candidacy, I think for president, in the next election cycle. He also raised some 9/11 questions (which everyone cheered about), and very forcefully called for the opening of the coming debates to other candidates (which everybody cheered for). Wait a minute...these people cheered for everything, constantly!
Speaking of armed revolt, another speaker, an Iraq vet whose name I unfortunately missed, also came very near to calling for insurrection. I did notice, by the way, that while when I first arrived there was a very minimal police presence outside, and only rent-a-cops inside, by the time of Jesse's speech there were significantly more battle-dressed (my own term: not full riot gear but seemingly a little more than typical patrol uniform, especially the plastic handcuffs hanging from their belts) cops in the arena. In fact, it strikes me as a little ironic that while the full "forces of the Empire" riot battalions were marching around St. Paul, macing people standing by the side of the road and arresting this or that scrawny badly dressed kid in a black kerchief, over in Minneapolis these folks were very near calling for armed revolution!
Well, it was around 6 p.m., a not-so-interesing band had taken the stage, and I finally burned out. Although I was only an hour or so away from RP himself speaking, I just had to go. I was just plain worn out by it all. On the one hand I was kind of kicking myself for missing his speech, on the other, I didn't feel too bad about not being overly obsessed with the man himself. It's the ideas they're putting forth that are ultimately more important and more interesting.
What is it that brings these two extreme ends of the political spectrum, far right and far left, into alliance? At times during various speeches I could have closed my eyes and imagined myself at a Nader or Kucinich rally. The vitriol directed at Bush especially, and also McCain, was very strong, positively hateful at times. After thinking about it for awhile, I've tentatively concluded it is the absolute trashing of the Constitution under the current administration. The far right has always been constitutionalist; the left a perhaps bit less explicitly so. But as Bush et al have continued to destroy the Constitution the left has had to talk more and more about it and become more and more conversant with it. The other thing, of course, is the disasterous Iraq war. The RP folks tend to be isolationist and vehemently object to the war on that principal, not to mention the financial ruin it is causing.
The interesting question in my mind is whether this could really be some new sort of politics, something really new. For example, at some point during the primary season people were bandying about the idea of a Ron Paul/Dennis Kucinich presidential ticket! Or will the issues we don't agree on end up being dealbreakers...and coalitionbreakers.
posted by Your_pops at 9:05 PM
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