Taking the longer view

There are plenty of folks who can't understand why the Ron Paul campaign continues to slog along.  They're overlooking a central point: this is not about the man, it's about a movement.  Every day he continues to race is a day potentially to reach one more American with the message there is a different--and much older--view of governance than the bi-factional intramurals we've all grown up with.  The fact the campaign has hung in there this long is testament to how many Americans are seeking a true alternative to 'business as usual.'  And in perhaps the most ironic twist of all, they've done their homework.  The obscure rules put into place by the party powerful to thwart such popular insurgencies have been taken for granted so long by the powers that be that Paul's backers are now attempting to beat them at their own game.  Literally.

On Wednesday, the Washington Post tallied Ron Paul’s gains in various states:

At Massachusetts’ state convention less than half of Romney’s 27 chosen delegates won tickets to Tampa. Paul supporters were chosen instead. While all of the state’s delegates are committed to vote for Romney, the delegates get to decide on the party chairman, platform, and VP nominee. …Paul supporters are a majority in the Iowa GOP’s State Central Committee, and he’s set to claim a majority of the state’s delegates despite finishing third in the caucuses.
They dominated the caucuses in Louisiana, carrying four out of six congressional districts with a tie in a fifth. That means 74 percent of the state’s convention delegates will be Paul backers.
In Minnesota, Paul won 20 of 24 delegates allocated at congressional district conventions, and he’s expected to take more at the statewide convention.

Huffington Post notes:

Paul can be nominated from the floor in Tampa by a plurality of five state delegations

The Des Moines Register reports:

Several Paul loyalists said they harbor hope for getting Paul nominated at the national convention in Tampa in late August.  In order to do that, Paul must have a majority of support from at least five state delegations. With states like North Dakota, Minnesota and others on track, his supporters could then attempt to nominate him from the floor.

I find it amusing the GOP recently threatened not to seat the Nevada delegation if it had "too many Paul supporters." Pinches when the shoe's on the other foot, doesn't it? Paul's victory this year won't be measured by whether he receives the nomination. It'll be measured by how much attention his team is able to focus on the increasingly illegitimate nature of how our national elections are run. As with his 2008 run, it's almost Obi-Wan-like: "if you strike me down, I'll become more powerful than you can imagine." Already there are plenty of younger people running under the mantle of Paul's minimalist approach to Federal governance. Win, lose or draw at the convention or in November, THAT is his legacy... still being born...