Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Dr. Paul Has Cured My Apathy!

My knowledge or experience in politics is, to be kind, minimal. I'm not stupid, I've just surrendered to a willing ignorance under the guise of "There's no point". I've identified myself as a Republican Libertarian (or a Libertarian Republican, depending on which one resonates best with you) and sufficed myself with voting on the issues. I didn't want to vote for the people, because I personally don't like choosing "the better of two evils".

I heard of Ron Paul in June of 2007 on a Libertarian forum. Hmm, Libertarians like a man that's not Libertarian? That piqued my curiousity enough to delve in further and I was surprised to find what I did.

A politician, in congress for 20 years with the consistency to never cast an unconstitutional vote and the integrity and ethics to turn down his pension plan, never vote for a congressional pay raise and give part of his salary back to the U.S. Treasury every year. What?! How did I not know such a man existed?

From that moment on, I was sold on Ron Paul. Yes, it helped that I agreed with him on the hot button issues, but the fact that I could trust him with those issues was key in convincing me. I hear people say "The message, not the man". But I have to say it's just as much the trustworthiness of the man carrying the message, as it is the message itself.

Now I'm not anyone special. I'm a woman who suffered through public education for 10 years before unschooling through high school. I'm a mom who unschools her 8 year old son and wants him to grow up in a free country. I'm a self-employed individual and wife to a hard working man who wants to be able to keep what we earn. I'm ignorant in the ways of politics and our governmental systems. But I'm a life-long learner who is dedicated to making an impact.

If you had told me a year ago that I would be involved with a political campaign in any way, I would not have believed it. But since latching on to his name, I've joined the Las Vegas MeetUp group, participated in rallies, donated money, talked the ears off of friends and family (and store clerks and strangers on the street and mild acquaintances) and now I'm taking it a step further.

I've become the official Nevada State Coordinator of Homeschoolers for Ron Paul. Wow. That's so cool, I'm stunned into solemnity. I'm even going to have my name on the campaigns website. Now that is freakin' sweet. I'm told my job will be to gather contact information for homeschool organizations (and the like) and win them over for Ron Paul. I can do that. Not because I'm a public speaker or well-versed in this arena. But because I love the message and the man who carries it.

I'm doing my part. And this blog will be my voice and my way of updating other Nevadan Homeschoolers and Unschoolers as to information regarding the campaign, the grassroots efforts and ways to help.

If you have questions, advice or wish to help, please let me know!

Tara Wagner
Nevada State Coordinator
Homeschoolers for Ron Paul

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