Ron Paul: middle class avenger

In a February 15 CNN/ORC poll, respondents were asked the following question about the 2012 candidates for President:

Please tell me whether you think each of the following generally favors the rich, favors the middle class, or favors the poor?

52% of respondents said they believed Congressman Ron Paul favored the middle class, with just 28% believing the same about former Governor Mitt Romney. 46% of respondents believed Rick Santorum favored the middle class while just 30% believed Newt Gingrich favored the middle class. President Barack Obama came in at 40% in this poll.

Since the candidate who is perceived to be the most supportive of the middle class often wins Presidential elections, this seems like a significant poll result, especially since Congressman Paul’s favorability rating in polls is often depressed by the negative or indifferent attention he receives from mainstream media. If the middle class believes Dr. Paul is on their side that bodes well for him in the general election.

Middle class voters are undoubtedly reacting to a couple of factors that I will attempt to capture below:

Congressman Paul understands that inflation is a tax on the middle class. When the FED prints money out of thin air, there are more dollars in circulation, which devalues the currency. Dollars buy less goods and services. The middle class is most affected by inflation. Rich people have plenty of money to go around. Poor people rely on government assistance. Inflation bites middle class voters hard.

The crony capitalist/government class is increasingly upper middle income or wealthy. Middle class voters hear Dr. Paul saying that he wants to cut government spending in order to free up capital and opportunity for small businesses in the real economy. Middle class voters believe they are being screwed by both big government and big corporations.

Middle class voters see Mitt Romney talking about wanting to increase profitability and wealth for corporations and investment banks. They know that middle class wages have been stagnant in adjusted for inflation terms for four decades. Romney’s statement, that corporations are people, does not sit well with a lot of struggling middle class voters.

Mitt Romney and President Obama supported the TARP and other Federal Reserve bailouts, which ended up being a boon for corporations and investment banks but did little to help the middle class. Congressman Paul is one of the most vocal opponents of government bailouts.

Middle class voters notice that the bulk of Mitt Romney's campaign contributions are coming from big money people who are part of the Goldman Sachs crowd. The same can be said for President Obama's contributors. The majority of Dr. Paul’s contributions are coming from individual donors, military service members, and small businesses. Middle class voters know whose interests are likely to be represented if either Romney or Obama are elected.

Middle class voters understand pocketbook economics because they are forced to live under the constraints of their family budgets. They understand that a government, like a family, should not be spending more than it brings in. Congressman Paul is the candidate that is making the clearest case for austerity. They also understand that if the United States goes bankrupt they will be hit the hardest.

Middle class voters are against foreign aid and corporate welfare. Wealthy people from the ruling class often benefit directly from business opportunities or investment income that comes from corporate or foreign welfare. Middle class voters see money coming out of their pockets and going to someone else with no tangible benefit to them.

Dr. Paul comes from the middle class and reflects middle class values. He grew up relatively poor and worked his tail off to get to where he is in life. He is a reluctant politician who entered the political world to try to do some good. Middle class voters appreciate integrity and personal responsibility.