The Media and Ron Paul

Normally I'm not too into conspiracies. If there's anything my experience at UF has taught me, it's that history is complicated. The "official position" of the winners is usually wrong, and the conspiracy theorists are usually wrong. The answer often lies in between.

I can't help but feel like we're in the middle of a conspiracy when it comes to the media's coverage of Ron Paul. Ron Paul is monstrously popular on the internet and with young voters. See here for a YouTube video that represents it pretty well.

Mainstream media coverage of Paul is, well, appalling. His presence in the debates has been laughable. (Incidentally, watch the video at the end of that article and see how uncomfortable the other candidates are while Paul is speaking about the war in Iraq being unconstitutional and the need to address our foreign policy.) This article also sums up the situation nicely.

Seriously, I could go on and on about this. But the straw that broke the camel's back for me was this article from NPR . The article calls Ron Paul an iconoclast and assumes that he is going to get nowhere in the election. Despite this, they offer these stats:

- Last week, he raised $1.85 million in a 24-hour period.
- He's a superstar on YouTube with over 7 million viewers clicking on his offerings.
- Until Tuesday's Florida primary, Paul had beaten former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani in Iowa, Michigan, Nevada and South Carolina. Giuliani bested Paul in New Hampshire by 2,092 votes. (Paul campaigned in some of these states, while Giuliani focused mainly on Florida).
- Paul had captured 106,414 votes to Giuliani's 60,220 -- even though the press touted Giuliani as a frontrunner. (See NPR primary map)
- Paul came in second, albeit a distant second, in a field of seven Republicans in Nevada.

NPR says they've received over 200 individual emails complaining about the lack of coverage for Ron Paul (e.g. the fact that he's been mentioned only 160 times in the past six months -- that's not even once a day). Shockingly, they don't offer an apology in this article, they offer a defense:

"Yes, Paul has raised lots of money and has many dedicated supporters," said Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia. "That's all good, but even Ron Paul realizes he is not going to be the GOP presidential nominee. There is a happy golden mean of major and minor candidates somewhere. No one ever finds it's to everyone's satisfaction. The good news is that news organizations don't conspire."

NPR's Elving, a seasoned veteran of eight presidential races, said he is prepared to give Paul greater coverage when he is no longer an 'also-ran' in Republican primaries. "When and if he becomes an independent or third party candidate," said Elving, "he may become a far larger factor in the eventual general election outcome. At that point, news coverage will increase appropriately."

The number of comments left on the page indicate to me that it's not only conspiracy theorists that are upset with this.

Does anyone else find it strange that an anti-war, anti-tax, pro-life candidate who also happens to have a massive following is being dismissed almost entirely from the media? Whether you agree with his views or not (and I'm sure many disagree, as he can't really satisfy most Republicans or most Democrats), one would think he'd at least get a fair shake. It's not like his only supporters are his family or something.

Anyway, that's my two cents on the subject. I've heard this is also the case with Kucinich, but I don't know the details of that.

Peace,
Sam
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On News of Her Passing

I just read that the wife of a dear friend has passed away. My heart aches for him. After a marriage of somewhere around fifty years, she became ill, and now she's gone.

We prayed for the two of them every night over the past month or two when we heard she was sick. That God would heal her. That God's will would be done. That God would comfort him.

It is especially poignant when here I am, so fresh and new in the world of marriage. I am just becoming accustomed to the joys of knowing Melissa, to the deep, precious friendship that grows stronger every day. She is everything to me. I would do anything for her. And I don't say that in a cliché, romantic comedy kind of way. Because I've learned that "doing anything" for the woman you love means rubbing her feet after you've been at work for 8 hours. It means doing the dishes. It doesn't mean vanquishing evil.

But this is six months, not sixty years. This is infancy, with the world new and bright. Learning to talk, learning to walk. We hold hands and learn the names of things together, and all our plans for our lives are like playing pretend. We dream of our house and children while we sit alone in our one bedroom apartment. We're playing dress-up still, really.

Yet still I cling to her, and love her more than I could think possible. Words fall short. It's a love that describes me, not one that I can sum up with a sentence or a pithy quote. It's part of something greater, something that exists without me, that existed before me.

What was their love? If I am so submerged in this nascent love, what is the depth of a love that has seen so much over so long? Is it a torrent, or a Great Lake?

In the midst of this, I have to remember that it is not just love that conquers all, but Love that conquered all.

"And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For 'God has put all things in subjection under his feet.' But when it says, 'all things are put in subjection,' it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all."

- 1 Corinthians 15:17-28

Grace and peace,
Sam
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Back (Again) with Lots of Thoughts

Hey everyone,

Well, I think I'm back to blogging regularly. It's been a very interesting and exciting first six months of marriage. Allow me to update you on some things...

Books

I've been reading and listening to lots of books on different subjects these days. These have consisted in several books by Dr. Andrew Weil, a few by Jim Cramer, one called Learned Optimism, and many more. They basically break down into finance, health, and relationships.

Recently finished books that have hit me hard include Each for the Other and The DNA of Relationships. Yes, I am in fact a married man now.

School

I am just about finished with school. I'll be graduating in May with my degree in religion. I am finishing up my thesis this semester. It's been a long, slow road, but ultimately a good one.

Career

Many of you know that I've decided to pursue a career in financial planning. This requires becoming certified by the CFP Board. The process includes education, a massive test, and a ton of experience. I'm really excited about it, though. I've really gotten into this kind of thing through podcasts like The Money Guy and The Disciplined Investor.

I hope to take this certification and start a private practice. Eventually, I would like to merge my interests in religion. It would be ideal for me to get an M.Div. and manage some sort of charitable trust portfolio or become a non-profit financial consultant.

CSN

Christian Service Network has not died. It has just taken a much, much longer time to get it going. Inquire within for details and to help.

That's all for now. Keep checking back. I plan on really using this thing now. I need the outlet.

Sam
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