The most striking result in the NBC/Journal poll is that the Tea Party movement has a net-positive 41 percent to 23 percent score. The American public is in a populist/conservative/libertarian mood. Republicans need to adopt that mood, channel it into sound policies, and learn to trust the people, without worrying that they haven’t all yet signed up to GOP orthodoxy.

That sounds like find and support Ron Paul/Gary Johnson candidates.  We’ll see if we see Kristol out stumping for Rand Paul or Peter Schiff.

I’ll never forget the day – about 2002 or so when I first found Cong. Paul.  He was against the war in Kosovo and I soon read about his pro-financial privacy and anti Patriot Act and money laundering laws.  I could hardly believe it.  I knew he was right; I figured Cong. Paul would always be one of those men or women in politics who was right but seldom effective. 

I had just offered to help out for the 2008 Presidential campaign of Jim Gilmore (All right, stop laughing!  Governor Gilmore is a very intelligent politician who knows about the three T’s important to governing:  Technology, Taxes, and Terrorism.  He just had utterly insufficient national name recognition and no way to get it.) in early 2007 when I read the bottom of one of the cable news networks that Cong. Ron Paul was setting up an exploratory committee to run for President.  I said – if Gilmore says no, I’m going for Paul!  I did not get an answer from Governor Gilmore so I switched to Paul. 

Now I admire Governor Jindal for very different reasons than I admire Cong. Paul.  Gov. Jindal has a tremendous record of achievement and is a clear intellectual who wants to solve political problems.  He is willing to look outside the box.  He is a staunch conservative and open believer in Christ.  Jindal is a leader of strong integrity.  Cong. Paul appeals to the libertarian side of me.  He also is a staunch conservative and Christian, too.  He is also not going to change position for political gain.  It’s a hard choice.  Maybe the answer is:  Paul/Jindal 2012!