Ames, Iowa-Although Ron Paul's standard message of liberty, ending the "mischief" of the Federal Reserve system, and eliminating the corporate and personal income tax went over well with participants in the Republican Party's "straw poll", it was the Texas congressman's call to "bring the troops home" from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and elsewhere that drew the loudest applause.
Recalling how "we've had troops in Korea since I was in high school," and troops in Japan and Germany "since the end of World War II," Paul concluded "It's time to bring the troops home!" The audience at the Iowa State University coliseum here exploded in prolonged cheers.
Clearly, in a state where there is a strong history of isolationism and aversion to military involvement abroad (popular Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley was one of three GOP senators to oppose Desert Storm back in 1991), Paul had touched a resonant chord. He poured it on even harder, saying we need to "stop worrying about the borders in Afghanistan and Pakistan and start worrying about our borders here."
The audience in Ames loved it.
As Paul was joined at the podium by his wife and son, Sen. Rand Paul (R.-Ky.), the chant of "Ron Paul!" Ron Paul!" rang out. This was just the final piece of evidence in the argument that Paul will place either first or second in the straw vote when the day is done.
