A stagnant leader is as unpalatable as sipping a flat soda.

Here at Biola, we spend hundreds of hours studying the New Testament, much of which was penned by a revolutionary named Paul. Paul was no stagnant leader. This Jewish Pharisee-turned-unlikely-missionary spent his life sharing an unpopular, uncompromising message. It unsettled the status quo of his religious kin (Jewish leaders) and political comrades (Roman citizens). For this, Paul endured beatings, stonings, lashings and jail time. But the “fizzy” message fared well. It outgrew the oppression and transformed nations for Christ.

When I look at the Presidential candidates in the Republican field, I see men parroting similar lines: Loosen the foreign policy. Lengthen the Iraq war. Legally integrate amnesty for alien immigrants. Legislate some form of universal healthcare.

Except for one man. His name is Paul.

Paul is no stagnant leader. This OB/GYN-turned-unlikely-congressman from Texas spent the last 10 terms in Washington sharing an unpopular, uncompromising message. It unsettled the status quo of his patriotic kin (American imperialists) and party comrades (Republican yes-men). Now, in the Presidential race, this missionary for the Constitution goes where other candidates fear to tread. Paul suggests that our “bully of the world” foreign policy has wasted billions of dollars first installing, then removing (or trying to remove), leaders such as Hussein and Bin Laden.

Paul calls for the end of our financial dependency and gargantuan loans from China and Saudi Arabia. He argues that withdrawal of our troops from installing an Islamic-controlled Iraqi government, of our $10 billion from Pakistan’s Muslim renegade leader Musharraf, and of our proposal for creating a Palestinian state in Israel would bring more stability both to the Middle East and our pocketbook.

Paul demands a return to the gold standard and a termination of the central bankers’ inflation tax. He objects the flood of illegal immigration that costs us billions in tax dollars for education and healthcare and policing. He insists on eliminating income tax and payroll taxes on tips from wait-staff, so that private citizens might use these funds for private health insurance. Paul, a born-again Baptist, believes that the motto “In God We Trust” should not simply be printed on our coins, but be mounted in our classrooms again.

This “fizzy” message is faring well.

Paul’s self-titled “strict constitutionalism” is uniting anti-war liberals, fiscal conservatives, first-time voters, college students, the hippie remnant, moral issue voters, gun rights advocates and patriotic idealists.

Norma McCorvey, the Christian pro-life activist who once was the pro-abortion lesbian crusader “Jane Roe” of Roe v. Wade, endorsed Paul in January.

“I support Ron Paul for president,” McCorvey said, “because we share the same goal, that of overturning Roe … he undoubtedly understands our constitutional republic and the inalienable right to life for all, including the unborn. After taking all of the presidential candidates into consideration, it is obvious that Ron Paul is the only one that doesn’t just talk the talk.”

Bill Dumas, Hollywood filmmaker says, “There is one man [Ron Paul] who believes in our government operating solely under the purist intentions of our Founding Fathers: A man who governs according to the Constitution, even when he is the only one.”

“What I like about Paul is that he sticks to the ideals of the Republican Party and not just what [other Republicans currently] do,” Biola freshman Colleen Schaefer said.

Paul has more friends on Facebook (81,000+) than any other candidate, raised a record $6 million in one day last December and another $5 million since Jan. 1, received more donations from military servicemen than the other three Republican candidates combined, and won more national debate polls from CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, ABC News and C-SPAN. Paul has also fared well as a lower-tier candidate in every primary and caucus to date (Maine 19 percent, Nevada 13.7 percent, Georgia 12 percent, Michigan 6.3 percent, etc.).

But Internet friends, oodles of cash and second-to-fourth-place votes can’t win a man the Presidency, can they? Not likely. Nomination or not, Paul’s message may just outgrow the party and transform a nation for the U.S. Constitution.

“You shouldn’t dismiss a candidate just because he can’t win,” said sophomore Jen Gaertner. “There are candidates that run simply to bring issues into the public forum.”

Like him or not, Paul’s message should be grappled with by students in higher academia.

“I need to learn more about politics,” Gaertner said, “because we [students] should be concerned about it.” If college isn’t a place for political education, what is?

Invite a friend to meet you at Commons, order a fizzy Italian soda, and thumb through the Constitution. It’s only 58 pages.

And let the message percolate!