Congressman Ron Paul (R-TX), a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, is somewhat similar to Ron Swanson. Mr. Swanson is one of the stars of NBC’s “Parks and Recreation” and while Mr. Swanson may not be running for the Republican presidential nomination, he shares Mr. Paul’s enthusiasm for individual freedoms and a limited role for government.
In a humorous post by “The Cajun Boy” on Uproxx, some of Mr. Swanson’s quotes are added to pictures of Mr. Paul. For example, the author has combined a picture of Mr. Paul at a campaign event with the following quote from Mr. Swanson: “I enjoy government functions like I enjoy getting kicked in the nuggets with a steel boot.”
In another picture, Mr. Paul is eating at a restaurant with supporters. “The whole point of this country is if you want to eat garbage, balloon up to 600 pounds and die of a heart attack at 43, you can. You are free to do so. To me, that is beautiful,” reads the quote from Mr. Swanson.
While the post is a comical way of looking at the similarities between Mr. Paul and Mr. Swanson, the truth is that the Texas congressman is celebrated for his unwavering support of individual liberties and a limited role for government in society.
After coming in third in the Iowa Caucuses on Tuesday night, Mr. Paul attacked former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, who finished in second, for being a “big government Republican.”
“I get real energized when I go to the campuses and talk about economic policy and talk about gold standards and things like this,” Mr. Paul said during an interview on CNBC’s “The Kudlow Report.”
Mr. Paul’s popularity among independents, youth and libertarians is evident in the numerous online tributes to the Texas congressman, including a website dedicated to “Ron Paul facts.” “Ron Paul facts” are based off of the popular “Chuck Norris facts” and include facts like: “Ron Paul doesn’t cut taxes. He kills them with his bare hands.”
Whether Mr. Paul’s popularity will translate into victories at the upcoming primaries and caucuses remains to be seen. Regardless, Mr. Paul’s libertarian beliefs will continue to inspire unique comparisons to fictional characters like Mr. Swanson and non-fictional characters like Chuck Norris.
