New buzz words: “States rights and sound money” – potential for Rand Paul or Rick Perry as Mitt Romney’s VP

By Bernie Quigley

For The Hill on 4/7/12

Anyone working around Washington, D.C. 30 years back will recall the phrase "leadership and excellence." Buzz words and a rising anthem for a new generation of men in yellow power ties. Until Bill and Ted started greeting people, “Be excellent to one another!" The phrase became so tiresome that James A. Baker, who worked at the White House, rigged the computers so that they would balk when anyone used the word "excellent." Then overnight it flipped. Women's garments with shoulder pads replaced the yellow ties and power lunches and when Bill Clinton entered the White House the "leadership and excellence" generation was replaced by the "diversity and globalization” generation. Good bye to all that and to Al Gore too and Lady Gaga. The storied Fourth Generation has arrived with The Hunger Games. We are going to need some new buzz words. How about "States rights and sound money”?

Tom Brokow, Al Gore and many others have written about a book titled "The Fourth Turning" which explains the cycles of history through generations. Economist Harry Dent does this as well and makes accurate projections on economy using demographics, but the Strauss & Howe people use archetypes. Tricky stuff, archetypes, "which used to be called gods," said C.G. Jung, who brought the idea to practice. In a word, generations alternate: If one generation adores Dwight Eisenhower, the next will turn to The Beatles. And at the end of 65 years it will all fall apart (between 2013 and 2015 says Dent). Then a hero, like Katniss, and a heroic generation will arise like a Phoenix out of destruction and awaken the world again.

The Fourth Generation has its Gray Champion. An elder who stands in the middle of the road and says, "No more." Felt I heard that voice when I was waiting to get my car repaired about five years ago and heard on Fox in the waiting room: "Upton Sinclair said that when America became a fascist country it would be calling itself Christian and wrapped in an American flag." Ron Paul speaking.

Say good bye to globalization. In short time it will be considered a sweet and artful form of totalitarianism. Say good bye to utopian capitalism and fiat currency. Say hello to states rights, personal industry and responsibility and sound money.

Generations turn in an afternoon. I saw the turning two weeks ago when The Hunger Games opened in theaters across the country. Interestingly, Mitt Romney saw it too.
Following this approach, the political cycle does not bode well for Obama; Carter he seems, just as the ludicrously named 99% echoes the blissfully inane “we are the world” movement of a past era.

There is little doubt in my mind that Romney will be president this time next year. And because he looks so square, he is chronically misunderstood by mainstream conservatives. He is creative and unconventional. He sees the telling details which others miss every time. Look for a VP pick unanticipated by the mainstream. Potentially, one to greet the important themes of the rising times: Possibly gold standard advocate Rand Paul or state sovereignty advocate Rick Perry. Romney first used the phrase “one size does not fit all” before it became a standard on the campaign trail. He likes Ron Paul and of Perry last year he said, “The rest of the country can learn a lot of lessons from Governor Perry. He’s a great governor.”