Last week the Ron Paul campaign threw down the challenge to supporters, to help Dr. Paul raise $500,000 by September 30, 2007. In an amazing show of grassroots enthusiasm, the half-million dollar mark was blown through with days to spare. Now the bar is raised to $1,000,000, but the deadline is the same: Three days to bring in another $500,000.

In addition to the need for campaign funds, I think this will be a big, big story if the goal is reached and surpassed.

Personally, it’s been a long, long time since I’ve felt this strongly about any candidate, for any office. Of course, there are some issues on which we don’t agree, but I know exactly where he stands on some key, central things that I believe are critical to the future of this country. And where we do disagree, there’s some comfort in knowing that Ron Paul sees the limited role of government as being in service to the will of the people. In other words, whatever his personal stands on polarizing issues, the people will always have a more powerful voice.

As he gains more and more traction, I would expect the establishment candidates to begin playing some serious hardball against the Paul campaign. How does it go? First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they attack you, and then you win. We’re almost past the first two steps of that 4-step process, and I’m about to send a few more dollars toward the next key milestone for candidate Ron Paul.