Your story is that there is virtually no disagreement within the Republican Party over Big Government. They oppose it, almost to a man, so Ron Paul's positions on it are irrelevant - virtually any Republican candidate, other than one that handful of RINOs, will be equally suitable on those issues. Your story is that Americans in general, including the aforementioned Republicans want more Big Government programs. Your story doesn't add up.
You’re having trouble following the bouncing ball...
Separate Republican voters from Republican candidates.
Then separate growth of government from the desire for government solutions.
This is the problem and what I’m trying to point out. The left wants bigger more powerful government. No secret here...
However, although most Republcians claim to support smaller government, they also tend to support government solutions as well, making no connection between the two.
So yes, it does add up. They ask what their government can do for them, without realizing that they are asking government to grow in order to answer that question.
But, yes, almost every Republican candidate sells smaller government from the campaign trail, most of them truly believing in it. At the same time however, they are also pandering for votes in competition with the left, which will later keep them from either keeping those campaign promises, or from shrinking government. They can’t do both, yet the promise to do both in order to get elected...
That’s my point.