Back when the conservative movement was actually conservative (though not without its problems, to be sure) it was in significant part a youth movement. Students for Goldwater was instrumental in pushing the Arizona senator — even against his wishes — for the Republican nomination in 1960. That fall, the core of the Students for Goldwater organization converted into Young Americans for Freedom, a group which (while again, it had its flaws) kept a rightward pressure on the GOP and conservative movement, facilitating the Goldwater ’64 and Reagan ’68 efforts.

Now what promises to be an even better organization is getting off the ground: Young Americans for Liberty, a successor to the Students for Ron Paul groups that flourished on some 500 campuses during the campaign season. Dr. Paul provided an official endorsement of YAL last week — not only putting his good name behind the venture but $25,000 in seed money as well. Of course, it’ll take much more than that to wrest the young Right away from the neocons and party hacks, but I’ve seen for myself how readily Paul’s principles resonate among students, so I give YAL a fighting chance. More than that, I’m giving a bit of my time as well (providing advice on their forthcoming journal, Young American Revolution) and what few shekels I can spare. It’s a cause well deserving of support.