Posted on 01/15/2015 4:59:05 AM PST by LeoMcNeil
Rand Paul has a lot going for him. He inspires the conservative and libertarian wings of the Republican Party. In many ways he’s a breath of fresh air because he’s different than the rest of the GOP. He’s trying to work with constituencies that the GOP normally ignores. He’s making policy arguments that are different than other Republicans and different from other conservatives or libertarians. Rand Paul is personable, which goes a long way on the presidential campaign trail. Rand Paul can unite the right in the GOP. He has the brashness of Ted Cruz and the values of a Rick Santorum. He only has one problem: His father Ron Paul.
Ron Paul never had any shot at winning the Republican nomination for President in party because he’s a conspiracy lunatic. Ron Paul is his son Rand’s downfall. The Ron Paul Institute, which features numerous articles written by him, posted an article yesterday declaring the Charlie Hebdo attack a “false flag.” In other words, the Ron Paul Institute seems to believe that the attack was really orchestrated by the French government rather than Muslim terrorists. Presumably the French have the same sort of masterminds in government that we have, the writer also believes the 9-11 attacks were orchestrated by our government. The false flag conspiracy theorists believe just about every major news event is orchestrated by the government. This includes the Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting and just about every other school shooting. These people seem to believe evil doesn’t exist in the world or that if it does it’s only in the government. Interestingly, a government too incompetent to put together a basic healthcare website is capable of pulling off a “false flag” action with complete secrecy and no bean spilling afterward.
The issue here isn’t really whether the Charlie Hebdo attack was a false flag. No doubt this post will be mocked and roundly attacked by the false flag conspiracy crowd. The issue is whether the Ron Paul Institute and Ron Paul generally will be a problem for Rand Paul. The answer there is yes. We have no idea whether Ron Paul believes the Charlie Hebdo attack was a false flag. However an article promoting the conspiracy theory did appear on the Ron Paul Institute website and as such Ron Paul might as well have penned it. You can bet that every single time the Ron Paul Institute publishes something insane the conservative press will latch onto it and associate it with Rand Paul. If he were to win the nomination then the mainstream liberal press will start digging around. Accusations of false flags are so far out of the mainstream, to say nothing of being utterly baseless, that any association with them will hurt Rand Paul. It’s not like Ron Paul is Rand’s kooky cousin. Ron is his father and political and philosophical mentor.
Is any of this fair? Of course not. Rand Paul has never indicated support for outlandish conspiracy theories. Unfortunately for him, the closeness of his relationship with Ron Paul is going to be held against him. Hillary Clinton has the same problem with Bill. He’s hanging out with a guy who keeps sex slaves on an island. Fair or not, Hillary is suffering the fallout of that information becoming public. Jeb Bush has to deal with the fallout from his brother’s administration. At least in his case he can count on George W. not saying anything bizarre or weird. The former President rarely speaks on politics anymore. Rand Paul cannot count on his father, or his father’s institute, from doing and saying weird things. Unfortunately for Rand, this fact severely hurts his chances of winning the GOP nomination. He’s done his best to be as mainstream as possible. That’s awfully hard to do when your father’s institute is arguing that Charlie Hebdo is a false flag action perpetrated by the French government.
On some level maybe it would be better of Rand Paul didn’t run for President. He’s an excellent Senator and one of the few outspoken conservative-libertarian voices in the Senate. He’s popular in Kentucky, with re-election to the Senate likely in 2016. If he runs for President, he can’t run for Senate again per Kentucky law. The country is arguably better with him in the Senate than out of government altogether. From a conservative standpoint, the fewer conservatives running for President the more likely it will be that a conservative wins. If Paul steps back, he could endorse a conservative candidate and help him win the nomination. By not running, Paul potentially becomes a kingmaker and there’s plenty of power that comes with that. At this point though, Rand Paul has to know that his father will destroy his chances of winning the GOP nomination.
Have you not read where I said I don’t care about the father’s statements and notions? It’s not my job, and I have no interest in convincing you of anything. Think whatever you like, it’s no skin off my nose. I’m only telling you that I believe that the elder Cruz’s position on concentration camps for non-Christians is a bit over the line for most Americans. You disagree, so what? I really don’t care. Time will tell.
I believe that you like to throw out provocative statements and see what kind of raise you get.
The dad has an incredible biography, his journey from child revolutionary fighting for Castro and enduring prison and torture, to Southern Baptist Minister, loving America and speaking of freedom and God, and the evils of Socialism.
I don’t care what kind of raise I get. I am committed to Ted Cruz and have been for years. His dad and I live in the same town, for what that’s worth.
This entire thread is about the potential problems Rand Paul and Ted Cruz might have with the statements their fathers have made over the years. That’s all that I commented on. I am having trouble understanding the vitriol I see in some of the comments. Everyone, please get this: I am not attacking Ted Cruz’s father. I am only pointing out that the left is going to use Ted’s dad against him as sure as hot days in August. You think they won’t? I don’t care, I was expressing MY opinion, not yours. YOU get to do that, but please don’t try to do it by distorting mine.
Did I ever say he didn't?
BTW, Ted's own biography is pretty impressive, too.
And you think explicitly trying to link me to the association of scumbags known as the DU isn't provocative? LOL!!!
The dad will be an incredible asset to Ted.
By the way, why won’t you post the video or transcript for the speech, for your claim about the concentration camps?
Would you do that for us.
Rafael Cruz is likely to be an asset with some parts of the electorate and a negative with others. How it will work out on balance remains to be seen.
By the way, why won’t you post the video or transcript for the speech, for your claim about the concentration camps?
Why don't you waste your own time instead of asking me to waste mine?
Would you do that for us.
Why don't you do it for yourself? I'm not your information gopher.
Some claims have to be sourced in my opinion, so that we can examine the truthfulness of your accusations that you are spreading on the internet.
I found your source, but it will be impossible to find your credibility, no wonder you refuse to give sources.
It is a parody/satire site.
Go to this link to read your claim, and then look at the two buttons at the top of the article below the photo. the buttons are “show facts”-—”hide facts”.
http://www.newslo.com/ted-cruzs-father-suggests-placing-atheists-in-camps/
I owe you and everyone on FR an apology.
While this “newslo.com” site was NOT my immediate source, research has convinced me that it WAS the ultimate source, and that because the untrue content was repeated elsewhere on the internet as fact, and because it was confirmed personally by someone I trusted, I was misled and unwittingly spread a complete fabrication regarding a family member of someone I support and greatly admire.
Please accept my apologies and my expression of utter regret for having been taken in by this.
And you think explicitly trying to link me to the association of scumbags known as the DU isn't provocative? LOL!!!
There were no news sites or information sites that repeated the comedy site's piece, so there weren't other sources for this insult.
Even DU didn't fall for such a whacky and foul joke.
By the way, doesn't your new "research" consist of clinking on the link that I JUST posted to you? What was your original "source" that was so convincing, and why did you refuse so adamantly and mockingly when asked for a source for your sick attack on Cruz?
Why did I have to do the "research" that you now claim to have done?
I guess my apology wasn’t enough for you.
Why I am sharing this with someone as obnoxious as you I don’t know, but here goes: I was told about this by a trusted friend, and I went to the source he provided (this I will NOT share with you) which seemed legit to me. When you provided the link to the obvious satire site, I compared the language used and discovered that the site I had been referred to was virtually identical to the satire site you discovered. Realizing that I have been misled, I apologized most sincerely to you and everyone on FR.
What more do you want from me?
By the way, I am appalled that you would accuse me of a “...sick attack on Cruz...” I did no such thing. Why would I? Moreover, I resisted, as still do, repeating or spreading details of this; my only point (then believing the story to be credible) was that the left would use this against Ted.
Having apologized for my misunderstanding, I am done with this and most emphatically with your obnoxious self.
You just laying it on thick, a site so secret that you won't link us to it, and where did you do your "research" after I posted the link to you?
As far as being obnoxious, that was you and your "concentration camp" accusations as you were attacking Cruz's father, and that nasty reaction in your post 48 to my polite post 47, asking you for a source for your bizarre accusation, and your snippy replies to Kartographer who was also asking you to prove your attacks.
It's a darn good thing that I stayed with it, because you had no intention of backing up your foul claim and worst than DU fake story.
Rand Paul, Ted Cruz, Dr. Ben Carson and Bobby Jindal
NO WAY IN H*LL...... will I ever vote for the following Internationalist (aka Republicans In Name Only).
Mitt Romney
Jeb Bush
Chris Christy
Marco Rubio
Maybe... Don't know enough about the following candidates
Mike Huckabee
Scott Walker
Rick Santorum
John Kasich
Congrats ansel12 for running this troll to earth!
Raphael came to my church last November. I listen to him and spoke with him and knew in my heart that there was no way this guy was right.
You know what is even worse? That after everything he went through to escape people who would actually put him in a camp he gets accused of being like such people. Beyond VILE!
Finally, I wasn’t attacking anyone. I was warning about a pretty obnoxious story I has every reason to believe was out there, and that I was sure the left would use against Ted Cruz. Frankly, the fact that it isn’t true won’t stop them either. Remember the lying Sarah Palin meme that she had claimed to be able to see Russia from her porch?
I am sick of you.
Pretty much a true progressives reaction he screws up and it’s everyone else’s fault (the media, a trusted friend, and so on) and then there is: If I didn’t do it someone else would have and so I was trying to help. Lastly I am not near as sorry I did it, as I am mad as hell about you catching me doing it.
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