Ron Paul's Gunpowder Plot

ABC news ^ | 11/2/07 | Byron Wolf

[traviskicks]

ABC's Z. Byron Wolf Reports from South Carolina: It's sort of an odd allusion for a fundraising campaign in these days of hypersensitivity to terrorism, even if the Congressman it will benefit is running for president as a Libertarian Republican spoiler who wants to drastically change the way government runs in Washington.

But there was Ron Paul on the stump at Clemson in South Carolina telling a group of several hundred students and supporters, "Remember, remember the 5th of November."

In this case, he was referring to a fundraising drive and not a plot specifically to blow anything up. Maybe the apple cart.

The catchy slogan comes from a nursery rhyme about Guy Fawkes, the 17th Century crusader for Catholics rights caught in the basement of Parliament with 36 barrels of gunpowder. He failed in his mission to blow the place up.

Paul clarified at the rally that he is not involved in this particular fundraising effort.

But on their website with a call "for the largest one day political donation in history," Paul supporters want to ignite a monetary bomb of their own. They hope for 100,000 subscribers to raise $10 million bucks for Paul on that day. They have a ways to go over the weekend –- the site lists 15,991 subscribers as of late Friday.

The Paul campaign has set an official goal of raising $12 million by the end of the year.

Perhaps it's a stretch, but if Parliament is anything like Congress, its an allegorical explosion in the place where Paul casts votes every day as a Republican Congressman from Texas.

The Guy Fawkes theme is not new in popular culture. But in recent years, allusions have seen the plot succeed -- or at least envisioned a boom.

It's the topic of the John Lennon song "Remember" from his Plastic Ono Band Album.

The end of the song goes like this: "If you ever feel so sad, And the whole world is driving you mad, Remember, remember today. Don't feel sorry, 'Bout the way it's gone, Don't you worry, 'Bout what you've done, Remember, remember the fifth of November. (Boom)"

The Guy Fawkes scenario is also the subject of the dystopic 2005 Big Brother-style fantasy thriller "V for Vendetta" in which a Guy Fawkes caped crusader succeeds in blowing up Parliament.

[traviskicks]

Here is a youtube of Paul mentioning (30 seconds) the Nov 5th campaign...

It will be interesting to see how much is raised. However, I don't think the media is accurately depicting the symbolism behind the November 5th date. Of course, it does vary depending on who you ask, but is most likely related to the V for Vendetta movie, which is set in a 'big brother' like society, with an all intrusive, powerful, and (of course) corrupt government. Characters with Ayn Rand type personalities outfox and outflank the tyranny, and ordinary faceless citizens come together wearing Guy Fawkes masks on November 5th, Guy Fawkes day in England, to restore their liberty.

I think this explanation epitomizes the idea of thousands of ordinary individual Americans choosing, independently of the campaign, to drop this massive money bomb on the established political classes, in an attempt to return liberty to the United States.

[traviskicks]

ping

[mainerforglobalwarming]

I want Paul to run as a third party, anti-war candidate. He’ll hurt hillary far more than the gop nominee. Run Paul run!

[George W. Bush]

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An "I'd still rather have it on Veterans Day" ping.

[George W. Bush]

Despite my (grousing) ping to the list, I am aware of the humor of dropping a moneybomb on a constitutionalist candidate on Guy Fawkes Day. And it appeals to all our young rebel types who seem to dream up a lot of these things.

Any predictions on the take for 11/5, travis? I'm thinking $1.7M. But I hope to be pleasantly surprised. I do think our regular day-to-day fundraising has suffered due to people saving up for the moneybomb.

[Grut]

What on Earth does Guy Fawkes day have to do with American politics? Does one American in a thousand know who he was? This just seems to be a gratutitous pseudo-linking of Paul with a violent radical’s name.

[SteveMcKing]

"They hope for 100,000 subscribers to raise $10 million bucks"

Perhaps ABC should hire a new editing editor.

[traviskicks]

I really don’t know, some people will be giving more than $100 on that day, others signed up but will forget or give less, others will be giving, but haven’t signed up.

I don’t know which of these groups will be higher than the others, your estimate sounds as good as any that I’ve heard. Anywhere from $1.5-3 million is most likely, IMO.

I can tell you 45 people from the LV meetupgroup have signed up for it on our site, but I don’t know how many of them are also subscribers to the nov5th site.

[Beckwith]

It has been said that a man is known by his companions and the more I learn about Ron Paul’s supporters, the more I am convinced they are all marginally insane.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

They have a ways to go over the weekend –- the site lists 15,991 subscribers as of late Friday.

More MSM BS. Over 200,000 people have viewed the page, the people who signed up are irrelevant. People who aren't pledging are going to participate.

My guess is that Paul will raise $5 million Monday, but if a 100,000 people donate (and people like me will donate more than the minimum $100) you're looking at around an easy $10-$15 million haul.

[Caipirabob]

The emergence of Ron Paul on FreeRepublic threatens to denigrate this forum to the level of DU.

Ron Paul needs to find another party to contaminate.

Withdraw from Iraq my tuckus...

[jmeagan]

***** More MSM BS. Over 200,000 people have viewed the page, the people who signed up are irrelevant. People who aren’t pledging are going to participate.*****

If the page view was for unique visitors, you might be right. However, a lot of people visit the page more than once to see the current status of sign ups.

*****My guess is that Paul will raise $5 million Monday, but if a 100,000 people donate (and people like me will donate more than the minimum $100) you’re looking at around an easy $10-$15 million haul.*****

I hope you are right, but I think it will be in the $2-3 M range.

Here are the results of an informal poll on a RP site.

23 signed and will donate $100
40 signed and will donate more than $100
6 didn’t sign and won’t contribute
5 didn’t sign, but will donate $100
5 didn’t sign, but will donate more than $100

[Abcdefg]

The socialist wing of the GOP needs some small government contamination.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

The emergence of Ron Paul on FreeRepublic threatens to denigrate this forum to the level of DU.

Give me a break. Ron Paul is a legitimate presidential candidate, so articles about him are going to get posted whether you like it or not.

[SunkenCiv]

I’ll admit it, I was stumped.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

The emergence of Ron Paul on FreeRepublic threatens to denigrate this forum to the level of DU.

From your lips to Jim's ears.

[Berosus]

The American version of Guy Fawkes Day was “Pope Day,” celebrated in colonial-era Boston. Every November 5, two mobs, one from the north side of town and one from the south side, would meet in the center of Boston, each mob carrying a dummy of the pope. Then they started brawling, with stones and clubs widely used, and victory would go to the mob which captured or destroyed the other mob’s “pope”! The last celebration took place in 1764, and then Samuel Adams came along and decided that the mobs of Boston would be put to better use starting the American Revolution, instead of busting each others’ heads on Pope Days. Anybody suppose Ron Paul is trying to bring back that?

[SunkenCiv]

:’)

[George W. Bush]

Well, the Battle of Boston sounds kind of festive. That would make a funny event for PPV.

The two 'popes' they had, did those signify the conflict between the two rival popes Clement and Urban back in the late medieval period?