With Thompson out, Tom McClintock leans to Ron Paul

Los Angeles Times ^ | Jan 25, 2008 | Dan Morain

[CautiouslyHopeful]

With Fred Thompson out of the presidential race, who's a self-respecting conservative to go for? Could it be, maybe, perhaps, a certain Republican-libertarian from Texas?

That's one question perplexing California state Sen. Tom McClintock, possibly the second-most-famous California Republican currently in office after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

McClintock created a stir two months when he endorsed Thompson’s presidential candidacy. Having run for governor, lieutenant governor and state controller, McClintock has shown that while he has not won a statewide contest, he can win GOP primaries, which conservatives tend to dominate. So heading into the Feb. 5 primary, McClintock’s endorsement is seen as important in California.

[mnehring]

I try to, although I am always up for a good laugh. Generally the Paul threads get more attention because we actually do have policy discussions- generally.

[Truthsearcher]

“For what its worth, both of you misunderstand Ron Paul. He definately doesn’t want us to lose; he thinks that the war is defiling us. I can’t agree with that idea, but that’s where he is.”
I don’t misunderstand him, I know that’s what he thinks, which is what every anti-war leftist think. The “America is better than this” crowd.

And his proposed solution is immediate retreat, that is surrendering, which is the same as losing.

[AuntB]

“With Thompson out, Tom McClintock leans to Ron Paul”

Oh, why not, it just gets weirder and weirder. LOL!! Okay, I gotta go read the article.

I’ve decided to not support anyone and be happy to just stop McCain.

[Mrs. Don-o]

"They [Congress] declared war. Only a moonbat would believe otherwise."

I've heard that argued one way and another. Some have said that congressionally passed authorizations to use military force are "Declarations of War."

Others have argued (slighty different tack) that Congress has ceded the power to declare war to the President. But does Congress have the authority to do that under our Constitution? That concept has never been tested in the American judicial system.

[papasmurf]

I’ve been looking at Paul, which is hard...cause every time I read his words I hear that voice. LOL

Anyway, I like his ideas, but I don’t see much in the way of white papers. So, at this point, it seems like he’s all talk and no plan of action.

[Finny]

Actually, if you look at a county-by-county map of California in the Presidential elections, it's a lot like the map of the whole nation, and (I was surprised and enlightened to see) New York state: vastly dominated by red, with blue only along the "artsy" and/or metropolitan coast. I am proud to say that of the four coastal counties that voted Red in 2000 (out of 14 coastal counties -- California is a pretty big state), I was born in one, went to college in another, and was living and working in the third one. A fifth coastal county, Ventura, went red in one of the two Bush elections, if I remember correctly, making at one point five out of 14 (by my count) coastal counties. With I think one or two exceptions, the rest of the state was red and again, this is a BIG state in terms of sheer square miles, and 99.9 percent rural and agricultural. We feed a lot of the U.S. and a good part of the world, here.

California's turn to the left is relatively recent, and entirely due to massive population increase in tiny geographical locales.

[papasmurf]

Can you point me to any of his position papers? Something with an actual plan of action?

I’m especially interested in his Military and Foreign Policy positions.

Thank you.

[Finny]

...an 18 year old single malt.

Ah. The true Nectar of the Gods.

[rom]

Here’s a thread that I got pinged to that contains his Economic Revitalization Plan:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-rlc/1959108/posts

[CautiouslyHopeful]

Well, he has this on his website, which I like: Economic Revitalization Plan

Also good stuff on the Second Amendment. But I've always like what he's had to say on domestic issues.

[CautiouslyHopeful]

He appears to have a bunch of stuff on his website. Maybe I’ll look through it more thoroughly when I get the time.

[papasmurf]

His record in Congress can be described as very similar to some of his supporters.

They spam the internet, he spams Congress. Neither one has garnered any support that will move our Country forward.

300 + bills introduced, less than 5 passed.

What bothers me is, that he collects so much in donations, and can’t get a lift in the polls or the primaries. Moonbats just don’t have that kind of disposable income.

To my way of thinking, this suggests money from sources trying to tilt the playing field, but not able to vote.

[CharlesWayneCT]

Gold prices shot up today because supply was threatened because the South African mines shut down because they don’t have enough coal and there power plants aren’t running, cutting off the power.

It probably doesn’t effect the long-term price. But it means that if you were tied to the gold standard, your currency would fluctuate whenever there was any events like this, which are otherwise meaningless.

[papasmurf]

I’ve read that.

But I find nothing on his plan for the Military, or Foreign Policy.

For instance, he wants to pull the troops out, right? Under what kind of a timetable or under which set of circumstances will he do that?

He seems to be a strong supporter of the Military, yet he doesn’t say if he will rebuild, modernize, and increase their sizes.

I mean, he talks a pretty good game, but talk is cheap, and I’d like to see specifics.

That’s one of the things that FRed brought to the table, and has forced the others to attempt to do likewise. Although they all fall short, IMO.

[be-baw]

"sensible militarism' does not include the type of abrupt withdrawal that most in the Paul camp seem to espouse"

Paul has said he would withdraw troops from Iraq over a 6 - 12 month period.

[DugwayDuke]

“Sensible militarism in defense of US territory and US citizens and their property, yes. On this issue, Ron Paul is a strong as you can be.”

Oh, BS. The man is on record stating that ‘a few submarines’ would provide an adequate defense. That hardly qualifies the man as being “as strong as you can be”.

[wideawake]

Moonbats just don’t have that kind of disposable income.

George Soros does. So does CAIR.

[Eric Blair 2084]

Pimping for Ron Paul is against the rules. But every man has his price...here's mine.

[Eric Blair 2084]

Amazingly, Paul is now a viable option for me, too, considering the rest of the field. Never thought I'd see myself post that...

Reminds me of that old Eddie Murphy joke he did in his act back in 1984 when Jesse Jackson was in the race....a bunch of white rednecks get all liquored up at the local saloon and decide to walk into the voting booth and vote for Jesse Jackson as a goof "he, he, he, I'm gonna vote for Jesse Jackson", then wake up the next morning going "what do you mean he f'ing won?"

[Eric Blair 2084]

Please let me help you rewrite your post:

Ron Paul is an idiot!

JFC writes: Despite the fact that Mr. Paul has the highest rating of all Congressman by the National Taxpayers Union (84%) I can not support him for POTUS because I don't agree with his foreign policy

American Taxpayers Union Congressional Rankings for 2006

There, that's much better. Good point.