Posted on 01/14/2008 2:28:06 PM PST by mnehring
It was supposed to be a revolution. Ron Paul was set to take America and the world by storm by winning primary after primary on his way to the White House. The supporters of the ten-term US Congressman from Texas were convinced that the money he raised would equal support at the actual ballot box. Now in the cold hard days of January, the truth has broken though.
So what has happened to Ron Paul? The answer isn't difficult; his support was never very large to begin with. It was magnified by a presence on the Internet (or the "Internets" if you prefer) and it would never push through into the real world of voting. This was never really anything more than an online revolution that could never come close to cracking the mainstream of political thought.
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For a dark horse candidate, he made all that he could out of his Libertarian philosophies. He brought forward a whole bunch of young folks that didn't really understand the political process and they are now excited and involved. Of course, Iowa and New Hampshire slapped many of them across the face and Michigan and New Hampshire will do the same. Come February 5 even the staunchest Paul political supporter will have to realize that it isn't going to happen.
The problem that many didn't really understand is that Paul wasn't preaching anything new. This was the same Libertarian Party line that had been regurgitated over and over in one form of another for election after election. I'm not certain why so many thought it might be "magical" this campaign season.
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There is a reason that the Libertarian Party exists in relative obscurity. Though many of us hold several of the ideas of the party dear to our hearts and believe them fully, once the movement of the fringe takes hold it is too much to bear for most people.
Many scoffed at the "mainstream" and believed they didn't need them as their man Ron Paul would rise above and dominate. They didn't believe the polls that showed little support and the true believers don't even believe the votes that have been cast at the ballot box. I'm not certain if Paul and his supporters will go away quietly, but one thing is certain, they won't win this election or even come close enough to move the political debate.
Anyone who believed this is a retard. Paul is in the race to make small government a point of debate, and has done a damned good job of it.
If Paul goes third party, nobody will notice, not even the RATs whom most of the vote will come from.
I just did a search for this author and he’s even more obsessed with Paul than you. Good God.
One way that Paul could make a permanent Goldwater-style mark might be to set forth a series of detailed papers on what he will do to fix specific domestic issues, such as health care or the borders problem. Make these specific enough so that years from now, they can be Googled by people, surrounded by the wreckage of Democrat and Republican policies, who want to try something new.
Actually that's not true. A Ron Paul 3rd party run would devastate the GOP far more than the Democrats.
The anti-war left isn't behind Paul. They're behind folks like Obama and Kucinich. You see, the vast majority of Americans want the war to wind down and most of these folks are supporting Paul. These folks also never voted before or participated in politics.
But by all means, please keep airbrushing a large portion of the electorate who simply oppose the war (but who are conservative on all of the other issues) as a bunch of leftist moonbats.
Oh, don't worry. I'm sure you'll be on FR bashing him even more than you do now.
Might be worth talking about once the grave-dancing and self-congratulation settles down.
Uhhh, post #60?
Imagine a thread critical of Cindy Sheehan, then here comes a "Freeper" to defend her.
That is a pretty close analogy to what you do here on Freerepublic.
National Ledger comes up with a Paul hit piece every other day. They’re about as credible as Wonkette.
I was told today that Ron Paul is the only true conservative. Another one said if Christians don’t vote for him, there is something wrong with them AND the elections are rigged so that he won’t get elected. The one elected will be elected by the globalists not the people. I’ve been more turned off by the Paul supporters than Paul himself.
Nothing as far as I can tell. I'm already getting his junk mail and seeing the large lawn signs in my neck of the woods...........
Sounds like the freepers Jim booted last year.
Because if we want to be fair, there IS a lot of Ron Paul platform acreage out there beyond the al Qaeda stuff, planks that should interest us all.
I support the war and I'm a small-l libertaian, no qualifier necessary. The only person I ever saw claim they were "neolibertarian" was that Luis Gonzales dude who got thrown off FR a while back. The dude was not even remotely libertarian. He believed in gun control, for crying out loud.
That was just my opinion. I don't have any control over Paul or his campaign. If he runs 3rd party or Independent, that's his business.
Paul promised his wife he would not too. If he runs a third party candidacy, I guess Paul's and your credibility and word will be worthless.
But...but...only troofers, white supremacists (and now Al-Qaida!) people are supporting Paul - so...that would help the GOP then, right? You guys aren't going to support him anyway regardless. Why do you care? Plus if he didn't run 3rd party, you and the GOP elites will support Peden in the Congressional race and stab Paul in the back again. If Thompson or Hunter is not the GOP nominee, I will ENCOURAGE Dr. Paul to run 3rd party. I won't support Paul if Thompson is the GOP nominee though.
You're still bitter about how Jim chooses to run his forum. Get over it, broseph.
Bull?
What is the first thing he talks about cutting? The Military!
Why?
Because he is an anti-war suicide monkey.
Another poster bitching about FR management. Do you people even donate, I hope?
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