…not just the Republican nomination because the others implode, but the November election because the country is tired of Obama. Then what? Given the state of our bought and paid for Congress, will President Ron Paul be able to do anything other than veto whatever comes before him? Will Congress ensure he’s irrelevant?
Would your Uncle Dave vote for him if he runs against Obama? Small fed government, wants the government out of out private lives, anti-interventionist, etc. Those are on my wishlist. He goes too far on a few things, but he’s got my vote!
In a year of flameouts, nonstarters and unfulfilled potential, one Republican presidential candidate is clearly exceeding expectations. His name is Ron Paul.
He is eccentric and sometimes appears a little cranky, but the septuagenarian candidate has done several things that Mitt Romney can’t claim. He has raised more money in this campaign than in his last (Romney has raised more than Paul but less than he did in 2008). He has enlarged his base of support and has risen in the polls over the course of the year.
Making theoretical purists head of state is a sure way to the worst disasters possible. They don’t “balance” their goals against the pragmatic real world effects: real people lose.
Libertarianism itself is only valid as a “touchstone” value to check the excesses of capitalism or welfare state against. Taken on wholestock, it is as poisonous a philosophy as any other.
Avoid extremes.
You seem to be extreme in your moderation {backs away slowly}
=)
More to the point… the Republican establishment is not really small government. One way or another, the corporate interests would stop him.
He has my vote.
He’s the only candidate in either party who’s serious about scaling back the US’s overseas military. As for the domestic stuff, the legislative branch is primarily responsible for sorting that out – good luck with that.
Did anyone think 10 years ago the Ron Paul would be the most agreeable Republican candidate? The Grand Old Party is now more screwed up than the Democrats. And that’s saying something.
Then what?
Are you kidding?
How many ways can an old man die?
Let’s see … plane crash … car crash … fall down, bump head, now you’re dead … choking on a pretzel … heart attack …
Laughable. Thinking that libertarian ideology will return the nation to what? End women’s rights of choice, end access to birth control, return to the [har] gold standard, institute sufficient tariffs to start a trade war with any nations still interested in commerce with the USA.
Do we think we don’t need national standards for highways and infrastructure, education, energy policy? The slipshod crap only partly retreaded – by Obama battling the worst Congress since 1948 – still accomplishes more than anything federalist fundamentalism offers.
End women’s right to choice?
Roe v. Wade was a Supreme Court decision. How would Ron Paul reverse a Supreme Court decision? Please explain.
End access to birth control?
Huh?
Return to the Gold Standard?
It is Constitutional. The control of monetary policy should be by the people and for the people.
Who said anything about instituting tariffs?
National standards for infrastructure can be handled by means other than massive and wasteful bureaucracies.
The problem is that the system is already corrupting him…
As off the wall as Ron Paul is, the election machine would use him as just another cog in the wheel.
If he was trying to change it from within, he’d just run like hell in the treadmill and end up powering the treadmill.
Fuck elections. We need a representative government, not an ass-kissing rule of the 99% (the thousandaires) by the 1% (the millionaires) for 12,400 (the billionaires.)
Kinda chilly and filthy in that tent?
I’m for Ron Paul. What I fear, however, is that if he wins it will be a hollow victory. In the scheme of things, US Presidents are largely irrelevant now. Of course I’d be desperately pleased to be proven wrong.
Finally somebody sees the light of day.
Barack Obama is unable to change anything because he is not in control of anything. Obama is not a monolithic dictator like Stalin. We have separate branches of government in order to provide a balance of power.
The president of a republic is supposed to be the figurehead that represents the people and their Constitution.
“The people” in this instance does not refer to corporate interests, collective interests, or any other special interests.
Nobody is presumed to be “special” under the Constitution.
Equal representation for ALL the people is what the Constitution intends.
By the way, a corporation is NOT a person. I am a person.
Your assuming more tea party reps aren’t going to be elected, but theres going to be plenty this go-around.
Obama just sits on the couch until it’s time to go downstairs and read the teleprompter.
What else would you expect from a 100% corporate shill?
The difference with Ron Paul would be that he would know what the rights and responsibilities of the POTUS were and he would take it seriously.
Even an average citizen can get a different outcome by demonstrating an awareness of his rights.
Also, Obama has no genuine constituency outside of wall street and the unions. By now, only the stupidest of his former supporters don’t realize that he has screwed them and never meant all that stuff he had to say to fool them into voting for him.
But there really are people who are sick and tired of the looting, bullying and war mongering that makes up so much of the federal government’s daily activity. They have a true champion in Ron Paul. They share a real bond of shared values, hopes and expectations.
And since “they” have spent the last 100 years or so making an imperial presidency, is should be interesting to see that power fall into the “wrong” hands. Say, those of a patriot.
Some former Libertarian candidates have threatened to grant amnesty to all persons convicted on unconstitutional drug charges on day one (even the black ones). I could see Ron Paul doing this. Imagine how that would take the wind out of the sails of the narcs.
Ron Paul has answered the question “But how can we get our troops out of Iraq?” by saying, basically, we marched them in, we can march them out. As a commander in chief and with no actual congressional declarations of war to force his hand, I could see Ron Paul bringing a sudden end to many US conflicts around the world.
That is why he has such strong support with active duty military personnel.
Which could, if push came to shove, guarantee that Ron Paul would win a fight to restore the law.
He’s got my vote as well.
Irrelevant. Obama will be re-elected by a wide margin thanks to his base: inner-city welfare recipients. It is foolish to underestimate the sheer numbers of people who will vote for him. And even if the Republicans could win back the White House ( I seriously doubt it) the Dems will use a “scorched earth” policy and burn the economy completely down. We’ll see who is right. Mark down my prediction and then look it up day after the election.
“Inner-city welfare recipients” is most often used as a code-word for “black people.”
Black people comprise only 14% of the total population.
Obviously, black people cannot swing an election one way or another.
There are many people on welfare today because of the economy more than anything else. The banksters on Wall Street were the cause of the recent economic collapse. Special interests brought this country down.
Black people and welfare recipients are too easy to scapegoat in this political climate.
We arrived at this juncture in American History because we have failed to follow the Constitution.
There is a long road back to the Constitution, and it must begin with a president that understands and defends the Constitution.
My vote goes to Ron Paul, warts and all.
Also inner-city poor, regardless of race, are less likely to vote as a whole.
I got into Ron Paul/libertarianism for awhile while I was trying to justify my parents conservative beliefs.
Then I grew up. This guy is a joke. He only criticizes, he doesn’t have any real solutions to anything, just blind faith in libertarian ideals.
“Libertarian ideals,” as you put it, are informed by the principles of the Constitution.
I doubt that you would know anything about the basic principles contained in the Constitution.
Our Constitution is a relic of history that is provided lip service and nothing more.
The Constitution is a document that is easy to understand.
The difficulty arises from the interpretations of the Supreme Court, and legal precedents that are not Constitutional.
The people are in control of this republic. You have failed to exercise your control by allowing special interests to gain control of commerce and the law.
It is the fault of the people that they do not educate themselves and speak up when special interests demand special treatment by the government.
You are the government. Take control.
Since 1948, around 48% of the voting population have abstained from voting. The 99% do indeed outnumber the 1%. You have failed to exercise your power. It is your fault. There is nobody else to blame.
Great reply. President Ron Paul can cancel all executive orders in effect when he takes office, not appoint administrators (Cabinet Secretaries) for the agencies he wants to eliminate and propose to Congress that those departments be closed. He can submit a sensible budget and make them do their jobs, instead of including everything and making the executive be the bad guy by cutting out stuff. He can recall the military from wherever since Congress hasn’t bothered to declare war. He can shut down the illegal and immoral prison in Guantanamo. The President can do alot, but in the end it is OUR direct representatives who are the problem. People should and need to pay attention who they are sending to DC
Almost without exception, today’s problems are yesterday’s solutions.
So Ron Paul doesn’t try to sell you yet another one-size-fits-all imposed-from-DC “solution” to your problems.
Man, you are looking right at wisdom and not seeing it!
The Republicans are cutting their own throat. Paul is the sanest of the group, and he isn’t really all that sane. The rank and file Republicans won’t deal with him (the only reason he has what power he has is because of his longevity), and the Democrats won’t touch him.
He would have my vote but Dibold is still counting the votes. stupid slaves.
I support Ron Paul. I will be voting for him. He is the only conservative in the race.
Ron Paul is a conservative in the sense that he has a long record of voting for issues that are specifically authorized by the Constitution, and voting against issues that are not Constitutional.
Republicans pretend to be conservatives so long as they can capture the vote of ignorant people that believe conservatism is equivalent to religious fanaticism. The Constitution was ratified to allow anyone to believe whatever they wish to believe according to their individual conscience.
Democrats are historically perceived as the champion of the laborer and the downtrodden masses.
The Constitution was designed to transcend polarizing political boundaries and provide for the rights of all people to get along in peace and harmony.
The corruption of the Constitution arises when a group of people or a person is allowed unequal protection under the law.
OMG! This is the first time I’ve agreed with any post from “Uncle Dave”!
I’m for Ron Paul.
I will vote for Mr. Paul, but I fear the voting machine is far too corrupt and powerful to allow anyone to become POTUS if he believes in the U.S.C., and the rule of law…..
“It is too late for the pebbles to vote, the avalanche has begun”
The Vorlons
Oh Hey…I miss the Vorlons. My cat is Kosh, named after their ambassador.
well Ron Paul tells us that as President he is commander in chief of the military.
his main money saving platform is the ending of the various military occupations worldwide, which in theory he has the power to do without congress. this would have to be his most electable policy as most of us don’t want wars.
i guess we’ll find out if that theory matches reality if he is elected.
He is another lying plutocrat.
I will not vote for him.
Cursor_
I hope that means you won’t vote at all.
The only hope for the US and the West to get out of fascism.
The media are fond of asking Dr. Paul if he will run as a third party candidate, assuming he will not win the GOP nomination. What needs to be acknowledged is that one of the other candidates will surely run independent or third party if Paul DOES win the nomination, thereby diluting his power to win the presidency.
I registered republican to vote for him in the primary and I will write him in for the general election if he does not get put in by the Libertarian party.
I’m right there with you on that!
I’ve only ever voted 3rd party, in the 12 years I’ve been old enough to vote. However, I registered republican for the primary too.
I feel the same way.
Ron Paul is the last off-ramp on the highway to hell.
Will we turn or burn?
I will vote for him. He is the only honest politician around. He has integrity. Not only that he – is an obstetrician. He is a little eccentric, but smart as hell. He is the only candidate worried about freedom – the others would like to lock up people for terrorism with no trial. They also want to redefine terrorism: Disagreement, protesting, complaining, grandmother traveling etc.
Where can Europeans sign up for voting in a US president?
“honest politician” the ultimate oxymoron. He’s just a better class of hooker no more no less.
I understand your being jaded, who wouldn’t be? But in this particular instance you honestly don’t know that in the hell you are talking about.
Uncle Davie Stalin will not ever vote for Ron Paul, he’s way to much hooked on the big government thing.
Paul’s winning me over. Sort of like a Conservative Libertarian Pat Paulsen.
Problem with RP in office is that it’s a guaranteed failure of the executive branch. Congress will ensure he fails because he’s too anti-establishment.
Today, the Teapublican House is stifling an operational government. Imagine if both sides of Congress work against him.
That may be true, but he would seriously disrupt the current power-elite and have them scrambling. That is about all we can hope for.
sorry, no support from me. the guy doesn’t believe in evolution so I’m not interested in anything he has to say.
LL comes up with another howler:
Federal Bureaucracies strengthen corporations. Cut out the bureaucracies and the corporations have to fend for themselves.
Yes, just like the police strengthen criminals. Cut out the police, and the criminals will have to fend for themselves!
How’s the weather in Black-is-White land, LL?
Listen people… Ron Paul wants to abolish the SEC. He wants to let those nice Wall Street people do whatever they want.
Unregulated Wall Street caused the Great Depression and the economic troubles we’re in now.
Ron Paul wants to abolish the EPA. Let those nice corporations dump their toxic wastes wherever they want. And if you have a problem
with that, you can sue Exxon, with their armies of lawyers. Good luck.
We have a large, complex country with large and powerful corporations looking to make a buck any way they can, it’s the capitalist way.
If we don’t protect ourselves from their extremes, we will be back to the days of the Robber Barons, when corporations ruled the land
and we the people were poor, miserable, and screwed. Read your history.
P,
Read your history.
I have. And the “Robber Barons” are the ones who paid for regulations that favored them.
Why do lobbyists spend money on politicians?