Posted on 01/11/2007 6:06:07 PM PST by Rodney King
Texas Congressman Ron Paul files for GOP presidential bid
HOUSTON -- Ron Paul, the iconoclastic nine-term congressman from southeast Texas, took the first step Thursday toward launching a second presidential bid in 2008, this time as a Republican.
Paul filed incorporation papers in Texas on Thursday to create a presidential exploratory committee that allows him and his supporters to collect money on behalf of his bid. This will be Paul's second try for the White House; he was the Libertarian nominee for president in 1988.
Kent Snyder, the chairman of Paul's exploratory committee and a former staffer on Paul's Libertarian campaign, said the congressman knows he's a long shot.
"There's no question that it's an uphill battle, and that Dr. Paul is an underdog," Snyder said. "But we think it's well worth doing and we'll let the voters decide."
Paul, of Lake Jackson, acknowledges that the national GOP has never fully embraced him despite his nine terms in office under its banner. He gets little money from the GOP's large traditional donors, but benefits from individual conservative and Libertarian donors outside Texas. He bills himself as "The Taxpayers' Best Friend," and is routinely ranked either first or second in the House of Representatives by the National Taxpayers Union, a national group advocating low taxes and limited government.
He describes himself as a lifelong Libertarian running as a Republican.
Paul was not available for comment Thursday, Snyder said.
But he said the campaign will test its ability to attract financial and political support before deciding whether to launch a full-fledged campaign. Snyder said Paul is not running just to make a point or to try to ensure that his issues are addressed, but to win.
Paul is expected to formally announce his bid in the next week or two, Snyder said.
Snyder said Paul and his supporters are not intimidated by the presence of nationally known and better-financed candidates such as Sen. John McCain of Arizona or former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts.
"This is going to be a grassroots American campaign," he said. "For us, it's either going to happen at the grassroots level or it's not."
Paul limits his view of the role of the federal government to those duties laid out in the U.S. Constitution. As a result, he sometimes casts votes that appear at odds with his constituents and other Republicans. He was the only Republican congressman to vote against Department of Defense appropriations for fiscal year 2007.
The vote against the defense appropriations bill, he said, was because of his opposition to the war in Iraq, which he said was "not necessary for our actual security."
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not b
The only time I have stayed at home is when I've voted absentee. I vote.
I don't either. If their culture allowed for it Saddam and many others like him would have been dead long ago. Our best action to take is like what Reagan did yo Qaddafi. Find them and send them a screaming telegram.
We got into this mess because one man a Republican put into law via E.O. a prohibition on killing the likes of such through covert ops. Carter signed one as well. The number of terrorist attacks against U.S. interest increased because of it. So did Reagan but the difference is Reagan let the military based in intelligence do a strike. I'm fairly certain they knew who was home when that missile came down.
Well, the JFK has had serious issues ever since the shipyard in Phily closed out from under it during the overhaul.
There will never be the political will for such an amendment in our lifetimes in my opinion. Is it not better to at least save some unborn lives?
I was in the Army and while I disagree very strongly with Paul on the war, I still think he's terrific otherwise.
Limited government and maximized freedom is the heart and soul of conservatism, not whatever the heck this is that most modern Republicans are pushing.
"I think you would see them dealt with in a different approach and likely more effectively with many of our troops lives spared."
Exactly! With what this war is costing, we could put a generous bounty on terrorist leadership. They would tear themselves apart in no time. And what they didn't do to themselves, others would be only too happy to bring about.
Yea I heard that one too. She was unofficially in and out of reserve for a few years. Reserves don't get the same upkeep dollars either. It just burns me that two actually Captains {JFK's and KH's} were made scapegoats for obvious Pentagon level mistakes.
Don't you agree that the Constitution was intentionally written in simple language? Of course one should have a narrow view on it. Taking a broader view is what leads to things like gun laws. Please don't tell me you take an Al Gore "living Constitution" view of things.
I'm just realizing now that I'm replying to posts of yours which I already replied to last night. I'm on a 3 day weekend and was out drinking before freeping.
And my post 308 made absolutely no logical sense.
Isn't Mr. Paul a strict constitutionist? Are you anti constitution?
We disagree here. I'm not afraid of terrorists. My chances of being killed by one are miniscule and if they do get me, well, I'm OK with Jesus. Millions more are killed by abortion each year than by terrorists. Why is it so bad to not be so one-issue on this?
I'll vote for Ron without hesitation. I can't believe the number of folks who obviously don't have a conserative bone in their body posting on this thread. What attracts them and their ilk to this site?? Is it part of a disinformation campaign designed to turn us into RINO/SOCIALIST loving statists?
Now that the Democrats are in power, I guarantee you he will be voting against them more than the GOP. Also, could you specify which tax cut bills he voted against? His nickname is "the taxpayers' best friend".
Pessimism is self-fulfilling.
He also appointed that gun-grabbing schmuck Bert Gonzalez as AG. His 2nd Amendment record is mixed at best. I will concede that he's been as good as he possibly can on abortion though.
Any that voted for Campaign Fincnce Reform.
According to President Bush, we will be at war with terrrorists in some shape or form for the rest of our lives. Using your logic, should we never be concerned with domestic issues, ever?
I'd like to apologize for swearing at you last night. I'm on a three-day weekend and had been out drinking prior and I was reasonably tanked when I posted that.
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