Primary People: In step in with Paul's campaign (New Hampshire)

New Hampshire Union Leader ^ | July 29, 2007 | Clynton Namuo

[OrthodoxPresbyterian]

Primary People: In step in with Paul's campaign
By CLYNTON NAMUO
New Hampshire Union Leader Correspondent

Dover – Some supporters hold signs on street corners for their candidates.

Others raise money or talk to their friends.

For resident Kelly Halldorson, those acts simply weren't enough for her favorite candidate, Texas Congressman Ron Paul, who faces an uphill battle for the Republican nomination.

So Halldorson, 34, plans to tell more people than the average supporter about Paul when she hands out literature this Saturday while she walks to Concord. From Dover.

"Instead of giving $2,300, I'm going to walk 38 miles," Halldorson said.

Paul, who represents the Gulf Coast area of Texas, is by every means a maverick. He wants to abolish the IRS and the Department of Education. He believes in withdrawing from free trade agreements and international organizations he says infringe upon America's independence, including the United Nations, the WTO and NAFTA, among others.

Above all, Paul pushes personal freedom and small government with lower taxes. He also strongly believes troops should be taken out of Iraq.

"His views are so much in line with mine," Halldorson says. "I agree with him on 95 percent of the issues. How many candidates do you find that you agree with that much?" Halldorson said she knows first hand what government assistance does -- not much.

After living in a housing project and then a trailer in Dover, Halldorson said she moved out to Los Angles with her then boyfriend and now husband, Jeff, just in time for the 1994 Northridge Earthquake, which killed dozens and injured thousands.

Disappointed with government

Halldorson said the government's response after the earthquake had a profound effect on her view that less government is better for everyone.

"I think that had a huge impact," she said, noting a terrible federal response after Hurricane Katrina as well. "To me the federal involvement was a huge failure." Earthquake victims lined up and got federal money with little proof they even needed it, Halldorson said. She said federal help overall is a failure and points to her time living in the projects as evidence.

"A lot of the urban housing in these districts have so much crime and so much pain," she said, adding "I've lived in the projects. I don't think those projects help anyone." The solution for much of society's ills is self-reliance, Halldorson said.

She, her husband and their three children -- sons Wolfgang, 12, and Griffin, 10, and daughter, Zoey, 9 -- have their fair share of money problems, she said, but they get by however they can, whether asking family for help, cutting back on expenses or getting another job.

"You don't have to have the answer," she said, noting that her family deals with problems as they arise and always finds a way out.

For example, when her one of her sons hurt his tooth, Halldorson said she had no money to fix it.

So she took him to a free clinic at Dover's Wentworth Douglass Hospital -- but only after making sure the clinic received no public funds whatsoever.

Likes his independence

This ideal of personal freedom and self reliance is a cornerstone of Paul's campaign, and Halldorson believes more people, particularly in Live Free or Die New Hampshire, would support the congressman if they knew more about him and his views.

With little name recognition and even less media coverage, however, it is up to supporters like her to spread the message. In this case, she'll spread the message from her home in Dover along Route 9 to Route 4 and all the way into Concord.

"I think the word just needs to get out," she says.

For its part, the Paul campaign plans to have water and additional supporters along Halldorson's route, said New Hampshire coordinator Jared Chicoine. He said Paul and his views attract ardent grassroots supporters that are a key element needed to win a primary like New Hampshire's. "I think it really energizes supporters to get out there and work for him and do incredible things," he said. Chicoine said the many news stories calling Paul a long shot miss the point that New Hampshire is a state made specifically for those candidates to break out. "From a New Hampshire point of view, if they call us a long shot, fine, fine," he said. "We're still gonna work hard and our base is motivated. Our supporters here are ready to go. I don't get discouraged by it, to be honest with you. I just think it's more motivation to work harder."

Halldorson plans to leave her Dover home at 5 a.m. Saturday for the trek to Concord and is shooting to get to the Statehouse by 10 p.m., if not earlier. A vegan herself, Halldorson plans to stop at Susty's Radical Vegan in Northwood for lunch before continuing on to Concord.

Despite having never walked such a long distance before, Halldorson said the only things that could stop her are thunder and lightning.

"I'm not going to get electrocuted doing it," she said. "If it's just raining, I plan to keep going."

[OrthodoxPresbyterian]

"I've lived in the projects. I don't think those projects help anyone." The solution for much of society's ills is self-reliance, Halldorson said.

I gotta tell ya -- I really love our supporters.

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[OrthodoxPresbyterian]

Great Ron Paul Ping List!!

"I've lived in the projects. I don't think those projects help anyone." The solution for much of society's ills is self-reliance, Halldorson said.

No doubt about it, folks -- we've got the best volunteers any Candidate could ask for. Gotta love 'em!!

[gondramB]

>>I gotta tell ya — I really love our supporters.<<

While I love all your followers in the Christian sense and I love the principles of many of your followers - the Ron Paul campaign is also getting a very percentage of the 9/11 conspiracy nuts and the CFR/Jewish conspiracy folks.

[t_skoz]

“the Ron Paul campaign is also getting a very percentage of the 9/11 conspiracy nuts and the CFR/Jewish conspiracy folks.”

I know this is a type... a very WHAT percentage? The percentage is small. Like any strong grassroots movement, the fringe is often attracted to the cause. The same is true here in NH with the Ron Paul campaign.

I am very involved here in the campaign and can count on one hand the number of activists and supporters who are 9/11 truthers or ZOG-crazed wackos.

It is a very SMALL percentage.

And I would be very surprised if Ron Paul did not win New Hampshire.

[UCFRoadWarrior]

My Ron Paul question:

Except for his stance on the Iraq War, I agree with most of his points (especially immigration and no-globalism)...

However, he has ran as a Libertarian for President. Libertarians are traditionally very open borders and very pro-free trade. Does Paul truly support what he believes now....or, is he still a libertarian?

Just wondering....this is an honest question and not intended to bash

[rineaux]

just continue to fight the good fight. regardless of the “truth squad” comments you hear, read, etc. every vote counts so i’ll take their vote.

as far as the truth, i think to have all the candidates tell the truth would be refreshing.

[gunnyg]

Ron Paul and the Greased Pig
http://tinyurl.com/29cas9
http://tinyurl.com/29cas9

[OrthodoxPresbyterian]

While I love all your followers in the Christian sense and I love the principles of many of your followers - the Ron Paul campaign is also getting a very percentage of the 9/11 conspiracy nuts and the CFR/Jewish conspiracy folks.

I can't very well help what the "Troofers" want to do with their time -- other than I think that they should all get jobs and do something productive with their lives.

As far as the CFR goes, who said anything about a "Jewish" conspiracy?

Within three years of the CFR’s founding, one of the founders, a New York corporate lawyer named John W. Davis, got the Democrats’ nomination for President. Today, no one gains the nomination who is not a CFR member.

The Presidential election is therefore a contest between CFR Team A and CFR Team B.

In 2004, the race narrowed down not just to members of the CFR. It narrowed down to a pair of Skull & Bones members. Bones lets 15 people a year into its ranks. What are the odds against two members gaining the joint nomination of the highest office in the land? Did the media dwell on this? Of course not. -- Dr. Gary North, "Ron Paul and the Greased Pig", http://www.lewrockwell.com/north/north552.html

Why does any question of "Jewry" have to come up in a discussion of the CFR's undue influence on American Presidential politics?

I am a Dictionary-Definition Zionist myself:

"Zionism" -- The belief that Jews should have their own nation; Jewish nationalism. Zionism gained much support among Jews and others in the early twentieth century, and the hoped-for nation was established in the late 1940s in Palestine, as the state of Israel. Zionism is opposed by most Arabs. (See Arab-Israeli conflict.)
American Heritage New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition

I believe that "Jews should have their own nation", in Palestine (I would include Judea and Samaria, the so-called "West Bank", in this homeland; but not Philistia aka "Gaza" -- feh, who needs it!?)

I, for one, think it would be rather novel, AT LEAST ONCE, to have a Presidential Candidate who was NOT a member of "CFR Team A versus CFR Team B". But as a Zionist supporter of the honorable Congressman Ron Paul, I don't know why you felt it necessary to "poison the well" by suggesting that sentiment has anything to do with Judaism or Jewry.

[TazforPrez]

http://www.ronpaul2008.com/issues/
http://www.vote-smart.org/bio.php?can_id=296

My advice would be do your own research.Never ever believe anything you read on a website unless you already know it to be true.

[rineaux]

excellent point. i never did the cfr comparisons.

[gondramB]

>>I know this is a type... a very WHAT percentage? The percentage is small. Like any strong grassroots movement, the fringe is often attracted to the cause. The same is true here in NH with the Ron Paul campaign.<<

Sorry, that was indeed a typo.
I don’t know what percentage of Ron Paul supporters are 9/11 or NAU conspiricists -probably small.

But a large percentage on those folks I see online who believe in such conspiracies are Ron Paul supporters.

And Congressman Paul himself believes in the NAU conspiracy. Its on his congressional web site.

[OrthodoxPresbyterian]

My Ron Paul question: Except for his stance on the Iraq War, I agree with most of his points (especially immigration and no-globalism)... However, he has ran as a Libertarian for President. Libertarians are traditionally very open borders and very pro-free trade. Does Paul truly support what he believes now....or, is he still a libertarian? Just wondering....this is an honest question and not intended to bash

I respect your honest question, but I think you may have misunderstood Ron Paul's position as a Libertarian candidate in 1988.

You probably have heard that in 1988, Ron Paul answered a Questionnaire by calling for the abolition of the US Border Patrol -- but what you may NOT have heard (Paul-bashers tend to leave this part out; how convenient) is the fact that Ron Paul said that the US Border should be guarded instead by the United States Army!

In Ron Paul's view, the Border Patrol was an unnecessary waste of money given the fact that, in MOST countries, preventing unwanted Border incursions (that is to say, invasions) is the job of the Military.

Thus, please understand -- Even in 1988, as a Libertarian, Ron Paul advocated the Full-Scale Militarization of the United States Borders in defense of US National Sovereignty. By any possible standard, such a position would make Ron Paul the MOST "anti-Open-Borders" candidate of anyone in the race -- granted, he voted FOR the Border Fence; but what's a Fence, or a beefed-up Border Patrol, compared to the US National Guard!!

As far as Trade goes, Ron Paul is philosophically Pro-Free-Trade... he is a good Capitalist. However, Ron Paul is AGAINST Government "sweet-heart deals" like NAFTA or CAFTA, which he views as "Government-Managed Trade". He'd rather cut Taxes on domestic Businesses and Workers, so that we can out-compete any possible rivals. In his own words: "We don't need CAFTA or any other international agreement to reap the economic benefits promised by CAFTA supporters, we only need to change our own harmful economic and tax policies. Let the rest of the world hurt their citizens with tariffs; if we simply reduce tariffs and taxes at home, we will attract capital and see our economy flourish." (source).

I think he's right. US Workers are the most productive in the world; if we simply reduce the Federal Taxation and Regulation here in the US, I think we can compete with any country in the world -- high-wage, low-wage, whatever. We just need to eliminate the crushing burden of Federal Taxation and Regulation here in the US, and our Workers will out-compete any low-wage third-world crap-hole you want to name. JMHO.

Best, OP

[OrthodoxPresbyterian]

And Congressman Paul himself believes in the NAU conspiracy. Its on his congressional web site.

The NAU is not a "conspiracy":

The Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP) was launched in March of 2005 as a trilateral effort to increase security and enhance prosperity among the United States, Canada and Mexico through greater cooperation and information sharing.

http://www.spp.gov/

This is real, and it is being done by the Executive Branch without the approval of Congress.

"The real issue is national sovereignty. Once again, decisions that affect millions of Americans are not being made by those Americans themselves, or even by their elected representatives in Congress. Instead, a handful of elites use their government connections to bypass national legislatures and ignore our Constitution-- which expressly grants Congress the sole authority to regulate international trade." -- Ron Paul, "The NAFTA Superhighway", http://www.house.gov/paul/tst/tst2006/tst103006.htm

I'm opposed to it.

You should be also.

[gondramB]

>>I can’t very well help what the “Troofers” want to do with their time — other than I think that they should all get jobs and do something productive with their lives.<<

That’s a good point - a legitimate movement cannot help who supports them. We’ll see a lot of that as the election approaches.

>>As far as the CFR goes, who said anything about a “Jewish” conspiracy?<<

There is a lot of overlap in the conspiracy theories around “Jewish Bankers,”Internationalists, The Trilatteral commission ,the Masons, the CFR and The Illuminati (even though I’m fuzzy on who they are supposed to be).

A lot of what is said about the CFR is out of the Protocols of Elder Zion, just restated. Sometimes they are called internationalists, sometimes they are Neocons.... Ironically Ronald Reagan called it Free Trade and/or Fair Trade.

The twisting is similar - so a plan to work with Mexico and Canada to stop drugs and smuggled goods before they get into Mexico and Canada to make it harder to get them into the U.S. becomes a conspiracy to end U.S. Sovereignty.

So when Ron Paul buys into the North American Union conspiracy, I am unsure how much farther he goes.

When he recommends conspiracy books about the Masons I wonder who else he thinks is conspiring.

When he opposes the war in Iraq I wonder if he is listening to his supporters who call it a Jewish war and use Neocon as a code word for Jewish influence.

Now, your concern, that no one group should dominate all our Presidential choice is correct and valid. But like the real problem with the CFR security plan (that it restricts traffic out of the U.S. when we have always been free to leave if we chose, real concerns here get lost in the wave of conspiracy.

Here is a quote from Ron Paul’s congressional web page that makes me think he should stay in the house and out of the white house.

>>Instead, a handful of elites use their government connections to bypass national legislatures and ignore our Constitution— which expressly grants Congress the sole authority to regulate international trade.

The ultimate goal is not simply a superhighway, but an integrated North American Union—complete with a currency, a cross-national bureaucracy, and virtually borderless travel within the Union. Like the European Union, a North American Union would represent another step toward the abolition of national sovereignty altogether.<<

[gondramB]

I have actually read the CFR proposal and the Homeland security policy that came out of it.

Its about security cooperation - establishing a second line of security at the entrances to Mexico and Canada to try to stop drugs, terrorism and smuggled goods from even getting into Canada and Mexico and thus harder to get into the U.S.

Its having limited success because it depends, in large part, for the Mexican government to do their part.

To label it as a plot to end U.S. sovereignty just distracts from the real issues with out neighbors. For one thing it diverts attention from the illegal immigration problem.

[Comus]

RP could not win a statewide election in Texas, much less a nationwide election.

[BlackbirdSST]

RP could not win a statewide election in Texas, much less a nationwide election.

Is that a Miss Cleo kind of declaration or is your crystal ball for real? Who's going to win in '08? I really want to know. Blackbird.

[OrthodoxPresbyterian]

excellent point. i never did the cfr comparisons.

Council on Foreign Relations "Team A"
Hillary Clinton (Member, CFR)
Barack Obama (Member, CFR)
John Edwards (Member, CFR)
Joe Biden (Member, CFR)
Christopher Dodd (Member, CFR)
Bill Richardson (Member, CFR)

Council on Foreign Relations "Team B"
Rudy Giuliani (Member, CFR)
John McCain (Member, CFR)
Fred Thompson (Member, CFR)
Mitt Romney (Member, CFR)
Newt Gingrich (Member, CFR)

I, for one, think it would be rather novel, AT LEAST ONCE, to have a Presidential Candidate who was NOT a member of "CFR Team A versus CFR Team B".
(Ron Paul #1, or maybe Tancredo or Hunter).

[gondramB]

I tried to go pull up some stuff from Prisonplanet to show the links with the NAU thing, the 9/11 conspiracies and the Jewish conspiracy but their site is down and apparently the Ed Brown compound is under assault at the moment...again.

http://edbrownvlog.blogspot.com/

This groups uses the same language as Paul to talk about fiat money (paper) being fake and income taxes being unconstitutional - they also tie it in with the CFR and the Masons but they add Jewish Bankers.

Seriously, Ron Paul has got to distance himself from this stuff if he wants to be a serious conservative candidate. And he’s not, yet.

[Comus]

I can’t tell you who is going to win, but I can sure as hell tell you it won’t be RP. Want to bet on that?