Posted on 07/29/2007 6:22:19 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Yesterday I looked at the Ron Paul phenomenon as an expression of the anti-big government sentiments among some people in each of the major parties. Such voters have limited options among the other candidates this year. While the Paul supporters commenting vigorously disagreed, I also expressed the belief that Paul cannot win the Republican nomination. What if I am right? What will his supporters do?
It is hard to see Paul supporters being loyal Republicans and backing their party’s winner–which should be a matter of concern for the Republicans. If I was a GOP leader I’d be questioning Paul’s loyalty to the party and pressing him for a pledge to support the nominee and encourage his supporters to do the same should he lose. Of course it is questionable as to how many votes he could deliver to the authoritarian war mongers who dominate the Republican field should he be willing to do so.
I don’t even know that Paul would agree to support another Republican candidate. Would Paul jump ship and run as a Libertarian again? If not, will the Libertarian Party candidate benefit from what Paul has done? That will depend partially upon the candidate, but the LP will have the problem that many people are reluctant to vote for a third party which has no real chance of winning.
If they are reluctant to support a minor party, will many Paul supporters back the Democratic winner as the best shot of having an anti-war candidate win? That will depend a lot on the nominee. Richardson already has some libertarian support but remains a real long shot. Edwards will have a real tough time attracting any libertarian support, between his previous support for he war and Patriot Act when in the Senate to his current populist economic policies. Clinton will also have problems here, but I could see Obama managing to find a way to bridge liberal ideas with libertarian ideals as he has shown he is willing to avoid pandering to traditional Democratic special interests.
While I don’t think Ron Paul has any real chance of winning the Republican nomination, his candidacy is doing far better than might have been expected initially, and he very well may have a lasting impact on the race. Between the out right libertarians, as well as the more traditional conservatives who are becoming increasingly outraged by the current Republican leadership, there will be a number of Republicans looking for an alternative. Whether the Democrats can become a majority party will depend partially on whether they can attract a portion of these voters. To do so will mean not only opposing the war but showing they recognize that the 2000’s are not the 1930’s and their old New Deal coalition is long gone.
voted no on deterring arms....
thats good because if he had voted yes, w may not have been able to have westinghouse sell nuclear technology to china. we want to stop iran and yet we are selling them reactors. 5-8 billion dollars.
like clinton like bush.
So many Paul haters. They behave like liberals.
And some people here consider him the “soul of conservatism”!
“Paul is polling strong in N.H. and it’s possible he could come in 2nd in Iowa, after Tommy Thompson.”
From where to you get this info?
Not a Federal matter.
Ron Paul has been a Republican for a long time.
LOL... as I said before you are really delusional.
He’s a RINO!
Yeah, that's why the RNC has consistently supported his opponent in almost all of his races, and they supported the establishment hack over the real conservative in Georgia, who won BTW.
The GOP will embrace liberal turds like Giuliani or Specter but they'll kick the guy who actually carries out their beliefs to the curb.
Sure he is. Ron is the most conservative candidate in the race.
Ron Paul has been a LIBERTARIAN a long time. He uses the Republican party to give legitimacy to that.
He is NO republican. He is a Libertarian posing as a republican to get elected. He is a RINO and his days are numbered as such.
“Apparently, FReepers have no problem with a pro-abortion, pro-homosexual liberal Mayor running as a Republican”
I may be a newby but I saw the tail end of the Rudy wars a couple months back and given that they are few and far between around here these days I’d have to call bullsh*t on that statement.
I know JR; but his supporters are a sad case of extreme delusion.
I actually have more respect for liberals than I do for conservatives who trash other conservatives.
Yes JV they are. The enemy is within the gates.
He's not what the RNC socialists want because he is too conservative, but he has been a Republican for a long time.
george w is turning out to be a real conservative. he will do a dog and pony show for the republican base, but the reality is, he wants the clintons back in.
who wrote the patriot act? written under clinton, delivered by w.
immigration (amnesty) bill. he has arlen pushing for it again. he really is losing his base. that is why many in his corner are hoping for another attack on this country. how sick is that??
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