[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

They don;t have the best interests of the Republican Party in mind. If they did, they would join the GOP.

Again, you falsely equate membership in the GOP with having to have a say in its affairs. But if you want to have your little echo chamber and promote the same-old quasi-socialist status quo and ignore the thousands of conservatives, libertarians, and independents who have the real ideas, be my guest.

It is likely that Ron Paul will run 3rd party on the libertarian line

Paul has no intentions on running as a 3rd party or independent candidate, but he's single-handedly saving the GOP from extinction. Now if your party wants to ignore him that's fine. But you're going to need his endorsement of the nominee and his supporters in the general.

[Sadecki]

and ignore the thousands of conservatives, libertarians, and independents

I don't ignore the thousands of conservatives and libertarians who actually belong to the Republican party. In fact on many issues I am conservative, others I am a libertarian on -- But I am a Republican first.

Paul has no intentions on running as a 3rd party or independent candidate,

He's left the door open to a 3rd party run. It makes sense for him though, why let the grass roots movement that's been started go to waste. And in a race against Rudy and Hillary, Ron Paul would be the only pure anti-war choice in the field.

Based on the tone of your post, I get the feeling that you don't want Paul to do a 3rd party run. Why?

[calcowgirl]

You’re right, EEE. Regardless, this is a Conservative forum, not a GOP forum. You shouldn’t have to be having this argument.

I’ve been GOP all my life, but given their recent performance as a party, putting up liberal candidates while blatantly undermining the campaigns of conservatives, I’m thinking of going Independent, as well. I’ve never voted democrat and don’t plan to in the future, but maybe if R’s leave the party it will 1) give the party “leaders” a strong message that they are on a path to destruction or 2) give birth to a new party that actually embraces those ideals that served as the basis of the GOP.

I don’t understand folks demanding allegiance to a party candidate who doesn’t support 80% of the GOP platform. Does not compute.