Posted on 11/17/2007 6:56:56 PM PST by camerakid400
Memo to: Ron Paul supporters
Subject: Your e-mails
Okay, enough is enough. Like every other journalist in America, and who knows, maybe the world or even the universe, I've been deluged with your letters and e-mails. So I've done as you asked and taken a closer look at your candidate. Here is what I've found:
1. Ron Paul is inconsistent. Though he calls himself a man of principle and is apparently admired as such by his ardent fans, his principles seem somewhat elastic. He rails against the Bush administration for its supposed assault on civil liberties, yet when he was asked at one of the debates whether Scooter Libby deserved a pardon, he said no. "He doesn't deserve one because he was instrumental in leading the Congress and the people to support a war that we didn't need to be in." Notice that he didn't say it was because Libby was guilty of committing a crime. No, because Libby argued for a policy with which Paul disagreed, he deserved to serve time in prison. Ron Paul, the libertarian, who presumably values liberty above all, is willing to deprive someone else of his because of a policy disagreement?
2. Ron Paul is historically challenged. He argues that by embracing isolationism, he fits within a Republican tradition stretching back to Eisenhower "who stopped the Korean War" and including Nixon "who stopped the war in Vietnam." Let's recap. Eisenhower threatened to use nuclear weapons against China. It was the Eisenhower administration that had a hand in toppling Iran's Mohammad Mossedegh (an intervention that Paul has elsewhere cited as causing the U.S. grief 25 years later when the Islamists took power). Eisenhower also intervened in Guatemala, Cuba (planning for the Bay of Pigs began during his tenure) and Lebanon.
Nixon, an isolationist? Most observers, whatever they may make of detente with the USSR and the opening to China, agree that Nixon was an emphatic internationalist. For the record, he intervened in many countries including Chili, Peru and Cambodia. And he saved Israel by resupplying her during the Yom Kippur war. Neither his successes nor failures grew out of a Paulesque policy of "minding our own business."
3. Ron Paul is unserious. Suggesting that you will eliminate the IRS, the CIA, the FBI and other government agencies within weeks of taking office is ridiculous. These are bumper stickers, not serious reform proposals.
4. Ron Paul is too cozy with kooks and conspiracy theorists. As syndicated radio host Michael Medved has pointed out, Ron Paul's newspaper column was carried by the American Free Press (a parent publication of the Hitler-praising Barnes Review). Paul may not have been aware of this. But though invited by Medved to disavow any connection, Paul has so far failed to respond.
Paul has appeared on the Alex Jones radio program not once, not twice, but three times. Jones is the sort who believes that black helicopters are coming to impose a police state on America. He is quite concerned about the Bohemian Grove, the Bilderbergers, the federal election system (it's rigged, of course) and so on. Naturally, he believes that 9/11 was an inside job. Ron Paul has even appeared in a Jones film, "Endgame," the point of which is apparently that the Bilderbergers are plotting to control the world. They've already got Europe (through the European Union) and now are on the verge of securing America by means of a North American union that would unite Mexico, the United States and Canada.
Even if Paul says nothing insane in this film, his appearance alone calls his judgment into question. I have not seen "Endgame," but I have heard a tape of Paul on the Jones program just after the 2006 election. Jones asked the congressman whether the victory for the Democrats wasn't a "rejection of neo-fascist imperialism." Paul replied, "Yeah . . . This was a healthy election as far as I'm concerned."
Ron Paul is the favorite candidate of a number of racist, neo-Nazi and conspiracist websites. While Paul cannot be held accountable for the views of cranks and kooks, he can disavow their support and return their checks. He received $500 from Don Black, the proprietor of Stormfront.org and former Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan. He has not yet returned it.
Moreover, Paul seems to be playing a sly game with his conspiracy-minded fans. He does not explicitly endorse the crazier theories out there, but he hints at dark forces in the U.S. government threatening our liberties, he inveighs against the "neo-cons" (shorthand for Jews in some circles) and he gives aid and comfort to the paranoid by appearing on their favorite radio shows.
No, Ron Paul is not my candidate. Not for president. He might make a dandy new leader for the Branch Davidians.
In Green Bay before the Packer games we meet and talk to people about Paul. Usually, hordes of people walk to the games on the main street and begin their tailgating parties. These people are some of the most wholesome and unassuming people around, real people with careers and kids. So when FReepers say that all of Paul’s supporters are anti-war leftists or skinheads, it’s really hypocritical because FR is all about activism and getting people to participate in elections.
Obviously, those people in the pics were computer-generated by Paulbots in their Momma’s basement.
Amen. The people I have seen who support Paul are VERY much those who love this country and can see what is happening to it, and want to restore the constitution, our civil liberties and our sovereignty. Like you, I'm also tired of the status-quo supporting venomous anti-Paul crowd who are blatantly lying and misleading people.
Actually, maybe they sincerely don't realize that he does have a lot of support, from Americans who care about what is happening to this country...maybe the haters are speaking out of ignorance and not dishonesty. I hope it's sincere ignorance.
lol... yeah, it’s the half dozen kids behind it all. I think it’s funny that some people still actually think that. :-p
When people such as sofaman and others post and document the various pro nazi, anti Jewish, anti Israel, fanatics who support Ron Paul and blown off by you and other Paulites with, he doesn’t seek them.
These people who openly hold nazi - fascist views must see mutual views for them to support Ron Paul.
I have talked to several Paul supporters face to face especially over the past months including some who set up
tables with his propaganda.
They are a cross between Fascist and code pink Marxists with their anti Israel and anti war diatribe.
Paul’s nazi - fascist supporters are to numerous and in your face to not be delt with and a perfunctory flip off of them won’t do.
Until Ron Paul desides who the real enemy is, they are you.
The message of MUCH smaller government and less taxes really appeals to me. The people I know and associate with are salt of the earth types who don’t ask for hand-outs or hand-ups, but are always willing to help someone truly in need. It is simply not fair to tell these folks that they must give much of their hard earned money, through taxes and entitlement and welfare programs, to causes they may not feel are worthy or necessary. If they could keep more of their money, they could do so much more good with it than the government ever could,
Also, retaining our national sovereignty seems like a no brainer - do we want to keep our country or not? I think about how young this country is (relatively) and how far and how quickly it has strayed from what it started out as, and I hope we can get it back on course before it becomes totally unrecognizable.
I don’t agree with Paul on every issue, but I think he is the only candidate telling us the truth about the state of our country and its history and its future.
First, Paul has a proven record as a limited government, pro-constitution, libertarian-leaning Republican, so his ideas are diametrically opposed to fascist views. I think the candidates who people should be concerned about are the ones who are taking us towards an un-free, statist global government.
I can't speak for anyone else, but if I had to guess why some stormfront types support him, it is probably because he wants the foreign aid to Israel to stop. But here's the important point that the bonehead racists may not realize: He also wants us to stop sending billions to Israel's enemies, he wants the aid to BOTH sides to stop.
Here's an article about this:
Since the Six Day War, US presidents and presidential candidates have tended to speak of the US and Israel as great friends and allies. They have also tended to favor the shrinking of Israel's borders. This has reached a low point under the Bush administration, which is the first one to explicitly make its policy the establishment of an Arab state in Judea, Samaria and Gaza. Thus, the US alliance with Israel has been a decidedly mixed blessing.Israel receives military and financial assistance, and also some diplomatic support at the United Nations, but the US puts pressure on Israel to surrender parts of the homeland. Even worse, this relationship seems to foster a mentality of dependence amongst many Israelis who, it seems, cannot imagine Israel defying the United States in any major way. In the upcoming presidential election, however, there is a chance to change this dramatically, by electing Congressman Ron Paul, a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination. Dr. Paul favors a non-interventionist foreign policy. He has written:
"Yet, while we call ourselves a strong ally of the Israeli people, we send billions in foreign aid every year to some Muslim states that many Israelis regard as enemies. From the Israeli point of view, many of the same Islamic nations we fund with our tax dollars want to destroy the Jewish state. Many average Israelis and American Jews see America as hypocritically hedging its bets.... It is time to challenge the notion that it is our job to broker peace in the Middle East and every other troubled region across the globe.... 'Peace plans' imposed by outsiders or the UN cause resentment and seldom produce lasting peace.... The fatal conceit lies in believing America can impose geopolitical solutions wherever it chooses."
the mere fact he comes outta Texas is enough for me to pass on him.
After two Bushes and LBJ, can we even afford another Texan?
We have an excellent candidate in Duncan Hunter, look no further.
There is a Jihad against America and all who are not Muslim in this world.
Until the Paulites understand we are at war, his views on economics, forms of government, etc. mean nothing against the enemy of freedom.
The convoluted thinking there is no war or that somehow it is our fault is the easy way not to face reality that we are in the war for our lives.
It is like a few weeks ago when ove 200,000 acres burned and over 1,000 homes destroyed in my county.
Were those affected to quote Paul’s views on the world and that would fix the problem while all burned or work to put out the flames.
The above photos remind me of the fresh faces at the Nuremberg rallys of the 1930s.
Gullible people being taken in by a person who has no form of reality.
In light of what you just said, why is Bush leaving the borders open? Why is there little to no concern about who can get in to our country through the backdoor? (terrorists)
Is the threat exaggerated, or does Bush not care too much about national security? Which one is it?
And those people are not gullible, they just see a different threat to our country.
Conservatives, White Supremacists, Take to Florida Streets
Claiming an 'Implicit' Racial Angle, Stormfront Leader Joins Bush Protest
by Donna Ladd
November 15 - 21, 2000
I agree with you about trust. I think he would go through with many of his positions, including withdrawal from Iraq and (if he could) return to the gold standard.
Personally I care about three issues: national security, culture and economy.
On national security he is weak. He is against War in Iraq, he is against the Homeland Security act, he is against modernization of FISA and he is against national id card.
On the cultural issue he is also lacking. He did not vote on the Terry Shiavo bill, he voted against the flag burning amendment (2005: HR 10), he is strongly against the marriage amendment, he voted against a bill that would ban interstate transport of minors to receive an abortion, he voted against a bill that would make it a federal crime to harm a fetus while committing other crimes.
On the economy he is against trade.
Eliminating IRS is not a serious proposal. As long as US government continues collecting taxes, in any form, an organization will be needed to manage the process. Same goes for the CIA. While we live in a world that contains other states, we will need an organization to track the activity of our enemies and competitors. Military Intelligence is not the answer. Military is concerned with other armies, not with political opponents or terrorists. Military is limited by rules of engagement, there needs to be an organization that can act without these limitations. For example, Military is prohibited from using certain interrogation techniques, while CIA may not be.
I disagree with Paul on all of these positions. It is possible that I happen to agree with some of his views, but in my opinion, his positions on national security, culture and economy make him a non-viable candidate.
I do respect your views and I appreciate your answer. I hope that once a Republican candidate is chosen, you will support who ever it happens to be.
Oh dear. I hope Mona Charen is prepared to be deluged with rabid hate mail for slamming Paul.
Sure he will. And he raised $10 million on the 5th of November just like you people predicted.
If you're for a smaller federal government, against illegal immigration, for re-establishing Christianity as a founding principle and don't mind voting for a losing candidate as long as his political views closely match your own, give it a try.
Be forewarned, however, that you will find many Ron Paul supporters within the ranks of the CP just as you do in the LP (and probably a good share of what Mona Charen would call "kooks" as well). Their 2004 Presidential candidate, Michael Peroutka, has already endorsed Ron Paul's candidacy, in fact.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.