Posted on 01/14/2008 2:28:06 PM PST by mnehring
It was supposed to be a revolution. Ron Paul was set to take America and the world by storm by winning primary after primary on his way to the White House. The supporters of the ten-term US Congressman from Texas were convinced that the money he raised would equal support at the actual ballot box. Now in the cold hard days of January, the truth has broken though.
So what has happened to Ron Paul? The answer isn't difficult; his support was never very large to begin with. It was magnified by a presence on the Internet (or the "Internets" if you prefer) and it would never push through into the real world of voting. This was never really anything more than an online revolution that could never come close to cracking the mainstream of political thought.
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For a dark horse candidate, he made all that he could out of his Libertarian philosophies. He brought forward a whole bunch of young folks that didn't really understand the political process and they are now excited and involved. Of course, Iowa and New Hampshire slapped many of them across the face and Michigan and New Hampshire will do the same. Come February 5 even the staunchest Paul political supporter will have to realize that it isn't going to happen.
The problem that many didn't really understand is that Paul wasn't preaching anything new. This was the same Libertarian Party line that had been regurgitated over and over in one form of another for election after election. I'm not certain why so many thought it might be "magical" this campaign season.
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There is a reason that the Libertarian Party exists in relative obscurity. Though many of us hold several of the ideas of the party dear to our hearts and believe them fully, once the movement of the fringe takes hold it is too much to bear for most people.
Many scoffed at the "mainstream" and believed they didn't need them as their man Ron Paul would rise above and dominate. They didn't believe the polls that showed little support and the true believers don't even believe the votes that have been cast at the ballot box. I'm not certain if Paul and his supporters will go away quietly, but one thing is certain, they won't win this election or even come close enough to move the political debate.
Wait. I could have sworn you were a Paul supporter.
What made you think that?
Wasn’t there a thread where you were defending Paul like yesterday or something? I was drinking for the playoff games, so I could totally be mistaken.
Maybe defended a Paul-supporting freeper from what personally considered to be an unfair attack (such as the idea that Paul supporters should be banned)? That has more to do with personal views on fair play, but still disagree with a huge number of Ron Paul's stances and don't intend on voting for him.
That the bulk of that money was NOT coming from his small base of true supporters...
The big bucks are being funneled to Paul by the left/Dem's to create a " Ross Perot 2008" 3th party run
Know what, my bad. I had you mixed up with Pikachudad. I guess that makes him the Darth Vader of the FR Pokemon crowd. I did notice PD giving huzzas to my boy Bobby Jindal today, though, so he’s kewl.
No, Sally. Another freeper bitching about the mods allowing freak Ron Paul Liberals on FR. Got it?
So I suppose abortion and the 2nd Amendment are not big issues for you. Fair enough, but for me, those two issues trump foreign policy, so I'm able to like Paul even though I disagree with his war stance. But read the tagline. Learn it, live it, love it. Fred is the best of both worlds. Why on Earth would you prefer McCain over him?
Fair 'nuff. But if you're going to complain about the hours and hours of hard work that the mods do FOR FREE, I hope you at least throw in a few bucks during Freepathons. Freeloaders who complain about management piss me off.
Ron Paul should go back to helping his mother make fish sticks.
Paul’s mother is dead. :-(
And Liberals trolling for Ron Paul on this conservative board pisses me off.
P for Pauldetta!
Just remember, it's better to be pissed off than pissed on. Unless you're at that club in Montreal I went to one drunken night back in '96....
I will chalk you in with the other Ron Paul supporters who have been hoodwinked and bamboozled by Ron Paul.
I can only hope that you didn't give him too much of your money.
I was just noting your own hypocrisy on the subject.
And You are welcome to them. They'll fit right in.
The party doesn't need you.
The party and I are even, then.
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