Five Myths About Ron Paul

The Washington Post ^ | 12/9/11 | Nick Gillespie

[BatMite]

Ron Paul is the Rodney Dangerfield of Republican presidential candidates.... Why, despite a small but devoted set of supporters, does this 76-year-old obstetrician turned politician routinely get no respect from the media and GOP operatives?...

1. Ron Paul is not a "top-tier" candidate.

...Paul is doing increasingly well in national and state-level polls.... And now that Cain has dropped out, Paul's stock is likely to keep climbing. The congressman is no less a top-tier candidate than anyone else in the race.

2. Ron Paul is a doctrinaire libertarian.

...Paul parts company with many libertarians on many issues. These include immigration, where he favors ending birthright citizenship and reducing the number of newcomers until the welfare state is dismantled. Paul says abortion law should be settled at the state level, but in Congress in 2005, 2007, 2009 and this year he introduced the Sanctity of Life Act....

3. Ron Paul's call to "end the Fed" is crazy.

...Paul's bill to audit the Fed, which has been introduced three years in a row and hasn't passed, but had more than 300 co-sponsors in the House in 2009. Paul introduced a new version in January that has 195 co-sponsors drawn from both parties....

4. Ron Paul is anti-military.

Unlike his fellow, er, top-tier candidates Gingrich and Romney, Paul served his country in uniform, as an Air Force captain.... While Pentagon brass might oppose his defense cuts, troops seem to like what he is saying....

5. Ron Paul has strong youth support because he wants to legalize drugs.

Paul's popularity among younger voters — he's called a "rock star" on the college circuit — stems from the idealism of his politics. Kids rally behind his faith in the future, belief in the individual and confidence in bottom-up decision-making....

[Mr. Silverback]

Yep.

[Darksheare]

I knew I wasn’t the only one to notice that.