What Has Happened to Ron Paul?

The National Ledger ^

[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.

***

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.

***

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.

[ksen]

The liberty of the capitalists to exploit without labor laws and environmental protections;

The "state’s right” to prevent Blacks from voting without the interference of the Voting Rights Act (voted against its renewal in Congress);

The "states right" to ban abortions without the interference of Roe v Wade;

The freedom of the government to deny same-sex rights (was an original sponsor of the "Marriage Protection Act");

The freedom of children not to attend schools (would abolish public education);

The freedom of the elderly and disabled to starve (would abolish Social Security);

The freedom of the sick to die (would abolish Medicare);

The freedom of the U.S. to destroy the planet without even the most basic limits on carbon emissions (opposes signing on to Kyoto and all other carbon limitations);

Hey MurphE, do you agree with those grievances the Left has against Paul or were you just posting examples?

[ksen]

Everything after For Example should have been in quotes, they are not my words.

Ya had me worried there for a minute MurphE. ;^)

[Revelation 911]

Illbay was a mormon....and an ass...not the same dude

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/888189/posts?page=1781#1781

[ksen]

Still wasting your time spamming against a candidate that has no chance to win, I see. Perhaps eventually you'll decide a more prudent path is to convince others to vote for the one you do like.

mnehrling spends so much time on Paul threads that I have no idea which candidate he actually supports.

[ksen]

Rhetorical question? Paul’s nearly decade of publications show him to be a racist with very ugly views that range from wakadoo to filthy. Fairly or unfairly, the stench of his ideology, by inference carries over to FR. How many of his enablers, who post here all to often, agree with his newsletters?

Stopped beating your domestic partner yet?

[jrooney]

Not stalking you. You are intentionally putting out an inflated false ping list trying to show Paul has wide support on FR, when you know the ping list is inaccurate. As freepers, we should all try and be as accurate as possible. You are not and you know it. Not surprising from a Paul supporter.

[ksen]

Hi Illbay.

Wow. I haven't thought of him in years.

Thanks a lot! ;^P

[supercat]

For example with drugs, you decriminalize them, but at the same time require drug screenings for any social services, mandate that any company who does business with the state screens their employees, quadruple the fines & penalties for traffic incidents & crimes where drugs are involved, etc. Essentially, make it a real pain in the neck for the users thereby reducing the demand.

So you advocate nanny statism. I don't.

If someone doesn't do their job adequately, what difference should it make whether it's because they're lazy, or it's because addicted to alcohol, cannabis, 4am wild sex orgies, or something else? Likewise, if someone uses some drugs on the weekend but does so in such a fashion that their work performance is not noticeably affected, what's the problem?

If a particular company thinks that drug testing will work to its advantage, that should be its prerogative. I see no legitimate reason for the government to mandate such policies for all employers, however. Let the free market take care of it.

[ksen]

Ehrling is definitely not that dude. "Illbay" was allergic to humor and levity. Ehrling is definitely cool in that regard. A lot nicer too.

I gotta agree.

[cva66snipe]

OK I admit I’m a spy for gathering data against all Ron Paul supporters. I work for the K.A.L.R.I.O.A.A.C. side of the GOP. I only post supporting Paul so I won’t blow my cover. Long Live the K.A.L.R.I.O.A.A.C. and the empire for which it stands..

[ksen]

As freepers, we should all try and be as accurate as possible.

As a committed Paul basher why would you want to start being accurate now? :cheeky:

[Cracker Jack]

Thanks to Ron Paul, thousands of ordinary folks have awoken from their stupor. A new generation of conservatives have been born.

In my survey of Iowa caucus attendees (one of one, or 100% of the sample), I found someone who was very proud of contributing to Paul's "success" there. (He was somewhat of a carpetbagger, as he had just moved out of the state.) He also said he would probably vote democrat in the general. Yeah, right. Paul supporters are just conservatives only smarter. (Is a sarcasm tag really necessary here?)

My suspicion that the bulk of Paul's support comes from disruptive democrats has been strengthened.

[2CAVTrooper]

“Could be. Several fairly intelligent people took time off work this afternoon to go listen to him speak. I would have if possible. I never felt he was a Libertarian, more of an old style Republican.”

He is not a Republican. He claims to be one for election purposes and that’s it.

And why would intelligent people want to go and lower their IQ’s by listening to that senile POS blame America for all the worlds ills?

[murphE]

I knew someone would think that...I couldn’t make my fingers type the correction fast enough.

[ExtremeUnction]

Ron Paul is crackpot. Sorry kids. It is so.

[cva66snipe]

Hey I thought I’d just liven things up a bit. No election was complete without his rancid knocking of conservatives running for the oval office :>}

[ksen]

I knew someone would think that...I couldn’t make my fingers type the correction fast enough.

I was gonna jump in with both feet with a point by point rebuttal but then thought I should ask first since they really didn't sound like concerns you'd normally raise. ;^)

[2CAVTrooper]

“Who will Ron Paul endorse when he quits ?”

In that whiney voice of his, he said that he wasn’t going to endorse anyone.

But even if he’s out of the Republican race, he’s setting himself up to run as a spoiler 3rd party scab to help install a democrat AL LA ross perot.

[jrooney]

As a committed Paul basher, I have always posted accuracies about him. It is his kool aid drinking posse that lives in a world that facts do not matter.

[Revelation 911]

Not stalking you.

odd, seems to be a recurring theme with you LOL

You are intentionally putting out an inflated false ping list trying to show Paul has wide support on FR, when you know the ping list is inaccurate.

as CDL asked, this is your business why ?

As freepers, we should all try and be as accurate as possible. You are not and you know it.

actually using dead freepers names allows everyone else to remain anonymous as Paul is not the candidate of choice....evidenced by their banning

Not surprising from a Paul supporter.

does a comment like this placate that vacuous emptiness normally filled by educated discussion regarding the candidates and their platforms, or does it simply assuage your seemingly low self esteem?