Posted on 03/30/2008 4:19:25 PM PDT by anymouse
The GOP is now hoisting on up a candidate with almost all of Ron Paul's foreign policy deficiencies (save for his view on Iraq) plus some additional ones (see latest McCain speech), AND enough domestic leftism to slay an elephant. You pretty much have to feel a greater allegiance to Iraq than to America in order to endorse McCain over Paul. Otherwise, that chip ain't worth the trade.
These people are all registered Republicans. The system rewards the people that show up, plain and simple.
A little late, isn't it???
How much worse, in the grand scheme, would a Ron Paul presidency be as compared to a John McCain, Hillary, or Obama presidency be?
let freedom Ping!
I did not attack RP, just his followers underhanded tactics in their attempt to hijack the Republican Party convention process. At the worst, I accused him of benefiting financially from allowing his minions’ delusional antics to continue well past the point where it is clear that he is not a viable candidate (one could argue that he never was a viable candidate, but that is another issue.)
I doubt that he or even his campaign is linked to this activity, but I would love for it to be proven to be so. Regardless it will hurt him with the Republican Party leadership and voters in 2 years, when we can assume he will roll out the Paulbots once again to do their worst.
>a worthless Party loyalty oath<
You couldn’t have described it better! The GOP left me, I didn’t leave them.
I thought the Paulestinians were the ones the Libertarians kicked out. ;-)
It’s about time a few conservatives, constitutionalists and libertarians showed up at these conventions. Thankfully, many seriously misguided (or more likely, civics-deficient) Republicans became confused and registered as Democrats - so as to “vote against” Hillary - thereby excluding themselves from the R caucuses. Almost all of my Republican friends are not even aware of the Texas R caucus & delegate process, which I’m sure isn’t cause for concern by the likes of establishment (ie. LIBERAL) Republicrats.
Hopefully, some of the new delegates will move us back in the direction of the 1996 Texas Republican platform, instead of a watered down version of the Democrat (communist) platform. I imagine that the 1996 platform is anathema to the current R establishment, who believe that we can make something good out of such conservative policies and organizations as the income tax, the Federal Reserve cartel, the IRS, the BATF, federalized gov’t education etc...sorry I meant all of the unconservative, unRepublican, unConstitutional crap that you proto-socialists love.
Try some cheddar.
Seems I’ve seen lots of chatter around here of FReepers taking over the GOP/RNC because it’s not ‘conservative’ enough for them. So just what’s the difference if the Paulies try the same thing? Mad because they’re succeeding?
FYI — I’m independent in PA, and will vote for the lesser evil. I do know I’m still voting for evil!
I find the anti=Iraq attitude very disturbing, but Paul does come out as a real “less goverment” candidate unlike McCain.
McCain will be the nominee but he better start listening to the grassroots.
And Ron Paul delegates would be a good reminder to him of a lot of what the grassroots are thinking.
If FReepers wee using FR to coordinate Rush's “Operation Chaos” in a similar manner, then your comparison might come close to validity. But Operation Chaos is not coordinated, rather a bunch of individuals acting with a general common goal. The Paulbots were highly organized and coordinated their activities across a lot of simultaneous county conventions, even going so far as to hold mock training exercises.
I is not by chance that the Paulbots focus on the antiwar issue as the most rabid are actually Democrats/anarchists who have infiltrated the Libertarian RP supporters.
The libertarian leaning Republicans who normally would accepted with open arms as Republican delegates (as they have in most past conventions are not the issue. What happened this convention was nothing to do with traditional Libertarian values influencing the Republican process. This was a hostile takeover attempt by those who have already taken over the RP movement.
for a period, his collective posts were dedicated to posting the start dates of newbies...
My personal experience is that enough Ron Paul people signed up to be voted on for state delegates to have made an impact had they been elected, but weren't because they were not personally known to the voters (and here in WV name recognition counts for a lot).
But contrary to some attitudes of others, I don't know anyone who thinks that is a bad thing, but was in fact a way of getting new people involved in Republican process with a way to present the philosophical stance of their candidate. I personally looked up ever one of the RP people on the voter roll since someone raised a question as to whether they were Libertarian or Democrat until recent weeks. In actual fact, every one of them had been registered Republican for years, some for decades.
So at least in our county in WV, the claim that they were conspiratorial agents is absurd. They were in fact Republicans who got active when FINALLY someone came along with whose principles they agreed.
I am in disagreement with RP on some issues and in agreement with others, but given that I originally supported Duncan Hunter, I personally dislike McCain getting the nomination more than I fear Ron Paul having a voice.
Wake GOP Convention Averts Superfluous Resolutions
The Wake County Republican Party held their county convention on Tuesday evening with one of the largest crowds in many years. Many attendees were brand new activists, and were followers of Congressman Ron Paul (Libertarian/Republican Texas).
These new activists arrived with 12 resolutions in hand that they passed out to everyone entering the convention hall. Though registered Republicans, they are actually Libertarians in thought, word, and deed. Their plan, your blogger learned, was to force these off-the-wall resolutions through the convention by suspending the rules. They failed.
The convention, which started at roughly 7:15, featured a host of state and local candidates for office in 2008 and their speeches were still going strong at 9:15, more than fifteen minutes the past promised adjournment time to the Wake County Public School System. (The Party had rented out the auditorium of Daniels Middle School for the evening.)
Finally, about 9:30, after the last candidate finished up, the convention got down to business. County chairman David Robinson, appointed 13th Congressional District chairman, Bill Peaslee, as the convention chairman. The alternates were seated and all delegates were officially selected as delegates to their respective district (2nd, 4th, or 13th) and State conventions.
Paultardsarrested Time was growing short, as the Wake GOP was already over the alloted time limit. A motion to adjourn was made, with objections by the Ron Paul followers. Peaslee, ever the parliamentary expert, explained that a motion to adjourn always takes precedence.
His gavel fell after a voice vote on adjournment. Nearly all delegates rose from their seats to exit the building and head home at well after 10:00 p.m.
It will be interesting to see how the Ron Paul followers react to this, but in your blogger's opinion, there isn't much they can do. In the opinion of most delegates, their proposed resolutions did not belong at the county level.
Summaries of the 12 resolutions that were not heard are briefly summarized below. Again, they had no business at a county party's once yearly convention. Katy's Conservative Corner suggests that they take their beefs to the Republican National Committee.
KCC will be blogging much more of the convention on Wednesday. Be sure to check back throughout the day.
Click below to read brief summaries on the proposed but failed resolutions by the Libertarians in attendance.
Failed Proposed Resolutions for Wake County GOP Convention By Ron Paul Supporters
1. Calls for their version of limited government via the abolishment of the US Department of Education, FEMA, Dept of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration, the Dept of Energy, and offices they say are not "expressly authorized to the United States by the Constitution and a return of these duties" to the states. Your blogger would support only the removal of the Dept of Education, but feels that none of these resolutions are appropriate for a County party political convention. (I am not making this up!)
2. Resolution on abortion called for Wake County GOP to call on the US Congress, the President, and the courts and return the question to the states.
3. War In Iraq resolution called for the Wake County GOP to oppose "...imperialist uses of our Armed Forces around the world..." and essentially pull out of Iraq and all other places where we defend freedom.
4. Resolution on the USA Patriot Act and Military Commissions Acts stated that the Wake County GOP would essentially oppose these and call for their immediate repeal. Thus, it appears to this blogger that they want terrorists tried in civilian courts.
5. Resolution on the Real ID act asked for the Wake County GOP to call on all branches of the government to block implementation of this act, supporters feel it is up to the state's right to "determine their own policies for licensing and identification of its residents..." This, however, would eliminate uniform standards among all state identification cards and would fail to require some minimum level of preventive counterfeiting measures. KCC could never support this resolution.
6. Resolution on Border Security is one your blogger could have supported and calls for more secure borders. Supporters also want to end automatic citizenship for those born in the USA to those not of this nation, including those of illegal immigrants. However, this, like the others, is not a task of any county political party.
7. Resolution called on the US government to go back to the gold standard. (Folks, these Ron Paul people are NOT kidding here!)
8. Resolution on D.C. Vs. Heller - This resolution would have required the Wake County Republican Party to "defend gun ownership of all North Carolinians from any Federal attempts to infringe on the same that arise from any collective rights holding in Heller." Your blogger supports the National Rifle Association's stance on this case.
9. A resolution to oppose the North American Union that is a made-up name the John Birch Society gave to the treaty that promotes economic trade and development among the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
10. Resolution on Privacy that would require the Wake County Republican Party to call for the repeal of the Patriot Act, among others.
11. Resolution on World Government Organizations would have required the Wake County Republican Party to call for withdrawal from any "any organizations and trade deals" such as NAFTA, GATT, WTO, CAFTA, etc... It seems to this blogger that Paul's followers do not want the US to enter into ANY international agreements. (I'm not making this up!)
12. Resolution expressing no confidence in John McCain as the Party nominee, simply because the folks that put these resolutions forward, support Ron Paul.
I’ve got strong feelings about Paul and consider him unacceptable as a candidate but when he calls for government departments to be shut down, I cheer.
McCain would never say it, much less do it.
It gets wacky when he calls for the troops to pull out of Iraq.
Then we need the straight jacket.
But I must admit I’m fed up with the RINO liberal big-government Republican Party of prescription drug plans and billions of dollars of debt.
I respect Ron Paul more than I do McCain.
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