Posted on 12/26/2011 9:17:36 AM PST by TBBT
Congressman Ron Paul grabbed the lion's share of headlines among GOP presidential candidates last week, and not just because he is the latest improbable figure to challenge the inevitable nomination of Mitt Romney.
The conservative Weekly Standard ran a rehash by writer James Kirchik of an article he wrote for the New Republic in 2008 that collates, to deadly effect, the astoundingly bizarre, racist, and anti-Semitic comments Paul broadcast in a series of newsletters he published for two decades. Paul implausibly claims the newsletters (written in the first person and bearing his name) were produced by others, but it really doesn't matter. The time has come, as Kirchik helpfully reminds us, to recognize Paul for what he is.
He is not -- as some disillusioned moderates and media pundits like to believe -- a refreshing, small-government Republican with a healthy distaste for Wall Street and foreign adventurism. He is a clinically paranoid (and likely bigoted) conspiracy theorist. And you don't even have to cite his newsletters to prove it.
I paid some attention to Paul's 2008 campaign, because at the time I was assigned by my newspaper to cover two of his biggest fans: Ed and Elaine Brown, a pair of New Hampshire tax cheats who engaged in a months-long standoff with the U.S. Marshals Service over the couple's refusal to pay federal income taxes. The Browns believed they lived on a sovereign enclave atop a hill in rural Plainfield, N.H., stockpiled scary weapons, and threatened violence against any federal agents who came on their property.
You would think a presidential aspirant would want to distance himself from such wackos. Not Paul, who declared in a videotaped interview that the Browns were "heroes":
(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.sfweekly.com ...
No argument here. I just can’t figure out where his supporters will go once he is out of the race.
Oh, alright. He’s a bit of a loon.
Even granting that he is crazy, he is still better than Mitt.
They will still back him. Most are as looney as he is.
Ron Paul is the only guy who cannot beat BO.
Thanks to the Republicans cannibalizing themselves.
So much for Regan's 11th commandment.
Remember times like this when Obama is sworn back into office in 2012. Then you can pat yourself on the back and say thank God I get rid of all those other candidates.
For the record... Romney will not win because conservatives do not trust him. Newt will not win because Independents do not like him.
Oh and if Trump runs then without a doubt the Republicans will be in the permanent minority. Oh and you will see the rise of the Tea Party.
Saul Alinsky.
Not just for commies anymore.
Ron Paul has a huge following. I see his fans as the most likely source of a third party than anything else out there, and I don’t see it being a one hit wonder,either.
Ron Paul can’t supervise a newsletter staff, but he can staighten out America!
Rather than talking about boring stuff like policy and limiting the federal government to its enumerated powers, let's just believe every state-controlled media smear we hear about any and every non-Democrat candidate and cluck our tongues and exclaim "What were they thinking when they ran for office!"
Character assassination is a lot more fun than that other stuff.
Back to Mom's basement...
or publishing screeds at Stormfront...
or the asylum...
or their next shift at Starbucks...
Or their tent at Occupy where ever...
He’s not crazy. He’s just neurologically challenged!
LOL!
Bump.
Why they'll fall back in line and vote for the lesser of two evils.
Gee wizz, I wish we could have someone ride in to the rescue. Maybe The Maverick for Change will save the day?
Right back to Obama, no doubt.
Not to a party that mocks them and calls them names I can tell you that. We are supposed to be solicitous to the feelings of lefty “centrists” but libertarians are fair game for tar, feathering, and being run off as if they aren’t potential voters themselves.
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.