Ron Paul, does he stand a chance?

[Kolle]

Sure laugh now, but after the powerful elite continue tanking the US so they can more easily create the North American Union you'll have to suffer like the rest of us.

stock up on your Ameros. they're already being minted.

[darksensei]

How does having military bases in the Middle East improve American security interests around the world? How does U.S. Navy fighting pirates in Sudan help American security? People's views have been so warped to thinking economic interests are the same as national security. Look at the debate last night, a question was who wants to pledge staying in Iraq with permanent military bases? I say, who wants to volunteer to serve in those permanent constructs in Iraq like the behemoth embassy? Apparently not diplomats. You're painting a target on the people stationed there, and having military bases in the middle east only creates animosity. Note Ron Paul isn't advocating withdrawal from Afghanistan, but the war in Iraq ended up having absolutely nothing to do with OUR national security. If WMD had existed the case is clear, but there is no point in staying there further propagating animosity when Iraq needs a political not military solution. Khorum you seem knowledgable about these issues so I'll ask you. What are the levels of violence like in the Shia areas to the South since the British have left? And in the Kurdish regions to the north?

----
His popularity is not surprising, just the fervor of it. He's the only limited government candidate and the strongest anti-war candidate, on both sides.

[Kolle]

this is one of the things that disgusts me about republicans, especially most of the candidates. they somehow pretend that radical muslims just decided to start attacking for no fucking reason. either that or they buy the bullshit of "they hate our freedoms".

what does it take for them to realize that us trampling around over there makes more normal muslims turn radical and those who may have been indifferent towards the US will start having negative opinions?

they pretend the US is the good guy and never did anything to anyone. they're fucking morons.

[qLir]

Here's a low-quality version of Ron's post-debate rally speech:

YouTube - Ron Paul After Youtube Debate Rally Nov 28th

Pretty good speech. A higher quality version will be up later tonight probably.

[Khorum]

Originally Posted by Kolle

they pretend the US is the good guy and never did anything to anyone. they're fucking morons.

Kolle do you actually know a lot of folks that DON'T know what we've done as a country? That DON'T know that we've been sending covert troops into the middle east to perform regime changes since 1804---for two hundred and three years? The liberals don't really have a monopoly on erudition you know, they just pretend to. I mean sure, it's more comforting to just assume that they don't remember anything about American history (and for the kids, they aren't even TAUGHT about that stuff nowadays) but the truth is that virtually all Americans know exactly how nasty and determined we have been in the pursuit of our national interests. Most would know that our beloved Thomas Jefferson practically invented modern covert regime change and that Andrew Jackson, the quintessential American Hero whose strength has been emulated by our leaders for decades is one of the few historical figures to have gotten away with state-sanctioned genocide during the Trail of Tears.

There's a part in the Bourne Supremacy where Pam Landy justifies turning on her fellow CIA brethren by saying that "this isn't us, we don't do this". I remember that line because when I saw it someone snorted when she said that line and the whole theater broke out in laughter. Because that was a lie. The truth is that is exactly us; and every American who's grown up playing cowboys and indians knows instinctively that if Americans won't pursue and protect their own national objectives, noone will.

[Bo Jackson]

Originally Posted by Uncle Duke

What you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

I'm glad I called that guy...

[Khorum]

You should've found someone else; your Uncle Duke there is a fucking moron.

[GrobbeeTrull2.0]

Khorum got trolled with a Billy Madison quote

Update: Results from the CNN poll about the Republican Debates favor Ron Paul - not a peep to be had by CNN!

[Ortega]

Hah, CNN is probably like how the fuck did he win the poll with the amount of airtime we gave him!

[Jabberwhacky]

"Paul came off very direct and clear. He is the most extreme candidate on stage but seemed quite reasonable." Oh Jamal, you have a way with words. Direct, clear, and reasonable...TO THE EXTREME!!!

[Kolle]

What I'm specifically referring to is the attitude that a lot of people seem to have, and the one that most republican candidates present, about how the radical muslims want to kill people just for the hell of it. The reaction Ron Paul got when he mentioned our base in Saudi Arabia is exactly what I'm talking about. People want to pretend that 9/11 happened simply because some people hate our way of life. They boo any comment that points out how we stirred the pot.

This is one thing i agree with Paul on. Our military bases or troops do not fucking belong all over the damn planet.

[Aulirophile]

Ron Paul Fans in Florida - The Caucus - Politics - New York Times Blog

Again, not out if his own pocket, but at the debate he had a plane circling overhead trailing a banner, a blimp with his name on it, a boat out at sea with a lit up banner, and people rented the park right next to the theater, set up a projector and watched the debate live. All the people in the park had Ron Paul gear on.. and they PAID for it, wasn't given out.

Other candidates banners/signs count? 0.

I got the info from someone who was there, the link was just the only thing I could find about it with a quick Google search.

[erethizon]

I think Ron Paul’s popularity shows that there are a lot more Libertarians out there than the U.S. normally gives credit for. This is not really surprising when you consider what the Republican and Democratic ideals are. Republicans want the federal government out of their wallets but all up in our personal lives. Democrats want the federal government raiding our wallets, but out of our personal lives. It would seem a lot more logical that the two major parties would be one that is in your wallet and personal life and one that avoids getting involved in either one (the latter is what the Libertarian party is all about).

Ron Paul had to run as a Republican rather than the usual Libertarian because so many people have been effectively brainwashed into thinking that we have a two-party system. We hear the words “two-party system” so often that most people forget that so-called third parties even exist. I imagine the number of people that would like the federal government out of their personal lives and their wallets is a lot higher than what we give credit for because these people that are Libertarians at heart end up voting Democrat or Republican instead based on whether they care more about fiscal or social policies. People that really want the government out of their wallet go with the Republicans and people that want the government out of their personal lives go with the Democrats, but the Libertarians offer both. If people would just realize that their one vote does not sway any election and vote for the party that they really believed in we could get some serious change happening.

Honestly, it would not even take all that much of a percentage. If any third party got 10% of the popular vote (even 5% would do) in an election you can be sure that both the Republicans and the Democrats would start adopting the positions that led to that 10% in an effort to get those people back into their party. For this reason a third party vote is actually stronger than a vote for the two major parties because if you are already voting consistently for either Republicans or Democrats then the parties know they can ignore you because you are already permanently on one side or the other. If you leave those parties and they think they might be able to convince you to come back, that is when they start doing the things you want them to do.

[Uncle Duke]

Originally Posted by GrobbeeTrull2.0

Update: Results from the CNN poll about the Republican Debates favor Ron Paul - not a peep to be had by CNN!

See, this is what I don't understand.

Anyone who watched the debate can tell you that Fred Thompson had the worst showing of all the candidates. He just looked so dis-interested in being there and what was going on that I'm really curious as to exactly WHY he's running at all.

[tjac]

Originally Posted by Uncle Duke

... Fred Thompson...I'm really curious as to exactly WHY he's running at all.

Maybe, with his cancer and all, he's afraid of death without trying.