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September 2009 
Grassroots Efforts - Will they work?
Posted on Oct 8th, 2007
by 
WhiteWolf
WhiteWolf
Okay, I have riding around the area and on overpasses I keep seeing Ron Paul in 2008, Ron Paul for President, and Vote for Ron Paul. I have not seen anything for any other candidate, especially not for Mitt Romney here in Massachusetts. It seems that Ron Paul has garnered a lot of grass roots admirers. One would think with that kind of support, he might just have a chance.
Now, let me make it clear, I don't endorse any candidate. I am not telling anyone who to vote for. I am simply looking at the process as it currently is. And hopefully this will be the last of my political commentary and I can get back to spiritual things again. Which in speaking with a new friend today, I was feeling that old feeling that I should be writing what I wrote to everyone. I will get to that tomorrow hopefully, after I have time to pray on it.
Okay, getting back to Ron Paul. Now I don't know a whole heck of a lot about Ron Paul. From what I surmise, he is Republican and not one to just walk in goose-step with the party line. Good for him. I believe he is against the war, but hopefully supporters will jump in and make corrections with regard to him and his political stance.
Now, here is the way I see it. Ron Paul is running for the Republican nomination. Well, if you listen to the media, he doesn't exist. The main candidates that get the press are Giuliani, Romney, McCain, and recently Fred Thompson, who we remember from Law and Order. But folks there are others on that Republican ticket. There is Rep. Tom Tancredo of Colorado, Dr. Alan Keyes, Rep. Duncan Hunter of California, Mike Huckabee, former Governor of Arkansas, and Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas.
I think it is great that people have jumped on the Ron Paul bandwagon. If you were to look at the signs on the overpasses as you travel down the highway, you would think he has a ground swell of support. However, that is not how the system works. It is all about money, so the ones who are attracting the do, re, mi, are the ones getting the media support. Anyone else is consdered a non-competitor. Yet, here is Ron Paul getting all this signage from the average Joe. Of course those average Joe's could be Republican, Democrats, Independents (unenrolled in Massachusetts, they don't allow independents in this state.), Greens, Libertarians, or some other inocuous party that doesn't get press or many votes so no one thinks about them. Apologies if you belong to one of those parties. The problems with a broadband support is that this isn't the national election, this is the Primary coming up and because Ron does not go with the pack, most Republicans are not going to vote for him. Frankly, given the media coverage, and of course, my personal feelings towards our former governor, I think the winner will be Rudy Giuliani. So what happens then? How do the grass roots people get their candidate elected?
Of course, we saw in the early days of running the skullduggery between Clinton and Obama where they were trying to get excluded some of the other candidates from the debate. Basically, they were acknowledging the foregone conclusion that a candidate without much prior press and small funds, just is not going to get elected. This is the truth of our political system.
While I liked the idea of Ralph Nader and the Greens running to give us another option. The end result, in part because many Democrat and Green ideals overlapped, the Greens stole votes from the Dems. This caused them to lose the election. Though I know many will contest that the election was stolen, but that is another story. Had I been the advisor in that election, I would have offered an olive branch to the Greens and offered the Vice Presidents position to Nader. This would have caused the two to join as one and maybe would have put them way over the top.
Let's get back to Ron Paul though. Here is a candidate that given the signage I have seen is attracting a lot of grass roots support. His hopes of winning his parties nomination given that he doesn't follow the party line, is slim to none. Had he gone independent or created a party like Perot did, maybe he would have stood a better chance, but I don't mean to be a wet blanket, but I just don't see him getting the nomination.
Me, I am all for an underdog if he has good ideas for change. I have to read up on Ron Paul and find out what all the hullabaloo is all about. In the meantime, I would love to hear what people think he should do to become President of the United States.
Do you think he has a chance?
Now, let me make it clear, I don't endorse any candidate. I am not telling anyone who to vote for. I am simply looking at the process as it currently is. And hopefully this will be the last of my political commentary and I can get back to spiritual things again. Which in speaking with a new friend today, I was feeling that old feeling that I should be writing what I wrote to everyone. I will get to that tomorrow hopefully, after I have time to pray on it.
Okay, getting back to Ron Paul. Now I don't know a whole heck of a lot about Ron Paul. From what I surmise, he is Republican and not one to just walk in goose-step with the party line. Good for him. I believe he is against the war, but hopefully supporters will jump in and make corrections with regard to him and his political stance.
Now, here is the way I see it. Ron Paul is running for the Republican nomination. Well, if you listen to the media, he doesn't exist. The main candidates that get the press are Giuliani, Romney, McCain, and recently Fred Thompson, who we remember from Law and Order. But folks there are others on that Republican ticket. There is Rep. Tom Tancredo of Colorado, Dr. Alan Keyes, Rep. Duncan Hunter of California, Mike Huckabee, former Governor of Arkansas, and Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas.
I think it is great that people have jumped on the Ron Paul bandwagon. If you were to look at the signs on the overpasses as you travel down the highway, you would think he has a ground swell of support. However, that is not how the system works. It is all about money, so the ones who are attracting the do, re, mi, are the ones getting the media support. Anyone else is consdered a non-competitor. Yet, here is Ron Paul getting all this signage from the average Joe. Of course those average Joe's could be Republican, Democrats, Independents (unenrolled in Massachusetts, they don't allow independents in this state.), Greens, Libertarians, or some other inocuous party that doesn't get press or many votes so no one thinks about them. Apologies if you belong to one of those parties. The problems with a broadband support is that this isn't the national election, this is the Primary coming up and because Ron does not go with the pack, most Republicans are not going to vote for him. Frankly, given the media coverage, and of course, my personal feelings towards our former governor, I think the winner will be Rudy Giuliani. So what happens then? How do the grass roots people get their candidate elected?
Of course, we saw in the early days of running the skullduggery between Clinton and Obama where they were trying to get excluded some of the other candidates from the debate. Basically, they were acknowledging the foregone conclusion that a candidate without much prior press and small funds, just is not going to get elected. This is the truth of our political system.
While I liked the idea of Ralph Nader and the Greens running to give us another option. The end result, in part because many Democrat and Green ideals overlapped, the Greens stole votes from the Dems. This caused them to lose the election. Though I know many will contest that the election was stolen, but that is another story. Had I been the advisor in that election, I would have offered an olive branch to the Greens and offered the Vice Presidents position to Nader. This would have caused the two to join as one and maybe would have put them way over the top.
Let's get back to Ron Paul though. Here is a candidate that given the signage I have seen is attracting a lot of grass roots support. His hopes of winning his parties nomination given that he doesn't follow the party line, is slim to none. Had he gone independent or created a party like Perot did, maybe he would have stood a better chance, but I don't mean to be a wet blanket, but I just don't see him getting the nomination.
Me, I am all for an underdog if he has good ideas for change. I have to read up on Ron Paul and find out what all the hullabaloo is all about. In the meantime, I would love to hear what people think he should do to become President of the United States.
Do you think he has a chance?
Access: Public
It's possible that I could vote for Paul. It all depends on the Democratic nominee.
If you've visited my blog, that probably seems like a pretty stark contradiction. I'm rather vocal about progressive and liberal values. I'm right at home on C&L, ThinkProgress, Daily Kos, and others. However, Ron Paul puts at the front of his campaign some issues I'm very passionate about. Because I can envision a Democratic nominee that for all intents and purposes I consider a loss, the possibility of voting for Ron Paul in a general election swings wide open.
The issues most dear to me and those where he stands out are opposition to the war, tax reconstruction, and removal of the Federal Reserve–replacing our current banking cartel with something more responsible to the people. I also see him as the candidate most committed to restoring our constitution, hopefully breathing some “free” back into the country after all the destruction that's been laid to it by Bush.
On the drive into work today, I heard a caller describe Ron Paul as 'founding father' material. I don't agree with all of his views just as many of our founding fathers didn't agree here or there, but I have to admit that in terms of defending our constitution that statement has a lot of truth to it. I know I won't get everything I want with Paul, but at least I know I won't get more of the same or just slightly less.
BTW, as of the last reporting I think he actually out-raised Mitf Romney.
What I think will happen is the media will tell us who won without ever counting the votes, just like the last two elections. I think the “winner” will propose to be the voice of “good government” and promise to save us all from the “evil government”. He will promise to restore the constitution while never once letting on that it only offers us the illusion of freedom. The sheeple will again wave their flags and sing praises to the State that oppresses us all.
…unless someone else, a leader rather than a ruler, enters the ring before that happens.
Ron Paul seems to offer a hope, a guiding light if you will, in our multiple years of darkness. He offers new ideas and to all the people I talk to, are intrigued by him because he doesn’t seem like a polluted, money driven typical politician. There are ideas of his that I don’t agree with, but overall, I am sending my vote towards the rEVOLtion. Most of his supporters that I talk to or hear about are young peop;le and I feel like that has a basis in the belief and hope for a new future and that the youth of America is noticing that and wanting to take action upon that.
I am a passionate suopporter of Ron Paul. I am a part of the Ron Paul Revolution that is sweeping the nation. It is exciting to be a part of the meetup.com group here in Fayetteville. I was inspired to get involved with the campaign because of the enthusiasm of the students and young people are are also enthusiastic supporters. Before I talked to a nineteen year old student who had a Ron Paul sign, I was not interested in getting involved with politics.
Even though I knew Ron Paul was a man who stood for principles I agreed with, I didn't think he would have a chance.Now I see that there is a grassroots effort that is more than about Ron Paul for President. Having a good president doesn't guarantee a change. Many fear that Ron Paul will be assassinated because he is getting so much support and power. Even if he died, the freedom movement would live on. That is why I am getting involved.
I have not ever seen so much enthusiasm and willingness for people to stick their necks out and get involved. We meet weekly and look forward to our connection and sharing our ideas. Friendships are developing, and we support each other in many ways. Creativity abounds. It feels good to be a part of something where there is a very diverse group of people who are involved.
I would love to start a Ron Paul group on Zaadz–anyone interested?
Here is a great little synopsis of what Ron Paul is about. I hope you will check this out! http://www.whosronpaul.blogspot.com
I can't find the videos I would like to share. perhaps they aren't there anymore. Ron Paul wants to do away with “unneccessary” federal programs, but doesn't really tell us which ones. He does like most politicians, changes the subject, gives an answer that has little to do with the original question. He resorts to logical fallacies in his arguments, just like the rest of them (this I cannot abide, and neither should you). He does not believe the people should be free, he believes the government should tell us what to do, what not to do, how to act. He doesn't even believe women should get to choose for themselves whether to allow a fertilized egg to become a baby. He would overturn Roe vs. Wade.
He's a medical doctor, the worst kind, an obstetrician. If there's anything that exemplifies CONTROL issues, it's how pregnancy and childbirth are treated by doctors as disease. Pregnant women are given long lists of food they should fear, things they should not do, and even longer lists of possible risks. Everything is thought of as a danger to the baby's safety. Be afraid, do what we say, do not question the almighty doctor because he only has your best interests at heart, he wants to save your baby from your body, the same body that cocreated the baby. But women's bodies are seen as broken. Doctor has to regulate labor, if contractions don't match what he thinks they should look like, let's give you some drugs, never mind the side effects and risks or that some of these drugs have been proven to be unsafe. Here's what will tell you how much trust he has in women, look at his cesarean rate. The World Health Organization has said that anything over 15% is UNSAFE! There are about 10% of cases in which a cesarean is truly needed. Most of the time it is what the doctor has done that causes problems which demand such drastic measures. What is his VBAC rate? How many women in his practice breastfeed for more than six months? These are important issues to consider. If he doesn't trust women to have a healthy normal pregnancy and childbirth without some doctor's management, how can anyone trust him?
He does not believe the people are able to think for themselves, we need to be told what is right and what is wrong. We need to be governed and controlled, it's all for our own good you know. The system is far too broken to fix now. Restoring the Constitution will do one thing, that is make the people blindly accept whatever abuses are dished out by the government, because the alternative is a fascist military regime. Well, I'm not buying it. The constitution never gave anyone freedom. It never was intended to. It was intended to make the people believe in the good of the state, and give up their individual freedoms.
When big media starts pushing for a certain candidate (and it sure seems to me they are trying to make us believe in Ron Paul, despite what it appears on the surface) you gotta ask yourself why.
Thank you all for your comments. It is good that it is balanced in the response and not all rah-rah. While I agree with FriendStacy that our government is broken, I do hold hope that a leader will arise that will shake up the government and return it to the people.
Friendstacy, the unnecessary federal programs he wants to do away with he speaks very speciffically about. You should do some research my dear. Also, you should check out his voting record in Congress;
Brief Overview of Congressman Paul's Record:
He has never voted to raise taxes.
He has never voted for an unbalanced budget.
He has never voted for a federal restriction on gun ownership.
He has never voted to raise congressional pay.
He has never taken a government-paid junket.
He has never voted to increase the power of the executive branch.
He voted against the Patriot Act.
He voted against regulating the Internet.
He voted against the Iraq war.
He does not participate in the lucrative congressional pension program.
He returns a portion of his annual congressional office budget to the U.S. treasury every year.
Congressman Paul introduces numerous pieces of substantive legislation each year, probably more than any single member of Congress
Yes, our government is broken, and we are on the verge of a complete economic meltdown and WW3; this is precisely why we need Ron Paul. Have you ever heard of the North American Union? NAFTA super highway? REAL ID act? Ron Paul is the only candidate who is raising a lantern to these serious, hardcore issue. The North American Union will merge our country with Mexico and Canada with a single currency, the Amero. This means no more Constitution, Bill of rights, Due Process. No free speech, no rights, nothing.
Please Seek the Truth and understand that we are fighting what is called the INFOWAR. It is a fight for the minds of the American people. The majority of Americans are so brainwashed and transfixed by bobbles and trinkets. We need t owake up before it's too late. Three top sources for the Truth about our corrupt Government are linked below; Please do the work, get informed before running your mouth on issues you know nothing about. And, getting informed doesn't mean reading one or two propoganda pieces from some biased media website.
listen to patriot radio at lonelantern.org
http://lonelantern.org/site/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=114
Listen to the Alex Jones Show, at infowars.com because there is a war on for your mind!
http://www.infowars.com/listen.html
prisonplanet.tv and prisonplanet.com - fighting the Orwellian Police State.
http://www.prisonplanet.com/
If links don't work I can post them again, or do the work yourself. If you aren't willing to seek knowledge why hand it to you on a silver platter? What's that saying…you can lead a horse to water…you know the rest. Peace.
you see, I view Ron Paul's campaign as nothing more than a trickier way of lieing to us. The “good” government is gonna save us from the “bad” government, while the system that is too broken to fix continues ruining people's lives. This happened 40 years ago, the people were fooled, the revolution was squashed like a bug. Well, my mom's generation maybe just don't have big enough balls to see their dreams through to completion, but I do. The news is leading the people to believe that restoring the constitution will save us. You see it everywhere. Started out just at MoveOn and CommonDreams and the ACLU, and now it's evident at USAtoday and the Post. Just because he's the least horrible candidate, doesn't mean I'm going to be happy to settle for him. The media wants us to believe that he is the only alternative to a militaristic police state. Well, I'm not buying it.
“Ron Paul is one of the outstanding leaders fighting for a stronger national defense. As a former Air Force officer, he knows well the needs of our armed forces, and he always puts them first. We need to keep him fighting for our country.” - Ronald Reagan
did you visit the links I posted in the comments at my blog?
http://www.informationliberation.com/index.php?id=23143
try that one first, and then help enlighten me as to how this fits in with what you are saying about the man. When I look at what he actually says, and what he has actually done as a politician, I do not see the same person that people like you claim he is.
Okay folks, please show respect. It is healthy and good to have a difference of opinion and to discuss it. Personal attacks are not allowed here. Comments like running your mouth off are not constructive. Attacking someone because they have a differing of opinion is not a good way to defend your view. It sends the message that your position is weak so you have to bully your point across. Yes, we can all agree our country and government is broke. Instead of pointing out the negatives and fighting over those all the time and never resolving anything, may I offer an alternative? How about finding the common ground in your view points and seek answers in those areas. Maybe in fixing the problems that we can agree on for resolutions, we can chip away at the real problems and make headway instead of butting heads. FriendStacy, you said that just because hes the least horrible candidate, you won't settle for him. What are the alternatives? Maybe taking a little win is better than no win at all. Personal attacks only serve to polaraize people and make matters worse. We need to come together as one to find true solutions to the issues that face us. If Ron Paul will get us two-thirds there while the others maybe only half or worse, then maybe he is the best candidate at this time. A paradigm shift. What we cannot do is sit here and argue back and forth and call each other names while the government continues its slow movement to a fascist state.
I think this exchange can be a good one and I challenge you both to find at least one common ground that you both believe in. Tienansmom, it is good that you are so passionate for your candidate, but maybe not being defensive but listening to what friendstacy is saying, you will be able to take her concerns back to the Ron Paul people to address. Maybe he is not the knight in shining armour at this time, but maybe by accepting opposing feedback and acting on it in a good way, you can at least get some chain mail to put on him.
Ron Paul has one heck of an uphill battle if he wants to be President. He will need the feedback of all the people. There is so much distrust of our government at this time. I ask you both to watch this video on my friend CalmEagle's blog. http://calmeagle.zaadz.com/blog/2007/10/american_freedom_agenda_act_of_2007
It is about an hour long, but she points out the similarities between where we are now and the Nazis. I often quote Goebels about how to get the people to follow. This takes that a bit further.
I hope you will both keep this discourse going as I think my readers are gaining a lot of information. No candidate is the best. Each has their warts. I am still an advocate of voting out anyone who has served over two terms in the Congress and Senate to allow fresh faces and ideas to come in. Send a clear message to those who are running unopposed by not voting for them. Think of the message a candidate will receive if he is the only one running and gets only 5% of the potential votes. It is time to shake up this government before they get too powerful.
my apologies, Brother Wolf.
“FriendStacy, you said that just because hes the least horrible candidate, you won't settle for him. What are the alternatives? Maybe taking a little win is better than no win at all.”
see, that's just the thing. The media wants us to think our only alternatives are people like Rommel and the gang (yes, that's a personal attack and I'm not sorry. Did you hear his speech? I watched it on CNN or CSPAN or one of those. it was most frightening, indeed.). There are other alternatives, ones not being discussed, most particularly not being mentioned by the corporate media. There is no real difference between the so-called “liberals” and the “conservatives” when both sides are in support of a system that serves only to support the war machine and to harm the people it is supposed to protect. We need a new system, not a new leader ruling over the old broken one. The only way that is going to happen is if enough people wake up, stop believing the lies we are being spoon-fed, and start thinking for themselves. No, do not look to any one person to save you, save yourself. Look within, the answer is there inside. Honest, it is. Ron Paul is offering us a bandaid for a gunshot wound to the gut. You really think it will help?
I can clearly see both sides,
Friendstacy is sick to the eye teeth of broken promises as are many who vote for a body that promises and somehow does not come through time again.
T Mom's enthusiasm and hope is to be admired and is indeed something we all need, for hope will bring us into alignment with a goal of eventual freedom and much needed peace.
We do need a leader a wise and strong person who can see clearly into the clouds of unrest war and oppression.
A vision for all our futures will bring a need to encompass humanity changing, this will take a big leader one with true conviction and integrity, not a small job but as we realize its not all down to one man.
We should see that as a collective administration this one person will need to be steadfast in his convictions to the people.
Many policies and voting proofs may be relevant however when the seeds are planted in the earth many other things are needed to produce crops.
Without the gifts of nature much can wither and perish.
Stacy, It's funny because if you actually knew what RP is all about you would be his number 1 supporter. About your link, I don't see the relevance with that interview. What was your point?Ron Paul knows how to defend himself against pointless irrelevant attacks; Is that all you can come up with? Ron Paul is suspicious of the government and knows there is a coverup, but can't come out and say it outright. It would be political suicide. And, of course we need a strong national defense, but what we DON”T need is to be out policing the world. We have military bases in over 100 countries. Under a Ron Paul administration all of these bases will be closed and our troops will come home. National defense is a not the problem, it is our foreign policy that is.
Watch this clip from FOX it is in responce to the RP interview Stacy posted-
Ron Paul has “9/11 truth Virus”, and if Ron Paul is a tinfoil hat wearer because he goes on the Alex Jones show, Does accepting interviews on FOX make him a FASCIST?
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3593604750443574968&q=ron+paul+alex+jones+fox&total=114&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=
Sample interview with Alex Jones; how does this make him a tin foil hat wacko?
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=494157796526448492&q=ron+paul+alex+jones&total=751&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=5
Watch this documentary fim when you get a chance. Let me know what you think!
“Matrix of Evil” By Alex Jones featuring Ron Paul
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=969028729334963658&q=ron+paul+alex+jones&total=751&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=6
RP supports having an independent 9/11 investigation: Please aquaint yourself with his stance on issues before making assumptions about him.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Ron_Paul
I am just as fed up as you are, and I have NEVER voted for a president because I never found one that was worth my supporting him. For Gods sake, Bush and Kerry ; supposed compeditors, are cousins, related to British royalty (go figure) and members of the same secret society at Yale; the Scull and Bones. Ron Paul supporters are no fools.
Stacy, you sound like you've read a bit of David Ickes stuff, have you?
You quoted someone earlier but couldn't remember who said it? That was Ron Paul. He says;
“Surrendering liberty in exchange for security gives you neither liberty nor security.”
-Ron Paul
Yes, whitewolf is absolutely right. The parallels between our current National state of affairs and those of Nazi Germany are uncanny. Naomi Wolf is a strong, woman who has done a lot to wake people up. I first became familliar with her when I read her book, “the Beauty Myth” when I was in Highschool. And, I am part Ojibwe-From the White Earth Reservation (I know I don't look it, but I'm 1/16th Native American) and she is very popular with them. Ron Paul also speaks of these frightening similarities quite frequently. He says that if things don't change drastically, this “empire” which is what it has become will come tumbling down in the near future. He even predicted that our currency will crash. He wants to elliminate the Federal Reserve and Unconstitutional Federal Income Tax; and in a very small nut shell, put us back on the Gold Standard as the Constitution mandates. Have you seen “America; Freedom To Fascism Yet?” It's an absolute must see- for all Americans. It recieved standing ovations at the opening of the Cannes Film Festival, and Ron Paul is interviewed briefly in this film.
Link to “America Freedom To Fascism” By Aaron Russo
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1656880303867390173&q=freedom+to+fascism&total=1267&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=3
Sorry so many posts, Just want to mention that Naomi Wolf praises Ron Paul. Check it out here;
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/naomi-wolf/finally-action-ron-pau_b_69042.html
“Ron Paul is suspicious of the government and knows there is a coverup, but can't come out and say it outright. It would be political suicide.”
see? This is what I mean. I don't base my decisions on what other people say about Ron Paul, but on the things I have heard him say. I certainly don't need to be given links to personal blogs as “proof” of his voting record or things he said. I can get it from verifiable sources, but when I do that, his supporters say “oh, we don't trust them”
No, it was Ben Franklin, but I paraphrased the quote and knew I didn't get it quite right.
I do not believe we need such a strong national defense. seriously. Think of how much money is spent on weapons of war. How many hungry people could that feed? How many blankets would that buy? There is absolutely no excuse for people starving to death or dying from cold in this country. NO EXCUSE! And why is it called “defense” when the US armed forces are always the aggressors, the invading army??
here's my main point I was trying to get across, and everyone seems to be missing it. When the mainstream media starts pushing for a certain candidate, you gotta ask yourself why. There's always an agenda. The system wants Ron Paul, because then there's no revolution. He is here to preserve the way things have always been done, the status quo, the imbalance of power. He is promising to fix something that is too far broken to be fixed. What an attempt to fix it will do is prevent us from tearing it down and building something new in its place, something that might stand a better chance of actually working.
Friendstacy, I agree that our military has grown out of whack. It sucks every available nickel out of the economy and as my previous blog showed, they want even more than what we have given so far. Bush calls this The War on Terror, yet, we had Iraq bottled up and their influence was all but nill. We took out Saddam Huseein and became entrenched in a quagmire, yet the kingpin of the 9/11 attacks, still walks free. Don't even get me started. Let's just say I agree with the point on the military.
Now as fro Ron Paul, who knows what to believe about any candidate. We know our news is manipulated. We distrust it so much that say the news did get excited about a candidate and was telling the truth about them, we would turn against that candidate because we would believe that we were being manipulated once again. You say the system wants Ron Paul, but to be frank, outside of here and on Tribe and a few banners across the hightway, I would not even know he was running. You actually have to seek him out to find out what he is about. As I stated before, I hear from Guiliani, Romney, and recently Thompson. McCain seems to have fallen off the radar. A recent email about Sunday nights debate spoke only of those three. Was Ron Paul there? Of course, on the Dems side, it appears to be a two horse race between Clinton and Obama. Is Richardson still in the race? Edwards? I don't hear a lot of Ron Paul in the press. I have never seen a commercial nor a comment in the news. So I don't see where mainstream media is pushing Ron Paul.
Now I come back to a point I made earlier, if we don't vote for anyone, what do we do? Personally, I am for shaking up the government. I will be voting anyone over two terms out. I will be looking for a Presidential candidate who represents real change. We cannot continue down the road we are going. We also don't have time nor the backing of the populace to entirely scrap the system and start again. It seems the only option is to use the power of the voting booth to make radical changes. We tried the subtle changes by giving Dems the power back in the Congress and Senate, but they have not answered the call. The spoke about the mandate of the people, but have not done anything to follow the people's wishes. Instead, the military industrial complex that Eisenhower warned about in his parting speech has firm control.
Sometimes change comes in increments, it is easier to digest for most. For me, I vote, litterallly, to shake things up. My votes may end up wasted as msot people will continue to sleepwalk as more and more rights are taken away and we move to a police state. We can sit on the sidelines, or we can take action and work within the system to change it. It may take longer than a totally radical reworking of government, but it will take patience and perseverance to bring to fruition a government that will ocne again work for the people.
I don't know if Ron Paul is the answer, I just know we have to change direction.
HI all, wow, a LOT of comments here. My 2cents worth is this. I was a Democrat who changed parties just-to vote for Dr. Paul in the primary-in my state Nebraska which has closed primaries. ALL the other candidates except Obama have big business-military/industrial complex-business-as-usual written all over them. And Obama won't take the pre-emptive nuclear option off the table. I accidentally heard Ron Paul in the Republican debates in late May and was amazed at his backbone in-the face of the neo-cons. I think we are witnessing a sea change in politics here, and a real revolution of ideas. The last person who would want to control anybody's life is Ron Paul. Check this out over at Lew Rockwell.
I do not agree with every single thing Ron Paul has to say. I am not a full tilt Libertarian but rather a Eastern Rite Catholic Green with Libertarian tendencies. But in my view he is dead on about foreign policy, dead on about restoring the Constitution and dead on about the current corruption of high office. I like Kucinich but he's got zero percentage in the polls and no money numbers either. Trivia factoid: Did you know that Kucinich and Paul are close personal friends? It's true.
Here's a hip hop music video I like a lot, it's very short and the music is great
Ron Paul For the Long Haul
And one about what is real important to me, Pre-Emptive Nuclear War vs. Christianity
How much the neo-cons hate him should give peolp a clue about what he's about.
To sum up: RP = honest spirit, a heart of gold, a backbone of steel and brass balls. He deserves the support of true hearted people from across party lines IMHO. He's facing down The Beast.
Peace.
CalmEagle