Ron Paul’s strong second place finish in Tuesday’s Minnesota primary is a reminder that he’s a powerful force within the Republican party and that his ardent youth support will endure throughout the nomination process. Still, his chances of actually getting the nomination are virtually nil — well, just over two percent, according to Intrade users.
If UC Berkeley students chose the Republican nominee, though, things would be very different. Paul has dominated the youth vote throughout the Republican contests, and — judging by conversations with my peers — he enjoys considerable support on campus, even among non-conservatives.
In a UC Berkeley Republican primary, Paul would win in a landslide.
But why is Paul so popular among the young? As you might expect, Republicans and Democrats disagree. Each party, seeking to be validated by Paul’s youth support, claims that a different array of his positions is responsible.
UC Berkeley professor Robert Reich (a Democrat) captured this dynamic in a blog post last month:
“The Republican right thinks that Paul’s views on the economy are responsible for his fire among the young … Baloney. The young are flocking to Paul because he wants to slice military spending, bring our troops home, stop the government from spying on American citizens, and legalize pot.”
Sure, Paul’s liberal social positions might speak to young voters. But his deeply conservative economic policies can’t be written off. Just look at YouTube videos of Paul’s rallies — young people get worked up into a frenzy when Paul talks about eliminating the income tax and the federal reserve.
There is more to the story than Reich suggests. In my view, Paul’s popularity among young voters should be viewed through a different lens altogether.
A substantial portion of Paul’s youth support is only loosely related to his political views. Of course, he has hardcore followers who are drawn to him because of his conspiratorial ideas about the Trilateral Commission or his belief that America should go back to the gold standard. But for the most part, young people are drawn to Paul for a simpler reason: he means what he says.
Fringe candidates have run in presidential primaries before, but Paul’s unwavering adherence to his principles — not his radical positions — is the salient feature of his campaign. Can you imagine any other serious politician earnestly telling a crowd of pumped up South Carolina Republicans that he wants to decimate the military budget? Or suggesting on national television that the government should allow a person to die if he or she got ill and failed to purchase health insurance?
As President Obama suggested in his State of the Union address this year, America suffers from a crippling trust deficit. Voters of all ages don’t have any faith in politicians to tell them the truth or keep their word. But while older voters might respond by sinking deeper into their cynicism and voting for candidates who they think will protect their social security or keep their taxes low, young voters are more idealistic. They haven’t been around long enough to become jaded about politics. Instead of giving up or clinging to a liberal or conservative ideology, young people respond to the trust deficit by supporting the candidate they know they can trust.
When young people look at Ron Paul, they don’t see a particularly attractive set of political positions — they see a politician who is being honest with them. Perhaps Paul’s support is especially strong because his honesty throws his opponents’ hypocrisy into such stark relief. Gingrich, a serial adulterer and influence peddler, can’t seem to stop sermonizing to Americans about morality and calls himself a “cultural teacher.” Santorum casts himself as a deficit hawk though he supported the trillion dollar Medicare prescription drug benefit, not to mention the war in Iraq. And Mitt Romney — well, let’s just say I don’t think there’s enough room in this article to document all of his ideological gymnastics. It’s hard to imagine a field better suited to bringing out Paul’s defining feature.
That many young voters who supported Obama in 2008 support Paul in 2012 strongly suggests that Paul’s youth support derives more from his character than his positions. In 2008, Obama promised to transcend partisan politics and fundamentally change Washington but has ended up presiding over a period of unprecedented gridlock and partisanship. Many young people, feeling that their trust has been violated, gathered instead around Ron Paul, who, though diametrically opposed to Obama on almost every issue, says what he means and means what he says.
Ron Paul will never be president. But politicians of both parties can still take away a simple lesson from Paul’s campaign about how to win over young voters: be honest.
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Your story is garbage. I support Ron Paul because this government is bloated and out of control. I support Ron Paul because he has enough common sense to know that the NDAA is nothing good. I support him because he knows empires always fall. I support him because he is saying the same thing as the people who made this country. I knew this country was full of hypocrites the second I stepped into 7th grade social studies. It’s time we went back to what made this country great: Individual liberty, limited government, sound currency, and free trade.
The people are capable of living their own lives. We don’t need the government interfering in everything. The future should be in the people’s hands, not the governments! Go Ron Paul!
Well it’s nice to know why you – one young person – supports Ron Paul, however your anecdote does not invalidate the author’s more general thesis. While I agree with you in many respects here (NDAA, fiat money) you do appear to be a massive tool of a human being, viz:
This is a nearly meaningless statement, b/c the founders were not in
general agreement with one another on many important matters:
“I support him because he is saying the same thing as the people who made this country.”
When you say shit like that, you sound like a propaganda-subjugated unthinking dolt.
This, my friend, is priceless:
“I knew this country was full of hypocrites the second I stepped into 7th grade social studies.” ahahahahahahahah, go back to your dorm room and play with yourself some more, surely you’ll get far in life.
Yeah, we should totally adopt another Articles of Confederations, since that worked out so well. This country is no where near capable of governing itself. Only countries that would be adept in doing so would probably be Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Cuba – countries where the government genuinely invested and promoted education. What is it, 14% of America’s adults can’t read? They can’t even read about that things that made your country “great,” the constitution, rights, etc..
we now have 10 years of false flag investigation evidence
EVERY part of “official” story full of glaring, obvious lies
People voted for Obama because of the horrible job that Bush did, not for Obama’s big government ideology. It’s true, Ron Paul is very honest, but also his understanding of the economy is unparallelled by anyone in government today. Just take a look at his predictions speeches on YouTube. Republicans and Democrats had no idea the recession was coming, but the Austrians called it years in advance. Maybe people are actually waking up and realizing that govt intervention in the market, including the monetary supply via the Fed, distorts reality and causes the drastic corrections we’ve seen.
But, but, Romney, Gingrich, Santorum and Obama are all honest, straightforward and consistent, aren’t they?
Bwahhh ha ha ha ha ha ha hahahahahah, sorry! I couldn’t keep a straight face after saying that!
The latest example of a lie: Romney, in his victory speech in Nevada, said he will make our military the strongest in the world, will cut trillions off the budget, and won’t touch social programs to do it. Way to pander to the voters, Romney. There is no way to do all those things at the same time so you must be lying, just saying what the voters want to hear.
“Ron Paul will never be president.”
Prove it.
This author is like what……12? He sure writes like it. I’ll be nice and grade it a D-.
What exactly is unattractive about his political ideas? That he wants to balance the budget and follow the constitution?
I can’t speak for everybody, but here’s why I support Ron Paul for President.
1. Ending the Federal Reserve should have been done 6 months after the Federal Reserve Act was written. We have a 100 year bubble that is bound to bust, and it’s going to be sooner rather than later. Backing the currency with gold is a way to ensure we aren’t completly screwed when it happens.
2. Foreign policy. I agree with most if not all of his views here. Reduce overseas presense and foreign aid relieves taxpayer burdons of having to continuously spend trillions on wars we don’t care about. We haven’t cared about a single war we’ve been in since WW2.
3. Reducing the size of the Federal Government and give the States the ability to control their own laws. This is the way it was intended to work.
4. Everything the guy talks about will drastically reduce spending across the board. It’s up to us to clean house in the Senate and Judicial systems by voting in people that actually give a damn about the Constitution. Lets start with the President and work our way down shall we?
Too bad young people don’t vote.
I support Ron Paul because I know that a free people make a country great, not the country’s government. Most Americans today don’t flinch when the president is described as the “person who runs the country”. Of course, this idea is laughable, and would offend the Framers. I want to see America improve, I want the same opportunities my grandparents had. The only way things will get better is if we restore our Constitution and get government out of the way.
Ron Paul 2012!!
http://election4uspresident2012.weebly.com/
To play a “devil’s advocate”… you show the perception of both sides of things… pros and cons… not flat out assumptions like a dumbass.
Every one of his supporter’s believe in more than just his honesty. Fucking idiot.
“Or suggesting on national television that the government should allow a
person to die if he or she got ill and failed to purchase health
insurance?”
This alone proves you haven’t been paying attention. Dr. Paul would treat people for free to low cost when he practiced medicine and he never suggested that anyone be left to die.
Paul isn’t getting delegates? A lot of his supporters are being selected AS delegates. Did you think we had been sitting around for the last 4 years? Those that are not bound can vote for whoever they wish. The fractured vote caused through Gingrich’s and Santorum’s campaign is playing into Paul’s hands. If after the first vote at the Republican Convention, nobody has the necessary number of delegates, they are unbound.
Dr. Paul would personally treat patients at low or no cost. However, he isn’t advocating that the Federal Government force all doctors to do the same. However as someone who had a life threatening illness (meningitis) as a young person without health insurance, I (big surprise here) payed the bill! Granted it took me almost 5 years and lots of sacrifice to pay it off (I could have bought a really nice car, or a good portion of a house). But, I made the gamble and lost. Too bad we have a culture that likes risk but NEVER PAYS! Wall Street = bailout, homeowners who agree to bad loans for something that they cannot afford = Obama bailout. As someone who is careful, and pays my debts, I am starting to wonder WHERE IS MY BAILOUT! I’m with Paul, you have the freedom to make choices, so live by those choices.
The cockblocking media
Don’t forget us old bastards. My son turned me on to Ron Paul about a year ago. Before that I was a Fox News junkie. I believed almost all of their crap. I have since made a complete reversal or an “awakening” from what I used to believe. What a lot of people don’t realize is that our children have a lot of influence on their parents. In turn we talk to our friends and relatives about Ron Paul and is message. I can tell you as a 60 year old man there are alot of seniors changing their minds about Ron Paul. As far as Ron Paul never being President? 100% Bullshit! This article reeks of subtle bias. I think the people of this country are slowly awakening finally. Ron Paul 2012.
why does everyone have to hammer in that he is unelectable? I dont think that has really been shown, especially considering how these primaries hae been going this far. I think he is going to win a lot of delegates in Texas. How about California also? Huge number of delegates and he will decriminalize weed – i’m anxious to see how that plays out.
Ron Paul 2012 for the win!! I love this guy, his message RESOUNDS & can’t be stopped! The message heard ’round the world’!
Honest?! Really?
Ron Paul *pretends* to be a Libertarian but he’s nothing of the sort, not by any stretch. Here’s some real honesty: Ron Paul is a Confederate who would see States’ rights trump individual rights. Rep. Paul would transform the party of Lincoln into the party of Jefferson Davis, and I’m not referring to alleged racist views, but to the delusion that the states are best-equipped to protect individual rights. We should bear in mind that many states have a pretty poor history of protecting individual rights. Rep. Paul ostensibly claims to defend the Constitution, except he trashes the Commerce clause as well as several Amendments, the 14th and 15th among them.
IMO those who praise Dr. Paul’s “consistency” and “honesty” should consider removing their rose-tinted glasses. Ron Paul wears the pretense of consistency typical of dogma-driven ideologues while earnestly appealing to conspiracy theorists, white supremacists, gold standard regressives, ad nauseam. That’s bad enough in and of itself, but in actuality Dr. Paul worships at the alter of Ayn Rand sociopathy. He disavows the nutjobs who support him, but still appreciates their patronage too much to condemn them outright. And Brutus was an honorable man. If that’s not sociopathic demagoguery, I don’t know what is. I also find it both curious and telling that Paulista fans of “Atlas Shrugged” frequently cry about unfair treatment by a capitalist mainstream media which is looking out for their own self-interests in a free-market. Is that a result of cynicism, ignorance, or cognitive dissonance?
Freeeesh
shill!
Come and get your fresh shill here!
Criminal propaganda anyone? Come and get some
fresh shill here at Hasbara Joe’s Fresh Shill Emporium!
At last – a commenter who appreciates the writer’s analysis and delves deeper into the murky world of cantankerous Dr. Paul! zachary
You are spot on in identifying honesty as a very important part of his attraction. But you discount his policies too easily. Even if some of his followers have only casual or coincidental support, every candidate has many of those. Without debating each policy, the common-sense approach produces some sound results, even when they don’t jive with the talking heads.
A competing theory is that he’s championing a worthy battle, one that most Republicans have given up on and most Democrats don’t recognize: self-determination of local laws. When federal laws simply override state laws, whether it is to set fuel economy standards for cars, or to grow pot for personal use, or to say who can marry whom, people feel offended when their votes are set aside, and understandably get alienated. When every issue goes to a federal level, your vote becomes more and more diluted, which slowly ratchets up the alienation from all politics, even producing a de facto disenfranchisement for most people (99%, maybe?).
In addition to speaking honestly, Paul’s basic policy of “live and let live” offers hope to localize politics, so that everyone’s votes, thoughts and feelings all matter more. Even when I disagree with his positions, which I do sometimes, I can’t help but love the fact that he wants to leave me alone and let me do my own thing. All I need to do is persuade the people around me: it’s still hard, but it’s a lot easier than persuading the people across the whole nation.
Well put, Mr_ACS. People love (not just support) Ron Paul because of his honesty and authenticity, but those attributes lead people to agree with his policy positions as well. His entire outlook is refreshing and nonpartisan in a time when fewer people want to be identified as republican or democrat.
“According to Intrade” HA!, lovely… Hey, according to Ipsos/Reid, he’s 2nd nationally, among independents, he handily beats Obama, and of course, active duty military give SIX times more to Ron Paul than all other gop candidates COMBINED. No mention of this in the young and eager establishment boot-licker’s piece of course…but…his chances remain “virtually nil”. Uh-huh. In other words: “please, PLEASE stop voting for him because it’s getting harder and harder for my masters to disguise the abject voting FRAUD being carried out to suppress the real results in their police state banana republic they’re losing control over.”
Funny how the “legalize pot” meme keeps getting handed to us as a viable argument. The suggestion is, if Ron Paul DIDN’T legalize pot, the kids would leave. I love it. Pure talking point regurgitating cowardice.
Next comes the “conspiracy theorist” label…for calling out organizations of elites who get together in secret to strategize their money-making ventures disguised as national policy-setting. It’s soooo “crazy”, it’s a wonder why the Logan Act was even written. (chuckle)
Then comes full-fledged criminal propaganda: “decimating the military budget”. An outright LIE. Ron Paul wants to strengthen our NATIONAL DEFENSE, not our OVERSEAS nation-building. That means protecting our now OPEN BORDERS instead of the one between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
It continues with Ron Paul “letting a man die on the street if he doesn’t have health care”. Total coward demagoguing. It’s the MODERATOR of a debate who put forth a ridiculous hypothetical to Paul juuuuuust so media sock-puppets such as this author here could put those words in Ron Paul’s mouth and spin it exactly this way.
When this coward says “When young people look at Ron Paul, they don’t see an particularly attractive set of political positions”; WHERE does this all-knowing authority come from to know what these young people are thinking and HOW exactly does he see it DAMPEN the fervor we see across the nation??? It’s just double-speaking 1984 LUNACY is what it is.
And of course, it ends as it begins with “Ron Paul will never be president.” Like a good lapdog.
Now, I see in the comments that the author hasn’t been torn to shreds for his criminal propaganda yet. Good chance this site is moderated by and for the shills.
But if you see this, patriot; know that you’re not alone.
Well spoken, brother.
Patriots for Paul 2012
You hit all the mantra points.
Now, if we could only ensure that the votes were counted honestly… Ron Paul would wipe the plate clean on all his opponents.
BOOM! Ron Paul or nothing at all. Obama is status quo, as is every other candidate.
Think about this point, all those not yet convinced – with every other candidate, we will have overseas nation building, deficit spending, and most likely a brand new war (undeclared) with Iran. These are practically facts. We need a course correction, and the only one offerring it is Dr. No.
I disagree with the original article and your post. HAH. Ron Paul is nothing but a racist bigot like every other GOP candidate. He just happens to be a lot better at appealing to the younger middle class white men who aren’t as keen on wearing their white hoods in public. Reich forever.
… way to be a douche. I have a feeling you are probably a racist bigot yourself.
Lol good one. Those who are calling out your racism so they must be racist too! Please. Ron Paul is a RACIST BIGOT. You are supporting for a RACIST. You must be okay with RACISM then.
(giggle)
Ahh, gotta love the shills. The decreasing quality of their already logic-free childish hasbara shows their desperation is now bordering on full-on panic.
Good luck in your new bullseye-wearing, patriot-avoiding career, humph.
Tell your masters we know who you are, who they are, what you’re all doing, and why.
And we’re telling everyone.
Tell them we don’t want their foreign-interested, bankster-operated, children-and-women-trafficking, drug-running, arms-dealing, fear-mongering, war-machine one-world government.
Tell them we PISS on your criminal propaganda, would you?
Thanks.
Couldn’t have said it better myself!
You
obviously do not understand Dr. Paul’s appeal. His politics don’t pack punch?
Surly you are joking. This is a man taking on the Lame Stream Media, Corporate
bailouts, the corrupt banking system including the privately owned Federal
Reserve, the corrupt Republican
Party that his been loosing his votes, the Military Industrial Complex and Dr.
Paul will end the failed War on Drugs and pardon non violent drug offenders.
Dr. Paul will trim back the government by cutting 5 agencies and a trillion
dollars from the budget the first year.
By the way, as a doctor who treated poor people for free, it is a lie to
say that Dr. Paul wants people to die who cannot afford health care. Before
corporate greed took over there were a lot of charity hospitals. The government
helped the corporations wipe them out. Dr. Paul wants the free market to work
as it did in the past.
Dr.
Paul has the character to stand up for his positions. No other candidate for
President, including Obama will restore our freedom. We are in a crossroads. All of the liberty that made this
country great has slipped away. You know our free press is gone when they won’t
mention Dr. Paul’s name on the nightly news. The last two presidents have
destroyed the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The Patriot Act that
destroyed the Fourth Amendment must be repealed. NDAA has destroyed all of the
protection that individual have against the state. We no longer have a
Bill of Rights that forbade the state from acting against us without evidence
brought before a jury of our peers, without a lawyer, without the ability to
bring forth witnesses in our defense. With NDAA the state can secretly detain
you indefinitely. This is not the United States that we loved anymore. The
young folks get it. You obviously do not. These are scary times. We have no chance of reclaiming our
liberty except with Dr. Paul.
Paul can’t be President, even if polling is showing, again and again,
that he has as much chance of beating Obama as Romney? Then there’s
that whole, only six states have voted thing. And the even now all
the delegates haven’t been allocated thing. And the whole, “we can’t find any real dirt on Paul, so we’ll pick at him around the edges,” thing. Not to mention, the “if we say he can’t be president often enough, it may come true” thing.
And yet, he’s no threat to the mainstream republican establishment or to the sitting president. You kinda gotta wonder.
You obviously do not
understand Dr. Paul’s appeal. His politics don’t pack punch? Surly you are
joking. This is a man taking on the Lame Stream Media, Corporate bailouts, the
corrupt banking system including the privately owned Federal Reserve, the corrupt Republican Party that his
been loosing his votes, the Military Industrial Complex and Dr. Paul will end
the failed War on Drugs and pardon non violent drug offenders. Dr. Paul will
trim back the government by cutting 5 agencies and a trillion dollars from the
budget the first year. By the way,
as a doctor who treated poor people for free, it is a lie to say that Dr. Paul
wants people to die who cannot afford health care. Before corporate greed took
over there were a lot of charity hospitals. The government helped the
corporations wipe them out. Dr. Paul wants the free market to work as it did in
the past.
Dr. Paul has the character
to stand up for his positions. No other candidate for President, including
Obama will restore our freedom. We
are in a crossroads. All of the liberty that made this country great has
slipped away. You know our free press is gone when they won’t mention Dr.
Paul’s name on the nightly news. The last two presidents have destroyed the
Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The Patriot Act that destroyed the Fourth
Amendment must be repealed. NDAA has destroyed all of the protection that
individual have against the state. We no longer have a Bill of Rights
that forbade the state from acting against us without evidence brought before a
jury of our peers, without a lawyer, without the ability to bring forth
witnesses in our defense. With NDAA the state can secretly detain you indefinitely.
This is not the United States that we loved anymore. The young folks get it.
You obviously do not. These are
scary times. We have no chance of reclaiming our liberty except with Dr. Paul.
You obviously do not
understand Dr. Paul’s appeal. His politics don’t pack punch? Surly you are
joking. This is a man taking on the Lame Stream Media, Corporate bailouts, the
corrupt banking system including the privately owned Federal Reserve, the corrupt Republican Party that his
been loosing his votes, the Military Industrial Complex and Dr. Paul will end
the failed War on Drugs and pardon non violent drug offenders. Dr. Paul will
trim back the government by cutting 5 agencies and a trillion dollars from the
budget the first year. By the way,
as a doctor who treated poor people for free, it is a lie to say that Dr. Paul
wants people to die who cannot afford health care. Before corporate greed took
over there were a lot of charity hospitals. The government helped the
corporations wipe them out. Dr. Paul wants the free market to work as it did in
the past.
Dr. Paul has the character
to stand up for his positions. No other candidate for President, including
Obama will restore our freedom. We
are in a crossroads. All of the liberty that made this country great has
slipped away. You know our free press is gone when they won’t mention Dr.
Paul’s name on the nightly news. The last two presidents have destroyed the
Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The Patriot Act that destroyed the Fourth
Amendment must be repealed. NDAA has destroyed all of the protection that
individual have against the state. We no longer have a Bill of Rights
that forbade the state from acting against us without evidence brought before a
jury of our peers, without a lawyer, without the ability to bring forth
witnesses in our defense. With NDAA the state can secretly detain you indefinitely.
This is not the United States that we loved anymore. The young folks get it.
You obviously do not. These are
scary times. We have no chance of reclaiming our liberty except with Dr. Paul.
dude. a salient analysis. Good show.
Yet one more tool to help educate the unconverted and further prove support for Dr. Paul among Independents:
http://www.election4uspresident2012.weebly.com
Please use it. Thanks!
Hate the slant but appreciate the attention. By the way, he didn’t suggest that the government should allow a person to die, that was the media spin of the question.
Young people should be concerned: the plot is to settle them with the debt that will never be repaid. Ask anyone under 40 if they expect to see a Social Security check…. The best case if RP is not the nominee is that we will be like Greece in 3-4 years and the Social Security myth goes away by itself…
Why is it that every time someone mentions Ron Paul these days they say that ” he will never be president”? Are they psychic that they can see the future? In case you haven’t seen it in the crystal ball yet THE RACE IS NOT OVER!! Stop trivializing someone just because you don’t agree with him.
Challenge: take 3-4 minutes at toll-free 1-888-322-1414 and listen to Ron Paul speak truth to this generation. The only straight talk out of Texas!
I think his honesty is obvious. But, it’s not even close to the whole picture. I would honestly say most of his supporters are just purely relieved when they listen to his positions. It just makes sense to them.. and finally. His message is so simple especially when everyone else you listen to, Obama, Bush, Romney or Gingrich contradict themselves. Finally you have a man making sense. Talking about all the things we hear in the national anthem, all the things we listened to growing up about the founding of America.
You talked about how young people listen because they haven’t “becomejaded about politics”. Yes it’s because they see things clearly. All the more reason to understand that there’s something to this guy’s words.
You used the words “radical” when talking about his position. Only a
fool would call the constitution radical. When the founders wrote the
constitution they wrote it based on their experience of failed
economies. Ron is just trying to hold up his part of the bargain. “A
republic if you can keep it.” ~ Ben Franklin
And you still don’t get it. You can be an honest idiot, but that doesn’t give you the reception Paul gets. Its Paul’s WHOLE message. Freedom brings us together. The author still is being a pundit instead of being analytical.
To simplify,only Ron Paul on The GOP ticket can beat The Incompetent Incumbent.
When young people look at Ron Paul, they don’t see an particularly attractive set of political positions ????????
You really missed the boat on this one…
All of RP’s politics is spot on and true…. from End the FED, to the Military Ind.Complex, to losing all our rights, from Iraq to Iran, he is the only true statesman, all others are just the same… His vote is being stolen in corrupt state elections.
whatever john brooks
even though What he says is accurate and Ron Paul is the only candidate who has the policies to turn things around and the integrity to not go back on his promises
This report is clearly retarded…….the reason why he’s not getting the delegates and voters is because THE MEDIA IS BLOCKING HIM!!! Don’t you get it?? The normal mass populace don’t give a shit about politics and will only pick what they see on T.V. and as I clearly can see, it’s been the Romney/Newt/Santorum show. We really should send all these news channels off of a cliff including this reporter who clearly doesn’t understand how mass media mind influence works. If you have a college degree I would have to say I’m not impressed with your mentation at all.
Actually Ron Paul may have passed up Romney in the delagate count already, the media wont tell you that, he has done very well in the caucus states because delagates are determined at the local level and he has strong ground support. The real test if he has enough for nomination is general election fraud.
Oh ye of little faith…. Ron Paul CAN be President. And far less people here, in America, and abroad will be killed courtesy of our foreign policy disasters.
Vote Obama / Romney and support the Wall St. / Big Corp / MIC Dark Side, you can.
Or Vote Ron Paul…and for the first time in your young life witness an honest politician.
Ron Paul Campaign Song:
East Bound and Down loaded up and trucking
We’re going to to do what they say can’t be done
We got a long way to go and a short time to get there
I’m Eastbound just watch old bandit run
Jerry Reed “East Bound And Down”
I’m in my 50′s, hello! I support Ron Paul. So do many of my friends.
Exactly,he says what he means and means what he says.I am older,I’ve only been politically involved since 10/2011 (Police Chief pepper spraying women in Occupy Wall St in NYC) but I am determined to take The Status Quo down. “REFUSE TO LOSE” “DISRUPT THE CORRUPT” ”WE’LL GET RID OF OBAMA ONCE AND FOR ALL BY VOTING RON PAUL”
what percentage of the american people really go to vote?
if only one candidate could mobilize the rest he wouldn’t need any Party, either republican or democrat…
this may well be the beginning of a NPD (No Party Democracy)
Ron Paul is also the only candidate that isn’t running primarily to get himself elected. That is, all the other candidates talk about how great they are and ‘how with your vote I’ll do so and so’. They are all about themselves. Ron Paul is about educating us to build a better America. To return America to peace, prosperity and individual freedom. Young people, because they are not typically as jaded, can see Ron’s message in ways others cannot.
Rick Santorum is my husband and I am committed to him
Just another attempt to marginalize (or de-legitimize, if you wanna go so far) Ron Paul’s strong base of support…
Ron Paul will never be president? Where’s your crystal ball? You should hope he’s president for the sake of CA and moreover the country. RON PAUL 2012.
My husband is Rick Santorum
Jason Willick writes:
“Ron Paul will never be president.”
The odds are, that is true. However:
There is a prediction being made … that the name ‘Paul’ will very likely appear on the Republican ticket, for the general election. Watch on YouTube.
http://youtu.be/StQr-dlxaBM
I’m young and appreciate his defense of liberty just as much as his honesty. In fact, the two go hand in hand. He says he will defend liberty, has done so for 30 years, and I trust he will continue to do so. It’s easy to gloss over him as just a rare and honest politician, but the real appeal is that he’s not running for President so he can run your life. He’s running for President so that you can run your own life! THAT is the draw.
Of course it’s about honesty and also believing that things can change is the only way to create change. Ron Paul inspires people to believe in change. No other candidate for president comes close to the kind of consistent behavior Ron Paul has exhibited throughout his life. Just observing his pattern of behavior speaks loudly of his underlying beliefs that we are all meant to be free human beings, that we should not violate one another and that life is precious.
If you have shown Ron Paul is a “powerful force ” within the Republican Party you have also shown the GOP is a divided party.
There is no doubt that GOP is a divided Party. 50% are Establishment and like war(s) to spur the economy along (gotta keep those war materiel assembly lines moving you know), 25% simply vote their Bible and nothing else, and us “fringe” folks who like Peace, Prosperity, and Freedom want Ron Paul as our next President. We’ve just got to convince the other 75% of GOP voters that NO GOP candidate can win the General Election without Ron Paul voters and Ron Paul voters won’t vote for anyone but Ron Paul. So, GOP can win with Ron Paul, or they can lose without him. Believe it.
1/3 of GOP that is pushing Romney are basically so blinded by their frothing hatred of Obama – they would just as equally vote for Paul as Nancy Pelosi if she changed her name…
This is an interesting point that I am surprised more analysts haven’t thought of. Great writing!
He makes a good point about honesty, but saying over and over that Ron Paul won’t be president:
a) doesn’t make it so.
b) makes me wonder who he’s trying to convince. Us? Or himself?
I don’t know this guy’s politics, and he may be an insane liberal, but this guy is an very good writer and analyst, at least by the Daily Cal’s low standards for journalists. Why is that idiot libertarian writing in the paper and this guy is relegated to a blog nobody reads?
Not journalists–I meant columnists.