Ron Paul listened to supporters and reluctantly ran for the Republican nomination. He was amazed at the support!
Now there is a campaign among his supporters to persuade him to run again--this year--as a Libertarian.
He has tentatively said, "No," to the idea, but has left the door cracked open. He is mistaken to think he has to be Ross Perot to succeed. He has the support and financial backing of millions, which will be superior to Perot's private wealth.
Think what he could do in the general campaign where he could gather the support of Libertarians, Independents, Democrats, Constitution Party, as well as Republicans!
Dr. Paul has stayed in the Republican race because support has continued. Can a massive appeal convince him to go Libertarian?
A massive demonstration at the Republican Convention will only brand Dr. Paul as a divisive party-splitter. He will be blamed for a McCain loss whether he stays in the Republican Party or leaves it.
All the shady, underhanded tactics the Republican establishment has used to stop Ron Paul may convince him that reforming the Republican Party is not merely a battle of principle and ideas. It is a battle against entrenched power and corruption. Now is the time for a new birth of liberty through the Libertarian party.
Not only would Dr. Paul provide the means of establishing a true third party that would support the Constitution and break the two-party strangle-hold, he would also powerfully promote his principles of liberty--and even have a viable chance to capture the Presidency.
If Dr. Paul endorses McCain, he sacrifices principle. If he endorses the Libertarian or Constitution Party candidate he loses influence with the Republican Party. If he endorses a third party candidate, he is supporting a party he has previously considered not viable enough to enter himself.
Dr. Paul has the potential to change political history. With his best-selling book, the inroads he has already made, the news of his third party run (it is an item the media is very interested in), and his reinvigorated supporters, he would be a force the media could not successfully suppress.
Dr. Paul has never absolutely rejected a third party run. Just as he reluctantly ran for the Republican nomination, he can be persuaded to run Libertarian if he sees it is best for liberty and our country.
Now is the time for Ron Paul. We will have many who will follow his principles, but it will be a long while before we have another with the character and voting record of Ron Paul to capture the attention and convert the sceptical.
The Ron Paul success cannot be repeated just by espousing the same ideas. Others cannot recreate the coalition of supporters. Ron Paul has lived and embodied those ideas. His prime is now. Let us persuade him to run now.
See this link for more.
©2008 mediator, all rights reserved. You must have written permission from the author in order to republish this work.
Published: Sunday, May 4, 2008
Last modified: Sunday, May 4, 2008
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Reader Comments:
Posted By: logicprobe
Date: 2008-05-04 16:56:09
It's not about one man, and it's not about one election. The message is what's important, not a personality cult.
"I don't mind plaing a key role in this revolution," said Dr Paul on March 6, "but it has to be more than a Ron Paul revolution."
Ron Paul supporters are exerting influence and taking over their local Republican organizations county by county. This revolution will grow and be successful from the bottom up, not the top down.
Posted By: Alex
Date: 2008-05-04 17:19:59
BOB BARR '08!! BARR PAUL '08
Posted By: Lloyd Kempson
Date: 2008-05-04 17:21:17
"The message is what's important, not a personality cult." Oh Jesus Christ! I am not the only one who has noticed this!
Posted By: nick t
Date: 2008-05-04 17:36:39
Please don't do this. We're making a huge impact across the nation from the ground up in the name of reforming the party. Don't take away our credibility by pushing for an independent run.
Posted By: John Campbell
Date: 2008-05-04 17:56:34
Run Ron Run!
Posted By: bubba
Date: 2008-05-04 19:05:24
He doesn't have to endorse anyone.. and he would have to find a totally new campaign staff before his supporters would donate again. He needs to simply go to the convention and speak and the energy of his supporters needs to go towards getting as many local and state candidates elected as possible which will have a lasting impact on the GOP.
Posted By: A.J. Antimony
Date: 2008-05-04 19:47:30
Ok so let me see if I get this straight...
Ron Paul was the Libertarian nominee in 1988 and receieved 400,000 votes in the general election. In 2008 as a Republican, he has captured over 900,000 votes in the primaries.
On top of that, most of his supporters have been hard at work getting involved locally in the Republican party. This is how Ron will end up getting MUCH more delegates than the 21 or so the media reports.
On top of that, Ron won his House Republican primary and will be unopposed in the general election.
So, despite the tremendous improvement Paul's '08 Republican campaign has been over his '88 Libertarian campaign, despite the incredible GOP activisim it has inspired in his supporters, and despite that Ron would probably lose his name on his Congressional ballot, you think it's a good idea for him to go Libertarian?
The only possible non-Republican run for president I could envision would be an Independent run, one where he has not been nominated by any party. But until the Republican National Convention happens (which it hasn't despite what the media says), we shouldn't even be talking about a 3rd party/Indy run for Paul.
Oh, and do I even need to bring up the media? As a Republican, Paul has gotten what, .000001% media coverage? If he went 3rd party/Independent, that percentage would go to a nice whole 0%.
Posted By: Charger
Date: 2008-05-04 20:21:50
I have to agree with "nick t". Don't do this!
The reason we all support Ron Paul is because he is right, and has been all along. If he says that remaining in the GOP is the right thing for the revolution, it's because he knows it. Just think about all the posts you have read and written about the man's intelligence, education and experience.
Dr. Paul understands that this revolution is not about him, and if it were, it would probably fizzle out after the election (where is Perot today?). He is thinking WAY beyond that, and his supporters have to do the same.
The only way to change this system is from within. That means getting as many Paul people elected to the party as possible - people with the same kind of honesty and integrity who will get the GOP back on track by upholding the constitution.
Posted By: Patrick
Date: 2008-05-04 21:41:20
As much as I like Ron Paul, he doesn't necessarily fit in 100% with true libertarians. His position on immigration is not in line with libertarian values, which would certainly cause some conflict within the party.
I support Paul as a Republican, but if there is an actual Libertarian candidate on my ballot, I'm voting for them.
Posted By: Ron Johnson
Date: 2008-05-05 04:48:05
This Revolution cannot be based on Ron Paul or it will not last. Because of his experience, integrity, and sterling personal life, he was the perfect person to introduce libertarian ideas to the American people without the baggage of hypocricy. But the Revolution is doomed to fail if he remains its' only spokesman.
With that said, Ron Paul has opened a door to the real power structure in America by getting libertarians/constitutionalists involved in the Republican Party. It is now up to us to walk through that door and become involved in the real work of molding and controling political power in accordance with the Constitution and our libertarian principles. That cannot be done by standing outside the power structure and waving signs. In our winner-take-all system, a third party will be permanently locked out.
Ron, don't run as a third party candidate. Maybe someday the Republicans will fade away and be replaced by something else, but now is NOT the time.
Posted By: DigitalBob
Date: 2008-05-05 05:07:28
If Ron Paul doesn't win the Republican nomination, he will at least keep the Republicans honest as a congressmen. He will need allies in both major parties.
The Libertarian Party needs to win seats in Congress before trying for the President.
Getting the right candidate at the head of the ticket is a big step in the process, but not the only one. You need a state-by-state strategy to win the most electoral college votes. In the event that the electoral college cannot decide, you need control of Congress.
What's needed is a long-term strategy. You need to chart out every member of congress: what they believe in, how they vote and when they are up for reelection. Those who vote in the wrong direction, work to defeat them. Your best chance is to work within the Democratic or Republican parties.
The Libertarian Party has the most chance of success in a district where 1) there is only a Democratic or Republican party, but not both, 2) you can get access to the ballot 3) your candidate could win on his own as an independent. If you can't meet all these, consider putting your candidate on the ticket of the strongest opposition party. Most of the time it won't be the Libertarian Party.
That's what motivated me to run as a precinct delegate. I realized how much apathy is in the Republican Party. There is a good chance there to grow the ideas of limited government and greater personal freedom. I would have been almost as comfortable running as a Democrat, as they still believe in personal freedom and have stronger opposition to the war than the Republicans. But neither is ideal. These two parties have the batts and mitts, and I want to play.
Posted By: Paul S.
Date: 2008-05-05 06:33:46
I hope Dr. Paul does NOT betray us by dropping out of the Republican Party and the 2008 Presidential Race. We have invested so much blood sweat and tears and have three more months to win the hearts and mind of the Party regulars. I think people fail to understand how many Republicans are Ron Paul supporters some just don't realize it. We need the Republican Party machine to beat the Democrats in the Fall... ... Besides the scorn the media would heap on Dr. Paul for flip-flopping would damage the good doctors reputation. For what, a chance to loose another Presidential election. Nah, don't do it Dr. Paul. If you support Dr. Paul, then help other understand the principles he stands for. One is he doesn't run away when the going gets tough.
Posted By: Lojiko
Date: 2008-05-06 15:54:52
I agree. Ron Paul should ditch the GOP before it's too late or at least focus his movement towards the LP. Maybe he's waiting until the primaries are over and the LP nominee chosen before he lends his support.
Anyone who believes Ron Paul still has a chance as a Republican is living in a fantasy world.
Posted By: Paul Farris
Date: 2008-05-14 05:43:16
Ron Paul running on the LP ticket for president in no way diminishes the group of Paul supporters attempting to reform the GOP. But to build up a solid stucture, you often have to raze it! With a Paul-Barr LP ticket blinding the GOP in the headlites, and the Paul insurgents inside the GOP temple, the lords of the GOP will know their days are numbered.
Let us pray that it is dawning on Ron Paul, that, if nothing changes between now and Denver and the LP Convention, 22-26 May. The Ron Paul delegates, bless their hearts, are gonna be steam-rolled in St. Paul. John McCain will be named the nominee by acclamation or some pre-determined RNC agreement to minimize disturbance for the MSM. They will not let Ron Paul speak in prime-time, if at all. They will just ignore Ron Paul.....and then later, in October, McClinton or McBama will debate the future of this country and liberty and freedom's best known messenger, carrier of the message, is never heard from again in the context of the 08 presidential race. But, if Paul runs 3rd Party with Barr, they outflank the neocons, draw large portions of the base as a protest against Mr. Compromise McCain, Paul gets into the debate, probably outfundraises McShame, and puts the GOP off-balance and in disarray and effectively razes the corrupt GOP for the better. Those Ron Paul republican supporters have a better chance building a new edifice from the ground up than renovating a rotten, collapsed, and destroyed structure.
Ron Paul has always said he will run as long as he has the support. Well, he's darn sure got it. He needs to hear our voices loudly and clearly and in large numbers. TX campaign hdq: 703 248 9118....Wash DC 202 225 2831
Posted By: Keith Gardner
Date: 2008-05-20 23:26:55
Ron Paul is irrevelant at the point except for his endorsement.
Ron Paul is just a messenger. Time to pass the torch to someone who will be on the ballot in November. The Libertarian Party's candidate, no matter who it is, should be supported so that the revolution can grow.
Bob Barr would be the natural answer to grow the revolution because he can reach out to a wider audience.