Topic: Ron Paul
Independent-Third Party Run is Mandatory for Ron Paul! Contrary to prevalent beliefs among political pundits, a third party is workable. But it must be properly structured if it is to succeed.by Nelson Hultberg
(libertarian)
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Let's quit fooling ourselves. America is now a ONE PARTY STATE! Republicans and Democrats have become nothing but two divisions of the same party. Massive statism rules them both.
There is only one hope for reform. Americans must challenge the Demopublicans with a third political party. But it must be a real third party that can actually pose a threat to the Demopublicans' monopolistic rule.
It is a fallacy to say third parties in America cannot work! The reason why is because all third parties in the past century, like the Libertarians and Perot's Reformers, have been built upon two disastrous strategy flaws ("marginalization" and "cloning") that automatically doom them to failure. But correct these two fundamental errors and a genuine challenge to the Demopublicans can be launched.
Americans for a Free Republicwww.afr.orghas developed a cogent plan to correct these two errors and challenge today's establishment with the FREE AMERICAN PARTY. Our Mission Statementexplainshow the plan will work.
There is a massive groundswell of Americans out there that now senses Republicans and Democrats are one and the same and that an alternative political vision must be formed. Such a groundswell needs only to be tapped with the appropriate combination of savvy and passion. Ron Paul is the leader to accomplish this, but we must convince him to run a third-party campaign. See our Petition of Support for Ron Paul.
If we fail to convince Congressman Paul for the 2008 campaign, then we must set about building the FREE AMERICAN PARTY for 2012. This revolution will not be won in one campaign. We live in a watershed era of history. Great, epochal changes are coming; and only a properly structured third-party campaign can capitalize on these changes to restore America to the Founders' vision.
Will Paul be willing to run again in 2012? Will he be willing to go the third party route? If he isn't, then there will surely be another revolutionary leader that will come to the front. This movement is bigger than any one man.
With John McCain (nothing more than George Bush II) winning the nomination, there is going to be a major disaffection of conservatives and libertarians from the Republican Party between now and 2012. These millions can be enlisted into a third-party effort. The Republican Party is quite possibly in the initial stages of "cracking up."
Moreover, a host of severe economic crises (ruinous government debt, social security and medicare bankruptcy, peak oil, immigration overload, recession-stagflation, etc.) is going to bring great tumult and also great opportunity to the freedom movement in the next 10 years. It is an opportunity that we need to start preparing for now, but such preparation must be based upon the formation of a real third party that has some teeth.
Americans for a Free Republic www.afr.orghas solved the two fundamental errors of all third parties. Its "Two Pillars Strategy" will garner the necessary 15% in the polls and put a freedom candidate with gravitas into the National TV debates held in October. This will put the libertarian-conservative message in front of 100 million voters in a non-threatening manner and allow us to effectively challenge both the Demopublican candidates, not just once, but every election year.
AFR's strategy is big time, TV oriented, major league politics that will rock the nation and make history. It will not win right away, but it will gradually over the next two decades stop the growth of the Leviathan cold.
Did you like this article? If you did, Thumb It! 49 thumbs so far
The views expressed in this
article are those of Nelson Hultberg only and do not represent
the views of Nolan Chart, LLC or its affiliates. Nelson Hultberg is
solely responsible for the contents of this article and is not an
employee or otherwise affiliated with Nolan Chart, LLC in his/her role as a columnist.
I totally agree, except that there is still a possibility that McVain will implode and/or an insurgence at the GOP convention could leave the good Dr. as the last man standing. There are a number of ways this could play out; if it winds up being McCain v Obama in the general election, the GOP might as well pack it in and RP would have a tough fight as an extra. If it's McCain v Clinton RP would fare much better in a 3-way race. If, by some miracle RP should get the nomination I think he would mop the floor with Clinton, but Obama would be a formidable challenger... in any event, it's going to be a nail-biter...
My 2 cents
I fear that if we do not elect a president such as Ron Paul at this critical time in our nations history, the elites that are manipulating the election process and stacking the deck with their hand picked CFR candidates (Hillary, Obama, McCain and Huckabee) for us to choose, will do everything in their power to make sure we are fragmented in our ability to organize using platforms such as the Internet the next time around.
Posted By: Alex Wallenwein
Date: 2008-02-21 17:49:02
Whatever happens, Ron Paul needs to make absolutely sure he stays in the race until the final voting day of the fall elections. Whether he retains his congressional seat is irrelevant, at this point, because the Congress he will hold a seat in will be indistinguishable from the Russian Duma or the European Parliament. He must take every chance to win - or else.
I have been to the AFR.org web site and read Nelson Hultberg's material. If I have ever seen a plan to create a viable 3rd party, this is it. Everyone who wants Ron Paul to win needs to investigate this and sign the petition.
No offense to the people at AFR, because they obviously have put a lot of thought and effort into their idea, but I disagree that we should implement a flat tax. Ron Paul's ideas would lead to the flattest tax of all : 0% income taxes!! Besides, if the legislature won't decrease the size of government, there's no way they would pass a flat tax that would force them to cut off services with no transitions. That would cause economic disruptions. The best way is to have a phased approach to eliminate government regulations and agencies, whereby you give the affected industry and populations a timetable for when they would be phased out, so the free market could step in to provide whatever services would be necessary when government gets out of that part of the economy.
I like the web site. I like the concept, especially using the "American" term in the party name, as that will be sure to piss off the elites and entice the common folk. Regardless, I'll be voting for Paul in this round.
Now, I don't see anything wrong with Dr. Paul, but the campaign has been lacking. Regardless of all the brilliant ideology and wonderful ideas posed in the campaign (when they're allowed to leak out on the TV tube), the new "party" must be a hybrid of many things other than ideology and ideas: the platform must be available to the common man (i.e., save lengthy discussions on Austrian economics), positive/constructive (many don't go for the negative sentiments, unfortunately, despite the negative campaign tactics that we see), and American in nature. The party, and the campaign, cannot preach from the mountains on the virtues of bicameral government, gold standards, and so forth. It has to be tailored for a wider, less informed, more distracted audience--that is, Americans.
I do like the positive, rhetorical dialogue of Obama--though I recognize he's an empty suit. However, his campaign tactics are to be lauded. As you say, an alternative to the "two-party" system (that's a joke) is needed, but it has to be sold with rigor, finesse, and common denominators that can be appreciated by the masses. Ideas are important, but they can't be advanced without salesmanship and outreach.
Posted By: Jahfre Fire Eater
Date: 2008-02-22 09:23:54
Ron Paul knows better than to waste his time with a third party or independent run. Doing so would undermine or totally nullify any effects his staunch conservatism has had on the GOP.
Sure, it would make a lot of independents and Libertarians feel good but that is all it could accomplish.
Those who continually rant and rave about his doing this do not realize that all their behavior says is that they don't understand politics, the role of parties or how to use a party to their advantage. I blame the liberal indoctrination centers that we call public schools for this wide spread lack of basic understanding about the worldin which we live.
Fortunately, Dr. Paul does understand politics and the role of political parties so a third party or independent run is absolutely not going to happen...for all the right reasons. Too bad more people aren't able to grasp the difference between a teaspoon and an earth mover with regard to political parties; third parties and independents are teaspoons, the GOP and the Dems are the earthmovers. No amount of emotion can change that simple reality.
I find it funny how many libertarians tend to pride themselves on logic and analysis but they can't understand this basic truth regarding political parties. When this topic comes up, those ever-so-rational libertarians toss logic and consequence out the window and start wailing their deepest irrational emotional dreams as if that can change reality just like any liberal who want wealth to flow to those who need it rather than those who produce it. This internal contradiction must drive more than a few libertarians off the deep end.
Yeah I can see how "not running for president" on the republican ticket will win us the white house. That makes perfect sense. Brilliant! Why didn't I think of that? Of course John McCain getting the nomination and losing the election to Obillary while we sit on the sidelines calling ourselves Ron Paul Republicans is the winning strategy. How could I be so stupid. It's all clear now.
Ron Paul has taken on a HUGE TASK in this election. He has opened the eyes of thousands if not millions of voters like myself, without the help of the GOP or media it is amazing. He even has others running for office on his platform in the Republican party, that is AMAZING. I just donated yesterday to two of them. We have supporters becoming deligates and involved in the party learning how to get things done, this is also a huge positive benefit staying with the party. We ARE changing the Republican party and to leave now would be a huge loss for us.
This campaign is not over and to try and divert attention from this campaign is not productive. Dr. Paul's job is to educate and our job is to support and encourage him and each other that we can return the Republican party to it's grassroots supporters. Have you seen how old the GOP leaders are, the young Ron Paul supporters are the GOP future they can make this happen maybe even in our lifetime. Peace
Posted By: Christian Prophet
Date: 2008-02-23 13:25:51
It's true that 3rd parties usually find ways to sagotage themselves, usually by making a lot of noise about unpopular causes so they come to be viewed as fringe weirdos with little connection to reality.
A good way to avoid this trap is to study "Course in Political Miracles" [ [link edited for length] ].
But it is a logical fallacy to assume the Republican Party cannot be infiltrated and changed faster than a third party can be grown. Both alternatives might be viable, or one might be a better route than another. But rejecting one alternative out of hand just because it appears to be difficult is illogical. We can achieve anything we set our mind to. One man can literally save the world if he sets his mind to it.
That's a lesson we learn from Obama. His answer for the world's salvation is unrealistic. But his determination to rise to the top and have an impact influencing millions of people teaches us a great lesson. If we REALLY want something, we can achieve it.
Want to comment on this
article? Leave your comment here. Your email address is
required to track your comment. However, we will neither
publish your email address nor distribute it to other
organizations or persons. The only reason we might use
it would be if we needed to contact you regarding your
comment. All comments are subject to our
terms of use policy.
