Topic: Ron Paul
It's Not Too Late For Ron Paul! Is Ron Paul making the right decision with his "next phase" in spreading the "message" and moving the revolution forward? My criticism and recommendations for Ron Paul and all of us to consider as we continue the fight for Individual Liberty, Free Markets, Private Property, Sound Money, and A Non-interventionist Foreign Policy!by Doug Eberhardt
(Libertarian)
Friday, March 7, 2008
Sure revolutions take time. The American Revolution lasted eight and a half years, while the French Revolution went on for ten years.
Unfortunately, America doesn't have that much time and if we want to make a difference in her future, NOW is the time to act. Like any great revolution, you need a great leader, and we have one in Ron Paul.
But I don't believe that even Ron Paul understands how he can best take this movement forward. According to the latest message to his supporters, he said that "elections are short term efforts and revolutions are long term projects." He then goes on to say he wants to "plan for the next phase" and that this phase would be "grassroots, not top down."
His solution seems to be twofold at present (I'm not including an analysis of his book as it hasn't been released yet and will address the "march" later in this article).
First, he wants to get people elected who share the "Liberty" vision as outlined in the Liberty Political Action Committee whose mission is "to help fund and elect conservative, pro-Constitution, pro-liberty, pro-American sovereignty candidates who share Congressman Ron Paul's commitment to the values and principles our nation was founded upon."
That's fine, and of course needed for the revolution to succeed.
Secondly, he directs us to the F.R.E.E. Foundation which according to their website; "is a non-profit, non-partisan, educational foundation dedicated to public education on the principles of free-market economics, sound money and limited government."
Again, sounds like it fits right in with the revolution.
But when you look further at this site, you see that it's not well organized. For example, the National Endowment for Liberty (NEFL), a separate project of FREE, "was established in 1989 to develop programs that take advantage of the enormous potential of electronic media to pursue the mission of FREE. We believe that through mass communication we can attract public interest and significantly strengthen awareness of the moral, cultural and institutional foundations of the American political system."
When you go to the page describing this project here, you find that NEFL "developed and produced the "At Issue" television series that was seen on the Discovery Network and CNBC national cable television networks. "At Issue" examines American public policy and how political, economic and social institutions interact with the principles of American constitutional government, and does so in an entertaining and fast-paced, commercial-television format, while remaining commercial-free and entirely educational." These videos are great titles! The problem is that you can't find any of the videos available on the site.
This group has been around since 1989 and there is no access to their work on their own site?
This leads me to the conclusion that Ron Paul isn't ready for the revolution to continue via his "next phase" quite yet and also leads me to the conclusion that he needs to continue the first phase and that is continue his run for the presidency!
Before I address that, I'd like to discuss the proposed "march" on Washington D.C. tentatively planned for June 21st.
Many of you may not know, but there was already a rally across America by the truckers as they were opposed to the "NAU (North American Union) and NAFTA's demand for us to allow tens of thousands of Mexican truckers and their trucking companies into America." I monitored the media after their first event in April of last year and didn't see or hear anything about it. Evidently there was another rally in June of last year that I didn't even hear about anywhere.
If we are to use the time of the weekend of June 21st to march on Washington D.C., what guarantee will there be of media coverage? Hasn't the media already proven to us that they won't give Ron Paul or his supporters any press time (unless it is negative of course).
What happens if a whacked out Ron Paul supporter (or neocon infiltrator disguised as a neo-nazi Ron Paul supporter) did something unthinkable during the march and opened fire on the Whitehouse? What would this do for the revolution and the message?
Wouldn't the time spent traveling to, the day of the march, and traveling home after the march be better spent talking to 1000 people in our own backyard? Imagine if all of us would just go talk to more people what an impact that would have where media would be a non-factor! Isn't word of mouth how many of us first heard about Ron Paul to begin with? We need to turn ignorance into enlightenment!
Even with all of our current efforts in getting the message out, the results were about a 5% nationwide vote for Ron Paul. This clearly shows that the revolution will take time, but to expect it to continue based on this "new phase," is hopeful at best. Ron Paul needs to run as a 3rd party candidate and garner eight more months of attention from the grassroots efforts of all the Paulites going door to door or calling the lists provided by the campaign.
Phase one is still alive and we must market the message of "Individual Liberty, Free Markets, Private Property, Sound Money, and A Non-interventionist Foreign Policy, " all the way to November!
Ron Paul can run as the candidate for the Libertarian Party or Constitution Party, it matters not. The way the system is set up with delegates, he more than likely won't stand a chance of being elected, but he could very well win the popular vote if enough of us go out and do our job! This would result in having to bring about a change in our electoral college farce of a system where only a few really decide who gets elected. And we still do have some hidden delegates that can show support....AND eight more months....so you never know!
Call me a dreamer, but the marketing of the rEVOLution couldn't have a better time frame in which to get "the message" out to the masses. Americans are "Fed Up" and only "You Can Make A Difference!"
Time is of the essence! Don't give up the ship!
JMHO and open to support, ridicule, praise or abuse by all as we still live in a Free America! Tomorrow we might not be able to speak our minds!
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2008 Doug Eberhardt, all rights reserved.
Published: Friday, March 7, 2008
Last modified: Friday, March 7, 2008
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Do you think maybe he needs to see us in DC to know WE are here for HIM, and that a big enough showing might be more likely to convince him that we will do the work it takes to give him a decent shot, for example, convincing Texans that the names on the ballot are only suggestions, and Ron Paul is the name they should write in? (Since the Texas law that you can't run in another party for the election when you ran in a primary is, I understand, an issue.)
I don't think refusing to show up at what he asked us to do is the way to convince him he will have support when he needs it. Just my take on it, though...
Thanks for the reply….You said; “Do you think maybe he needs to see us in DC to know WE are here for HIM, and that a big enough showing might be more likely to convince him that we will do the work it takes to give him a decent shot?”I think he definitely knows we are there for him because he still was getting large crowds in Texas and this type of movement just doesn’t die overnight (or as much as some think it has since he decided to concentrate more on the 14th district). If we all just emailed his campaign it might be enough of message to show our support. You said; “for example, convincing Texans that the names on the ballot are only suggestions and Ron Paul is the name they should write in? (Since the Texas law that you can't run in another party for the election when you ran in a primary is, I understand, an issue.)”Texas may not work out but 49 other states might. I don’t know the laws/rules of each state, but I do know that with 8 more months of getting the grassroots supporters out there, Ron Paul’s message can spread to more people than it can through the two websites he mentioned in his video…where even one of the websites, as I mentioned, isn’t even set up to help educate people as its purpose for existence dictates. The videos have great titles, but if you can’t access them, what good is the mention of them?You said; “I don't think refusing to show up at what he asked us to do is the way to convince him he will have support when he needs it. Just my take on it, though...”Understand that I didn’t say anything about “refusing” to show up. I merely suggested that time is best spent on spreading the “message” in one’s own community. There are many who can’t afford to attend a “march” but are willing to do something like knock on a few doors and garner support. Every time I spend a few minutes with someone I can convince them that a vote for Ron Paul makes sense. Naturally many Ron Paul supporters, via a one on one basis, can do the same. The internet is great, but person to person is how the message has grown. IMO, if the rEVOLution had 8 more months of this type of effort, our numbers might double in size and at the same time the education website and PAC efforts can move forward. Again, thanks for your take on it. With the media against us from the beginning, I’m just trying to think of what makes sense in capitalizing on the momentum that Ron Paul’s message has inspired.
The Only March that should be planned is at the Republican Convention in St. PAUL this September where the MS & World Media is guaranteed to be there and covering the Event. Imagine the Streets filled with Ron Paul Signs & Supporters demanding the immediate withdrawal from the illegal war in Iraq, and the Removal of Neo Cons from the White House and Congress. The Ron Paul Meetup Groups & Supporters should get busy planning Spring & Summer U.S. House CLEANING Rallies to Promote the Liberty Political Action Committee and gain Support for a Local Candidate within their Congressional Districts to unseat the incumbent Neo Cons & Socialists in the U.S. House. Ron Paul has far too long been the LONE Voice of Sanity, and the only Guard of the Constitution in the 435 Member U.S. House of Representatives. WAKE UP AMERICA! Ron Paul and Only Ron Paul For President in 2008. Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, Get understanding. Proverbs 4:7 "vivus spartacus" All Rights Reserved (In the 9th Amendment)
This article is one reason I think the LP is hopeless. Lunatic conspriacists and Right-wing types are cropping up all over the place. When a so-called libertarian site speak seriously about a North American Union plot, etc and laments allowing Mexican trucks to drive in the US (anyone know how to spell protectionism?) then you know that the movement has stopped being libertarian and has fallen into Ron Paul tinfoil-hat land.
It is interesting when one identifies his or her self as: "exLP" yet the text of their opinion clearly indicates that same was actually either a closeted socialist or NWO "globalist". The example provided in the article was used primarily to demonstrate that not all rallies produce the intended results, and the wise can learn from the mistakes of others and put their efforts and resources to better uses elsewhere in achieving the desired goal. The unwise however never think to remove the log from their own eye, before attempting to remove an imagined speck in the eye of another. Undoubtedly one so opposed to any "protectionism" whatsoever, must surely live without any protection or locks on their own doors, or perhaps these primates simply live in trees. And if Ron Paul's Supporters exist in a "tinfoil-hat land", then the presumptive propagator of such must exist in the 'tiny bits of Charmin' hat land as such clearly indicates where their head has been, or usually kept. Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, Get understanding. (Or at least a clue) Proverbs 4:7 "vivus spartacus" All Rights Reserved (In the 9th Amendment)
Posted By: No Name Supplied
Date: 2008-03-08 16:07:11
I THINK A MARCH ON THE REP CONVENTION IS A GREAT IDEA, BUT, I FEAR THE "ESTABLISHMENT" WOULD HAVE THE POLICE OUT THERE WHACKING PEOPLE OR GASING THEM TO MAKE THEM GO AWAY.
Posted By: Jeremiah Johnson
Date: 2008-03-08 16:31:19
Here would be the best kind of rally: One in September with 2380 Ron Paul supporters as national delegates in St. Paul, MN. There we open the floor and make a "quorum" mean 66%. Then when no nominee has a quorum, we unanomously vote Paul in.
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2008 Doug Eberhardt, all rights reserved.