Topic: Ron Paul
What now? Where should the Ron Paul supporters go after the NRC is over?by John Rutledge
(Libertarian)
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
After a somewhat successful April 22nd primary in Pennsilvania that resulted in 16% of the vote going to Ron Paul, I stop and think to myself, what now?
Its painfully obvious that Ron Paul cannot win, unless McCain suddenly disappears. What do the Ron Paul supporters do? We really dont have a candidate that at all stands for what RP stood for.
Hillary or Obama dont have it, and neither does McCain. I think its time we consolidated our ideas and start work on Ron Paul 2012! However, for the now, the next 4 years, where will we go?
Personally, I think McCain will probably end up doing the least damage to America in the long run. The spending circus over at the other camp (The Dems) would only end up killing us.
I wish one of these "Main Stream Candidates" would talk about the real issues [The falling Dollar, Our huge debt, etc]
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2008 John Rutledge, all rights reserved.
Published: Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Last modified: Wednesday, April 23, 2008
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Ron Paul supporter should intergrate into both political parties, start influencing both the Democratic and Republican Parties to the point that we can make necessary changes in this country.
Additionally, we should be fielding candidates in every single State for all State offices. Once we can effectively influence the States it will be much easier to enforce change on the federal level. 50 against 1 is the tactic in taking over the States, we must flex the type of muscle that the federal regime cannot ignore. We must regain and restore Constitutional Order on the federal by placing it under the restrictions of the powers deglegated to it and no more.
2) Maybe all of us who supported Ron Paul can come to a consensus as to whether we should write-in Ron Paul or vote for the LP candidate or maybe the constitution party candidate.
3) I think Ron Paul was a once in a lifetime opportunity. I don't now of anyone else in either major party who actually supports freedom and the constitution. In 2012 RP will be 76 years old. So another run seems unlikely. Maybe RP will name a successor who will carry the torch.
BTW as much as I support Ron Paul, my one issue with him is that he is not a good speaker. When you have to convince the general public that you have good ideas you have to be a good comunicator, and Dr. Paul is not. When he talks about things like the value of honest money libertarians understand his point but the average man in the street is clueless. Mary Ruwart seems like an excellent speaker so maybe she would be a good choice, although she also has no chance of winning.
For the next 4 years I think we need to develop a Hillary survival plan, or Obama, or McCain survival plan as the case may be.
The next 4 years should be capitalizing on the libertarian philosophy that we've tapped this election cycle. The most crucial thing we need to do is educate people- be it of media bias, the electoral college, corporate interests, whatever- they need to hear it- and in a way that amuses them, too. That's the real challenge. That's the only way we shall see effective change quickly.
But for a more long term approach, we need to start infiltrating the schoolboards at the local and statewide levels, as well as city councils and such. Of course, the Libertarian Party should try to actively court people to run via the vast amount of existing meet-up groups, but if also possible, support the Ron Paul Republicans/Democrats.
It is totally possible we could break through in the larger, swing and even liberal states this way before the next election. But we have to start THIS YEAR and not in 2010 or 2012.
I also am beginning to warm up to Mary Ruwart, which is interesting, as I almost despised her mannerisms and soft-spoken debate performance. If she talks the way she does one on one, more assertive, with audiences, it could work, but I still think we should pick a more mainstream guy like Barr, Ventura, or Gravel to supplement the ticket. That way, you have Ruwart's ideals and their credibility...
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2008 John Rutledge, all rights reserved.