What part of that message do some of his supporters not understand? by rtbohan
(libertarian)
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Ron Paul was asked if he would be willing to accept the nominaion of the Libertarian Party for President. He said, "No!" Ron Paul was asked, once John McCaing achieved a majority of the pledged candidates, if he would continue to campaign for the presidency as a Perot-like Indepehdent candidate. He said "No!"
Why do so many who claim to be supporters and followers of Dr. Paul refuse to take him at his word? Why are they reacting like teen aged groupies of s rock star or religious fanatics who have found a miracle worker? They are impressing only themselves while bringing discredit on both the revolutionary movement Dr. Paul has ignited and Dr. Paul himself.
Ron Paul is a hard working Congressman from Texas. He is a Consrvative Libertarian who believes in limited government, personal liberty, and personal responsibility. He began a campaign for the Republican nomination for President in 2008 because he believed that this was the most effective way to bring the Republican Party back to its founding principles, the American voters back to an understanding of the constitution, and the American people back to an appreciation of liberty.
He is not a god who will save the nation from its errors. He is not a miracle-working prophet of God like Moses or Jesus or Muhammed, nor a mythic Hero like Hercules or St. George who will destroy the evil forces threatening mankind. He is not an incipient dictator like Lenin or Hitler who seeks personal power so that he may do good for a class or a race. He is not even a charismatic politician like Kennedy or Reagan using the appeal of his personality to overcome the shortcomings of a political party.
He reminds me most of Eugene McCarthy who forty years ago led a movement in the Democratic Party because he believed that the leadership of the party and of the nation had deserted American ideals for a course of imperialism. In one of his speeches, he quoted a line from a Russian poet: "How strange a time when simple honesty can be mistaken for heroism." I think that line also fits Ron Paul and the message that he is bringing. He is an honest man who is speaking the truth to the American people. Trying to make him more than that dishonors both the man and his message.
Dr. Paul has said that the message is more important than the messenger. The message is now before the people, and it can, through the dedication and hard work of those who agree with it, gain more support in the future. But some of the Paul supporters insist that Dr. Paul rather than his message is important. In the last week I have read a call to start a massive letter writing campaign to tell Dr. Paul that he must go back on his word and mount an independent campaign for President; a call for a telephone campaign to Ron Paul and Bob Barr to convince Dr. Paul to pursue the Libertarian nomination for President and Mr. Barr to accept second place on the ticket. The first is based on the beliee that Dr. Paul is more important than his message and that his honest appraisal of the best course is wrong. The second dishonors both Dr. Paul and Mr. Barr. Dr. Paul made a commitment this year to pursue on the Republican nomination. Mr. Barr offered himself as a Libertarian candidate for President only after it became clear that Dr. Paul would not seek it. To ask Dr. Paul to abandon his commitment, and to as Mr. Barr to withdraw his candidacy is not fair to either of them. I have also seen a call for Ron Paul supporters who are not delegates to the Republican convention to go to St. Paul for the convention to get publicity for the movement. This is okay if they do not fall into the trap the peace activists fell into forty years ago, insulting passersby and fighting with the police.
I say this in all seriousness. Many of the attacks on Dr. Paul and on the movement ignore entirely the message of the movement and concentrate on the mistaken tactics of some of the supporters. Calling those you disagree with "Sheeple" is cute, but it does not make them more receptive to your message. Chasing reporters down the street does not incline the press or the voters to believe that greater freedom is necessary and desireable. Acting as though there is no life for the movement without Ron Paul at its head does not speak well for a sense of personal responsibility. At least one columnist on Nolanchart has compared some of the Paul supporters to the followers of Jim Jones, a number of McCain bloggers are comparing the movement to the followers of Hitler. They cannot attack the message that Dr. Paul is bringing to the people, but some of his followers are making themselves, and through them the movement, fair game.
George Dance on Nolan Chart has written a series of columns on what can be and is being done to forward the movement at the Republican convention. John Crosley on Nolan Chart has written two columns on potential short term efforts to keep the movement going when Dr. Paul ends this year's candidacy. I urge to you read them.
To my other colleagues in the movement, please understand that I do not write this to insult either your motives or your ideas. But Dr. Paul has said "No!" Pleae take "No" for an answer and devote your energies and your talents to advancing the message of liberty. We need the message to triumph, and we need your energy and ideas to carry it to triumpn
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I think that you misunderstand the people who want Dr. Paul to run on the libertarian ticket. I know a longtime libertarian activist who is going to St. Paul as part of this movement. My friend definitely does not see Ron Paul as a savior. My friend does not think that he has any chance of becoming president as a Libertarian. My friend just thinks that a Paul libertarian candidacy would be a golden opportunity to educate the public about libertarianism.
By the same token, my friend does not believe that there is any chance that Dr. Paul or his followers can reform the Republican Party. Some libertarians perceive that the Republican Party is irrevocably corrupt.
I understand your position. I think Dr. Paul thinks that campaigning as a Republican got the Libertarian message out to more people, and that accepting the Libertarian nomination would discount the message as people might think the campaign for the Republican nomination was just a political ploy.
Posted By: Scott from Oregon
Date: 2008-05-13 12:35:38
Ron Paul said it correctly- "It is the message".
Once people get this, they can accurately see the situation and act accordingly.
I greatly admire the man for staying true to his ideals, old ideals that have gotten lost and have been kept alive by people like Paul. This is all gloriously good.
By elevating the message and diminishing the man (People who chant "Ron Paul! Ron Paul!" can now chant "Liberty! Liberty!" it enlarges the movement and introduces more members into leadership positions.
The idea should be to get government under control, not to elect one guy to a single office.
No one mentions the fact Lincoln LOST the primaries and won it in the Convention. Keep fighting for every delegate in every county. Don't give one inch. Never walk out because it's corrupt. Ron Paul is brilliant staying as a Republican. he is trying to take a major party and convert it.
More people are waking up every day. Ron Paul is everyones man because he is a steller honest trustworthy patriot who has lived his life to his ideals. No other candidate can win the trust of the people this election like Ron has.
Splitting with others is a downfall. Stop diluting the supporters of freedom. We need to unite and DEMAND Ron Paul. Togather we stand.
I don't recall hearing anyone say he could work miracles or turn water into wine, if his supporters can pull off a victory at the convention that'd be great, if not that sucks but there is still hope... has anyone asked him if he would accept a VP slot? (pretty sure he could accept that without jeopardizing his congressional seat) I think most RP supporters would have no problem with a Barr-Paul ticket, and it would destroy McLame (pull the remaining conservative vote away)...
Ron Paul has always said in response to the question of running 3rd party or independent...." I have no plans at this time." or " I am 99% sure that I will not run 3rd party." He's always left the door open, if only slightly, as it is now.
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
99% is about as absolute as a person who by priciple never makes absolute statments about the future can get!
Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. ~ James 4:13-16
I think the Ron Paul worship comes from the fact that someone like him is rare. I can honestly say I don't know of another politician in my lifetime with his integrity, consistency, and admiration for our foundations. Until someone else comes along with his record, that articulates these principles, expect the Ron Paul worship to continue for a long time to come. It is the message but until someone else champions that message it will remain the person.
Paul Farris: You have to consider there is hug or a substantial amount of dissatisfaction within the GOP about McCain. Of the non-RP supporters, some has said they will never vote for him, some will hold their nose voting for him etc. The GOP will make a HUGE mistake if they ignore Paul and his supporters. If they simply ignore and want to steamroller, as you say, they know there will be blowback AND they should also know they cannot win the election without substantial support from RP supporters. The last two electiosn were very close and this year - on paper/poll - also seem to evolve this way. And in sucha close election you need every vote and even 1,2 percent in a state could make the difference between win and loose.
Dr. Paul is 100% correct to continue witht eh campaign till the RNC and see what happens. There is still a remote chance he can win the nomination. Paul has much more outright delegtes and also delegates from Romney etc that would vote for him than the media reports. And during the Nevada convention with his speech he managed to sway a substantial amount of delegates who were going to vote for McCain to vote for him. Some in the GOP are terrified of him, as he will demonstrate to people they have lost their party roots. This, together with the pressure and polling number of the LP nominee (hopefully Barr-Ruwart) will provide the perfect storm for Paul. If the LP polls at say 4,5% or even make the differenc ein certain states with say 1,2%, the GOP will know they cannot win the election and it will lead them to reconsider the nominee, or in any case cause a lot of pressure to do so. Think of it, the party does want to win at any cost, and will also act accordingly. Also, with t he dissatisfaction over the economy and Iraq war grows stronger, also within the GOP, it will make clear to them they have to change course and nominee...
ALso in case this will not materialize, I do think it is possible to reform the GOP from within, also with more RP congressmen. If the GOP goes with McCain and loses the election, the neocons. will have to answer for a lot. the GOP has already lost 3 elections this year, in IL, LA and MI Within such a weakened GOP, it will be clear to them they have to change radical course and go for the limited govt. type of conservatism of Dr. Paul. Now in case the GOP cannot be reformed within say the next 2-4 years, it will be better to stay in the GOP for now and then take a lot of people and politicians with you, otherwise it would only mean a splinter. Think of it, if several GOP congressmen/women (also among to be elected RP candidates currently) defect to form say a new party, and merging with the LP and CP, who both have an infrastructure, it would have substantial effect, rather than Dr. Paul leaving the GOP now. ALso, if he were to leave the GOP now, all the money and time for the delegates is in vain and should he abandon his friends in congress, like Walter Jones, Jimmy DUncan (who has voted against the Iraq war etc), govt. Butch Otter and Gibson of NZV etc etc.? That would not be a very wise step IMHO and the neocons. - our enemy - would rather want to see this.
Posted By: Christopher D. Osborn
Date: 2008-05-15 03:48:56
"The idea should be to get government under control, not to elect one guy to a single office."
You are so right. Now that Ron paul has no chance of winning, we should focus on three things.
1. Trying to get him a speaking position at the Republican convention so more Republicans have the opportunity to hear what he has to say right from the horses mouth instead of from the little scrapes they hear on the news.
2. Spreading the messege, because it's the messege that matters most. Ron Paul is a great man, but still only a man. In fact, he's an old man who will likely die in the next twenty years or so, and retire before that. The messege should last forever.
3. Finding like-minded individuals to run for congress (as well as other government offices) to help Dr. Paul in actually making a difference in our country. So far Dr. paul has hardly been able to do anything in his long career as a congressman because he is only only one man whos ideas are very diferent from most people in politics.
rtbohan, I am very glad to see your post and I hope many people in the movement read it.
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