Topic: Ron Paul
Western States generate greater support for Ron Paul? Financially it appears that western states support Ron Paul more heavily than the rest of the country.by CT Johnson
(libertarian)
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Something interesting that I've noticed is that it appears that presidential candidate Congressman Ron Paul has greater support per capita from western states. This donation tracking map shows a much higher level of donation activity from Colorado to the Pacific. With the exception of New Hampshire and a few other states there is a much lower contribution level per capita than the western United States.
One has to wonder why the mid-west in particular has a much lower donation rate. Is this because it is the bible belt and candidates like Huckabee are more popular? Or are there other factors like Ron Paul's strong stance against farm subsidies? Are these mid-western states vampiric in nature and therefore tend to support big subsidy candidates? There could be many factors all in play in the mid-west, but this writer isn't quite sure what they are.
It would be interesting to get feedback from people who live in the mid-west as to why they think Ron Paul's per capita donation support is lower in the mid-west states. So don't be shy leave your comments and maybe this writer and the readers of this column could get some good insight. This whole mid-west thing has puzzled me, so tell me what you think.
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I'm from Kansas and I'd have to say that people simply don't get exposed to Ron Paul much here. That likely comes from less internet usage. I don't like to say we're behind the times here, but sometimes I wonder if it's really the 21st century here. I bet if you looked at an internet usage per capita map, it would match the donations per capita map very closely.
I am from Washington State, and I believe the reason that the west donates more is because we dont like Washington DC to tell us what to do. So when the message of freedom is being preached we flock to it.
I think the mindset of the people in the west is different from the east. The east is used to being told what to do and the west is not.
We have the wild west spirit, where the east has been beaten down from there reps with the Washington DC attitude.
The further away from DC the more freedom people want and dont buy into the garbage that comes from there.
We in the west dont like people in the east telling us what to do.
I hope that made sense, but that is why we laugh at the war on Terror. The country is so huge that what happens in the east we dont feel unless we watch the news, like the trade center attacks.
There are no terrorist in my neighborhood so I dont buy into the fear mongering. We need a change and that is why we want Ron Paul.
I am from Iowa. I have lived here for 25+ years. I believe Iowa is the second "oldest" state in the union, behind Florida; meaning, we have a ton of retired old folks. They generally don't mind having their kids and grandkids pay for their medicare, social security, and prescription drugs. Why? Not sure. Also, they are not too internet savy and watch tons of MSM. So forget about them being knowledgable on much. Lastly, they go to church a lot, though they have probably never read the Bible themselves. So, when a Pat Robertson or a Mike Huckabee comes around acting like biblical authorities, they typically get the vote.
I would not be surprised to learn that people who live in western States would tend to support Ron Paul in larger numbers. I would also think that rural people would be more likely than urban or suburban dwellers, for various reasons. but many issues cross all demographics. I learned first hand that people in Oregon, Idaho and Montana (where I have lived) have a far better grasp of thier liberty than people I have met in east coast states, and especially large urban areas.
I live in Iowa. Two major media outlets here are WHO-AM radio and the Des Moines Register. There is a drive-time radio program on WHO and the host says everyone is wrong except for Huckabee -- and has featured Huckabee live on the program numerous times. Similarly, the Des Moines Register -- the newspaper that depends on Iowa -- ignores Ron Paul to a great extent to the point that it appears intentional -- and the Register actually admitted it was intentional -- for the lame excuse that Ron Paul has not made many Iowa appearances. The Register's bogus excuse for blacking out a viable presidential candidate is next to criminal -- if not criminal! But that's the way mainstream media works, isn't it? Of course, such activity may backfire on the Register come caucus night. Iowans are against the Iraq war in general -- even conservatives -- for the simple reason that many Iowa soldiers have been killed or maimed in the bloody war -- and Iowans are getting the feeling that they shold really support the troops -- and to show that support by supporting the candidate the troops support -- Ron Paul. Ron Paul has recieved more donations from active duty military than all the others put together! To see the figures, got to the Ron Paul campaign site then click on "states" and then on Iowa.
I'm from New Hampshire. Despite the recent encroachment of our more heavily populated areas in the southern part of the state from the Massuchetts attitude (big tax and spenders) many of us still believe our state motto - Live Free or Die - It's pretty direct, I like that.
We enjoy small participative government, with no income tax. We still have more personal freedom than any other state, a high employment rate, low crime, an educated population and lots of snow! :) Does that mean NH is perfect? , no...we have crept along with the rest of the country into the big brother thing and need to put somebody in office who understands liberty is the most precious right and the primary duty of government is to protect liberty, not nanny state us to death.
Not sure but I bet a few people out west feel the same way. No disrespect to any mid westerners but if you're taking farm subsidies you're part of the problem not the solution...If you love liberty and vote for anybody but Ron Paul you got lied to. The other "issues" are important and perhaps open for debate but without liberty the other issues become irrelevant.
All other candidates pay lip service and think "government is going to fix everything" ...hell no the more government we have the more things get screwed up! I'm tired of choosing the lesser of two evils...Ron Paul doesn't want to run my life, that's my job and I'm fine with that.
Google Ron Paul for President 2008
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