Ooooo .... and here we have the
"it's-driving-them-crazy" factor in full play ....
Why does Ron Paul promote himself as a member of the Republican Party?
Ahhh ... because he is one ?
(
Now, please do propose some ill-considered ideological "purity test", which will undoubtedly reduce party membership at an even faster rate than it is currently declining at ...)
He left once before to run for US President on the Libertarian Party ticket.
So ?
Do you somehow think that membership in, or affiliation with, the GOP ought to rise to the level of mindless, brown-shirted goose-stepping ?
Do you believe in the premise of "party over principle" ?
Do you consider yourself an American and defender of the Constitution first ....
or a "member of the party" ?
(Gee ....
"member of the party" .... where have I heard that before ....
Comrade ?
)
Ron Paul despises the GOP.
Nope .... he despises what it (or portions thereof) has become - just the same as many who call themselves "conservatives" do:
.... to a large extent a cabal of unprincipled, corrupt, disingenuous hacks .... who stand for very little, other than the acquisition and maintenance of power ...
The difference is he has enough integrity to not support this sort of thing ... unlike others, who are simply willing
"to go along, to get along" ....
Here's a video that gives a little insight to the problem:
Now, after having been treated by the "establishment" in the manner depicted in the video - whereby the GOP refuses to follow even their own rules (ensuring these delagates will contested) - how many of the 20+ people in the video, do you honestly think will rally to the party - and continue to support it, both financially and with their own hard work at the grassroots level ?
How many people do these folks have within their own sphere of influence ?
If you think that what is depicted in the video is the way to build a political party and ensure electoral success, I've got some real nice beachfront property I could sell ya in northwest Florida .... tends to be a bit wet some of the time (
.... well ..... mebbe most of the time ....)
Such a belief would be highly naive at best ....
and outright delusional at worst ....
Imagine if that scenario were repeated many times all over the United States - and then you'll understand why I (and others) simply laugh when some buffoon suggests that we ought to "support the party" .... over vote for "the lesser of two evils" .... the GOP is slitting it's own throat ...
But hey - there is a
reason why it gets referred to as "the Party of Stupid" ....
Only folks who are so sufficiently shallow so as to have compromised and sacrificed having any real principles or ideals could possibly believe that "the party", and what it actually represents, could command any allegiance (or respect) under such circumstances. You have a "branding" problem ... a big one ....
Their thoughts in this regard are simply a reflection of their own lack of personal integrity - and what they would be willing do.
Newsflash: some folks do actually have ideals and principles they are willing stand up for ...
Personally, I'd rather lose in an honest and fair fight ...
than "win" in a corrupted and dishonest one ...
He doesn't rally to help the party or individual GOP candidates seeking office.
Again: not true ....
Of course, you'd know that if half-way bothered to look ... but facts are troublesome things, so I do understand the propensity to
not look ....
It is true that he will not support anyone just simply because they have an "R" after their name ....
but then that is no different than many others .... including some who self-identify as "conservative" ....
Ron Paul is a self-promoting, self-serving hypocrite, plain and simple. Ron Paul uses the GOP like a rented mule. It's way past time to call this loser out. He's a joke of a candidate and does real harm to the party he professes to be his own.
ROTFLMAO ....
Who is successfully bringing significant numbers of new members into the party - ones who are committed and enthusiastic and willing to spend their shoe leather to work at the grassroots level to build the party and get constitutional conservatives elected ?
Gingrich ?
Santorum ?
Nope, I don't think so .... these two couldn't even manage to get on the ballots in all the states ...
which tells you a little something about their "supporters" ...
Romney ?
Shyeah ... right ....
Doing "harm to the party" is a nice assertion on your part ....
unfortunately it just doesn't wash .... since it is the exact opposite of what is actually occurring ....
And if you want to talk about what's causing real harm to the party then perhaps we ought to discuss the serial-adulterer (good branding there) ....
or the other guy who can't seem to open his mouth without shooting himself in the foot with all manner of lunacy ....
Should Ron Paul flirt with a third party run, thus throwing the election to Obama, his name will be Mudd forevermore. Those giving aid to a desperate third party run, particularly son Rand, will find themselves marginalized to the point of irrelevancy.
Whether Paul wins or not running as a third-party will depend on whether or the ossified, corrupt, blue-haired portion of the GOP (and their rather mindless felow-travelers) support him or not ....
if Obama wins under such a scenario, those are the people you can thank when it's all said and done ....
Remember: everyone has a choice when they pull the lever .....
choose wisely ...
lest the self-fulfilling prophecies that some seem so eager to embrace actually come to pass ...
BTW - as far as the implied threats of future marginalization: Please .... save it for the local neocon sewing circles and koolaid-klatches ....
or someone else who might actually be foolish enough believe it ....
Until those making such threats can deliver something approaching the following, they are unlikely to be considered as anything other than what they actually are:
random, hysterical noise by the politically impotent, who have little real ability to make good on what they promise.
Elizabeth Cameron just wrote:
I just got to attend the good doctor's appearance at the University of Illinois. The 4,500-seat venue was packed with a very enthusiastic crowd of the young and not-so-young. Dr. Paul was as eloquent and gracious as ever. It was quite a treat, and heartening to see so many kids who may actually have an inkling what the Fed is and what it does.
Somewhere up the line, there will be a tipping point.
As Turtle correctly points out, it isn't really about the man - it
never was - it's about changing minds ....
and creating a movement ....
