Now, in case you have missed the Ron Paul story, he is the wiry little, gray haired, congressman, who challenged the big boys in the nationally televised Republican debates earlier this year. It was quite a show.
McCain, Romney and Huckabee would argue over who was the first to be dutifully committed to the troop surge strategy in our War in Iraq, while Paul, in an outburst of incredulity, would declare that the whole idea of the war was wrong in the first place. And then the audience, carefully stacked with McCain, Romney and Huckabee supporters would erupt in glorious applause, like little children clapping at the wrong time at a school play, with their leaders glowering back at them, wondering why their carefully selected, ticketed, major donor, idiots, didn’t clap for their lines. If the donors were willing to give them $100,000 in soft money why couldn’t they have enough discipline to clap for them? But heck, what could they do. Ron Paul just made sense. Even a millionaire could understand.
Well, as the debates continued, so did the caucuses and the primaries and while the nominee was decided early the Paulistas nevertheless continued to grow in number and commitment. Some pundits remarked that if this army had existed, at this size, a year ago, Ron Paul would have won the Iowa Cavalcade and then the caucus and just maybe the nomination. But as they say, “coulda, shoulda,” so what?
Still, the Paulistas dutifully started showing up at State GOP Conventions. Well, let’s be honest, they started taking over State GOP Conventions. Horrified Republican Party bosses, pulled the credentials of the Paulistas, using arcane rules, sometimes made on the fly, or they left the duly elected Ron Paul delegates waiting in ballrooms for hours on end, while moving to other rooms to reconvene without them. Paulistas were sometimes just told that they weren’t wanted, wouldn’t be recognized and if they didn’t like it they could take their appeal to the National Convention, which the Party insiders would control anyway.
These battles were bruising, grueling, time consuming, seemingly wasted exercises and some of the Paulistas began to grumble about their leadership. They were against the war in far away Iraq. That was what motivated many of them. So why were the Paulistan generals feeding them into a meat grinder of a political war back here at home? What was it achieving, these exercises in futility? If the war couldn’t be won, let’s end it now. Enough humiliation is enough.
And what would they do at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul? If the State Conventions were rigged, well, one could just imagine what St. Paul would be like. A Paulistan would not get near the Convention. Even the public sidewalks would be cordoned off. Security, you know. “Where’s your badge, buddy?”
For awhile, Paulistas might own the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. Enthusiastic John McCain kids, whose Daddy’s paid their way, would come bounding off their flights only to see the corridors crammed full of glowering Paulistas. But one of those disembarking passengers would be a nondescript, anonymous, McCain staffer and he would call the Mayor’s office and yell at him and minute’s later security would be moving anyone with a Ron Paul hat or button out of the airport. “But, I have a ticket? I just came in on a flight”
“Yeah, yeah, this way, this way.”
I know how it works. I once was in on the planning of one of these.
The Paulistas would try soft demonstrations in other places, like lining up to eat at the media headquarters hotel, lobby restaurant. The television producers and print media would see them. “The Paulistas live.” And maybe they would get a mention or two. They would be standing there with their Ron Paul T-Shirts, as if they were patiently waiting in a line of thousands to get a seat at a restaurant that only holds sixty. But the McCain people would catch on and the security would sweep though the hotel moving them out.
“Hey, I am just waiting for a table. This is America. Can’t a guy buy a hamburger in a public restaurant?”
“Yeah, yeah, this way, this way.”
Well, maybe they could stay in touch? They could be moved around by the Paulistan generals by cell phone. “Debbie says there is a back entrance to the Marriott on Ellingson Avenue.” But then, the cell phones will be monitored, count on it. Security you know. Maybe they could move by text message, ten thousand people on the streets of St. Paul, a living breathing demonstration, changing its strategy by the minute.
But oh, the frustration. All the while being herded around the perimeter of the action, like Soviet dissidents desperately trying to be seen by media visitors from the West, hoping to get their message through. But unfortunately, the media cannot venture too far from their Republican Soviet handlers or their watchful Intourist guides, or they lose access to the “real” news, the “news” that their bosses back home are paying for.
“I’m an American citizen, I have a right to be here.”
“Yeah, yeah, this way, this way.”
So what can they do? These Paulistas? How can they keep on fighting? Should they really go to St. Paul for this? Is there a plan? Is there a reason for this misery?
Well, now you know. There is a plan. In fact, there was a plan all along. And it is just brilliant. The Paulistas are going to hold their own convention in nearby Minneapolis. 10,000 strong. And all those duly, legally, elected delegates that got cheated out of the Republican National Convention, will be seated after all.
It appears that after months of being the victims in state convention after state convention, with horror story after horror story, the Paulistas will not be fighting for credentials with the National Soviet Republican apparatchik. They will be organizing at their own convention in nearby Minneapolis.
And no, this will not be the start of a new party or a “revolt.” This will not be a colorful debate like the Creative Coalition and other rump events of the past. Nor will it be an exercise in academia, like the Alan Keyes ballroom events that drew a 1,000 people who were so bored they could not keep their eyes open. Nor will it be a media, entertainment event, ala Arianna Huffington and Bill Maher’s Shadow Conventions. This won’t be a walk out, it will be a “walk in.” These very serious Paulistas will be meeting to organize how to take back their own Republican Party. How to elect “constitutional” congressmen all across the country. And how to come back in four years in the driver’s seat.
All of this will take place right in the shadow of their tormentors, the people who would not let them in, even when they won a fair fight. You would think, given the stakes that the McCain people, if they had a chance to do this all over again, would have sent word down to the State Chairman. “Just play it by the rules. If Ron Paul wins 400 delegates, so what? Let him have them. We should be magnanimous in victory. We can afford to be nice, and we need them for November.”
But no, they were afraid that the media might notice the ascendancy of the Paulistas. They might ask, why are these people winning state delegations even after the race is over? What does this mean?
In any case, it is too late now. The Paulistas will be in Minnesota in numbers this September. Their detractors will call it an orgasmic end to a phenomenon that peaked two months too late? But others may someday write that this convention in Minneapolis was history in the making? A turning point for the Republican Party. The media will not miss it. The bosses in New York will add one more airplane ticket and send along that new assistant producer who has been nagging for a chance to show her stuff. And no legitimate Paulista will miss it either. Who can resist? McCain will be in St. Paul but St. Paul will be in Minneapolis. Now that’s news.
See: How a GOP conspiracy continues to cheat Ron Paul
https://dougwead.wordpress.com/2008/05/19/how-a-gop-conspiracy-continues-to-cheat-ron-paul/
Doug Wead 
The Republican party has no place for Libertarians like Ron Paul on the national front. That would be similar to the Democrat party welcoming Greens into their ranks. It’s the square peg theory. I certainly don’t want the GOP cluttered with individuals who have no designs on winning. “Principles” don’t win elections. Selling to a base comprised of like minded people and their votes does.
Certainly the concept of marketing and selling a brand must be a familiar tactic to you, eh, Doug?
The Left and the Right both have their freak fringes. Both major parties represent mainstream ideas and most people in them who have no time for aberrant views and dead-end causes
Ron Paul is fine for his little backwater burg district in Texas that no one cares or knows about. There he’s a little blip on the radar and that should be his place. He is NOT in any way suitable for “prime time.” When he appears he speaks and he looks every bit the bohunk like the people he represents. I can’t put my faith in the middle class NASCAR truck drivin’ grassroots populists who spit tobacco juice on the ground at the mention of the ZOG lovin’ “neo-cons” running the White House.
Black David, You sound like you’re trying to incite class warfare! We’re ALL people who are worthy of the blessings of personal responsibility and freedom. This message IS for EVERYONE, not just the people in Dr. Paul’s “little backwater burg district in Texas”.
Republicans have traditionally been against statism, collectivism, socialism. They have been for individualism and self-government. Your attitude of arrogance and your interest in “marketing and selling a brand” makes me think that you might just be one of these “new Republicans” who is trying to separate the party from it’s roots–which will result in the death of the party. You also appear to be attempting to market the idea that ‘”Principles” don’t win elections”. Is this what you want?
Just like most others you’re more than a mile wide of the mark with this issue Black David. The problem isn’t a fringe group within the Republican party, the problem is a Republican party that is out of control and pursues all sorts of actions contrary to its stated beliefs.
That Paul can garner support from all over the country amongst former “neo cons”, dems, libertarians, and most importantly, non-politicals is something means a lot. His message really is about taking a hard look at the government and maybe taking a step back and saying, “whoa, dumping more and more money into D.C. every year is having negative consequences. Maybe we should really look at how business is done.” When such a view is put forth clearly, it turns out that most Americans really like the sound of it. It’s like muscle memory. Americans don’t really know what it’s like to live in a free republic anymore, but deep down they have a hazy, undefined attraction for it.
If we want to be a socialist state or more like many countries in Europe, then that should be openly promoted. I don’t think that’s what most Americans want, but that’s what most politicians are trying to give them, because it’s all too easy to continually offer more government sponsored programs, money, rewards, etc. If Americans want an American-style government, then we are far far away from the original tenets of our republic, and Paul wants to move back towards that formulation of our country. It’s a _very_ republican view–since our country IS a republic, though it does not act like one right now.
Seems to me that It is George W Bush who lives in a backwater Texas burg. At least he does try to appeal to the stereo type that David seems to be attacking (iIm sure they didn’t teach him to mispronounce Nuclear at Yale). i guess that is what you put your fatih in David. Phony spit and polish and BS from the beltway.
McCain’s politics seemed aimed at the same group and come from the same approach. Dr Paul has garnered over a million votes during the primaries and caucuses and all that despite being ignored and dumped on by the Major Media and having his supporters be manhandled during the convention processes as Doug points out.
It will be interesting to see how many show up in the event in Minneapolis. After all, they are not being subsidized by Lobbyists and Beltway insiders the way the MCCain coronation will be.
Hey look, it’s the Frank Herbert riffing coward that deletes posts he disagrees with from his blog.
“There is something going on in this country and its big.” – Ron Paul
Interesting that many Republicans are brushing off the R3volutionaries thinking this convention scheme is the last stand and final battle cry. That is simply not the case. We are going to take back the Republican party and turn this country around. Look through youtube and check out Ron Paul supporters. None of the other candidate’s supporters are as dedicated and creative as Ron Paul’s. Well, not a candidate anymore but he is going to turn the Republican Party around and away from the neo-conservative movement.
“I will work until my last breath on behalf of this great message. That I promise you. We don’t have to live in the kind of America the two major parties have in store for us. Together, let us continue to lay the foundations for an America worthy of our Founding Fathers.” – Ron Paul
You better believe it. The man’s platform is the definition of consistency. It doesn’t seem like the man even knows how to lie. He means business and so do his faithful and extremely diverse supporters.
Black David: Libertarian leaning Republicans have no business in the party?
“If you analyze it I believe the very heart and soul of conservatism is libertarianism.” – Ronald Reagan
I’ll leave class warfare to liberals, that is class, based on ethnic or racial distinctions.
Perhaps you believe people can be classified based on intelligence. By suggesting that Ron Paul’s constituents are unintelligent, I may be making another one of my inimitable sweeping generalizations. Yet, when I read posts written by his followers, I can only include that they aren’t.
Why do I say this? Because they place “principles” before winning, among other things.
Black David,
I am a Ron Paul supporter. I am not racial. In you last comment, you made a number of errors which make it hard for me to believe your statements.
First, I can not tell whether you are attemting to say that Ron Paul supporters are intelligent or unintelligent. You wrote, “Yet, when I read posts written by his followers, I can only include that they aren’t.” Arn’t what? Grammatically, this would be refering back to when said, “By suggesting that Ron Paul’s constituents are unintelligent…” Therefore, you are saying that Ron Paul supporters aren’t unintellegent. This is a double-negative. It is another way of saying that Ron Paul supporters are intellegent.
In addition, you misspelled the word “conclude”. You wrote “include”. Try to at least spell you words correctly.
In addition, you said, “I’ll leave class warfare to liberals…” Ron Paul is not a liberal. I am not a liberal. This simply shows gross lack of knowledge about this topic. If you knew anything about Ron Paul, you would know that his is more conservative than even the Republican Party.
Finally, you gave nothing to back up you claims that posts by Ron Paul supporters are badly done. You absolutely must give evidence. If you do not, how do you expect me to believe your claims? I do not know you. You made two grammer errors.
Please, do not make such unsupported attacks on Ron Paul and his supporters again. Thanks!
EDIT:
I can only conclude that they ARE (unintelligent).
************************
Why are paul supporters showing a lack of intelligence and practical sense?
They back a candidate that has no shot of winning.
Their childish “I’m not getting what I want so I’m opting out” attitude.
Expecting a candidate to mirror your own views and values 100% is ridiculous. McCain at 50-60% is better than Barry O at 0%.
Whatever happened to pragmaticism in this instant gratification ME ME ME culture?
Writing in Paul’s name instead of pulling the lever for McCain in November will ensure that a unabashed socialist and world collectivist considered the most liberal in the Senate will be elected.
I’m heartened by the fact that some (not many, I imagine, but some) Republicans can still root for the underdog, which is what makes America great. I also like that you call Paul’s supporters “Paulistas”. Hilarious. For my CARTOONS go to http://spinachflame.wordpress.com/
“…Ron Paul story, he is the wiry little, gray haired, congressman, who challenged the big boys in the nationally televised Republican debates earlier this year.”
One rich old white guy challenges a bunch of other old rich white guys and that is a story? The real story of this campaign is the well spoken black man from a broken single parent home who rose up to get more new voters the Ron Paul people can only dream about.
Free Obama ’08 bumper stickers for those that are interested…
http://ideasandrevolution.wordpress.com/2008/06/12/support-obama-with-this-free-bumper-sticker/
Voting for the less of two evils is still voting for evil.
Voting for the lesser of two socialists is still voting for a socialist.
Change cannot happen until folks are brave enough to stand up and say “This is what I believe” and then stick to their guns. The more that do it now, the more that will continue to do it each successive election.
‘Rooting for the underdog” can hardly ne considered a priority when we should be electing a leader that’s going to lead the fight against Islamo-fascism.
Regarding revoltingpawn’s remarks, I guess we’re supposed to decide who to vote for based on their color. Since, we’ve never had a “black” president, besides Bill Clinton, we need to vote for Barak. We must ignore all the issues, and just vote based on skin color? I think that is called racism? Correct me, if I’m wrong?
So you are saying it is a priority to waste time, money and, worst of all, American lives in the name of religion (Islam is bad…) just to feed our oil addiction?
We need a leader that might actually help fix problems here at home.
I don’t believe higher taxes and throwing more money into wasteful, ineffective programs counts as fixing a problem. That seems to be the plan of Obama and McCain, though.
BRYCE:
Stick to writing fiction. Political analysis obviously isn’t your forte.
In the the big picture, your personal beliefs don’t mean jack. Get over yourself. There’s a war on against medieval savages and all you can think about are your “beliefs.”
McCain has pledged to fight on. Barry O wants to cuddle up to CAIR and talk talk talk to that smelly midget that runs Iran.
Which would you prefer?
Bryce:
Oil is what fuels the American economy. Remove it and people go out of business.
is this what you want?
In the big picture, our civil liberties are our freedom. Both McCain and Obama have records of voting to restrict or remove civil liberties.
To answer your first question, I would prefer neither. That’s why I won’t vote for either.
To answer your second question, no. We should be allowed to tap our own oil resources. We have it in abundance. Why send money over there when we could put it to use over here?
It’s clear you believe we should be fighting a war in the Middle East. So you want to vote for McCain. That’s fine. But it is your personal belief. Why then does your personal belief mean jack, while differing views don’t?
Of course I don’t expect a candidate to be 100% mirror of my views. But there are a few things on which I won’t compromise.
To me, protecting civil liberties and guarding against the blatantly socialist agendas in the current climate is more important than “a war on medieval savages.”
Even though we differ in opinion, I can still believe that you are an intelligent individual. I would hope that you could afford others the same respect.
Why do my personal beliefs mean jack? Because there is a right way and a wrong way to look at the situation.
Your personal freedoms that you so cherish will not mean much when muslim hordes continue their quest to dominate the world and kill all infidels. Islam is the biggest threat to freedom since communism. Their moderate factions are not going to lift a finger to help the West and Israel defeat islamo-fascism.
You are wrong if you think if we leave them alone they’ll leave us alone. These blood thirsty savages have that promise of 73 virgins waiting for them to lead them along in their crusade.
So what are you going to do, fret about whether you can smoke pot or not wear a safety helmet or be concerned with the survival of Western hegemony?
Black David as I understand your comments you see the greatest danger in Islamo-fascism as you chose to call it – and to fight this danger you are willing to give up a little of your personal liberty at home. I believe Ron Paul and his supporters see the greatest danger in the US Government bankrupting the country and by doing this destroying the lives of all future Americans.
To me the question is not who is the more intelligent but rather which of these is the greatest danger. Luckily we are all still free enough to decide this for ourselves and you are entitled to your opinion. To me it seems that the risk that we will be taken over by Muslims is slim whereas the risk that the Government is increasing its powers and reducing freedom and liberty is happening everyday (just look at the Patriots Act as an example).
Through history there are countless examples of big Governments abusing power. “Power corrupts” as they say. Nazi Germany (a democracy), Mao’s China, The Soviet Union and Mugabe’s Zimbabwe spring to mind.
It is important that we keep up the debate about the role of our Government. Letting Government grow and slowly letting it increase it’s powers without openness, visibility, accountability, and involvement of the people is a formula for disaster as history has proven again and again.
Actually the rights I’m concerned about are less like wearing a safety helmet and more like the freedom of speech and the right to bear arms to defend myself.
Free speech, bryce?
You have a blog and you can express whatever opinion you choose about your leaders.
So how is your free speech being abridged?
I own weaponry and have so for years and no one has tried to take them away. I don’t get where your 2nd amendment rights are being abridged.
Lars: your comparisons among the US and Nazi Germany, Communist China, are ridiculous.
The US does not round up its own citizens in the tens and hundreds of thousands and execute them.
The Patriot Act is one damn fine piece of legislation that should have been enacted years ago. Who cares if some muslim terrorist suspects are rounded up? Who cares if criminals are having their phones tapped?
I want a safe and secure America, no matter what the cost. I’d put police on every street corner if it were possible. Decent people could walk the streets of urban neighborhoods and not be afraid of being accosted by bottom feeding animals looking to rob for drug money.
Authority can look at me all they want. I have nothing to hide. My record is clean, like my conscience.
The Patriot Act doesn’t go far enough. Seal the borders as well, but industries needs the cheap labor.
David, I would like to know your take on what should be done to regulate the Government itself and who or what should keep an eye on our Government?
How would you like it if one of your loved ones was among the suspects? How do you know that someone in the Government isn’t as bad as one of the terrorists you so fear? I understand that you trust the police but what do you propose to do to ensure that you can keep trusting them in the future?
Unfortunately the comparisons are not as ridiculous as you indicate. Of course we are not there yet but in the early 1930’s similar laws as the ones we are now seeing in the US where implemented in Germany against the Jews. It starts slowly and makes good sense because we think we need the protection. My point is only that we also need to be sure we have rules in place to protect us against the Government misusing its powers. As the history from Germany shows, there comes a point of no return after which there is nothing anybody can do. I just want us as citizens to do what we can to ensure we don’t pass that point.
@Black David: “Your personal freedoms that you so cherish will not mean much when muslim hordes continue their quest to dominate the world and kill all infidels. ”
That is the most important time to care about personal freedoms. Do you think that our ideals of personal freedom mean anything just because we are allowed some of them now? That once we are not allowed those freedoms that they will no longer mean anything to us?
Personal freedom and ideals mean more to us the more they are suppressed and under attack; not less.
“How would you like it if one of your loved ones was among the suspects?”
It’s not a matter of liking or not liking it, but wondering what the hell they were doing to create suspicion in the first place.
“How do you know that someone in the Government isn’t as bad as one of the terrorists you so fear?”
I’m going to trust a true red blooded America over some towelhead anyday. Any real American would.
” I understand that you trust the police but what do you propose to do to ensure that you can keep trusting them in the future?”
I’ve got a life to lead. I’ll let authority do their job and I’ll do mine. If I don’t like the job they do, I can vote them out. Failing that, I can run for office myself. Failing that, I can just shut up and accept it as my due.
“My point is only that we also need to be sure we have rules in place to protect us against the Government misusing its powers.”
if you don’t like it you are always free to leave. No one is keeping you here.