Waldo Jaquith (JAKE-with) is an open government technologist who lives near Charlottesville, VA, USA. more »
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20 replies on “The Ron Paul spam botnet.”
At any time someone can be victimized by these spam bot coders. I expect that as the Ron Paul campaign grows in popularity, the Nixon-style dirty tricksters will become fully mobilized and the good and honest Dr. Paul will have all sorts of manure slung at him.
The military industrial complex has a great deal invested in keeping the USA involved in foreign wars and I can see where Dr. Paul would be seen as a very frightening threat to them.
One doesn’t need to be a foil hat wearing conspiracy theorist to see how quickly some elements, who are very influential in the Republican Party, have acted to try and discredit Dr. Paul. However, in this age of rapid information dissemination, those attempts can be just as quickly thwarted by alert and savvy bloggers.
A new day is dawning in America and a few malicious coders will be no match for the millions of freedom loving and tech savvy Americans who will quickly unite to combat disinformation campaigns such as this one that you have described.
Deo Vindice
Dude, you guys all sound like cult members at this point. It’s like the Lyndon LaRouche people all switched parties en masse. Like scientology with a candidate.
Jackson: They aren’t cultists, they’re just fervent. You have to consider that their political retail skills were honed in the Republican party – where blunt and shrill sell. I applaud the Paul people for standing up and reminding their lost Republican brethren that there is a Constitution in America, and elected officials are sworn to uphold it. This is what revolution looks like, before it gets real ugly.
I am aware that a few of the “Old Fred Thompson” managers have been telling their minions to use the terms LaRouche, Scientology and other crazy epithets when they describe Congressman Paul. However, the truth will roll over these puppets like a tidal wave. The campaign and the candidate, Ron Paul, is all about getting America back to a government that is run within its Constitutional limits. No more undeclared wars, no more runaway government spending due to an imperial president.
The Ron Paul campaign is about the American people rising up and destroying the “unitary executive”`concept and restoring the balance between the three branches of government.
It is my hope that even if Dr. Paul does not win the nomination, then many of his key concepts will be incorporated into the campaign of the Republican nominee and that even the Democrats will see that the citizens have been awakened.
Ron Paul is advocating a peaceful revolution via the ballot box, just like the Founders intended. America loves Dr. Paul and his message of more Freedom and less government. When was the last time any of the Democratic or Republican leaders even talked about enhancing your Liberty?
Paul is like Ross Perot…without the cool graphs.
Certainly, it’s evil International Bankers hiring hackers to send out Ron Paul spam to discredit him, obviously.
If only people knew about Ron Paul’s stances on Darfur, abolishing the FDA, and plunging the economy into a depression of unknowable proportions by switching us back to the gold standard, then they’d all be Ron Paul supporters. It’s just the conspiracy keeping him down.
Ballance, people don’t refer to Ron Paul supporters as cultish or any other name because some other Republican staffer told them to. That would be giving your candidate too much credit. They call you those names because of blog postings like yours. We also know that there are plenty of less vocal supporters who are perfectly normal, but they are the ones that know when to present a reasoned argument and when to keep their mouths/keyboards shut. By surfing the internet at 1 AM fervently responding to attacks that don’t exist, you’re not doing yourself any favors.
As someone pointed out earlier, it’s not just a rosy picture with Dr. Paul. If you are an actual libertarian, then fine. But if you’ve fallen hook, line and sinker for the anti-war, pro-liberty propaganda, you would do yourself a service by looking up what the libertarian platform really is and what Dr. Paul’s record has been over his career. He’s done some good things, and I’m sure he’s a nice guy, but if you don’t think he’s a slick politician who is skillyfully playing his most avid supporters for every ounce of time and money that he can, you are severely mistaken.
Kachur:
Congressman Paul is a Republican. He was a Republican before his brief run as the Libertarian nominee in 1988 and he has served since that time as a Republican Congressman, again. Get your facts straight before you spout off.
I used to live in the Congressional District adjacent to Dr. Paul’s in Texas. He has had a consistent record throughout his service as a member of Congress and always seeks to limit government and promote the Liberty of our citizens. There is nothing cultish or propagandistic about that. His positions are in fact consistent with our Republican Creed.
Surely every position that Congressman Paul has taken would not become law should he become the Republican nominee or even as President. What is different about his candidacy is that he is willing to have open, substantive debates on such a wide variety of issues and actually speak in great detail about what he sees as workable alternatives.
While the other candidates are offering sound bites, Congressman Paul is proposing thoughtful alternatives and promoting an open discussion in the public square. For some reason, his openess scares the crap out of Kachur and others who seem to only be able to see the world through the myopic media filter and feel compelled to plug everyone into a few limited stereotypes.
Smart Republicans will begin adopting some of Ron Paul’s positions, especially the idea of enhancing American’s freedoms and returning our government back to its Constitutional limits. I especially support the concept of no more undeclared wars. If we need to go to war, then we surely should only embark on such ventures with the prior consent of Congress. Bush has abused the war powers of the Presidency and deserves impeachment.
Watching the flat-earth types rant and rage against Congressman Paul is becoming fascinating sport. I never expected to see in my lifetime, Americans who would get red-faced angry over the idea that a political leader would advocate more freedom for them, or propose that our government work within the limits of the Constitution. I especially never expected to encounter citizens who would actually advocate on behalf of installing an imperial President in America. This would be funny if it were not so tragic.
For those few who dislike the positions of Congressman Paul, then by all means, discuss feasible alternatives and show where other candidates’ views are more beneficial, but spare us the childish rants and simplistic attempts at slander of anyone who supports a position that you don’t entirely support. Got a better idea? Then present your idea for consideration and forums such as these can serve as a constructive venue.
For those few who dislike the positions of Congressman Paul, then by all means, discuss feasible alternatives and show where other candidates’ views are more beneficial, but spare us the childish rants and simplistic attempts at slander of anyone who supports a position that you don’t entirely support. Got a better idea? Then present your idea for consideration and forums such as these can serve as a constructive venue.
Actually, the burden of proof falls to Dr. Paul and his supporters to justify his more unorthodox beliefs, rather than falling to the world to refute them. All I’ve seen from you so far as name-calling, posturing, and unsupported claims of conspiracy.
Ballance, read my comment closely. I only said you were mistaken. I did not call you any names. And then you in turn called me scared, myopic, closed-minded, and a slew of other insults. How mature.
Don’t lecture me on how small-minded and scared I am when you have no clue who I am, especially when I extended the same courtesy to you. When the most vocal proponents of Ron Paul defend him like attack dogs when he is not even threatened, start talking about conspiracies and then level ad hominem personal attacks when they are the least bit challenged, it makes your candidate look very, very bad.
I’m missing Judge Smails already. Imagine, J. Tyler and J.S. arguing about who is the Reaganiest candidate.
Kachur:
I know who you are and I welcome to hear from you or any other Democrats about agreements with, or alternatives to, Congressman Paul’s positions. I see much common ground on issues that are usually supported by Progressives. For example, removing the Department of Education could provide more money for local school boards and provide a chance to move forward with local leadership in education, including Pre K. Congressman Paul’s position on no more undeclared wars should be wildly popular among Democrats, as should be his position on an expeditious withdrawal of our combat troops from Iraq. If he becomes President, the Pentagon will have a much smaller budget and provided Congress gets on board, there should be more money in the hands of local government agencies, since we will no longer be supporting a world wide military occupation.
Realistically, Congressman Paul may not even get the nomination, but because he is in the race, his opponents are having to face many different ideas and questions, questions that they could have ignored if Dr. Paul wasn’t around. If the nominee is not Ron Paul, whoever the nominee turns out to be, would be wise to take on as many of Ron Paul’s positions as possible.
Americans have become awakened to the fact that the Neocons have destroyed many of our Constitutional freedoms and that the same group is willing to do almost anything to retain power.
As for the spambot allegation, it is ludicrous to expect that the most technologically savvy campaign in history, would be amateurish enough to spring a bot with their candidate’s name all over it, and actually expect to gain support as a result. The Paulistinians have demonstrated that they have the talent to do remarkably elegant work on the web. I don’t see a probable tie between that malicious code and anyone who supports Congressman Paul. To me, it looks more like a Nixonian style dirty trick.
If Dr. Paul does well in Iowa and wins New Hampshire, I expect we will see a whole new level of effort to smear him by the Neocon attack dogs. But, as Harry Truman liked to say, “If you can’t stand the heat, get the Hell out of the kitchen!”
Just an aside: I read a story today about former Virginia Governor Tuck (1946). Bill Tuck was sitting in the Capital Square tossing peanuts to the squirrels, when a couple of soldiers who were passing through struck up a conversation with what they thought was a local bum, passing the time in the park. When the soldiers asked the disheveled looking Tuck where they could get a drink around town, he told the two men to follow him. He took the two astonished privates into the Governor’s Mansion where they enjoyed cocktail hour.
I sometimes miss the Byrd machine.
You know who I am? Then tell me who I am.
You are absolutely correct that the Republican field will and has already attacked Paul, but they sure won’t give a rats ass about his positions.
I would like to think more of Dr. Paul, because he does have some good positions, like some (not all) of the ones you mentioned above. But, I can’t get over the hypocrisy of someone who on the one hand claims to want to enhance liberty for US citizens, but on the other hand seems to be a bit of a racist. We could argue all day about the infamous essay, but what I want to know is why his campaign has declined (as in, they know all about it) to block donations from the website of a white supremacist radio show hosted by Don Black and David Duke. Yes, that David Duke. And also, why they campaign has not returned a $500 donation from the same Don Black.
As for the issues, I want to know why Paul has had the weakest response to the Darfur crisis of any member of Congress of either party. I want to know what exactly he plans to do with all of the 7 million (conservative estimate) illegal immigrants in this nation, and what the hell he thinks a border fence will accomplish? I want to know why he thinks the playing field for black students who want to go to college has been leveled.
The worst thing you could have done for your candidate was make me look at his positions in depth. And I’m not just referring to the ones I mentioned above. I just flat out don’t like the guy. And what’s a Romney volunteer doing speaking up so much for Paul anyway?
Paulistinians? That’s downright frightening.
I can’t figure why any liberal or Democrat would consider a far right wing libertarian a good choice to represent their ideals. His anti-war position just doesn’t cut it. There are many more issues to consider. Also, most of the Ron Paul supporters I’ve encountered appear to be extremists who spout off bizarre and paranoid rhetoric. Is that supposed to attract reasonable voters? The Paul campaign seems to have developed into a creepy cult of personality.
Gee thanks, Katey, I just got that song out of my head after days, and it just came right back. Good point, though.
The positions of Dr. Paul all can be related to his stand on limiting our government to within Constitutional limits. His support among the “African-American” community is larger than any other Republican candidate. Ron Paul is NOT isolationist, but he firmly supports limiting our military intervention in the affairs of other countries. Katey, there are a few zealots in any campaign, but I stood among about two hundred Paulistinians at the Republican Advance last week and they included many families who brought their children along, professionals, businessmen and quite a few senior government executives. The group that I met was very similar to the cross-section of families who came out to support the Christian Coalition in the 1990s, only this group emphasizes the Constitution, where the former group emphasized religious values.
Like I wrote before, I really like the positions Ron Paul takes because it forces the other candidates to have a much different debate. There are plenty of common ground issues that Democrats like, but I do not expect the hard core extreme of either political party to ditch their status quo favorite candidates and jump on board the Freedom movement train.
As for the donation question: Ron Paul has a long track record of integrity and being forthright with his constituents. One of his hallmark traits is taking everyone as they are. I don’t think he would turn away the support of any citizen, regardless of their checkered past. It is his fair handed treatment of people that has won him the support of so many who had given up on the political process.
Our nation has been successful because people of varied political beliefs had the freedom to form coalitions and to work cooperatively on issues. The last two administrations have usurped the Constitution, with the current tool in the White House demonstrating the most egregious contempt for the People and the Constitution. Our next President, if he pushes our federal government back to within the Constitutional limits, will return to us our core freedoms and prevent further economic hemorrhaging by curtailing foreign adventures. Ron Paul is, for now, the only candidate who offers us a clear path to Liberty. It would be a positive development if some of the other candidates began to adopt some of his positions.
The best part about Ron Paul as President, for all factions in our society, is that he would be rock solid and predictable; if something is not supported by our Constitution, then he would oppose it. On the other hand, the States would be free to do far more on behalf of those who need help the most, without the heavy hand of the federal government or with unfunded mandates.
I think that a President Paul would be the best of all options for everyone, since government entities that are closest to the People would be empowered and every citizen would have less of a government burden. Of course, the reality is that with our current Congress, a President Ron Paul, would have to build coalitions with Representatives on both sides of the aisle in order to get anything done. I would not expect percentage cuts from programs, but most likely a first Ron Paul term would have some targeted cuts, with the Puzzle Palace taking the biggest hit, while some agencies like Dept of Ed could find itself terminated and the funds returned to States for distribution.
I would like to see Ron Paul as the Republican nominee and I bet all you Democrats would like that, too. But this Ron Paul movement is growing quickly, with several million new donors every month. His message of more Freedom and limited government, really is popular with most Americans. We will soon see if that popularity translates into votes.
A George Washington impersonator was in attendance at the Advance. He was talking to a small group who were all trying to avoid getting their picture taken with Bob McDonnell. George was asked if he really threw that silver dollar across the Potomac and without hesitation George said, “Well it was actually the Tappahannock and the truth is that a dollar went a lot further back in those days.”
“Ron Paul has a long track record of integrity and being forthright with his constituents. One of his hallmark traits is taking everyone as they are. I don’t think he would turn away the support of any citizen, regardless of their checkered past. It is his fair handed treatment of people that has won him the support of so many who had given up on the political process.”
Good God, JT, are you seriously suggesting that it’s OK to take money from a white supremacist because of their so-called checkered past? Of course you are… you just said it. Does it not occur to you that by accepting money and support from a white supremacist leader that Dr. Paul is actively courting the support of the white supremacist movement? That the skinheads now have their man in the race and he hasn’t done a damn thing to disavow that? I guess a candidate who claims to support liberty accepting alms from a former Grand Wizard doesn’t seem incongruous or wrong to you, does it?
Dan: I will put this simply, so that you might better understand it. Ron Paul is the, “Champion of the Constitution” and he is also a religious man who is also a physician. Our Constitution, among many of its principles, tells us that, all men shall be equal under the law. Even if someone holds views that Ron Paul steadfastly disagrees with, I am certain that Ron Paul will treat them as equal citizens to himself. He will not turn away someone who wants to support him who is a Muslim, nor a “Black Panther,” nor rich man or poor man, nor any other sort of citizen. Consequently millions of our citizens who previously were disenfranchised, or felt that they were, are flocking to support the candidacy of Ron Paul.
I do not speak for Ron Paul, but I am certain that, based on his actions and stated beliefs, he fully supports the rights of all citizens to speak out in the public square about their particular ideas, and that he is perfectly willing for those ideas to be judged by the public, based only on their merits.
Speaking for myself, I have always welcomed the opportunity to meet with people with whom I may have major differences of opinion. I have lived briefly in many different countries and have lived in thirteen of our United States. I have enjoyed meetings with people who have been fervent in their support of myriad causes, too. Some were labor activists, others staunch corporate advocates. I worked for a Ralph Nader group and also served as a nuclear weapons officer and worked in a nuclear propulsion plant. I have attended church with just about every major denomination, although I am a practicing Jew (but not very good at it). I have met or corresponded with people who are active in all sides of racial politics and have found that even the most fervent racists, be they black, brown or white, have far more in common than they have differences. I have worked for political candidates who are Republican, Libertarian and Democratic, and within each Party, I have found many of my fellow citizens who genuinely care about this Republic of ours.
I think that those who hold power over the citizenry today, shudder when they see the various factions whom they have pitted against each other for so long, have begun to work on common ground issues while respecting their differences. Dr. Paul’s campaign is bringing together a wide variety of our citizens because restoring our Freedom is good for all of our People.
Take a look at Ron Paul’s platform at RonPaul2008.com
Took you a while to craft that response, didn’t it. It’s tough when you have nothing to work with.
As long as we’re being condescending, let me put it simply for you as well. Those who willingly support racists, as Dr. Paul has done, are probably racist. I think the rebel flag in your home and office is clouding your vision on that issue.
(And before you lecture me on the flag, I’ve hear all the arguments from your side, I know how myopic they are, and I’d bet I have more of an ancestral connection to Virginia, including the Confederacy, than you could dream of).
Don’t bother responding. While I found it amusing that one of Dr. Paul’s supporters was so clueless that he would spend so much time helping a potential political opponent build his case and that you took such a painstaking approach to defending Ron Paul’s obvious racist tendencies, I’ve grown bored with your sorry ass.
As Jack Nicholson said, “You can’t handle the TRUTH!”
It is convenient to simply toss out lies about a very fine Congressman and citizen, such as Dr. Paul. he needn’t have me to defend him, but your cheap shots at him warrant rebuttal, nonetheless.
The reason Dr. Paul is so widely supported by people from all different races, is exactly because of his Constitutional positions. If government sticks to our Constitution, then we all get treated fairly.
With Dr. Paul, we get liberty and justice for all Americans and this is the right policy for us to move forward into the Twenty-First Century with. No special rights, based on your gene-pool of origin, just Constitutional government for the benefit of all Americans.
You don’t have to try and hurl childish insults at me. Go to RonPaul2008.com and read about Ron Paul for yourself. Watch his videos on YouTube. Freedom is very popular.
At any time someone can be victimized by these spam bot coders. I expect that as the Ron Paul campaign grows in popularity, the Nixon-style dirty tricksters will become fully mobilized and the good and honest Dr. Paul will have all sorts of manure slung at him.
The military industrial complex has a great deal invested in keeping the USA involved in foreign wars and I can see where Dr. Paul would be seen as a very frightening threat to them.
One doesn’t need to be a foil hat wearing conspiracy theorist to see how quickly some elements, who are very influential in the Republican Party, have acted to try and discredit Dr. Paul. However, in this age of rapid information dissemination, those attempts can be just as quickly thwarted by alert and savvy bloggers.
A new day is dawning in America and a few malicious coders will be no match for the millions of freedom loving and tech savvy Americans who will quickly unite to combat disinformation campaigns such as this one that you have described.
Deo Vindice
Dude, you guys all sound like cult members at this point. It’s like the Lyndon LaRouche people all switched parties en masse. Like scientology with a candidate.
Jackson: They aren’t cultists, they’re just fervent. You have to consider that their political retail skills were honed in the Republican party – where blunt and shrill sell. I applaud the Paul people for standing up and reminding their lost Republican brethren that there is a Constitution in America, and elected officials are sworn to uphold it. This is what revolution looks like, before it gets real ugly.
I am aware that a few of the “Old Fred Thompson” managers have been telling their minions to use the terms LaRouche, Scientology and other crazy epithets when they describe Congressman Paul. However, the truth will roll over these puppets like a tidal wave. The campaign and the candidate, Ron Paul, is all about getting America back to a government that is run within its Constitutional limits. No more undeclared wars, no more runaway government spending due to an imperial president.
The Ron Paul campaign is about the American people rising up and destroying the “unitary executive”`concept and restoring the balance between the three branches of government.
It is my hope that even if Dr. Paul does not win the nomination, then many of his key concepts will be incorporated into the campaign of the Republican nominee and that even the Democrats will see that the citizens have been awakened.
Ron Paul is advocating a peaceful revolution via the ballot box, just like the Founders intended. America loves Dr. Paul and his message of more Freedom and less government. When was the last time any of the Democratic or Republican leaders even talked about enhancing your Liberty?
Paul is like Ross Perot…without the cool graphs.
Certainly, it’s evil International Bankers hiring hackers to send out Ron Paul spam to discredit him, obviously.
If only people knew about Ron Paul’s stances on Darfur, abolishing the FDA, and plunging the economy into a depression of unknowable proportions by switching us back to the gold standard, then they’d all be Ron Paul supporters. It’s just the conspiracy keeping him down.
Ballance, people don’t refer to Ron Paul supporters as cultish or any other name because some other Republican staffer told them to. That would be giving your candidate too much credit. They call you those names because of blog postings like yours. We also know that there are plenty of less vocal supporters who are perfectly normal, but they are the ones that know when to present a reasoned argument and when to keep their mouths/keyboards shut. By surfing the internet at 1 AM fervently responding to attacks that don’t exist, you’re not doing yourself any favors.
As someone pointed out earlier, it’s not just a rosy picture with Dr. Paul. If you are an actual libertarian, then fine. But if you’ve fallen hook, line and sinker for the anti-war, pro-liberty propaganda, you would do yourself a service by looking up what the libertarian platform really is and what Dr. Paul’s record has been over his career. He’s done some good things, and I’m sure he’s a nice guy, but if you don’t think he’s a slick politician who is skillyfully playing his most avid supporters for every ounce of time and money that he can, you are severely mistaken.
Kachur:
Congressman Paul is a Republican. He was a Republican before his brief run as the Libertarian nominee in 1988 and he has served since that time as a Republican Congressman, again. Get your facts straight before you spout off.
I used to live in the Congressional District adjacent to Dr. Paul’s in Texas. He has had a consistent record throughout his service as a member of Congress and always seeks to limit government and promote the Liberty of our citizens. There is nothing cultish or propagandistic about that. His positions are in fact consistent with our Republican Creed.
Surely every position that Congressman Paul has taken would not become law should he become the Republican nominee or even as President. What is different about his candidacy is that he is willing to have open, substantive debates on such a wide variety of issues and actually speak in great detail about what he sees as workable alternatives.
While the other candidates are offering sound bites, Congressman Paul is proposing thoughtful alternatives and promoting an open discussion in the public square. For some reason, his openess scares the crap out of Kachur and others who seem to only be able to see the world through the myopic media filter and feel compelled to plug everyone into a few limited stereotypes.
Smart Republicans will begin adopting some of Ron Paul’s positions, especially the idea of enhancing American’s freedoms and returning our government back to its Constitutional limits. I especially support the concept of no more undeclared wars. If we need to go to war, then we surely should only embark on such ventures with the prior consent of Congress. Bush has abused the war powers of the Presidency and deserves impeachment.
Watching the flat-earth types rant and rage against Congressman Paul is becoming fascinating sport. I never expected to see in my lifetime, Americans who would get red-faced angry over the idea that a political leader would advocate more freedom for them, or propose that our government work within the limits of the Constitution. I especially never expected to encounter citizens who would actually advocate on behalf of installing an imperial President in America. This would be funny if it were not so tragic.
For those few who dislike the positions of Congressman Paul, then by all means, discuss feasible alternatives and show where other candidates’ views are more beneficial, but spare us the childish rants and simplistic attempts at slander of anyone who supports a position that you don’t entirely support. Got a better idea? Then present your idea for consideration and forums such as these can serve as a constructive venue.
Actually, the burden of proof falls to Dr. Paul and his supporters to justify his more unorthodox beliefs, rather than falling to the world to refute them. All I’ve seen from you so far as name-calling, posturing, and unsupported claims of conspiracy.
Ballance, read my comment closely. I only said you were mistaken. I did not call you any names. And then you in turn called me scared, myopic, closed-minded, and a slew of other insults. How mature.
Don’t lecture me on how small-minded and scared I am when you have no clue who I am, especially when I extended the same courtesy to you. When the most vocal proponents of Ron Paul defend him like attack dogs when he is not even threatened, start talking about conspiracies and then level ad hominem personal attacks when they are the least bit challenged, it makes your candidate look very, very bad.
I’m missing Judge Smails already. Imagine, J. Tyler and J.S. arguing about who is the Reaganiest candidate.
Kachur:
I know who you are and I welcome to hear from you or any other Democrats about agreements with, or alternatives to, Congressman Paul’s positions. I see much common ground on issues that are usually supported by Progressives. For example, removing the Department of Education could provide more money for local school boards and provide a chance to move forward with local leadership in education, including Pre K. Congressman Paul’s position on no more undeclared wars should be wildly popular among Democrats, as should be his position on an expeditious withdrawal of our combat troops from Iraq. If he becomes President, the Pentagon will have a much smaller budget and provided Congress gets on board, there should be more money in the hands of local government agencies, since we will no longer be supporting a world wide military occupation.
Realistically, Congressman Paul may not even get the nomination, but because he is in the race, his opponents are having to face many different ideas and questions, questions that they could have ignored if Dr. Paul wasn’t around. If the nominee is not Ron Paul, whoever the nominee turns out to be, would be wise to take on as many of Ron Paul’s positions as possible.
Americans have become awakened to the fact that the Neocons have destroyed many of our Constitutional freedoms and that the same group is willing to do almost anything to retain power.
As for the spambot allegation, it is ludicrous to expect that the most technologically savvy campaign in history, would be amateurish enough to spring a bot with their candidate’s name all over it, and actually expect to gain support as a result. The Paulistinians have demonstrated that they have the talent to do remarkably elegant work on the web. I don’t see a probable tie between that malicious code and anyone who supports Congressman Paul. To me, it looks more like a Nixonian style dirty trick.
If Dr. Paul does well in Iowa and wins New Hampshire, I expect we will see a whole new level of effort to smear him by the Neocon attack dogs. But, as Harry Truman liked to say, “If you can’t stand the heat, get the Hell out of the kitchen!”
Just an aside: I read a story today about former Virginia Governor Tuck (1946). Bill Tuck was sitting in the Capital Square tossing peanuts to the squirrels, when a couple of soldiers who were passing through struck up a conversation with what they thought was a local bum, passing the time in the park. When the soldiers asked the disheveled looking Tuck where they could get a drink around town, he told the two men to follow him. He took the two astonished privates into the Governor’s Mansion where they enjoyed cocktail hour.
I sometimes miss the Byrd machine.
You know who I am? Then tell me who I am.
You are absolutely correct that the Republican field will and has already attacked Paul, but they sure won’t give a rats ass about his positions.
I would like to think more of Dr. Paul, because he does have some good positions, like some (not all) of the ones you mentioned above. But, I can’t get over the hypocrisy of someone who on the one hand claims to want to enhance liberty for US citizens, but on the other hand seems to be a bit of a racist. We could argue all day about the infamous essay, but what I want to know is why his campaign has declined (as in, they know all about it) to block donations from the website of a white supremacist radio show hosted by Don Black and David Duke. Yes, that David Duke. And also, why they campaign has not returned a $500 donation from the same Don Black.
As for the issues, I want to know why Paul has had the weakest response to the Darfur crisis of any member of Congress of either party. I want to know what exactly he plans to do with all of the 7 million (conservative estimate) illegal immigrants in this nation, and what the hell he thinks a border fence will accomplish? I want to know why he thinks the playing field for black students who want to go to college has been leveled.
The worst thing you could have done for your candidate was make me look at his positions in depth. And I’m not just referring to the ones I mentioned above. I just flat out don’t like the guy. And what’s a Romney volunteer doing speaking up so much for Paul anyway?
Paulistinians? That’s downright frightening.
I can’t figure why any liberal or Democrat would consider a far right wing libertarian a good choice to represent their ideals. His anti-war position just doesn’t cut it. There are many more issues to consider. Also, most of the Ron Paul supporters I’ve encountered appear to be extremists who spout off bizarre and paranoid rhetoric. Is that supposed to attract reasonable voters? The Paul campaign seems to have developed into a creepy cult of personality.
Gee thanks, Katey, I just got that song out of my head after days, and it just came right back. Good point, though.
The positions of Dr. Paul all can be related to his stand on limiting our government to within Constitutional limits. His support among the “African-American” community is larger than any other Republican candidate. Ron Paul is NOT isolationist, but he firmly supports limiting our military intervention in the affairs of other countries. Katey, there are a few zealots in any campaign, but I stood among about two hundred Paulistinians at the Republican Advance last week and they included many families who brought their children along, professionals, businessmen and quite a few senior government executives. The group that I met was very similar to the cross-section of families who came out to support the Christian Coalition in the 1990s, only this group emphasizes the Constitution, where the former group emphasized religious values.
Like I wrote before, I really like the positions Ron Paul takes because it forces the other candidates to have a much different debate. There are plenty of common ground issues that Democrats like, but I do not expect the hard core extreme of either political party to ditch their status quo favorite candidates and jump on board the Freedom movement train.
As for the donation question: Ron Paul has a long track record of integrity and being forthright with his constituents. One of his hallmark traits is taking everyone as they are. I don’t think he would turn away the support of any citizen, regardless of their checkered past. It is his fair handed treatment of people that has won him the support of so many who had given up on the political process.
Our nation has been successful because people of varied political beliefs had the freedom to form coalitions and to work cooperatively on issues. The last two administrations have usurped the Constitution, with the current tool in the White House demonstrating the most egregious contempt for the People and the Constitution. Our next President, if he pushes our federal government back to within the Constitutional limits, will return to us our core freedoms and prevent further economic hemorrhaging by curtailing foreign adventures. Ron Paul is, for now, the only candidate who offers us a clear path to Liberty. It would be a positive development if some of the other candidates began to adopt some of his positions.
The best part about Ron Paul as President, for all factions in our society, is that he would be rock solid and predictable; if something is not supported by our Constitution, then he would oppose it. On the other hand, the States would be free to do far more on behalf of those who need help the most, without the heavy hand of the federal government or with unfunded mandates.
I think that a President Paul would be the best of all options for everyone, since government entities that are closest to the People would be empowered and every citizen would have less of a government burden. Of course, the reality is that with our current Congress, a President Ron Paul, would have to build coalitions with Representatives on both sides of the aisle in order to get anything done. I would not expect percentage cuts from programs, but most likely a first Ron Paul term would have some targeted cuts, with the Puzzle Palace taking the biggest hit, while some agencies like Dept of Ed could find itself terminated and the funds returned to States for distribution.
I would like to see Ron Paul as the Republican nominee and I bet all you Democrats would like that, too. But this Ron Paul movement is growing quickly, with several million new donors every month. His message of more Freedom and limited government, really is popular with most Americans. We will soon see if that popularity translates into votes.
A George Washington impersonator was in attendance at the Advance. He was talking to a small group who were all trying to avoid getting their picture taken with Bob McDonnell. George was asked if he really threw that silver dollar across the Potomac and without hesitation George said, “Well it was actually the Tappahannock and the truth is that a dollar went a lot further back in those days.”
“Ron Paul has a long track record of integrity and being forthright with his constituents. One of his hallmark traits is taking everyone as they are. I don’t think he would turn away the support of any citizen, regardless of their checkered past. It is his fair handed treatment of people that has won him the support of so many who had given up on the political process.”
Good God, JT, are you seriously suggesting that it’s OK to take money from a white supremacist because of their so-called checkered past? Of course you are… you just said it. Does it not occur to you that by accepting money and support from a white supremacist leader that Dr. Paul is actively courting the support of the white supremacist movement? That the skinheads now have their man in the race and he hasn’t done a damn thing to disavow that? I guess a candidate who claims to support liberty accepting alms from a former Grand Wizard doesn’t seem incongruous or wrong to you, does it?
Dan: I will put this simply, so that you might better understand it. Ron Paul is the, “Champion of the Constitution” and he is also a religious man who is also a physician. Our Constitution, among many of its principles, tells us that, all men shall be equal under the law. Even if someone holds views that Ron Paul steadfastly disagrees with, I am certain that Ron Paul will treat them as equal citizens to himself. He will not turn away someone who wants to support him who is a Muslim, nor a “Black Panther,” nor rich man or poor man, nor any other sort of citizen. Consequently millions of our citizens who previously were disenfranchised, or felt that they were, are flocking to support the candidacy of Ron Paul.
I do not speak for Ron Paul, but I am certain that, based on his actions and stated beliefs, he fully supports the rights of all citizens to speak out in the public square about their particular ideas, and that he is perfectly willing for those ideas to be judged by the public, based only on their merits.
Speaking for myself, I have always welcomed the opportunity to meet with people with whom I may have major differences of opinion. I have lived briefly in many different countries and have lived in thirteen of our United States. I have enjoyed meetings with people who have been fervent in their support of myriad causes, too. Some were labor activists, others staunch corporate advocates. I worked for a Ralph Nader group and also served as a nuclear weapons officer and worked in a nuclear propulsion plant. I have attended church with just about every major denomination, although I am a practicing Jew (but not very good at it). I have met or corresponded with people who are active in all sides of racial politics and have found that even the most fervent racists, be they black, brown or white, have far more in common than they have differences. I have worked for political candidates who are Republican, Libertarian and Democratic, and within each Party, I have found many of my fellow citizens who genuinely care about this Republic of ours.
I think that those who hold power over the citizenry today, shudder when they see the various factions whom they have pitted against each other for so long, have begun to work on common ground issues while respecting their differences. Dr. Paul’s campaign is bringing together a wide variety of our citizens because restoring our Freedom is good for all of our People.
Take a look at Ron Paul’s platform at RonPaul2008.com
Took you a while to craft that response, didn’t it. It’s tough when you have nothing to work with.
As long as we’re being condescending, let me put it simply for you as well. Those who willingly support racists, as Dr. Paul has done, are probably racist. I think the rebel flag in your home and office is clouding your vision on that issue.
(And before you lecture me on the flag, I’ve hear all the arguments from your side, I know how myopic they are, and I’d bet I have more of an ancestral connection to Virginia, including the Confederacy, than you could dream of).
Don’t bother responding. While I found it amusing that one of Dr. Paul’s supporters was so clueless that he would spend so much time helping a potential political opponent build his case and that you took such a painstaking approach to defending Ron Paul’s obvious racist tendencies, I’ve grown bored with your sorry ass.
As Jack Nicholson said, “You can’t handle the TRUTH!”
It is convenient to simply toss out lies about a very fine Congressman and citizen, such as Dr. Paul. he needn’t have me to defend him, but your cheap shots at him warrant rebuttal, nonetheless.
The reason Dr. Paul is so widely supported by people from all different races, is exactly because of his Constitutional positions. If government sticks to our Constitution, then we all get treated fairly.
With Dr. Paul, we get liberty and justice for all Americans and this is the right policy for us to move forward into the Twenty-First Century with. No special rights, based on your gene-pool of origin, just Constitutional government for the benefit of all Americans.
You don’t have to try and hurl childish insults at me. Go to RonPaul2008.com and read about Ron Paul for yourself. Watch his videos on YouTube. Freedom is very popular.