Assange: Rand Paul Libertarians “Only Hope” For Future of America

[cajuncocoa]

Of course they will. And they are guaranteed to win that attack if Rand & Co. retreat from the field of battle out of fear of being criticized.

Fear of criticism is one of the establishment's most potent allies. Indulging it is to play the game on their terms - a losing strategy if ever there was one.

+rep for that, now a comment on the article: I agree, and it's the reason I've tempered my criticism a bit. Rand is not really a libertarian (so REPUBLICANS can calm down about that) but he is the closest thing to one that the establishment will allow to get near the White House...and that remains to be seen with Rand yet. Before someone jumps in to point out that Rand has referred to himself as a libertarian Republican

Libertarian Republicans are libertarian the way elephant seals are elephants

Before someone sees that as an ATTACK on Rand, note that what I AM saying is: he's not perfect, but he's better than the alternative.

 

[T.hill]

Rand hasn't disavowed the label libertarian. That Iowa press conference statement was taken out of context and any other time he hasn't completely gone astray.

He talks about the GOP adopting libertarian ideas all the time. He's a self proclaimed libertarian-conservative, libertarian-leaning republican.

He uses the same terms as ron to describe himself for the most part. I think the whole thing has been overblown.

 

[AuH20]

Rand hasn't disavowed the label libertarian. That Iowa press conference statement was taken out of context and any other time he hasn't completely gone astray.

He talks about the GOP adopting libertarian ideas all the time. He's a self proclaimed libertarian-conservative, libertarian-leaning republican.

He uses the same terms as ron to describe himself for the most part. I think the whole thing has been overblown.

Rand is a hybrid as are many conservatives.

 

[Austrian Econ Disciple]

This is no surprise considering that Assange is a voluntaryist (an-cap). Good bloke that chap is.

 

[cajuncocoa]

Rand hasn't disavowed the label libertarian. That Iowa press conference statement was taken out of context and any other time he hasn't completely gone astray.

He talks about the GOP adopting libertarian ideas all the time. He's a self proclaimed libertarian-conservative, libertarian-leaning republican.

He uses the same terms as ron to describe himself for the most part. I think the whole thing has been overblown.

I stand by what I said. There are times when he has embraced the label (calling himself libertarian Republican) and other times he has distanced himself from it, probably for reasons spelled out in post #8 in this thread. Unfortunately, he has to concern himself with not offending GOP voters who still think Dick Cheney walks on water.

 

[Brett85]

This is no surprise considering that Assange is a voluntaryist (an-cap). Good bloke that chap is.

It's surprising that Assange actually likes Rand then, since anarchists generally don't seem too fond of Rand.

 

[cajuncocoa]

It's surprising that Assange actually likes Rand then, since anarchists generally don't seem too fond of Rand.

Being "fond of" him and recognizing that he is the "only hope for the future of America" are two different things. He's probably not Assange's perfect candidate, nor is he mine, but I've come to recognize that Rand is the closest to perfect we are going to get until the electorate is better educated. And it's a big IF whether they will even allow Rand to get as close as we would like.

 

[compromise]

This is no surprise considering that Assange is a voluntaryist (an-cap). Good bloke that chap is.

Is there any evidence that he is a voluntaryist, or are you just making shit up as usual?

 

[jct74]

story is up on front page of HuffPo, they are not giving Assange a very warm reception in the comments section so far.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/16/julian-assange-rand-paul_n_3768841.html

 

[jmdrake]

You know what the difference is? Look at who was in the White House. If Romney were president Snowden would get the same level of GOP hatred.

Obama was in the Whitehouse when Wikileaks happened. But the Bradley Manning disclosures highlighted the evils of a Bush era policy. (War in Iraq). Also the IRS scandal helps. It's hard for the GOP to say "We don't trust Obama using the IRS to spy on conservative groups, but we do trust Obama to use the NSA to spy on everyone."

 

[Deborah K]

Nice to have Assange on our side, but he's not very popular with Republicans and the establishment may try to use this to attack Rand. Ron and Connie Mack were the only Republicans who publicly defended Assange, while dozens of Republicans defended Snowden.

History will soon write a different story about Assange.

 

[jtstellar]

cajun u need to either post less or slow down that frigging gif

 

[cajuncocoa]

cajun u need to either post less or slow down that frigging gif

Either of those options would disappoint my fan base.

 

[Carlybee]

Nice to have Assange on our side, but he's not very popular with Republicans and the establishment may try to use this to attack Rand. Ron and Connie Mack were the only Republicans who publicly defended Assange, while dozens of Republicans defended Snowden.

Oh they will just like they tried to use the Stormfront donations against Ron.

 

[compromise]

Either of those options would disappoint my fan base.

What fan base?

 

[LibertyEagle]

Rand hasn't disavowed the label libertarian. That Iowa press conference statement was taken out of context and any other time he hasn't completely gone astray.

He talks about the GOP adopting libertarian ideas all the time. He's a self proclaimed libertarian-conservative, libertarian-leaning republican.

He uses the same terms as ron to describe himself for the most part. I think the whole thing has been overblown.

Yes, that's true. I guess I am just remembering what they did to Ron by always calling him a Libertarian. Ron defended himself against that more than a few times, reminding them that he had been elected as a Republican umpteen times.

 

[Bastiat's The Law]

+rep for that, now a comment on the article: I agree, and it's the reason I've tempered my criticism a bit. Rand is not really a libertarian (so REPUBLICANS can calm down about that) but he is the closest thing to one that the establishment will allow to get near the White House...and that remains to be seen with Rand yet. Before someone jumps in to point out that Rand has referred to himself as a libertarian Republican



Before someone sees that as an ATTACK on Rand, note that what I AM saying is: he's not perfect, but he's better than the alternative.

Personalities aside, it's the only realistic strategy we have.

 

[acptulsa]

You know what the difference is? Look at who was in the White House. If Romney were president Snowden would get the same level of GOP hatred.

Unfortunately, we still haven't spoiled their divide-and-conquer game. And until we do, we will remain conquered.

 

[anaconda]

This is all good.

 

[anaconda]

Lots of pro Paul & pro libertarian comments at the HuffPO on this. I'm surprised..

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/16/julian-assange-rand-paul_n_3768841.html