Do you want Jesse Benton involved in any capacity in Rand Paul 2016?

[cajuncocoa]

You know what he meant. It takes more than 2500 bucks to buy off a politician. lol. Plus, do you believe that Ron or Rand are for sale at any price?

Of course. That's why they don't listen to us.

They listen to the corporations and establishment bundlers who can donate millions.

FYI, this is not a swipe at Rand or Ron.

 

[helmuth_hubener]

You know what he meant.

But I replied to what he wrote.

It takes more than 2500 bucks to buy off a politician.

Prices vary. Products vary.

But, I do "know what you meant" and I agree. Major national-level politicians are not going to be very heavily influenced for $2,500.

Plus, do you believe that Ron or Rand are for sale at any price?

We all have certain parts of us which are for sale, and certain parts which are not. For example, I would sit down and have dinner with someone and for that hour pretend to like him for $1,000. So, incidentally, would Rand and Ron Paul.

 

[klamath]

That is a total lie. Criticism is hardly chomping at the bit to post bad stuff. When Rand makes a statement in the media that appears inconsistent with the "liberty message" he gets called out on it just like anyone else. He just does it more often than Ron did.

Ron didn't get called out. He fucked up all the damned time but we let it pass. RON PAUL HIRED BENTON. The buck stops at RON. Any shit Benton did was directly overseen by the man that that was supposed to be CNC. It wouldn't have been called the Benton administration it would have been the Paul administration with all the people RON hired. The only thing that is holding me back with Rand is to make sure he is not exactly the same inept of leader and manager.

 

[Matt Collins]

why do people donate money for, in regards to politics?

For ideological reasons, because they support what the candidate says, does, or thinks. Also for access reasons, they want to be able to talk to the politician or have a social status, pride. And then there are a few who donate based on wanting to be able to exert influence on policy matters, although almost no one does that with the Pauls.

 

[jjdoyle]

But I replied to what he wrote.

Prices vary. Products vary.

But, I do "know what you meant" and I agree. Major national-level politicians are not going to be very heavily influenced for $2,500.

We all have certain parts of us which are for sale, and certain parts which are not. For example, I would sit down and have dinner with someone and for that hour pretend to like him for $1,000. So, incidentally, would Rand and Ron Paul.

Exactly. And imagine, what if you were promised a speaking slot at the RNC? Payments in all different forms.

 

[Publicani]

jjdoyle, cathy88, klamath and others - thanks for expressing the feelings of many Ron Paul supporters so well!

It's not the first time somebody sells his principles for his son, but by doing so Ron might have lost his place in history as the greatest American.

 

[Deborah K]

See, this is the kind of stuff that irks me. Say what you want about some of his decisions Deborah, but you screwed yourselves with PAUL Fest when you made people like Gigi Bowman (who is an open 9/11 truther) and Tracy Diaz major organizers and invited the Libertarian Party to have a major presence at a festival that was taking place during the GOP convention. The simple fact of the matter is that when Benton spoke of a fringe element he was correct. Not everyone involved was fringe, but there was a fringe element that made it impossible for the campaign to endorse the festival in any capacity. Benton cannot be blamed for this.

The only bad decision I have seen Jesse make was sending out the email stating that Ron couldn't win, but who knows if Rand's arm was being twisted to endorse for an RNC speaking slot. He might have done us a favor. Can anyone point to other specifics?

Get your facts straight. I spoke with Ron a couple of times during the planning of this event. He even offered to do a video for us which we couldn't manage to pull off at such late notice. Ask Kathy88 if you don't believe me. I announced back in Feb '12 that I was organizing an event in his honor, Benton et.al. announced in June that they were having a competing event. Even though the campaign knew for MONTHS about ours. We changed our objective since it was too late (signed contracts, etc) to cancel. We then became P.A.U.L. Festival (People Awakening and Uniting for Liberty). It was pretty clear that he wasn't going to be the nominee by June, despite some folks' dreams. And we continued to be as supportive as we possibly could of the campaign, who btw, sent buses on Sunday to take our attendees who wanted to attend the Sundome event, to the event.

By June, realizing what we were up against, we widened our scope and invited ALL of the 3rd party candidates, and everyone else who supported Dr. Paul, and we continued to keep the event in his honor, even having a huge banner across our stage thanking him. And our speakers, even the other Presidential candidates paid homage to Dr. Paul. All acknowledged what he did for us.

I'm getting really tired of people marginalizing the truthers. The fact of the matter is that truther movement put Dr. Paul on the map. If it weren't for Aaron Russo and Alex Jones and their followings Ron wouldn't have been a blip on the radar. I know some people are going to get their panties in a knot over this, but it is undeniable. I was part of the events that took place that Aaron organized, when he was alive, to get Ron interviewed on the MSM, back when no one knew who the hell he was. In fact, I didn't know who he was until I watched 'America: From Freedom to Fascism, which Aaron produced. I know there are fanatics in the truther movement, but Gigi and Tracey are not among them. Geez, I thought it was Adam Kokesh that ruined it for us, now I hear it was Gigi and Tracy. WTF. They are two of the most dedicated people I know to cause of Liberty.

It's disappointing that there are still so many people in this movement who can't accept the diversity within the movement and wish that we were homogenized.

Edit: It's also worthy of mention that Gigi and Tracy didn't even join the team until late June early July. By then, we were already dealing
with Benton's competing event, not to mention the RNC trying to prevent us from having the event at the Florida State Fairgrounds, and also a few rogue elements trying to undermine the event from the inside.

 

[Deborah K]

Pretty much this. I have no grudge against Deb, other than her ignorant obstinatince in this thread and a few others. Never met her, don't know her, I am sure that she has worked very hard on a lot of liberty projects.


You are missing the point... the campaign has to be able to control its message and image. With people who are outspoken conspiracy theorists, LP and CP candidates, and complete mental cases like Vermin Supreme being at PaulFest, the campaign absolutely had to distance itself from it. If you don't understand this, then you're not living in the real world and have no concept of how politics works.

Vermin Supreme was wandering around in his satirical fashion and you bring him up like he was 'top of the bill' speaker. You're not a trustworthy individual.

 

[Deborah K]

Agreed 100%.

PaulFest was fundamentally indistinguishable from Comic-Con.

Really? Explain.

 

[Deborah K]

Yes, distancing some of the people at PF from the campaign was necessary.

Explain this. Distancing who? You won't explain it. You just spew bullshit and hope some of it sticks.

 

[Deborah K]

He wasn't going for that kind of a speaking slot, because the Romney campaign would have had to OK the speech. But I do think if his name was on the ballot, he would have used the 15 minute floor time for his own speech.

He had a better speaking slot though. At the Sun Dome.

Ron told me in a phone call that they tried to tell him what to say and not to say.

 

[kathy88]

Vermin Supreme was wandering around in his satirical fashion and you bring him up like he was 'top of the bill' speaker. You're not a trustworthy individual.

One of the nicest, most intelligent and well spoken people I've ever had the pleasure to meet.

 

[jjdoyle]

Ron told me in a phone call that they tried to tell him what to say and not to say.

Wait, who tried to tell him what to say and not to say? The Romney campaign?

 

[eduardo89]

ever hear of a veto proof congress?....liberty congress people at 60% can and will neuter a fascist president....like a Jeb Bush for instance. And that would be just the beginning

lol, once there are 10 'liberty' congressmen elected we can talk about getting the 251 others needed for a 60% majority.

 

[JK/SEA]

lol, once there are 10 'liberty' congressmen elected we can talk about getting the 251 others needed for a 60% majority.

good to see you thought this through.

 

[Deborah K]

Wait, who tried to tell him what to say and not to say? The Romney campaign?

Yes. He took it in stride but it was clear to me he would have nothing of it.

 

[Deborah K]

One of the nicest, most intelligent and well spoken people I've ever had the pleasure to meet.

I never got to meet him but I appreciate his satire. Some people are just too dense to get it.

 

[jjdoyle]

Yes. He took it in stride but it was clear to me he would have nothing of it.

Well, it looks like Romney's campaign was helping write Ron Paul 2012's campaign ads, so I can only imagine they thought that would be the next step.
I mean, controlling "the message" is very important.
Maybe that's why Rick Santorum was okay to be named/attacked at Ron Paul 2012's Florida rally, but not Mitt Romney?

I mean, I thought supporters and delegates went to Florida to fight and make Ron Paul the nominee against Mitt Romney...the only other Republican candidate in the race then. But, apparently Rick Santorum who had dropped out of the race on April 10th was the real problem?

 

[Deborah K]

Well, it looks like Romney's campaign was helping write Ron Paul 2012's campaign ads, so I can only imagine they thought that would be the next step.
I mean, controlling "the message" is very important.
Maybe that's why Rick Santorum was okay to be named/attacked at Ron Paul 2012's Florida rally, but not Mitt Romney?

I mean, I thought supporters and delegates went to Florida to fight and make Ron Paul the nominee against Mitt Romney...the only other Republican candidate in the race then. But, apparently Rick Santorum who had dropped out of the race on April 10th was the real problem?

I can only speculate at this point. Which I'm not inclined to do.

 

[Rocco]

Deb, you were widely considered to be the sane one and THIS is still your belief...And you wonder why the campaign decided they had to separate? You believe the truther movement put Ron Paul on the map. That message is a recipe for Ron Paul's legacy to be tarnished. Fanatics in the truther movement is a repetition of terms to most Americans, the VAST majority of voters find 9/11 truth repulsive, and our movement can have nothing to do with them. THANK GOD Jesse Benton did what he did.

I'm getting really tired of people marginalizing the truthers. The fact of the matter is that truther movement put Dr. Paul on the map. If it weren't for Aaron Russo and Alex Jones and their followings Ron wouldn't have been a blip on the radar. I know some people are going to get their panties in a knot over this, but it is undeniable. I was part of the events that took place that Aaron organized, when he was alive, to get Ron interviewed on the MSM, back when no one knew who the hell he was. In fact, I didn't know who he was until I watched 'America: From Freedom to Fascism, which Aaron produced. I know there are fanatics in the truther movement, but Gigi and Tracey are not among them. Geez, I thought it was Adam Kokesh that ruined it for us, now I hear it was Gigi and Tracy. WTF. They are two of the most dedicated people I know to cause of Liberty.

It's disappointing that there are still so many people in this movement who can't accept the diversity within the movement and wish that we were homogenized.

Edit: It's also worthy of mention that Gigi and Tracy didn't even join the team until late June early July. By then, we were already dealing
with Benton's competing event, not to mention the RNC trying to prevent us from having the event at the Florida State Fairgrounds, and also a few rogue elements trying to undermine the event from the inside.