Jack Hunter: RON PAUL IS BECOMING SOMETHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN PRESIDENT

[cajuncocoa]

I seriously wish Hunter hadn't done this. I know he is protecting Rand, but I feel sold out.

As well you should!! You have been sold out!!

 

[cajuncocoa]

Still waiting for an email from Carol.....

Oh, God...poor Carol. I wouldn't want to be in her shoes right now.

 

[anewvoice]

How does endorsing Romney help Rand? It's not going to convince any of us to vote for Romney, and Rand loses the respect of many by endorsing him.

All depends, let's see whether Rand's (Ron's) budget gains traction. Let's see if Audit the Fed gains traction. Our movements issue is one of purity, because we have Ron Paul who is the message in pure form. But the GOP did not accept the pure version, so we'll end up with the next tier, which is still better than what we've got now.

The issue for me is not with Rand making a political move, it is with our movements insistence not to capitalize in that action because it's not seen as pure. If we don't continue to advance the message, using all means necessary, then when the next Ron Paul does show up, he'll be alone for 30 years in Washington.

 

[sailingaway]

Oh, God...poor Carol. I wouldn't want to be in her shoes right now.

She will back Rand as Ron will, it is water under the bridge, Ron's chance at nomination is 'realistically' awfully slim, and they are loyal. Ron bends over backwards that it is not about him, to the point where he doesn't get how galvanizing his record is.

 

[Original_Intent]

I have mixed feelings. I appreciate the "pep-talk" from Hunter, but I also feel that Rand has sold out and is not worthy of future support.

I guess the only thing is to continue to support the principles as best I can, but I don't see a candidate on the horizion that will ever come close to filling Ron Paul's shoes.

 

[cajuncocoa]

She will back Rand as Ron will, it is water under the bridge, Ron's chance at nomination is 'realistically' awfully slim, and they are loyal. Ron bends over backwards that it is not about him, to the point where he doesn't get how galvanizing his record is.

That will be extremely disappointing, and I don't think I will be alone in feeling that way.

 

[sailingaway]

All depends, let's see whether Rand's (Ron's) budget gains traction. Let's see if Audit the Fed gains traction. Our movements issue is one of purity, because we have Ron Paul who is the message in pure form. But the GOP did not accept the pure version, so we'll end up with the next tier, which is still better than what we've got now.

The issue for me is not with Rand making a political move, it is with our movements insistence not to capitalize in that action because it's not seen as pure. If we don't continue to advance the message, using all means necessary, then when the next Ron Paul does show up, he'll be alone for 30 years in Washington.

Those are two different issues, and that one isn't in front of us. Support where Ron ISN'T available isn't the question. He is available, and likely for the last time. As you said, he IS the message in pure form. Snatching that from us just before the finish line is a seriously bad idea.

 

[TheGrinch]

As well you should!! You have been sold out!!

Stop acting like you know what's going on behind the scenes. People are jumping to way too brash of conclusions here.

If Rand establishes that he'll continue to have a liberty-friendly voting record, then he can endorse Satan for all I care...

Further, this talk that he's just throwing his dad under the bus is just preposterous... Not only is he principled, but it's his freaking son...

Stop making such brash judgements about him before we see how this all plays out. I agree with Jack Hunter, that exerting your influence in politics does not have to be synonymous with sacrificing your ideals... Who cares about a meaningless endorsement that isn't going to get many at all to vote for Romney, if it means he can help our chances to actually achieve something big in the near future.... Because as things stand now, we're facing an extremely uphill battle trying to take on the establishment by opposing their every move.

Again, that doesn't mean we stop opposing their policy moves, but if he doesn't want to just be pushed to the side as an another outcast trying to "hijack" the party, and wants to actually get some backing on his proposals and have a chance for POTUS himself, then he'd just be making it harder on all of us if he'd refuse to endorse and allowed them to paint us all as outsiders.

 

[Jovan Galtic]

Dear friends, I am not an American so it is probably much easier for me to look into this without getting too emotional. Although I am barely holding tears...

Jack is right. What Dr. Paul and the movement have accomplished - against all odds - is simply amazing! I was always pro-american which, considering evils NATO did to my country, was not an easy position to defend with my family and friends. Now I have you. Whenever someone argues against the US I just send one of hundreds of awesome videos and articles you guys have made. You have changed the way world looks at the USA.

Now you are changing the USA. And it will take some time. Just stick together. With Ron, with Jack, with Rand and everyone. I beg you - please don't divide the movement. It is too important.

God bless you all.

 

[sailingaway]

That will be extremely disappointing, and I don't think I will be alone in feeling that way.

I don't mean he'll endorse Romney. I mean he will support Rand taking a different path than he does himself.

 

[RPtotheWH]

Rand just may be exactly what we need. Remember this is the empire of lies. The media doesn't report how congressmen vote, only what they say. So here we have Rand waving the neocon flag but voting in line with the libertarians. I think for now this may be the best way to win in our current political system. The sheep don't care what you vote for, just the feel-good crap you say.

It's a reversal, rather than tell us what we want to hear and then voting against it, he is telling the neocons what they want to hear and then voting against them. Ron has shown that 20+ years in congress and a flawless record on and off camera gets us very little.

 

[sailingaway]

Dear friends, I am not an American so it is probably much easier for me to look into this without getting too emotional. Although I am barely holding tears...

Jack is right. What Dr. Paul and the movement have accomplished - against all odds - is simply amazing! I was always pro-american which, considering evils NATO did to my country, was not an easy position to defend with my family and friends. Now I have you. Whenever someone argues against the US I just send one of hundreds of awesome videos and articles you guys have made. You have changed the way world looks at the USA.

Now you are changing the USA. And it will take some time. Just stick together. With Ron, with Jack, with Rand and everyone. I beg you - please don't divide the movement. It is too important.

God bless you all.

We aren't going anywhere. We believe the best ideas rise to the top when they are debated vigorously. We hold our candidates accountable. If we didn't, we wouldn't be us.

 

[sailingaway]

Rand just may be exactly what we need. Remember this is the empire of lies. The media doesn't report how congressmen vote, only what they say. So here we have Rand waving the neocon flag but voting in line with the libertarians. I think for now this may be the best way to win in our current political system. The sheep don't care what you vote for, just the feel-good crap you say.

It's a reversal, rather than tell us what we want to hear and then voting against it, he is telling the neocons what they want to hear and then voting against them. Ron has shown that 20+ years in congress and a flawless record on and off camera gets us very little.

You call what he did very little? I don't. Remember where he started. He may have brought us to a stage where a different approach might work differently, but that is a separate issue. And Rand has a very thin line to walk, and he fell off on the wrong side, even if just with timing alone, in this case. Taking steps seen as taking Ron from people, before convention, when people have worked so hard to get him his states, is explosive. people are reconciled this is likely Ron's last race, but not making the absolute most of it, for every second of it that exists, when there is no one like him on the horizon, would really be unpopular to the point where that could damage specific candidates going forward.

 

[Jeremy Tyler]

Doug Wead said the most important aspect of everything that has been going on has to be kept secret. So I am holding out to pass judgement till I find out what it is.

I agree that the goal has been to change the republican party and the country. I'm going to keep on keeping on and suggest that others do the same.

KEEP ON KEEPING ON!

 

[TheGrinch]

You call what he did very little? I don't. Remember where he started. He may have brought us to a stage where a different approach might work differently, but that is a separate issue. And Rand has a very thin line to walk, and he fell off on the wrong side, even if just with timing alone, in this case. Taking steps seen as taking Ron from people, before convention, when people have worked so hard to get him his states, is explosive. people are reconciled this is likely Ron's last race, but not making the absolute most of it, for every second of it that exists, when there is no one like him on the horizon, would really be unpopular to the point where that could damage specific candidates going forward.

I agree that the timing was pretty crappy, and frankly it was a punch in the gut for me too when I first saw that Rand had done this...

But I respectfully disagree with what you've said about this simply being Rand's decision... I think both him and his father are now having their hand forced to consider a strategy shift before all of the progress we've made fades into the sunset..

Of course I could be wrong too, but I think it's jumping the gun to assume that this is meant to undermine Dr. Paul's campaign, or that he wasn't a part in the decision.

Think about it... The media and establishment will continue to paint Dr. Paul and us as "standing in the way" of the party's biggest goal of beating Obama... We know that's not true, that if they really wanted to beat him they'd be putting out a better candidate than Romney, but the narrative they'll continue to push is that we're standing in the way of that goal by "muddying up" the process.

Ron has put the pieces in place, but perceptions like this will drive whether the electorate considers Rand a serious candidate or a "divider of the party". The time has come to not simply educate and oppose, but to try to push our ideas into the mainstream now that there's enough support for the ideas. You have to play the game a little bit to be seen as wanting to reform the party and not just "undermine" it (again, perception-wise. We all know that perceptions are everything in identity politics).

 

[sailingaway]

I agree that the timing was pretty crappy, and frankly it was a punch in the gut for me too when I first saw that Rand had done this...

But I respectfully disagree with what you've said about this simply being Rand's decision... I think both him and his father are now having their hand forced to consider a strategy shift before all of the progress we've made fades into the sunset..

Of course I could be wrong too, but I think it's jumping the gun to assume that this is meant to undermine Dr. Paul's campaign, or that he wasn't a part in the decision.

Think about it... The media and establishment will continue to paint Dr. Paul and us as "standing in the way" of the party's biggest goal of beating Obama... We know that's not true, that if they really wanted to beat him they'd be putting out a better candidate than Romney, but the narrative they'll continue to push is that we're standing in the way of that goal by "muddying up" the process.

Ron has put the pieces in place, but perceptions like this will drive whether the electorate considers Rand a serious candidate or a "divider of the party". The time has come to not simply educate and oppose, but to try to push our ideas into the mainstream now that there's enough support for the ideas. You have to play the game a little bit to be seen as wanting to reform the party and not just "undermine" it (again, perception-wise. We all know that perceptions are everything in identity politics).

Ron being 'a part of the decision' is irrelevant because Ron is so humble and absolutely DETERMINED not to have this be about HIM. Everyone in the campaign would know he would say Rand had to do what he felt was right. Again, I'm not talking about Rand 'supporting the nominee' after convention. Who is Rand, as delegate, going to vote for in Tampa? It isn't about Rand, this campaign is about Ron, and about using every last second of his run to do what only Ron can do. Only then is the race over.

Again, I am not making any decisions about Rand for the future, at this moment, but THIS was a seriously bad decision.

 

[RPtotheWH]

You call what he did very little? I don't. Remember where he started. He may have brought us to a stage where a different approach might work differently, but that is a separate issue. And Rand has a very thin line to walk, and he fell off on the wrong side, even if just with timing alone, in this case. Taking steps seen as taking Ron from people, before convention, when people have worked so hard to get him his states, is explosive. people are reconciled this is likely Ron's last race, but not making the absolute most of it, for every second of it that exists, when there is no one like him on the horizon, would really be unpopular to the point where that could damage specific candidates going forward.

Putting things in perspective, yes very little. More people may be awake but that is really it. Ron is still immensely outnumbered in the government. His bills get shelved or flat out ignored. We have elected some great candidates, but again they are outnumbered. I see this as more a change in strategy. The revolutionaries in 1775-1783 suffered many defeats. What did they do? Turn on one another? No, they adapted and overcame.

Rand is not some rogue soldier who doesn't converse with his father, but perhaps he is George washington crossing the Delaware river in the night.

 

[Tiso0770]

I guess people still don't get it.

The problem is the two party criminal system. A delusional video doesn't change the fact that has long as that system exists, nothing will change. The system is purposely set up that way by design to make each side believe their vote matters. In the end, it doesn't. To bring about real liberty change, people have to wake up out of their trances and a viable third party has to pose a threat to such system. Then and only then will real change occur.

The only people quitting are those that believe we can hijack the Republican party with our 10%. Let the establishment co-opting begin.

I agree with that statement.

 

[gerryb]

They don't know the way the game is played. They're still reading the instructions on the Checkers box, while everyone else is playing Chess.

QFT.

I wish these folks who are complaining would learn some tactics, and more importantly political activism 101. I feel like most of the people on this board complaining have not been involved beyond a sign wave.

 

[sailingaway]

Putting things in perspective, yes very little. More people may be awake but that is really it. Ron is still immensely outnumbered in the government. His bills get shelved or flat out ignored. We have elected some great candidates, but again they are outnumbered. I see this as more a change in strategy. The revolutionaries in 1775-1783 suffered many defeats. What did they do? Turn on one another? No, they adapted and overcame.

Rand is not some rogue soldier who doesn't converse with his father, but perhaps he is George washington crossing the Delaware river in the night.

But then what we need is more people awake. Ron does that better than anyone.