The Holy Grail of Converting Pro-War Republicans to Ron Paul

[shortna]

I agree with priest_of_syrinx Reagan was very pro debt to support his position against USSR. He was very pro militaristic intervention as long as it was not directly against the USSR. I’m still looking for to persuade the brain washed pro war Republicans to go along with non-militaristic intervention but they can’t be persuaded. They seem to think the US has a right to meddle in the affairs of other countries when American “interests” are at stake. This thread really should not be stickyied. It does not have the answers needed.

 

[RonPaulalways]

Ask the pro-war Republicans why they support borrowing $3 billion a day from the Chinese central government if they care about national security.

The most important element for long term national security is the economy. Ask them why they support draining the economy by maintaining hundreds of military bases in over a 130 countries around the world.

 

[tanstaafl]

One of the toughest nuts to crack that we have with a lot of the Republican/conservative voters is the "war" issue. The neocons continue to refer to this nation building as the "Iraqi war" and continue to proffer the rally cry that we must "win the war." They do this to instill a false sense of patriotic obligation that is still playing very well with many Republican and conservative voters.

Let's stop letting the neocons dictate the false terminology on this issue. The Truth is there is no war. We won the war four years ago. We conquered the Iraqi military four years ago. What we have now in the Iraqi nation building is an "Iraqi Foreign Aid Project" or rather an "Iraqi Foreign Aid Boondoggle." Let's call it what it truly is, an "Iraqi Foreign Aid Project."

If we reject the neocon position that "we are in a war," and instead use more truthful language that we are really in a "Giant Iraqi Foreign Aid Boondoggle" we break the neocons false hold on many American's patriotic sense of obligation that they must support the war -- that we must win.

Most conservative Republicans tend to automatically have a gut rejection of any foreign aid. Show them that the Iraq situation is simply a giant foreign aid boondoggle.

I have begun using this tactic with Republicans and conservatives that are diehard war supporters and have already had some "aha" moments and eye openings, and even a couple conversions. I tell them we are not at war. We already conquered Iraq four years ago. What we have now is simply a Giant Foreign Aid Boondoggle to build a foreign nation courtesy of American taxpayers, while neglecting our own borders. We still haven't built but 17 new miles of wall on our southern border.

Your comment that "One of the toughest nuts to crack that we have with a lot of the Republican/conservative voters is the "war" issue." is one I have also argued. Indeed, I would say it is THE key issue holding Ron Paul back from probably a 10%+ jump in the polls.

That said, I have to congratulate you on your cogent knockout 'The "Iraq War" was won four years ago when we defeated the Iraqi army - what we have left is a giant foreign aid boondoogle. ' (You probably said it better, I will have to practice . This is brilliant!

I would like to work with you and whoever else might be interested to come up with an overall distillation of the message that Ron Paul favors a STRONG military. People are falsely equating military budget, military strategy, and (specifically) outposts diffused around the world as equivalent to strength.

Combining your brilliant "the war is won" comment with a similarly powerful message that we are not deployed - we are DILUTED around the world and stuck on a fifty-year obsolete military strategy.

It would help, imo, (but may not be necessary if we can come up with another knock-out punch such as the one you just delivered to the "win the war" folks) if we could flesh this out with historical facts, 'reframings', logic, and counterexamples (e.g., Israel doesn't have outposts around the world; Sparta/Greece beat the vastly larger Persians).

Any interest?

 

[ayort]

Denver craigs list... listing.

I just posted this on Denver craigslist. I start off talking about how all the canidates lie. Then show this Regan video. Then a Youtube Ron Paul video (energizing) then finish off with a set of links to the house and senate to check voting records. The people on the site all seem to hate bush, Love false conservatism and "think" Paul is a Kook from what the TV has said.
Here is a link to the post: http://denver.craigslist.org/pol/489016942.html

Tell me what you think.

 

[rooteroa]

What a brilliant speech.

 

[dannyd]

What an incredible speech.

 

[Whatintheworldisthat]

REP. PAUL: But you have to realize that the base of the Republican Party shrunk last year because of the war issue. So that percentage represents less people. If you look at 65 to 70 percent of the American people, they want us out of there. They want the war over.

In 19- -- 2002, I offerer an amendment to International Relations to declare war, up or down, and it was -- nobody voted for the war. And my argument there was, if we want to go to war, and if we should go to war, the Congress should declare it. We don't go to war like we did in Vietnam and Korea, because the wars never end. And I argued the case and made the point that it would be a quagmire if we go in.

Ronald Reagan in 1983 sent Marines into Lebanon, and he said he would never turn tail and run. A few months later, the Marines were killed, 241 were killed, and the Marines were taken out. And Reagan addressed this subject in his memoirs. And he says, "I said I would never turn tail and run." He says, "But I never realized the irrationality of Middle Eastern politics," and he changed his policy there.

We need the courage of a Ronald Reagan.

SOURCE: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/15/u...ted=print&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

 

[torchbearer]

Thanks for the sticky, I never saw this.... it is the holy grail. This should be our Infomercial.
It's institutional memory that we have lost... it needs to be renewed.

 

[RustyBrewster]

I think it would help if Dr. Paul was a better speaker like Reagan.

 

[plp]

That is because we are trained to look for the sizzle, and somehow the delivery is supposed to be the steak. Reagan opened the door, and Clinton built the stage.


I have come to this site because of the message and Dr. Paul's track record on the issues such as the war (which I personally am still not decisive about, although the observation about Reagan and Lebanon is food for thought) immigration, the present open borders, and the absurd amount of power that we the people have handed to the federal government.

 

[tttar]

i really urge that a ron paul supporter show this to your sortof neoconned friends who idolize reagan, without the thomas jefferson quotes or ron paul stuff cut in. just seeing ron pauls message come out of reagan's mouth is more powerful to them. try it out if your at an empasse. im pretty sure this is the beginning part of his famous speech endorsing barry goldwater... the vietnam statement i think is a minute and a half in.

I think it needs to be cut into a more manageable size.

He says something about Vietnam that may indeed confuse them, but then talks about big government, farm subsidies, etc., and they'll forget what's going on, because the old familiar "gotta stop those big-spending Democrats with a Republican who can win" reflex will then kick in.

And Giuliani's a "mainstream libertarian", don'tcha know, who was forced into supporting a war by 9/11. He wants peace, too, and so do the others.

Besides, wasn't it lots and lots and lots of military spending by Reagan that finally forced the Russkies to their knees - and so shouldn't we triple it, if that's what it takes? Don't you wanna save your children from the crazies? Better bankrupt than dead!

Maybe he was only talking about Vietnam because the Democrats were doing it wrong, or whatever, they'll comfortably slide into thinking.

If you can isolate what he said about Vietnam here, and find a few more Reagan quotes to support it (with parallel Ron Paul quotes), it would probably hit harder.

A great one-liner was said by RP on Meet the Press. On "assigning responsibilty", he made the analogy of stepping into a snake pit. Whose "fault" is it when you get bit?

 

[Rico4444]

Barry - thank you for that link.

That is the BEST video of Reagan I have ever seen. Well worth the 28 minutes.

The neocons kidnapped him because he was such a good Communicator and used him to further their cause. Most of what he was warning about in this speach came true. Yes, in his administration too.

I cannot believe how much it sounds like Dr Paul.

 

[chowdy]

That speech is what really got me motivated. I mean, beyond just being passionate about Ron Paul, but about liberty and all that good stuff. I listen to it very often for inspiration

Anyway, here's an awesome video of "The Speech" + Ron Paul:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRcXfDt3ByI

 

[pooty]

for the warmongers

How many innocent children have been killed or maimed in Iraq?Last I heard thier were about 5000 of them dead.Ask your friends if someone killed or maimed thier child would they then join them in thier endevers to kill or maim more children?Exactly how did removing Saddam help to fight terrorism?By turning the parents of the children killed or maimed into united states patriots?All the neocon canidates say the cost of the war was worth it.They can't explain how so they spin it but if confronted by the facts thier argument shows they just want to keep filling the pockets of munnitions mfgs. with blood money.If we pull out of Iraq there will be blowback but much less than if we don't.The dems aren't any better.Pelosi has blocked impeachment.Why?Bringing troops home where thier not hated is support.Giving them more bombs and munnitions is supporting munnitions mfgs.This country has become morally bankrupt and most of the people refuse to see it.


The worlds scientists have concluded the world needs an enima.....
they'll insert the tube in washington D.C.

 

[durden0]

I'm totally confused. Did everyone here watch the same video?

Other than that one comment about Vietnam in the beginning, I see no evidence that Ronald Regan was against a War on [Blank](fill in terrorism or communism) whichever you like. He talked about peace through strength, "not backing down from our enemies" etc... That part of his speech sounded straight out of a neocon book??

The libertarian part of his speech was brilliant, and it's a shame the foreign policy part of it isn't on our side.

 

[BarryDonegan]

that was during an era when the war on communism was not having to be fought on our soil. currently it is.

 

[USAF_Saylor]

wow richard man, great job finding this.
I intend to shut a few people up, that ive had arguments with and i think this video is the tool to do it.
i hate how alot of the neo-cons quote Reagan all the time yet, they go against almost everything he stood for.
Great Speech!!!

You got that right! That's why I was banned from http://www.patriotactionnetwork.com/

 

[HOLLYWOOD]

You got that right! That's why I was banned from http://www.patriotactionnetwork.com/

Patriot Action Network / ResistNet are complete co-opted/hi-jacked/Falsely fronted, so-called TEA PARTY sites. They have nothing to do with Freedoms, Liberties, and Rights. They're all for Global conquest and funded by the like of big establishment GOP Fascists; Sal Russo, Dick Army, & Andrew Breitart, NEOCON Express aka TP Express, Establishment Fascists laundering their money through these fronted individuals organizations and marketing firms like Dick Army's Freedom Works, PNAC (Project for the New American Century), GOP political marketing and consulting firm: Russo, Marsh, & Rogers and even funds from the Republican Jewish Congress. This phony Tea Party Sites dialog will always be; controlled, steered, and related censoring... you always can find prepared ringers to incite articles that are; racist, Pro US global wars & conquests, jingoism, fear/security, 110% support for Israel, and more money for THEIR agendas. They will always use all the typical government propaganda symbols to manipulate the unsuspecting, unknowing, and plain ignorant followers with THEIR SILENT PARTNERS/MONEY MASTERS versions of NEO Far-Right agenda.

Even Mark Meckler and his wife (organized Tax Day Protests) have stated that the NEOCON/ESTABLISHMENT DC orgs/etc, have stolen, bribed/bought off, and now control most of these Phony Tea Party Sites like Patriot Action Network / RESISTNET.

This needs to be exposed much more...

 

[KEEF]

I just emailed the video to the great Sean Hannity and the Beckster.

We'll see what I get back since Reagan is Hannity's God and litmus test for all politicians.

 

[angrydragon]

Personally, I like these videos.

http://youtu.be/1yuzMYIXhTE

http://youtu.be/UmsP95Bl9pM

http://youtu.be/Y46xgPUokrg