The Ron Paul coalition is breaking up

[well_met_sir]

Ron Paul was a great man who built a coalition that could have won the presidency if the media hadn't worked tirelessly to ignore and demonize him. In 2007 he set records with his money bombs and at one point was leading the pack in dollars raised. In the 2012 race he wasn't as strong at pulling in the money but his ability to pull in crowds was phenomenal. Remember that video where it shows him speaking to giant crowds? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuTXPWec_LU Despite these disadvantages he managed to win Iowa, Nevada, and Maine. Yes these victories were stolen from him in one way or another, but those of us who were around at the time remember them.

Ron Paul is retired and thus the Ron Paul coaltion can't get together to vote for him. So instead we all support Rand Paul. Yes, we all do. The problem is that some people expect this to be exclusive support; that he have to support Paul and hate the other candidates. The reality is that Rand is a much weaker candidate than his father. There are serious flaws in his campaign strategy. I see people saying things along the lines of "we don't want him to peak soon, he's gaining support slowly". That is delusional. Paul had about 10% support earlier, now he is around 5%. I see no indication that he's going to get to 10+% soon. Where are the money bombs? Where are the crowds? I think that he'll be lucky to keep his 5%. That's too bad, because Rand would make a great president.

So it is only natural for us to look at other candidates to support. We were all drawn to Ron's candidacy for different reasons. Most liked him for one issue or another, while a few of us agreed with him on every issue. Because our reasons for supporting Ron differ, one can expect that we will differ in our support for the other candidates. I would hope that this would result in civil debate, and I believe that it has, for the most part. However there is a very vocal minority of people working to destroy Ron's coalition. Here are some of their recent comments:

Birchers like you are hilarious. The real fear of the red scare has been realized when you adopted everything the USSR stood for. You want a wall and you want to shoot anyone crossing it.

note: Ron Paul is actually a strong supporter of the John Birch Society

Apparently we have a few of them running around on this forum as well. Someone should tell them that it's way past their bedtime.

Well, Gary's a useless twat whom I despise; but it is true (as recent activity on RPF demonstrates, anecdotally) that Trump's core constituency is idiot racists.

"Mexikuns ur bad, Murica" etc

 

[jj-]

Clearly the problem was the intolerant authoritarians who can't tolerate even people saying good things about other candidates. Someone rooting for Trump and Rand, or Trump, Cruz, and Rand, can't be tolerated.

That said, that was in the forum, which has very little effect in the real world. What does have an effect in the real world is Rand attacking Trump, that made no strategic sense.

 

[hells_unicorn]

Clearly the problem was the intolerant authoritarians who can't tolerate even people saying good things about other candidates. Someone rooting for Trump and Rand, or Trump, Cruz, and Rand, can't be tolerated.

Let me know when you start rooting for Rand, I'm not seeing much of that out of you.

Regarding the OP: This is the same mushy crap I heard from people back in 2008 who thought voting for Obama wouldn't be so bad given that he was "allegedly" close to Ron Paul on a couple issues, and I think we can see how that turned out. If you want to be a sucker and back a double-talking snake-in-the-grass because you like what he's hissing, you go right ahead, but you can count me out and expect a nice "I told you so" should that person actually prevail and things turn out to be pretty much the same.

Oh, and the Ron Paul coalition cracked up several years ago, going by the standard presented here. It's time for a new coalition, one that doesn't have people constantly being peeled off whenever the media decides to pump up some controlled opposition.

 

[heavenlyboy34]

Ron Paul was a great man who built a coalition that could have won the presidency if the media hadn't worked tirelessly to ignore and demonize him. In 2007 he set records with his money bombs and at one point was leading the pack in dollars raised. In the 2012 race he wasn't as strong at pulling in the money but his ability to pull in crowds was phenomenal. Remember that video where it shows him speaking to giant crowds? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuTXPWec_LU Despite these disadvantages he managed to win Iowa, Nevada, and Maine. Yes these victories were stolen from him in one way or another, but those of us who were around at the time remember them.

Ron Paul is retired and thus the Ron Paul coaltion can't get together to vote for him. So instead we all support Rand Paul. Yes, we all do. The problem is that some people expect this to be exclusive support; that he have to support Paul and hate the other candidates. The reality is that Rand is a much weaker candidate than his father. There are serious flaws in his campaign strategy. I see people saying things along the lines of "we don't want him to peak soon, he's gaining support slowly". That is delusional. Paul had about 10% support earlier, now he is around 5%. I see no indication that he's going to get to 10+% soon. Where are the money bombs? Where are the crowds? I think that he'll be lucky to keep his 5%. That's too bad, because Rand would make a great president.

So it is only natural for us to look at other candidates to support. We were all drawn to Ron's candidacy for different reasons. Most liked him for one issue or another, while a few of us agreed with him on every issue. Because our reasons for supporting Ron differ, one can expect that we will differ in our support for the other candidates. I would hope that this would result in civil debate, and I believe that it has, for the most part. However there is a very vocal minority of people working to destroy Ron's coalition. Here are some of their recent comments:



note: Ron Paul is actually a strong supporter of the John Birch Society

Rightly or wrongly, the JBS thoroughly earned their quackish, "Stupid Right" reputation with their communication style. Their fanboys have earned a poor reputation too. Check out FrankRep's post history.

 

[acptulsa]

An amateurish attempt at creating a self-fulfilling prophesy.

And an amateurish attempt at convincing the people here to let anyone come on here and promote candidates who have nothing in common with Ron Paul, too. Even though this is now at least as much randpaulforums. Even though we supported a principled man before, and are obviously focused on continuing to do so. Even though we are being civil; when we troll all those other candidates' forums, we get banned on the spot.

So much fail, so little tablet battery charge.

 

[erowe1]

I also like the John Birch Society.

But anyone considering supporting Trump either was not a serious part of the Ron Paul coalition, or they've changed their views since then.

 

[hells_unicorn]

I also like the John Birch Society.

But anyone considering supporting Trump either was not a serious part of the Ron Paul coalition, or they've changed their views since then.

There has been some weak supporters going back to the beginning, largely people that are overly pessimistic and think they should just settle for the crumbs under the table that the MSM drops for them. On the other hand, a number of "progressives" signed on because of the war issue and nothing else, and those are the people who couldn't stop whining when Rand decided to take a different road regarding Iran and foreign aid. It was actually pretty amazing how many baby-killers and atheists decided to vote for Ron Paul despite him being a Christian and being Pro-Life.

 

[William Tell]

Rightly or wrongly, the JBS thoroughly earned their quackish, "Stupid Right" reputation with their communication style. Their fanboys have earned a poor reputation too. Check out FrankRep's post history.

I didn't know FrankRep was associated with them in any way. libertarians are often told they have earned a quakish, "Stupid Pothead reputation". That doesn't make it true, and I doubt you appreciate it. But with any group there are certain perceptions held about them.

I like the JBS because I've actually read their materials. Their communication style is very professional in my experience.

I didn't know FrankRep was associated with them, I don't think he's posted here in a couple years anyway.

 

[phill4paul]

Omigerds! Shut down the forums and bring in the "cleaner."

 

[acptulsa]

Omigerds! Shut down the forums and bring in the "cleaner."

Absolutely.

Some random internet troll told us it's hopeless and he'd rather see the nation burn anyway, so abandon your principles and support whoever's in the lead quick before someone accuses you of backing a loser!!!

 

[well_met_sir]

But anyone considering supporting Trump either was not a serious part of the Ron Paul coalition, or they've changed their views since then.

Narrow-minded comments like yours are what I am talking about. You simply don't have the facts at your fingertips and you don't have the mindset to realize that you are missing key facts.

 

[acptulsa]

Narrow-minded comments like yours are what I am talking about. You simply don't have the facts at your fingertips and you don't have the mindset to realize that you are missing key facts.

He has the facts at his fingertips. No person of principle anywhere in the world sees anything about Trump to take seriously. And nothing could possibly change that but baldfaced lies about the man.

 

[rg17]

Trump Hates Ron and Rand! Trump never talks about the Constitution, wants more war and is a big government pig!

 

[acptulsa]

Trump Hates Ron and Rand! Trump never talks about the Constitution, wants more war and is a big government pig!

Trump is someone who can't operate a business without bribing government officials, is tired of bribing government officials, and figures the American public is stupid enough to let him cut out the middleman and write laws to his own advantage himself.

He believes P.T. Barnum. Fortunately, those suckers born every minute do not compose more than one third of the population. Unfortunately, many of them register Republican.

 

[heavenlyboy34]

I didn't know FrankRep was associated with them in any way. libertarians are often told they have earned a quakish, "Stupid Pothead reputation". That doesn't make it true, and I doubt you appreciate it. But with any group there are certain perceptions held about them.

I like the JBS because I've actually read their materials. Their communication style is very professional in my experience.

I didn't know FrankRep was associated with them, I don't think he's posted here in a couple years anyway.

I'll take your word for it. (Giraffes tend to be trustworthy) I don't have enough interest or time to check it out anytime soon.

 

[DevilsAdvocate]

An amateurish attempt at creating a self-fulfilling prophesy.

And an amateurish attempt at convincing the people here to let anyone come on here and promote candidates who have nothing in common with Ron Paul, too. Even though this is now at least as much randpaulforums. Even though we supported a principled man before, and are obviously focused on continuing to do so. Even though we are being civil; when we troll all those other candidates' forums, we get banned on the spot.

So much fail, so little tablet battery charge.

Other candidates have forums? We should infiltrate!!!

 

[acptulsa]

Other candidates have forums? We should infiltrate!!!

Other candidates have forums where free speech isn't even discussed without someone getting banned for it.

Just for the record, since we always have trolls around accusing us of being too impatient with their paid commercial programs.

 

[Cleaner44]

Omigerds! Shut down the forums and bring in the "cleaner."

No need to be hasty. Rand's campaign has time to build and competition is a good thing. Let the market decide and we will see how far the R3VOLUTION has come.

 

[cindy25]

I don't think so. not in the long run. antiwar.com flirted with Trump last week, and now they consider him the the devil. Rand had missteps, on foreign aid to Israel, and on the Iran deal. but he will get people back, as they find out how bad the others are.

 

[Krugminator2]

Narrow-minded comments like yours are what I am talking about. You simply don't have the facts at your fingertips and you don't have the mindset to realize that you are missing key facts.

I am curious what are the facts that he doesn't have at his fingertips? And also what is the mindset he is missing to miss the key facts?

I am very interested in these facts. I tend to think anyone who supports Trump and Ron Paul at same time is basically a subhuman imbecile, given that they seemingly have nothing in common. But if there are key facts, then that changes everything. Please share the key facts.