This movement is at a significant crossroads

[CTRattlesnake]

Like many of you, I was happy Romney lost and equally as upset that we have to deal with Mr NDAA for another 4 years. It got me thinking though, about the future of this movement and the country. Ultimately, the liberty lovers in this country need to make a choice. Do we try to incorporate our ideas and values into an existing party (most like the republicans) or do we forge our own path for a viable third party.

Now, neither option is particularly appealing, but we cant continue down the road of supporting a guy in the GOP primary and then support a third party candidate in the general election. It has to be one or other, or we will lose.

Now, I am more inclined to go down the third party road. The GOP is not going to budge, and even if we get a candidate to have some success, its ultimately not going to wind up in a nomination. Say what you want about Rand, but there are still a lot of problems with him IMO.

We are now at a time in our political history where more people identify as independents as ever before. The country cannot continue to be boxed into a two party system, and if given the proper exposure, a libertarian candidate could break out onto the national scene.

This requires more analysis, money, and time. But right now, this movement needs to pick itself up and figure out where the hell where going because if we are not united, we are going to fail.



CT

 

[acptulsa]

Actually, we need to keep doing both for now. The GOP is the better option, if we can pull it off. But the Republicans have a decision to make, too--do they continue to listen to Fox and get led into irrelevance and oblivion, or do they listen to us?

If they insist on oblivion, then the LP can replace them. If they decide to be relevant, we need to be there.

It isn't entirely our crossroads, or our decision.

 

[Mahkato]

GOP is in shambles. Scrape it back together and rebuild it without the old guard mucking things up.

 

[Odin]

I'll suggest a third alternative: Emerging second party.

Maybe we're at the point in history that we can replace the Republican party with something new. Idk it's a long shot but could work.

 

[sailingaway]

I think we need to change the recently passed rules at the GOP and need to continue to make inroads. but they are so corrupt, it is so accepted, and they HAVE passed rules making real participation so difficult, I think we need to keep all options open.

 

[Endthefednow]

yup, it is good to keep all the options open

 

[twomp]

IMO we are not the DNC or the RNC, we are not a pack of zombies roaming around together. SOME of us will want to work within the GOP, SOME of us will want to go 3rd party. Heck, some of us will want to support some "Ron Paul Democrats." We are INDIVIDUALS and that is what will differentiate us from any other political block. Ron Paul's IDEAS is what makes him popular to us.

So to answer your question, NO, none of us will just "fall in line" and go one single route. But WE ALL will be spreading Dr. Paul's ideas and that is how we will win. It's a slow process because we are against the world's greatest propaganda machine but it will still happen. I am very optimistic about our little rEVOLution and I have no doubt we will continue to grow. So instead of saying Rand Paul 2016 or Amash 2016, I'm going to go with LIBERTY 2016! And I will support ANYONE that supports LIBERTY.

 

[SonofThunder]

A lot of people are saying we can win through GOP precinct reorganization, state by state, county by county, precinct by precinct.

I don't see enough interest left over to actually do this.

I think the revolution is about to be dead.

 

[CTRattlesnake]

A lot of people are saying we can win through GOP precinct reorganization, state by state, county by county, precinct by precinct.

I don't see enough interest left over to actually do this.

I think the takeover of the GOP is about to be dead.

Fixed.....i think the GOP has committed themselves to neo-con ideals and dont give a damn about what anyone says. We have made some inroads in congress with Amash, etc, but how much further can we go?

Imagine if the Ron Paul republicans in congress switched to libertarians, what a shot in the arm that would give the LP.

 

[Elwar]

Some day we may even get as big as the Libertarian Party and achieve 1%!

 

[ronpaulfollower999]

Stay in the GOP, but vote for 3rd party candidates when the other guy is not a liberty candidate.

 

[Bastiat's The Law]

Some day we may even get as big as the Libertarian Party and achieve 1%!

The LP is such a joke.

 

[Ronulus]

The only way for us to get any media coverage in the recent future is to either have that R or D next to the name. Even if we put our all into a 3rd party, the masses will still vote straightline republican or democrat.

I personally would like to have another party called the Sons of Liberty. You can't run on the ticket unless you adhere to the 'planks'. No rhino's allowed.

 

[dinosaur]

Waking people up is the name of the game IMO. We need enough congressmen to provide a foil against the RINOs, to show the base what a real liberty loving congressmen act and vote like. If we can do this, the RINOs expose themselves. The 2014 races are key. If we can get enough liberty candidates in to make the base question why their talking head leaders, and their supposedly conservative channel, oppose the wonderful things that they are trying to do we might just become leaders. RINOs also expose themselves as they are forced to fight us within the R party. We have already forced them to tip their hand a little, but hopefully that is just the beginning. We move forward advancing principles and not just the man, they can't attack the principles the way they attacked Dr. Paul. I like keeping the third party option open just in case something happens that wakes the masses up, but that is just a just-in-case scenario. They don't need a new play book to defeat us as third party candidates the way things are; they just use the same old successful tactics and feel no pressure.

 

[jllundqu]

I say hand over the reins of power completely to the liberal socialists. They can destroy the entire country then we can get back to the business of rebuilding it. This gridlock sh*t is just stalling the inevitable.

 

[SpiritOf1776_J4]

FYI - the best way to create a third party is a significant caucus in an existing party.

As it becomes more powerful, non members have to join to network with what it is going on. When it gets strong enough, the existing party either has to start sharing power, or it splits to form a new party.

Therefore, either goal at this point is in the same direction under this - probably most practical - plan.

 

[belian78]

I say hand over the reins of power completely to the liberal socialists. They can destroy the entire country then we can get back to the business of rebuilding it. This gridlock sh*t is just stalling the inevitable.

Agreed. Let it all implode, and then rebuild from the ground up. And before anyone chastises me, yes I know what that entails in it's entirety, but IMO it's the only way you get rid of all the junk laws/legislation/mandates/statist mindset/ect.. and start fresh.

 

[Boss]

Based on the way you (OP) have framed your question, the answer is inconsequential. Republicans don't perceive us as forming enough of a voting bloc to be included, and we certainly don't have the numbers for a formidable third party. As far as playing within the rules of the American democratic system goes, we don't stand a chance.

The solution to the real problem lies within the ascendance of a politically gifted revolutionary leader. Ron Paul possesses all the traits in abundance (except, arguably, for the most important one in effecting significant short term change: behind-the-scenes politicking that leads to meaningful political sway.)

So my answer is that our movement needs an extremely effective infiltrator into the Republican party. We won't win through numbers, we win through just one person who is better at the game of politics than the current Republicans are.

 

[CTRattlesnake]

Based on the way you (OP) have framed your question, the answer is inconsequential. Republicans don't perceive us as forming enough of a voting bloc to be included, and we certainly don't have the numbers for a formidable third party. As far as playing within the rules of the American democratic system goes, we don't stand a chance.

The solution to the real problem lies within the ascendance of a politically gifted revolutionary leader. Ron Paul possesses all the traits in abundance (except, arguably, for the most important one in effecting significant short term change: behind-the-scenes politicking that leads to meaningful political sway.)

So my answer is that our movement needs an extremely effective infiltrator into the Republican party. We won't win through numbers, we win through just one person who is better at the game of politics than the current Republicans are.

neither option in the poll is particularly inviting, but its what we have at the moment. I would love a truly motivational and inspirational figure that could bring over new people to our side now that Ron Paul has retired...but I dont see anyone at the moment.

We need an Obama like charismatic figure to stand up and get this thing going. As previous posters alluded too, we need to build enough power and momentum before we can really attempt to take over the republicans or create an effective third party

 

[parocks]

Stay in the GOP, but vote for 3rd party candidates when the other guy is not a liberty candidate.

That's basically it