To those who say it is not about Ron Paul winning the nomination

[ssjevot]

He sent out an official e-mail that he won't have enough delegates to win today. I don't post here very often because of the pervasive lack of objective reality, but Paul hasn't had a legitimate shot at winning since Iowa.

I was a delegate at the WA State Caucus last weekend, and my district, the 7th, was about 75% Ron Paul delegates. Not a one of us, including the 3 delegates we elected to the National Convention, thought Ron Paul would win the nomination. That isn't why we went to the caucus, and every one of us was in this for the long haul and had been playing this game for years. This isn't some once in a lifetime chance, it's just another milestone in the move towards liberty. Paul has done more for this movement than anyone in recent history, but this is a movement, not some North Korean style personality cult. Anyone who is making this about Ron Paul and not about achieving liberty is hurting the movement.

This is because if you make it about Ron Paul you won't stick around to help us out after Ron Paul retires. We need every one of you to keep working tirelessly to elect more liberty minded individuals, to spread the message of liberty, and to go on to be future influential figures of the movement itself. Do not make this about one man, that cheapens the goal and does a disservice to everyone who is working so hard, especially Dr. Paul. Dr. Paul doesn't want you to give up when he retires, and the only reason he ran was for you. So don't destroy his legacy by disengaging after he is done.

 

[Yieu]

Go blow.
No one but Paul!!!
I am sick of the defeatist attitude using the compensatory explanation for their own inability to explain the current position of the campaign for the nomination.

If you don't think Ron Paul can be the nominee, then get the fuck out of here because there are hundreds of thousands of us (many who are not even RPF members) who are working our asses off to get Ron Paul the nomination.

People who decry the more fervent supporters as "hurting the movement" or "doing a disservice to Ron Paul" are fucking lame. You don't know what your talking about.
The goal for me since 2007 is to put Ron Paul in the Oval office so he can fix this fucking country. If you don't think the delegate strategy is worth your time then keep your mouth shut, because there are more people who do think it will work than you. Don't sit there and disrespect everything we have been fighting for just because you are to blind to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Nothing worth while ever comes easy, and this is not a game. We are fighting for the future of our country and this whole planet.
You joined this movement because you felt something deep in your soul, that this was the answer you had been looking for all your life. This is the last hope I can see for our way of life. The tyranny is growing larger every year and our numbers are growing just as fast in resistance. Those of you who are defeatist to our cause are cancerous to the cause. If you feel it in your heart that a return to the Constitution is the only way to save this nation, then fight with us. We must join or liberty will die.

 

[diaoman]

Okay sure, of course I'll support the movement after Paul retires.

But you're saying he has no chance of winning the nomination....even in a brokered convention at Tampa??!

Do you realize that we're on the brink of financial meltdown and hyperinflation? There won't be a next time! Not just a 'next time' for Ron Paul....but there won't be any 'next time' for anything liberty related.

We have to get Ron Paul into the Oval Office or we will all perish.

 

[Sujan]

Okay sure, of course I'll support the movement after Paul retires.

But you're saying he has no chance of winning the nomination....even in a brokered convention at Tampa??!

Do you realize that we're on the brink of financial meltdown and hyperinflation? There won't be a next time! Not just a 'next time' for Ron Paul....but there won't be any 'next time' for anything liberty related.

We have to get Ron Paul into the Oval Office or we will all perish.

I'm a huge fan of Ron Paul, we all are, but lets also be realistic and that is that Ron Paul will not clinch the nomination.
Romney will easily surpass the 1144 needed delegates in the first round, probably will get 1500 or so. An easy win.
So there is absolutely no way of a brokered convention. I hope for some serious action though at the convention of the liberty movement to at least influence Romney's plans.

With the whole Ron Paul movement the biggest taboo question always was and is: does Ron Paul himself really want to be president?

I think most people know in their heart this was never the case, he wants to be the figurehead of a movement, a revolution, not actually wanting to sit for 4 or 8 years in the oval office, not with his age then of 77 (which is very old by comparison in history).

 

[diaoman]

No, Ron Paul will get the nomination. He must.

Most of the reported delegate counts for Romney are UNBOUND delegates. Seeing that in the streets you can rarely find romney signs or supporters...this gives a good outlook on the tampa convention first round.

The mainstream media's doom and gloom framing of the Ron Paul campaign has gotten to your head.

Yes we're finally starting to get liberty-minded people into power, but it's all in vain if Ron Paul doesn't become President. It's like trying to build a bunker when an ICBM is about to hit your town in 10 minutes. By ICBM, I'm alluding to hyperinflation. When hyperinflation hits, there will be mass chaos...then the government will be forced to expand into martial law, nullifying any progress we've made with the liberty movement!

Don't count on President Obama or Romney do anything about the liberty victories we gain at the tampa convention.

 

[NoOneButPaul]

So how about an apology from whatever mod was enough of a dick to move my original post to it's own thread to try and make me look bad?

Even Ron wrote yesterday he isn't going to win, is that enough for you guys or will you keep controlling the conversation like a neocon?

 

[LibertyEagle]

So how about an apology from whatever mod was enough of a dick to move my original post to it's own thread to try and make me look bad?

Even Ron wrote yesterday he isn't going to win, is that enough for you guys or will you keep controlling the conversation like a neocon?

Stop acting like an ass. Being a Mod ain't easy and it is a thankless job.

 

[CPUd]

Okay sure, of course I'll support the movement after Paul retires.

But you're saying he has no chance of winning the nomination....even in a brokered convention at Tampa??!

Do you realize that we're on the brink of financial meltdown and hyperinflation? There won't be a next time! Not just a 'next time' for Ron Paul....but there won't be any 'next time' for anything liberty related.

We have to get Ron Paul into the Oval Office or we will all perish.

This is overly dramatic, but if the movement ends with this election cycle, then perhaps you may be correct.

 

[Brett85]

Even Ron Paul himself has said that he isn't going to win the GOP nomination. It's amazing how there's no sense of reality whatsoever by some people here.

"Dear #####,

I wanted you to get an update from me personally, since we have some great news!

Due to the smart planning of our campaign and the hard work and diligence of supporters like you, we stand to send nearly 200 bound delegates to the Republican National Convention in Tampa. This number shatters the predictions of the pundits and talking heads and shows the seriousness of our movement.

What's more, we will send several hundred additional supporters to Tampa who, while bound to Romney, believe in our ideas of liberty, constitutional government, and a common-sense foreign policy.

When it is all said and done, we will likely have as many as 500 supporters as delegates on the Convention floor. That is just over 20 percent!

And while this total is not enough to win the nomination, it puts us in a tremendous position to grow our movement and shape the future of the GOP!

I hope every one of you continues the fight we have advanced so well this year. I hope you will finish your local and state conventions, and, if you were selected as a national delegate, that you will head to Tampa in August to force the Republican Party to listen to the voice of liberty.

We have never had this kind of opportunity. There will be hundreds of your fellow supporters in Tampa who will be ready and willing to push the Republican Party back to its limited government, liberty roots.

There are many issues to fight for in Tampa. Also, candidates like Justin Amash, Kurt Bills, and Thomas Massie need your support as we move into the fall. Across the country, supporters of liberty have won local office and leadership positions in the GOP, and we need to keep working.

Our delegates’ presence must be felt both in Tampa and in years to come.

Stand up for what we believe in. Be respectful. And let the establishment know that we are the future of the Party and of the country.

Our Revolution is just getting started. You'll be hearing plenty from me as we approach Tampa and the fall elections. You'll also be hearing of important developments on Audit the Fed and Campaign for Liberty.

I hope you'll continue to stand with me as we go forward. Our Revolution could not have come this far without you.

For Liberty,

Ron Paul"

 

[Brett85]

Ron Paul recognizes that his run for President is simply the beginning of the liberty movement, not the end.

 

[febo]

Recall this, from the same time in 2008
@7:10 - "Ultimately conditions could get worse where people have to make a tough decision whether or not they will practice peaceful civil disobedience."
This question is more important now than ever.

 

[Brett85]

By the way, I'm not trying to be "negative," but someone needs to speak the truth so that people won't be disappointed in August. Mitt Romney is going to be the GOP nominee, and Ron's goal is to try to accumulate as many delegates as possible, in order to gain more influence within the GOP. It's still a good idea to keep fighting and try to get Ron as many delegates as possible; it's just that people should realize that he isn't actually going to win the nomination. That's no longer a possibility.

 

[falconplayer11]

By the way, I'm not trying to be "negative," but someone needs to speak the truth so that people won't be disappointed in August. Mitt Romney is going to be the GOP nominee, and Ron's goal is to try to accumulate as many delegates as possible, in order to gain more influence within the GOP. It's still a good idea to keep fighting and try to get Ron as many delegates as possible; it's just that people should realize that he isn't actually going to win the nomination. That's no longer a possibility.

Right on. Ron Paul even said that in his email yesterday. He can't win.

My opinion, however, is that it is time we gave our support to a liberty candidate who will actually be on the ballot. Ron Paul ought to do the same.

 

[SilenceDewgooder]

Right on. Ron Paul even said that in his email yesterday. He can't win.

My opinion, however, is that it is time we gave our support to a liberty candidate who will actually be on the ballot. Ron Paul ought to do the same.

People see what they I want to see - This is what I read from this statement

When it is all said and done, we will likely have as many as 500 supporters as delegates on the Convention floor. That is just over 20 percent!

And while this total is not enough to win the nomination, it puts us in a tremendous position to grow our movement and shape the future of the GOP!

From what I read, Paul said 500 delegates was not enough to win the nomination (which is true), but he never said he couldn't win. If Paul has 15-20% thats roughly 3 times what Hardy had; here is why the William Hardy story was brought up, Hardy had 6%. Do you really think Dr. Paul is about to say, "hey, we're actually going to make this close"? The more that the MSM and everyday public believes its all Mitt, then less resistance there should be at conventions.

Look at the steps that Mitt's campaign and the GOP have taken. They would not risk this negative political exposure if it were not necessary.

Believe what you want, but a nominee is selected only after the delegates vote at the convention, which is still 3 months away. A lot of things can happen in 3 months.

According to the MSM:

 

[robertwerden]

If Ron Paul supporters do the following:
1. Become a delegate to the national convention
2. Convince other delegates at the national convention to vote for Paul
3. Prevent other delegates from voting for Romney
4. Convince Santorum, Gingrich, and other supporters not to vote for Romney and even vote for their original candidate choice

Then we will win for Ron Paul

 

[BestVirginia]

A lot of things can happen in 3 months.

What do you think could happen in 3 months that would cause Romney to not get the nomination? Because all he has to do is coast.

 

[paulbot24]

What do you think could happen in 3 months that would cause Romney to not get the nomination? Because all he has to do is coast.

I'm still curious about his emails that got hacked from his hotmail account. Romney is not the sharpest knife and he possesses incredible self-destructive tendencies when breathing.

 

[SilenceDewgooder]

What do you think could happen in 3 months that would cause Romney to not get the nomination? Because all he has to do is coast.

Well first, I can only assume (which I do not like doing) that you believe Romney delegates will actually support him and that bound delegates are actually bound. I would argue that 42 USC 1971 defines bounding delegates unconstitutional:

42 USC § 1971 - Voting rights: (b) Intimidation, threats, or coercion - No person, whether acting under color of law or otherwise, shall intimidate, threaten, coerce, or attempt to intimidate, threaten, or coerce any other person for the purpose of interfering with the right of such other person to vote or to vote as he may choose, or of causing such other person to vote for, or not to vote for, any candidate for the office of President, Vice President, presidential elector, Member of the Senate, or Member of the House of Representatives, Delegates or Commissioners from the Territories or possessions, at any general, special, or primary election held solely or in part for the purpose of selecting or electing any such candidate.

Definition of coercion - 2: to compel to an act or choice <was coerced into agreeing> ; 3: to achieve by force or threat <coerce compliance>

As far as what Romney can do himself in 3 months - let's take a look:

From a Time article in 2008

Mitt Romney may be leading the underwhelming Republican presidential field in fundraising, but he also has a less dubious distinction —he leads the pack in committing professional-grade gaffes. We speak here not of policy change of hearts or a sometimes inscrutable grasp of foreign policy, but of the pedestrian media misstatements that any politician racks up over a life time — and Romney has piled them up in just a few months.

http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/romney_gaffes/article/0,28804,1621231_1621230_1621172,00.html #ixzz1x7Rsig3e

From a This Week article in Feb 12

The GOP presidential contender is among the nation's wealthiest Americans — and he keeps reminding voters by sticking his well-heeled foot in his mouth ... And the super wealthy "Romney's gaffes are almost always related to his economic status," says David Weigel at Slate. Let's call it "Romneying," or making "unforced references to one's own economic success."

He can't just coast - he has to engage Obama through the media using speeches and interviews.

My questions to you Virginia - How much time, energy and money have you already put into Dr. Paul? Is it not worth 3 more months to continue the support through the convention? We all have our own ideas of what we can lose under Obama and/or Romney, but what do we gain under Paul?

 

[Brett85]

The same exact thing was going on in 2008, when Ron didn't win the popular vote in a single primary or caucus, and people here still thought he had some secret strategy to win the nomination in August. I don't understand why people don't learn from history.

 

[Brett85]

In my opinion, it's probably time to get behind a 3rd party candidate; either Gary Johnson or Virgil Goode.