Tom Woods: My Memories of Jesse Benton

[Matt Collins]

Twisting everything clearly wrongheaded into some marvelous work of genius super-strategy is getting quite old.

This isn't about Ron, and this isn't a short term project. This is going to take many decades if liberty is to be advanced. Ron just got the liberty movement kicked off.

 

[sailingaway]

This isn't about Ron, and this isn't a short term project. This is going to take many decades if liberty is to be advanced. Ron just got the liberty movement kicked off.

shall I post my response about this being Ron Paul's campaign, not the movement, in every thread where you post that comment?

 

[kylejack]

However one can't openly critisize a potential employer, and then get upset when they don't get hired by that employer.

These were suggestions, not criticism. http://www.tomwoods.com/blog/the-ron-paul-moneybomb/

 

[liberty2897]

shall I post my response about this being Ron Paul's campaign, not the movement, in every thread where you post that comment?

Yes! Please do that SA! THIS is what they DON'T get. The Ron Paul Revolution without Ron Paul seems to be something along the lines of "Republicans With A Few Libertarian Ideas Who Want To Change Politics Over The Next Few Decades Campaign"

 

[DylanWaco]

Source for that?

Jack Hunter

It's not exactly a controversial point either as it's been discussed here before.

 

[Carlybee]

Yes! Please do that SA! THIS is what they DON'T get. The Ron Paul Revolution without Ron Paul seems to be something along the lines of "Republicans With A Few Libertarian Ideas Who Want To Change Politics Over The Next Few Decades Campaign"

"Republicans hitching their wagon to a star then ditching the star for a bagful of stardust."

 

[Smitty]

Benton used the campaign to further his own career.

He doesn't give a rat's ass for the liberty movement.

At this point, anyone who tries to rationalize the situation beyond that clear, concise pair of facts is thinking too much about something which doesn't require it.

 

[Anti Federalist]

This isn't about Ron, and this isn't a short term project. This is going to take many decades if liberty is to be advanced. Ron just got the liberty movement kicked off.

This is what followers of Goldwater said, 50 years ago.

And where are we now?

Broke, bankrupt, in a hundred wars and skirmishes abroad and living under one of the world's most advanced police/prison/surveillance states.

Genius.

 

[DylanWaco]

This isn't about Ron, and this isn't a short term project. This is going to take many decades if liberty is to be advanced. Ron just got the liberty movement kicked off.

The problem is that now that the liberty movement has been kicked off there are many who think the best tactic going forward is to retreat. I am not a fan of the idea that you start with a radical like Ron and then fold yourself into respectability and compromise after you build a rather large base in such a (relatively) short period of time.

If the ideas matter the revolution should flow the opposite direction. Instead the plan of many is to alienate the base and try and cozy up to those who are nominally "with us" on some issues, rather than expand the base by refusing to water down the ideas. Even worse the people who's hands we are supposed to hold tend to be outright opponents of Ron Paul's view on the issue that he is most identified with and for which he has the most appeal with his base - opposition to the American imperial project.

Now instead of Rand being an ally in the Senate he's being propped up as a paradigm to refer to and a standard bearer that he's never going to be. And the base are called names and denigrated for daring to expect principles out of a politician who wishes to cash in on a movement that has always been about principles.

 

[erowe1]

This isn't about Ron, and this isn't a short term project. This is going to take many decades if liberty is to be advanced. Ron just got the liberty movement kicked off.

Benton working for McConnell has nothing whatsoever to do with a decades-long project of advancing some liberty movement.

 

[Carlybee]

Benton working for McConnell has nothing whatsoever to do with a decades-long project of advancing some liberty movement.

It has everything to do with trying to morph the liberty movement into the establishment...looks like it's working too.

 

[DylanWaco]

Benton to brainwash McConnell and turn him into a zombie for our interests?

That actually sounds like a "fringe" conspiracy theory type of position to me. Maybe I'll text Schiff for his thoughts on the matter.

 

[erowe1]

It has everything to do with trying to morph the liberty movement into the establishment...looks like it's working too.

I doubt that. Benton doesn't have influence over Ron Paul's supporters.

 

[Sola_Fide]

It has everything to do with trying to morph the liberty movement into the establishment...looks like it's working too.

I don't think so. I think it was mostly opportunism on McConnell's part and opportunism on Benton's part. It just happened that McConnell's opportunism intersected with Benton's opportunism right at the perfect timing for both of them.

 

[Matt Collins]

These were suggestions, not criticism. http://www.tomwoods.com/blog/the-ron-paul-moneybomb/

And that's not the way to do it. Again, you don't give prospective employers public advice or open constructive critisicm if you want to get hried by them in most cases.

And that's Tom's blind spot - he doesn't understand the social reaction by other people to some of the things he says or posts. I can understand that because I used to have the same blind spot when I was younger but it is widespread among the liberty movement because lt's face it, most of us are thinkers and not socialites; that's why we are attacted to a liberty position.

 

[Matt Collins]

This is what followers of Goldwater said, 50 years ago.

And where are we now?

Broke, bankrupt, in a hundred wars and skirmishes abroad and living under one of the world's most advanced police/prison/surveillance states.

Genius.

Goldwater didn't have the Internet, nor did they have the numbers. They were eventually able to get Reagan elected, but obviously that wasn't good enough. This time we will do better, again we have the Internet.

 

[Carlybee]

I doubt that. Benton doesn't have influence over Ron Paul's supporters.

The jury is out though on how much influence a Benton/McConnell baby making machine will have over Ron Paul turned Rand Paul supporters. Veee shall see!

 

[Matt Collins]

Benton used the campaign to further his own career.

LOLz.... that's an ignorant statement. Benton didn't need to take this job, duh.

 

[Matt Collins]

Benton working for McConnell has nothing whatsoever to do with a decades-long project of advancing some liberty movement.

Uhh... that's a very short sighted statement.

 

[erowe1]

The complaints about Benton Woods has in the OP do not include anything about not hiring him to work for the campaign.

Nor does it appear the slightest bit likely that his public advice was given in hopes that he would be given a job for the campaign subsequent to that. It makes Benton look incredibly thin-skinned that he would react so negatively to someone publishing their ideas about what the campaign could have done better. If a presidential campaign is at all serious, it has to be taken for granted that it will attract attention and have things like that written about it. Btw, Doug Wead did the same thing in 2008, and then in 2012 he did work for the campaign.