What Political Orientation Were You Before Discovering Ron Paul

[Gaius1981]

I was a Norwegian conservative, which basically means a social democrat.

 

[Stary Hickory]

Conservative sorta, but with a libertarian flavor. I just did not think about politics much but always thought people should always just leave each other alone when it did not affect them.

So I chose other. I never even voted really for any politicians. And I was always "Isolationist" as defined by many conservatives.

 

[GunnyFreedom]

Other -- I grew up from early-teen pre-teen as a voluntaryist due to RA Heinlein and in my mid-teens attached that philosophy to constitutionalism. So I have been, from childhood, a "voluntaryistic Constitutionalist" if that makes any sense. The only things that really changed in my outlook upon encountering Dr Paul in early 2007, is 1) I came to understand the evil that is the Federal Reserve and Fiat Currency, and 2) I came to terms with a latent pro-life position that I had formerly been ashamed of.


ETA -- as far as registration, I have always been disgusted with both parties lack of obedience to the US Constitution, and understood (even as a naive child) that Nixon-Reagan's drug prohibition violated the fundamental American concept of liberty. Therefore, the instant I was old enough to vote I registered "Unaffiliated" and remained in that condition until 2007 when (on the very last day possible!) I registered Republican in order to attend the conventions for Ron Paul.

 

[ChaosControl]

Conservative. Mostly paleoconservative with a tint of neocon.

 

[Romulus]

Neocon. I admit, I bought into the 9/11 Neocon agenda. Soon enough I grew weary of the Iraq war. In 2008 a buddy suggested Ron Paul in the primaries. I read his campaign site and that's all it took - I didn't know the meaning of a true libertarian conservative until then. Watching RP youtubes and debates in 08 woke me up to a new reality.

 

[bruce leeroy]

I guess you wouldve classified me as a moderate democrat

 

[erowe1]

Neocon and liberal mean pretty much the same thing.

Where's the "conservative" option?

 

[TheBlackPeterSchiff]

Somewhat pro War
Pro social saftey net, but limited
Pro- low taxes
pro-police state
pro-government

I guess that would put me in the neo-con land.


Put it like this, I was a BillOreilly.com Premium Member :facepalm

 

[Son of Detroit]

I find it interesting that we have full-blown neocons/liberals being converted so quickly... What made us find the way while other neocons/liberals are totally immune to the liberty doctrine?

 

[pcosmar]

Mostly Apathetic.

In voting,,conservative independent, leaning toward neo-con. :o
I got my information from the MSM as a rule.

Personally,, libertarian,, though I did not define it as such.

Presently,,Angry American.

 

[Romulus]

I find it interesting that we have full-blown neocons/liberals being converted so quickly... What made us find the way while other neocons/liberals are totally immune to the liberty doctrine?

Fanatical beliefs and emotional responses that overrule logic.

 

[Stary Hickory]

Fanatical beliefs and emotional responses that overrule logic.

Some people have a desire to search for the truth and have the intelligence to question the norms in society. This means most of us who are from statist backgrounds were never firmly in the camp to begin with.

I know I wasn't.

 

[djdellisanti4]

I was a pretty hardcore Kucinichite Social Democrat. Even my earliest posts here were quite poorly informed politically and economically. It embarrasses me to go back and read them, but then I remember that every thinker has to have ideological growing pains before he arrives at his current conclusions.

That gives me hope

I was for the most part a neo-con. I openly supported war and the police state and my only economic position was "low taxes".
Around the time of my sophomore year of high school I became less religious and this sort of set me on my path to libertarianism, along with a friend of mine making the switch from neo-con to RP Republican/libertarian.

Then my junior year I worked for McCain, sorry. After the election I was really pissed and then my dad bought me "Basic Economics" by Thomas Sowell. I think my dad, a moderate conservative with some libertarian leanings, noticed my political development was not going well. That book really opened my mind and then I read Ron Paul's Revolution and the rest is history.

 

[Kludge]

Jesus-y Neocon -> Rejection of Christianity -> "common sense" Conservative -> read Ayn Rand & watched Stossel -> An-cap -> Convinced to support Paul -> Continued Reading Bullshit on RPFs -> "libertarian socialist" -> Read Robert Anton Wilson -> Voluntaryist

 

[kahless]

Typically voted Libertarian or Republican since 1990 depending on the candidate. Prior to that I brought into the MSM and Dems line of crap on economic issues but I was pretty young then.

 

[Romulus]

Some people have a desire to search for the truth and have the intelligence to question the norms in society. This means most of us who are from statist backgrounds were never firmly in the camp to begin with.

I know I wasn't.

Agreed. And that is the difference really. No wonder there's such a push to dumb down the public.

 

[TheTyke]

I was raised to believe in strict constitutional government, and the issue of being pro-life was the highest priority for us. I never knew quite what to make of the wars though, so Ron gave me a lot of perspective there. Other than that, my beliefs didn't really change... but the activities of Ron and you all across the country inspired me to actually do something about it!

 

[StudentForPaul08]

I was an anti-war liberal who hated the Bush admin. Before that I had no ideology. That liberal phase only lasted about 3-4months and ive been a Ron Paul/Libertarian/Constitutionalist ever since 2007

 

[speciallyblend]

That gives me hope

I was for the most part a neo-con. I openly supported war and the police state and my only economic position was "low taxes".
Around the time of my sophomore year of high school I became less religious and this sort of set me on my path to libertarianism, along with a friend of mine making the switch from neo-con to RP Republican/libertarian.

Then my junior year I worked for McCain, sorry. After the election I was really pissed and then my dad bought me "Basic Economics" by Thomas Sowell. I think my dad, a moderate conservative with some libertarian leanings, noticed my political development was not going well. That book really opened my mind and then I read Ron Paul's Revolution and the rest is history.

woot woot don't forget to become a delegate woot woot

 

[speciallyblend]

I was an anti-war liberal who hated the Bush admin. Before that I had no ideology. That liberal phase only lasted about 3-4months and ive been a Ron Paul/Libertarian/Constitutionalist ever since 2007

I know the poll isn't scientific, but i give it more weight then most polls in msm if i was gop establishment this rfp poll would scare the hell out of me

almost a breath of fresh air seeing how many rpf members were former neo-cons! We are getting somehwere we already knew we have a wide variety here at rpf but seeing the amount of liberals and neo-cons that have switched to our message is alarming in very good ways the current gop should be scared. We are not going away