Senator John McCain admits he knows very little about economics. This comes at a time when our nation is on the verge of huge financial issues with growing debt, escalating oil prices, devaluation of the dollar, and huge trade deficits and ever expanding borrowing from China.
Putting aside the fact that our trade deficits are smaller than they have been in decades, McCain's lack of knowledge in economics is no more of a threat to us than Ron Paul's colossal ignorance of foreign policy. Any leader can rely on the advice of experts. McCain has a virtual army of economic advisors, all of whom have records of supporting budget cuts and limiting government spending. I'd rather have a president who admits his ignorance and seeks good advice than one who thinks he knows everything and advocates crackpot economic schemes which would have disastrous results for the economy.
Inevitably the letter then goes on to explain why Ron Paul is a better choice than John McCain.
Representative Dr. Ron Paul has / had a huge young voter following and would bring those independent voters back to the GOP and away from Senator Barack Obama.
Based on his showing in the GOP primaries his current following is of about the same size as when he ran for president as a Libertarian. A couple of million voters nationwide. They're very vocal, but in numbers they're comparable to the supporters of a typical third party candidate.
Representative Dr. Ron Paul would steal ALL the thunder from Bob Barr and the Libertarian Party, delivering that lost 5-8% back to the GOP.
Here they seem to have forgotten that they take Ron Paul a lot more seriously than the rest of the world does. In reality, Bob Barr is a much more credible candidate, even running as a libertarian, than Ron Paul is. He has a more balanced voting record, more of a reputation as a serious politician and is more likely to have the managerial and political skills needed to actually run the country and work with Congress. He's also much younger, a better public speaker, a lot more personable than Paul and has an actual sense of humor.
Representative Dr. Ron Paul would maintain the constant, core GOP voter. Those who want "Party Unity" and a GOP Presidency would unite behind Representative Dr. Ron Paul.
Why? All they've shown him thus far in the election is scorn and open hostility. A lot of them would be more likely to vote for Bob Barr or Barack Obama, or they would draft a third candidate. The Paulistas seem not to understand that Paul holds positions and has associations which are absolutely unacceptable to a great many Republicans, an awful lot of them in positions of power. They might gradually be persuaded to moderate some of those views, but they aren't going to accept a candidate with whom they are at odds on so many issues.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Dave Nalle
Writing articles about Paul and the Paulistas is rather like picking at a scab. It's painful and disgusting, but somehow impossible to resist.
Dave
2 - Shohadaku
McCain not pro-war? He voted FOR THE WAR. That's about as pro war as you get.
McCain and Bush hate eachother? Umm what world do you live in? McCain IS RELATED TO LAURA BUSH. I dare any of you to check that fact.
Pull your heads out of the sand and stop acting like good lemmings. Stop selling your country down the river.
Ron Paul is the first honest true patriot to run for president in our lifetime. His knowledge of the economy among other things related to the office puts all the other candidates to complete shame.
I dare you to let Paul debate Obama and/or McCain. He would make them look like the puppet monkeys they truely are.
Wake up you fools.
3 - Drumz
If a candidate accepts campaign or lobby money from corporations who profit directly from military activities, they are considered "pro-war." If a candidate does not, they are considered "anti-war."
Get it? Not too difficult.
Therefore McCain and Obama are considered "pro-war" by those with a functioning brain, willing to accept the truth.
Ron Paul does not accept lobby money or campaign money from war profiteers OR commercial media whore who promote the war.
And, yes. Those commercial war media companies are the same ones who have said "Ron Paul can't win" since BEFORE ANY debate, or ANY poll. They knew their newscasts wouldn't be as valuable if we weren't at war 24 hours a day, so they shut him down.
It intellectually disingenuous to say that the media's exclusion and vilification of Ron Paul didn't have a lot to do with his failed campaign.
4 - Dan
The War in Iraq is over? Did you happen to ask the Americans dying and the Iraqis and insurgents killing them every day about that? I'm in the Air Force and our leadership tells us all the time that we are at War.
And Ron Paul is ignorant of foreign policy? I suppose you believe that the policies of using the CIA to overthrow dictators and fund warlords while turning a blind eye to their perpetrations of egregious human rights violations has served us well.
5 - Andrew Panken
Whether McCain wins or not will be irrelevant in November. There isn't much doubt that the Democratic party will sweep most Congressional seats into their column. In the face of a Democratic Congress, McCain will just "cooperate" with Democrats, to attempt to win a second term. That will be McCain's main goal in office, more power. I hope your McCain wins, so you can see what happens to liberty, under him. Obviously, you have given up on natural rights. We are all slaves to our government. Your politicians must decide, the best for us. Liberty is just a word to you. You don't have any idea, that you are a prime proponent of socialism, as most Republicans and Democrats are. We already have socialism, it's only a matter of time before an American Pol Pot takes charge.
6 - ronpauljones
I agree, no letter is going to change the GOP's mind at this point. However, by signing this letter, you are telling the GOP that they have lost their way and, in so doing, losing voters. This, combined with the embarrassing % of primary/caucus votes McCain has lost to Ron Paul, may affect some positive changes in the GOP platform. Like it or not, the revolution has begun.
7 - Baritone
Is there any way I can get off of this planet? Is there some room on the next shuttle flight? This fucking place is going to socialist hell in a hand basket.
Dave, as you know I'm no Paulite, but I think you miss something regarding McCain. While some of your beliefs regarding the presumptive Rep nominee may be correct, many of the issues raised by the Paul letter are, in fact, how McCain is perceived by many of the voting public. He is perceived to be a Bush clone. He is perceived to have a short fuse. He is perceived to be pro-war (although, here, I must echo Dan's query - The war is over???)
In politics as in advertising image (perception) is everything. I'd say Johnny has his work cut out for him in knocking down those perceptions. I hope he doesn't manage to fly off in a hissy fit in the effort.
Should Obama prevail in November; if Congress takes on a far more bluer hue, I'll endeavor to put together some capitalist care packages to send off to you and other bereft Libertarians.
If anyone has any suggestions as to what would be good to include in such a package, please let fly here.
Another note: The Paulites sound a great deal like died-in-the-wool born again christians warning of the dire consequences of not heeding their call. Just as with the fundies, the Paulites appear to be about four nickels and 3 pennies short of a quarter - leaving them with only their two cents worth.
B-tone
8 - RM
Sigh. Once again Dave Nalle puts on his little reporter cap and taps furiously away at his keyboard, pretending to be "Scoop Nalle; Ace reporter". If it weren't so pathetic, it might actually be funny. But it's not funny. Just sad.
Dave, I'm sure that your mother is still proud of you anyway. Keep trying dude, maybe someday you'll finally amount to something.
9 - Dave Nalle
This, combined with the embarrassing % of primary/caucus votes McCain has lost to Ron Paul,
Just to set the record straight, McCain has lost zero primaries to Paul.
may affect some positive changes in the GOP platform. Like it or not, the revolution has begun.
I'll give you that this is the upside. Once the movement sheds Paul and grows up it can have a very positive effect on the GOP.
Dave
10 - Don
That was just a plain weak argument against Dr. Paul. The GOP has changed and will do absolutely nothing to stop the spread of socialism and at the same time fascism in the USA.
Government will get bigger, nothing will be done about the deficit, military intervention will increase, but somehow McCain will help buy us some time?
11 - Dave Nalle
If a candidate accepts campaign or lobby money from corporations who profit directly from military activities, they are considered "pro-war." If a candidate does not, they are considered "anti-war."
Get it? Not too difficult.
But it makes no sense. Who is it that considers them pro or anti war on this basis? Why is that the only consideration? If a candidate took money from defense contractors and then never voted for a war he'd still be pro war? Twaddle.
Therefore McCain and Obama are considered "pro-war" by those with a functioning brain, willing to accept the truth.
But Obama didn't vote for the Iraq war and doesn't take money from defense contractors. Even by your criteria he's not pro-war.
And 'thinking people' can tell the difference between someone who is in favor of maintaining a strong defense and someone who thinks wars are great and we should be in them all the time. There's no indication that McCain is in favor of military adventurism.
Dave
12 - RJ Elliott
I think at this point, Dave, you're just trolling the Ron Paul supporters...what is this, four Ron Paul articles in two weeks?
13 - Paul Lucero
Man I do not envy you! McCain is an Very poor choice and you are defending the only survivor of "The Keating Five". I watched this man tell the MIA families to get stuffed. Perhaps you do not know what an MIA is, so all I will say is McCain has no love true the Military but he know how to make believe that he does.
All of the other Senator President Wantabes are poor choices too. They all share total responsibility for the current condition we are experiencing. 5.00 dollar a gallon fuel, 10% inflation, Soaring Fuel costs and the coming CDS crisis.
Did you ever hear of McCain Fine-Gold (SP) or how about Mr. White's enormous good natured behavor in the Senate. He has the reputation of begin a very poor loser and a down right mean ass. I have seen the behavior first hand and you can to on Youtube.
McCain can not remember what happened 45 minutes ago!
Mcain losing it
Media attacking his comments, statements and general screw ups.
I have heard him give great credit to all his Economic advisors to counter the FACT that he stated that he is not expert on the Economy. Did you know that the main one is personally responsible for lobbyist who pushed Congress to successfully remove the controls that enables investment banks to make sub-prime and CDOs the new get rich trick and now we have the MORTGAGE BOMB.
So I challenge you to prove that McCain is the a good choice to manage the government sponsored efforts to do anything. We ask out business executives to be the best of the best and here the GOP force feels us a senior dim wit that is to old for government service and a self admitted rubber stamper with a bad temper.
I will spend every penny I have to oust the GOP leadership and lay waste the proponent of the Politics of Fear. The Patriot Act must be repealed and the Government Reigned in NOW.
14 - Mike S
I got as far as the "John McCain is not pro-war" paragraph and "the actual war in Iraq is over", to see that this article is simply a hit piece on Ron Paul. More spin from a misled and dis-illusioned journalist.
Maybe you should tell the continuous flow of dead and wounded soldiers and my 23 y/o cousin, that was just sent to Iraq, that "the war is over".
You write the same propagnda as the people that wrote it during the Viet Nam war. I lost an Uncle in that one.
This is a pitiful article and you should give much more consideration to the good people that read this. Your condescending attitude towards Ron Paul supporters is wrong and not based on facts, just your emotions. Not good writing, with all due respect.
Mike S.
US Army
Disabled Veteran
15 - Sheila
Excellent article, clearly a McCain supporter wrote it. His own party is turning on him. I just came from a dinner party, where Republicans can't defend him and have a good political dinner debate. McCain is the Media's choice, just look at the way they excluded Ron Paul from the debates and marginalized him. They did that for the purpose to paint him as unelectable for a reason, to weed the garden of the good candidates and select McCain the weakest of all GOP Candidates. Now look at who is unelectable. I have a bet going that McCain doesn't make it through the GOP Convention. The bottom line, if you don't reassess your position and quickly, you are looking at the Next Global President, with Obama taking orders from the United Nations, no more USA. Did you hear about Obama's United Nations TAX on all Americans to combat Worldwide Poverty? Bill S 2433, Global Poverty Act
16 - RussellK
I'd submit that Ron Paul supporters wouldn't know a true Republican belief if it bit them on the ass. Their anti-corporate, anti-capitalist populism is totally alien to the traditions of the GOP. They're more like anarcho-socialists than Republicans or even libertarians.
Are you serious????!!!!! "Anarcho-socialists????!!!!!" You do realize that is an oxymoron....right? And not just any oxymoron, the most intense, brain exploding oxymoron that has ever been written. Holly crap man! You are an absolute fool! At least we know not to count on you for accurate definitions of political philosophies.
17 - sickntired
2000 - Bush subverted voting in FL, stole election
2001 - we all know what happened, and who did it.
2001 - America invades Afghanistan
2001 - Bush drops bomb on America with the Patriot Act.
2002 - Bush at a NATO summit declared that; "should Iraqi President Saddam Hussein choose not to disarm, the United States will lead a coalition of the willing to disarm him.
2003 - Shock and awe is underway in Iraq
Fast forward...
2008 - John McCain comes from nowhere and becomes the "presumptive nominee." (Is this a mystery to anyone else?)
My prediction?
McCain's cronies will buy the election for him because he is playing ball. The legion of Obama supporters being disenfranchised will riot like it's 1992. McCain's first order of business? To declare marshal law to get the rioting under control. His 2nd order of business will be to invade Iran.
The moral of this story? We're all fucked. Pack a lunch cause it's gonna be a long 4 years.
18 - RJ Elliott
Here's how I see it:
Ron Paul can't win, although if he did, the direction of the country would improve for the better (overall; I disagree with him on some things).
John McCain may win, or he may lose. But even if he wins, he's going to start acting like a "moderate" Democrat the moment he takes office, as the Democrats will have a 40-50 seat majority in the House and a 5-10 seat majority in the Senate. He'll be little more than a rubber stamp for the Democrat majority in the Congress (except with regards to Iraq).
Either way, conservatives/libertarians/Constitutionalists are going to lose in November.
19 - RM
@ #12 " June 8, 2008 @ 22:34PM " RJ Elliott
Exactly RJ. That's why I didn't write anything in response to the "article" mr. Nalle "wrote". This "article" was meant as a poke in the eye to Dr. Paul and those who appreciate freedom and our Republic. I simply went straight to the core and addressed the real issue of mr. Nalle's lack of purpose, skill and his menial intelligence. As you may have noticed, he didn't respond to my initial post due to my hitting so close to the target.
20 - Dave Nalle
He is perceived to be a Bush clone.
I find it hard to believe that more than a fraction of the public could be this simpleminded and uninformed.
He is perceived to have a short fuse.
Well, that's different from Bush, anyway. I find it bizarre that one group can fault him for being too accomodating while another faults him for being too rash. Contradictory.
He is perceived to be pro-war (although, here, I must echo Dan's query - The war is over???)
Sheesh, we've been over this before. By any normal definition, the war ended within a matter of a few months. Since then we've been involved in dealing with insurgents and terrorism and maintaining or creating peace. Soldiers still die in that kind of action. It can be damned dangerous. And it has certainly dragged on way too long. But with no defined and organized enemy army it's really not a war. We've gotten way too lazy with calling everything a war anyway.
Dave
21 - Former GOPer
"There's no indication that McCain is in favor of military adventurism."
What the hell are you talking about? The guy sang "Bomb Bomb Bomb, Bomb Bomb Iran"!
22 - RussellK
"Is there any way I can get off of this planet? Is there some room on the next shuttle flight? This fucking place is going to socialist hell in a hand basket." -Baritone
+
"Another note: The Paulites sound a great deal like died-in-the-wool born again christians warning of the dire consequences of not heeding their call." -Baritone
=WTF Mate?!?!
That’s the fucking envy of all contradictions if I’ve ever seen one. Anything to add Baritone? The world is going to end…… but anyone that says so is crazy!!!!!
23 - sherrie
it seems like the writer of this article is the one who needs a reality check. mccain is a total embarrassment as are the people who blindly support him. the GOP needs and deserves to go down after forcing this unpresidential CFR tied boob on the american people. he like obama is bought and sold and will lead us down the same path of destruction that bush has. if a huge lack of integrity, amnesty for illegals and yes war monger is what you want in a presidential candidate then it appears that you have your man. you might try looking at the bigger picture. the NAU/SPP, the CFR, the NWO and the FED.
24 - Dave Nalle
I think at this point, Dave, you're just trolling the Ron Paul supporters...what is this, four Ron Paul articles in two weeks?
I've got two more in the works then a whole state convention to report on which will have some Ron Paul news in it.
It's kind of fascinating - like poking an ant mound with a stick. It's worth doing just to see the drones pour out of the mound in single-minded determination.
Dave
25 - tf
I think someone is just trying to justify their votes for McCain when they know they're wrong. Just my opinion