Despite all our hopes, it turns out that Ron Paul is just as crazy as the worst of his followers.
In recent weeks the thundering Ron Paul freight train has kind of derailed. Even though Paul announced that he was ending his campaign on March 8, his supporters are apparently convinced that he's still a viable candidate, despite his repeated public statements that they should move on and try to do some good working within the GOP. Nonetheless, many of them are pushing for a final surge and a surprise (and entirely delusional) victory at the GOP convention this summer. Admittedly, Paul is still making a lot of speeches and pushing his agenda, so maybe that's contributing to their confusion, but he's made it pretty clear he's campaigning for his ideas not an office.…
Article comments
126 - Joanne
First, let us not forget that there has not yet been ONE vote cast for President of the United States. Not a one. State Primaries are not the National Election, and the media has distorted and lied plenty leading up to where we are today. If Ron Paul is not on the ballot in November, I'm still writing him in. The rest of the candidates are A) lying, B) lying, and/or C) lying. I would not vote for Clinton, Obama or McCain if you paid me to. More of the same big-business, big government, big spending, big taxes, globalist power-hungry agenda. McCain is no conservative, and doesn't hardly look like the Republicans I grew up with.
Candidates like Dennis Kucinich and Mike Gravel on the Dem side, and Dr. Paul on the Rep side have been ignored, ridiculed and dismissed as "crackpots", "nutjobs" or worse. They have been called "dark horses" with no chance of winning, etc etc etc. It's a little silly to think we are being told the truth by the media, or government, or the selected slate of party-line candidates. What these dismissed, truthful candidates have in common is they are speaking truth to power, and that scares a lot of those in power.
I just want to say that I am voting for Ron Paul, not the JBS, not Alex Jones. The comments to this article are right on spot with how most RP supporters feel about your article, Dave. While you may have issue with JBS, I'd be more worried about the corruption we have at the highest levels of our government, in both major parties, and in the banking industry. I'd be more worried about the Federal Reserve, which is neither federal nor has any reserves. Ron Paul draws attention to these entitities and if he has done anything, he's educated masses of people. Worried your Social Security may not be there for you? I'd be more worried that my Country won't be here.
"What is with all the Ron Paul supporters on this site? I guess an anti-immigration anti-abortion anti-government anti-tax candidate is too good to be true for some people. Lets go back to the 1700s."
Dr. Paul is not anti-immigration. He is against amnesty of illegal immigrants. He is for protecting our borders and fixing our LEGAL immigration process. He is pro-liberty, and pro-personal responsibility. He is pro-freedom, and pro-sustainability. It's true, he believes the Federal government is OUT OF CONTROL, but who doesn't? He is for strong State and local governments. He is pro-life, and wants to eliminate the IRS personal income tax. Who doesn't? What does that have to do with 1700? Try 2008 - WE THE PEOPLE want the Federal government to stop spying on us, stop stealing from us, and stop trying to run our lives. If that makes me a pro-liberty (libertarian) person, so be it. I am a Republican, in support of the REPUBLIC for which our Constitution has been written. We are not a Democracy (majority rule), we are supposed to be protect the rights of the minority, not the ignorance of the masses.
127 - Akston
Irony (ahy-ruh-nee) " n. An organization famous for seeing Communists hiding everywhere being decried by observers who see racists hiding everywhere.
128 - George
All I've got to say Joannes comment is "AMEN!" I couldn't have said it better myself.
129 - George
This George echoes exactly what the other George just said.
130 - Dave Nalle
Candidates like Dennis Kucinich and Mike Gravel on the Dem side, and Dr. Paul on the Rep side have been ignored, ridiculed and dismissed as "crackpots", "nutjobs" or worse.
Kucinich and Gravel ARE crackpots and had no chance no matter what the media did. There's no conspiracy in giving fringe candidates limited coverage. And BTW, Gravel just became a libertarian.
Dr. Paul is not anti-immigration. He is against amnesty of illegal immigrants.
Something which had never been proposed or even considered by Congress.
The problem is that Paul has issue positions based on fantasies like amnesty immigration and the fictional North American Union. That makes it hard to take him seriously. The reason that the JBS is relevant is that they originate these paranoid fantasies which Paul's followers and the candidate himself embrace.
Dave
131 - REMF
"Kucinich and Gravel ARE crackpots and had no chance no matter what the media did."
- Dave Nalle
Now why doesn't it surprise me that you trash the two guys who felt anyone who believed Iraq was a righteous invasion should enlist and volunteer for combat...(?)
132 - Clavos
After the fiascoes of Korea and Vietnam, anyone who enlists and volunteers for combat on behalf of this country is an idiot...
133 - Pablo
Just typical Davey rants, you go boy!
134 - STM at the arse-hole end of the world
In answer to Robert:
If Britain is to become part of a Euro super state, how will that impact on the clandestine US/British bid to establish a global, world-ruling anglosphere of the English-speaking nations - now spread from one corner of the globe to the other?
Anyone who thinks this isn't happening needs to look at the clues presented of late ... namely, Iraq, Afghanistan and the war on terror.
Perhaps this is the real reason why France and Germany are so keen to have Britain more onside in terms of political union.
Won't happen though.
The Poms (and their American friends) aren't that stupid, and the CFR and its London equivalent, Chatham House, are in league. Everyone knows that.
Twice in a century the British have watched Germany try to give the world a hot foot, and in the previous century they watched the French do it numerous times. They won't simply let France and Germany head up a new super state that challenges the economic might of the US, and the British interests that go with it.
An old empire might have fallen apart, but its ghost hasn't disappeared.
135 - Irene Wagner
Dave Nalle: Some 'patriots' like Timothy McVeigh find their [JBS society, publisher of New American magazine] brand of anti-government populism inspiring... Woopsy-daisy.
I find YOU inspiring, Dave Nalle, and I have a lifetime membership in the JBS. What does that say about YOU?
136 - Irene Wagner
Sorry, Dave Nalle, #135 was written by my OTHER persona who finds you inspiring and can't post links properly.
Dave Nalle: "Some 'patriots' like Timothy McVeigh find their [JBS society's] brand of anti-government populism inspiring..." Woopsy-daisy.
Seriously Dave Nalle, Will Grigg is as brown as the day is long and he was SENIOR EDITOR of the JBS' flagship publication "The New American" for years! There were JBS members in the sixties who were racists. There were Republican and Democratic party members in the sixties who were racists, too. Well, how about it? The JBS has had serious internal problems lately. Will Grigg would be the first to attest to that. The typical JBS member is not a racist. Will Grigg would be the first to attest to that, also.
I still get the New American magazine, and I don't agree with it all, any more than you agree with all the publications you read. Populist? Yes, for the most part. Traditional Libertarians (NOT the neoconservatives who have--unconspiratorily, of course--infiltated Liberatarianism) score high on the Populist scale as well.
"You're a racist!"
No, I'm not. I'm a "faithful follower of Brother John Birch and I belong to the Antioch Baptist Church, and I ain't even GOT a garage, you can call home and ask my wife." (Charlie Daniels)
137 - TK
JBS has been a cautionary line of extremism in political discussions since I was tiny (Grandpa says: "Oh no, now you're starting to sound like someone from the John Birch Society!") but I've never known much about them. Where do they get their reputation as being on the very edge of reason?
Ah-ha! I'm descended from a long line of National Review subscribers -- and Buckley railed against them, as far back as 1962.
138 - ACUTS
"fictional North American Union"
I guess you do not read much or research at all.
Public record... here and Canada
SPP and NASRA... ring a bell. Read about it goofy...or maybe you can ask Obama about the fictional NAFTA Super Highway he admitted too.
139 - Robert
Who was John Birch?
Check out this 10 minute video "The Adventures of John Birch".
[Edited]
[Robert, it would be much appreciated if you could turn your URLs into properly formatted clickable links in future. If you don't know how to do that, there is a quick and easy tutorial here.
Also, the comments space is for posting your OWN words and thoughts, not for copying and pasting entire pieces from other sites. If you wish to share such things with us, please link to them.
Thanks,
Dr Dreadful
Assistant Comments Editor]
140 - Dave Nalle
BTW, there has been some debate over the JBS version of John Birch's bio, which some have claimed is largely fictional and self-serving.
"fictional North American Union"
I guess you do not read much or research at all.
Public record... here and Canada
No, you see I actually HAVE done the research and there's no documentation to support the idea of the NAU as the Birchers describe it (something like the EU with a common currency) except in the entirely theoretical writings of a couple of folks at the CFR.
The SPP on the other hand, is real. But it's no threat at all to US sovereignty. Go read some of the actual documentation for once instead of just what's printed in JBS propaganda.
I find YOU inspiring, Dave Nalle, and I have a lifetime membership in the JBS. What does that say about YOU?
As I said earlier, there are things the JBS advocates which I agree with. I just draw the line at paranoid conspiracy silliness and nativist bigotry.
Dave
141 - Robert
Dr Dreadful:
“[Edited]”
Dave makes baseless accucations that ALL JBS members are racist (recall: "They're still racists and anti-Semites and nativists”) which clearly violates the official comment policy to wit: “personal attacks of any kind, and terms offensive to groups when used in a pejorative manner.”
In response to these blanket accusations I post some information about the JBS including some clip and paste from the website. This is not a vilation of the official comment policy yet it gets edited.
Interesting.
If the editing tools are out, please consider editing Dave’s blanket commnts accusing people of being racist.
- Robert
142 - Dr Dreadful
Robert,
BC is a broad church and we allow pretty much any comment that doesn't violate the comments policy, even 'baseless accusations'.
'Pejorative' as I understand it implies a particular negative tone which just wasn't present in Dave's comment. I'd have to check with the site owners, but I have a fairly good idea that from their point of view, any pejorativeness on Dave's part would have had to have involved the use of explicit insults. I see nothing here other than his own opinion.
The comments policy as posted was written five years ago, and our approach since then has evolved with experience. It does urge the use of properly formatted links rather than blind URLs, and while the practice of cutting-and-pasting is not quite the same thing, in my view it commits the same offense of making the threads look untidy.
Especially since, in your case, a clickable link to the relevant page on the JBS website would have done just as well.
143 - Robert
Dr Dreadful:
If I were to call the owners of this site racist because they approve of Dave's views, would you edit that?
How about a claim that you are racist?
Do the owners and administrators of this website take moral and legal responsibility for Dave's blanket statement that "They're (referencing Ron Paul and all JBS members) still racists and anti-Semites and nativists"?
- Robert
144 - silver surfer
ACUTS wrote: "fictional North American Union I guess you do not read much or research at all. Public record... here and Canada."
This is not indicative of a North American Union.
It's far more indicative of the clandestine Anglosphere that is steadily taking control of the world. (yes, Canada is mainly an English-speaking nation).
The US has a free-trade agreement with Australia as well, and they're on the other side of the Pacific.
While you're all looking close to home in your paranoia about this fictional North American union, I suggest getting really paranoid and looking at a global union of English-speaking nations.
That's where the answers are. The problem is, the answers also raise even more questions ...
And here's an interesting question first up.
If there IS an anglosphere, and there's no doubt in many people's minds that there is such a clandestine thing, who's really running it???
I suggest getting busy on the internet now for some lengthy research. There's much to be learnt. Time's a wastin', and there's probably not much of it left before all this comes to pass.
145 - Dr Dreadful
Robert:
If I were to call the owners of this site racist because they approve of Dave's views, would you edit that?
No. If that is your view, you're entitled to express it.
How about a claim that you are racist?
That would depend on your tone and whether you had any valid reasons for saying so.
Do the owners and administrators of this website take moral and legal responsibility for Dave's blanket statement that "They're (referencing Ron Paul and all JBS members) still racists and anti-Semites and nativists"?
You'd have to ask them. Or you could stop whining, let it go and move on. The JBS doesn't need you to protect it from Dave.
146 - Dave Nalle
Robert, if you don't want people to leap to the conclusion that you're a bigot and a loon, don't join the JBS. I find your assumption that the readers of this site are so ignorant and simpleminded that they can't see through the JBS's smokescreen of pseudolibertarian posturing to be incredibly arrogant.
You can defend and try to redefine and misrepresent the JBS all you want, but the organization WILL be judged by the actions and beliefs of its members far more than your feeble protestations in its defense and attempts to distract with ad hominem attacks on me.
Dave
147 - STM
Robert, under the 1st amendment, Dave is entitled to express his views free even from any legal ramifications providing he believes they are true and doesn't break any laws in the process.
It's all very well to bang on about the constitution and upholding it, but you can't have it both ways just because you don't like what he says.
148 - Pablo
Dave,
If you don't want people to leap to the conclusion that you're a bigot and a loon, don't join the republican party. Smirk
149 - Pablo
Dave,
You can defend and try to redefine and misrepresent the republican party all you want, but the organization WILL be judged by the actions and beliefs of its members far more than your feeble protestations in its defense. Double smirk
150 - Clavos
"Smirk?"
"Double smirk?"
Could you get any more puerile, Pablo?
And you rage because nobody has respect for you or believes your wild-eyed rants...
Grow up.
151 - Robert
For 50 years the John Birch Society has been the leader in the fight to preserve our constitutional republic against collectivism in all of its forms. JBS success has been dramatic and that is why establishment lackeys like Dave are so vitriolic.
Just a few of the success include:
Nationalized police force - Killed by the JBS
Constitutional-Convention - Killed by the JBS
FTAA - Killed by the JBS
NAU - Stalled by the JBS
UN LOST - Stalled by the JBS
Kyoto - Stalled by the JBS
UN - Significantly curbed by the JBS
Amnesty - JBS was a major national leader in the Summer 2007 amnesty fights in the Senate (forget the commentary Dave, only you and John McCain did not consider the McCain/Kennedy bill to be amnesty)
The John Birch Society is home to the world's largest all private library. It has a research team and a national field staff. More importantly, the JBS has well over a thousand chapters (usually between 10 and 60 members in each) around the nation.
If you love our country and are resolved not to allow your children to live as slaves, join the Society. Find out why Ron Paul would say: "The John Birch Society is a great patriotic organization featuring an educational program solidly based on constitutional principles. I congratulate the Society in this, its 50th year. I wish them continued success and endorse their untiring efforts to foster 'less government, more responsibility ... and with God's help ... a better world."
- Robert
152 - Pablo
Yup Davey is a shill.
153 - Clavos
If you love our country...
Not always; and, lately, not much.
and are resolved not to allow your children to live as slaves...
It IS tempting.
Guess I won't be joining the JBS anytime soon...
154 - Robert
Before Ron Paul there was 5 term Congressman Larry McDonald, M.D. (Democrat-Georgia). Go to youtube.com and do a search on him. The 1983 "Crossfire" interview is highly recommended.