Although some of his supporters might be disappointed with Ron Paul's fifth place showing in the Iowa caucus, it certainly is not the end or the last we have heard from him. Many have lost early primaries and have gone on to win the nomination. Iowa demonstrated that his Internet presence can translate into real support on the ground. Many forget that not so long ago he was polling in low single digit numbers, therefore to finish with 10% of the vote can only be seen as positive. This is a huge victory because not only does it build more momentum and set the stage for New Hampshire, but it ensures that his message will reach more people. To exclude him from any debates at this point is a travesty of justice, and denies the American people the opportunity to hear his simple but popular message of hope and freedom.
It would have been nice to finish ahead of both McCain and Thompson, but Ron Paul supporters can take some comfort in placing ahead of Giuliani, who finished with 4% of the vote. Giuliani did make more visits to Iowa than Paul, but he still wasn't expected to win. Paul beat him more than 2-1, and managed to capture one out of every ten votes. He is posed to build off that and if he can finish with 15% or higher in New Hampshire, this could put him in the top three. If the field remains close, this could also favor him. In a tight race, a split in votes could lead to Ron Paul coming right up the middle. He has more money and resources than some of his opponents, and this puts him at an advantage. The nomination could go down to the wire, with Paul winning or playing a key role.
Throughout the campaign, Ron Paul has been ridiculed and attacked for his views, as well as ignored and excluded from polls and debates. Nevertheless, he has shown remarkable resiliency. His huge Internet support, his ability to raise substantial amounts of money, and his 10% of the vote in Iowa have made ignoring him that much harder. He has never been one of the establishment media-preferred candidates, but with his support and polling numbers on the rise, there is no reason for him to be excluded from the Fox News debate. He deserves to be heard. Let the American people make their choice. Trying to suppress his message could have the reverse effect. It is because of his powerful message that he has been catapulted from relative obscurity to legitimate contender and possible spoiler. In the fourth quarter he raised close to $20 million, more than any Democrat or Republican candidate. His support hasn't peaked and he has more room to grow. Nothing seems to be able to derail the Ron Paul revolution, and the longer he stays in the race, the more of a threat he will become.
There is no doubt that a lot of money and resources have been poured into New Hampshire. It is important to have another strong showing, and anything less could torpedo Ron Paul's whole campaign. He doesn't have to win, but another impressive showing will further boast his campaign, and carry over into the next primaries. As the field dwindles down, if he can somehow hang around, the differences between himself and his opponents will become more apparent to the American people and will help his cause. To write off Ron Paul might prove to be unwise, and to underestimate him and his support plays to his advantage. Try as they might, the mainstream media can't ignore this revolution. Ron Paul is still in this race and very much alive.
It shouldn't be all that surprising that Ron Paul's message of freedom, limited government, lower taxes, following the Constitution, defending American sovereignty, and his non-interventionist policy has been so popular. Some who were disinterested in politics are taking action for the first time. He has restored faith with many who had given up on the whole political process and those sick of the governments lies and corruption. His message of freedom crosses all party lines, and we have him to thank for bringing many key issues to the forefront. This revolution is bigger than Ron Paul- it has given hope and a sense of power back to the people. No longer will our voices be silent, and the actions of his supporters have spawned a movement that will remain in place no matter if he wins or loses. If he does fail in his bid to win the Republican nomination, he will have the support, money, and organizational infrastructure in place to make a serious third party challenge.
The Ron Paul revolution of hope and change has come a long way in a short period of time. After the Iowa results Paul said, “This is not the end. This is the beginning.” He is exactly right, but the big question is, can he win? He could pull off a stunning victory, but regardless, supporting him is the right thing to do. This movement goes well beyond Paul. It is about taking our government and country back. He may be America's last hope, and it is up to use to seize this opportunity and make history. His campaign will continue to astonish his supporters, critics, and the so-called experts. Win or lose, Ron Paul and his supporters have changed the rules and the political landscape forever. Ron Paul's message, his dream, his passion and his legacy will live on.
newworldordermustbestopped.com
"I do this for the love of my family and humanity. If it sparks debate and leads people searching for the truth then it is all worth it. Keep up the fight against the NWO."
Agreed, it must be accomplished in this election. Motivate for the most needed message from Dr. Paul: Remove our military presence from the middle east which is costing us $623 billion/year. This alone will change our path.
The Libertarians want very limited government. The corporations are probably saying, "Goodie, we don't want the competition for running this country anymore!"
Hey, maybe the corporations can buy up all the public land and the Great Lakes. After that, they can buy legal rights to the air we breathe and charge us for it.
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Teri Brake (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 6 comments)
on Saturday, January 5, 2008 at 10:33:59 PM
The Libertarians want very limited government. The corporations are probably saying, "Goodie, we don't want the competition for running this country anymore!"
You may find this hard to comprehend, but the corporations don't compete with government, they use it. Who do you think hires all the lobbyist? Who supplies all the war machinery? Whose bottom line does it benifit through manipulating government policies? That's right. The corporations.
Hey, maybe the corporations can buy up all the public land and the Great Lakes. After that, they can buy legal rights to the air we breathe and charge us for it.
And when they get just the right number of bought and paid for politicians, they probably have a plan for that. Ron Paul is one of very few that is protecting you from corporatism.
The government now takes from you far more than you will receive in services, and uses much of it for things you disapprove of. Limited government allows YOU to make the choice what your earned income is spent on, not corruptable politicians.
Understand?
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Tom Davis (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 13 comments)
on Saturday, January 5, 2008 at 11:06:20 PM
Do I sense condescension in your reply to me? I know whereof I speak.
Carla Howell keeps wanting to privatize roads. I know I have read about them wanting to sell the companies the waters on which they reside in a Libertarian newsletter at some point.
Meanwhile, I live in a city that runs its power plant. The rates are relatively low compared to other areas that are powered by private utility companies. The service and repair response is top rate. Ameren is a private utility which thought it could come into my state and run roughshod over everyone. When my mother bought a house this year, she didn't want one which was in Ameren jurisdiction, because of their high costs and lousy repair response. In an ice storm emergency, our CITY-run utility workers finished their repair work in good time and went and made extra money bailing Ameren's butt out, since it couldn't do the job without help. A lotta complaints with that one.
Ameren is an arrogant utility, which feels it can do what it pleases. If my city is unhappy with the city-run utility, the citizens can complain to the elected representatives about it. Those representatives are more responsive since they like to keep their jobs. VOTES are the true currency.
Oh, BTW, Hillary Clinton got a lot of her money from lobbyiists, unlike Obama and Edwards. She finished third in Iowa. It will be hard for big money to buy candidates' votes in the future.
The internet gave the power back to the people. VOTES are the ONLY true currency.
Been there, done that with the Libertarian party and wised up.
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Teri Brake (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 6 comments)
on Saturday, January 5, 2008 at 11:52:29 PM
You do not know the game when it comes to roads. The game is - take the tax money to build the roads and maintain them; then, when people are used to that, sell off roads to private companies, and keep taking the tax money anyway. That way we pay twice.
Did you want to keep doing it that way? As to your utilities, if having the government take over everything was so great, then the Soviet Union wouldn't have collapsed, and Venezuela, North Korea and Cuba would be paradise on Earth, now wouldn't they? If government could just mandate clean air, then why is China so polluted? Bottom line; there is no such thing as a free lunch, and everything must be paid for one way or another, by someone somewhere.
Frankly, I don't believe you have ever truly been a libertarian, because once you go libertarian, you don't go back. It's like the red pill; you can't "un-take" it.
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Tom deSabla (2 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 44 comments)
on Sunday, January 6, 2008 at 1:00:35 AM
I didn't say anything about wanting government to take over everything. I think we need government to be as strong as corporate America, so the two can keep each other in check. Checks and balances. Get it? Clever, huh?
If you feel you are paying twice for your roads, then please show me the online link that proves it. All I know is, that when my state's roads need improvement, then we the taxpayers foot the bill and the state THEN contracts out the job.
If you are paying twice for your roads, then I suggest you contact your local representatives and complain about it. Start a petition. Really moan and groan about it. Corporations can leave our country and not really be answerable to us, but the politicians can't. They have to answer to us. I complain to my representatives about a lot of issues. When enough constituents who feel like me complain about an issue, then the politician gets a headache, says okay, enough is enough and relents. ;)
I am NOT for weak government and super strong corporations. That leads to stuff like company towns, who pay their workers in company scrip and the workers then have to buy their goods from the company-owned shops in the company towns. The Mormans have their own state. Maybe a corporation will have theirs next.
Let's face it. Libertarians are right wing. I saw a group of people out west on television one time. They were ticked at OUR government and they said they were Libertarian. This group was conservative and deeply religious. They, like most of Libertarians, want things THIER way, which is right wing. Most Libertarians jumped the Republican ship. The Libertarian party is to the Republicans what the Green party is to the Democrats. Dissatisfied with the status quo in their former parties.
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Teri Brake (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 6 comments)
on Sunday, January 6, 2008 at 1:47:19 AM
So, you think "checks and balances" are supposed to be between government and private? That expression refers to the relationship between the different branches of government. The purpose is to keep government in check. The only type of system geared towards keeping private industry in check is the communist/socialist type of system.
I believe that you, like many others on the socialist side of the debate, are suffering under a misconception regarding what entities are "accountable" to the people. You think that corporations are unaccountable and government is accountable. I believe that history shows that you have it backward. The bottom line is that governments have a monopoly on the use of force, and they take your money via taxation, regulation, and all the other ways, whether you like it or not. You have no choice as to whether or not to avail yourself of government services.
Coroporations, however, do not have troops, and cannot force you to use their products. They are accountable to the people through the mechanism of price. If prices get too high, the people can refuse to buy. I find that many people who are anti-corporate are really anti-wealth. Hating wealth is not the same as loving freedom.
Teri, libertarians are not "right-wing." If you were such an expert on political ideology as you imply, you'd know that there is no such thing as right or left; you're either a statist who believes in government as the solver of all problems and the righter of all inequities - or you think that goverment is way too big, way out of control, way dangerous, and individual people need to be free to make their own decisions about their lives, futures, and property.
In other words, you're either a libertarian who believes that the most important thing to preserve in a society is the freedom of the individual; or you're not. If the freedom of the individual is not your first political concern, then it really makes no difference if you call yourself democrat, progressive, republican, conservative, or whatever - you're just a statist. Statism is THE problem in America as it is all over the world, and if you do not know this, or willfully deny it with all the evidence available to you, then with all due respect Teri, you are PART OF THE PROBLEM.
Forget the stupid left-right paradigm; it is a waste of your time and energy.
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Tom deSabla (2 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 44 comments)
on Sunday, January 6, 2008 at 1:46:38 PM
Oh, my. Corporations have shown great power. For all we know, they may even have their own Blackwater. They even have enough of a monopoly in some areas and you can't change even if you don't like the product or price. Ameren is a very good example of that.
Libertarians claim the free market rules, but don't want extra laws to break up monopolies, which stifles the free market. It's almost like they want to keep those with most of the money on top.
Nah, Libertarians are to the right of center. I saw enough of it in the letters to the Libertarian newsletter. I saw a Libertarian politician running for a state office who blasted just the Dems, NOT the Pubs.
You think you know my views about wealth. You don't know me, so don't pretend to know that. I am a capitalist pig, but one with a conscience. That is the difference between me and most of the corporations. I am just not vicious like them.
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Teri Brake (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 6 comments)
on Monday, January 7, 2008 at 2:20:16 AM
If corporations are buying politicians and one even has its former CEO in the vice-president's office, then you don't think they like running the country to their benefit?
Like I said before, if you don't like something, complain to your representatives about it. They can't get back in office without votes. Hillary Clinton got the most funds from big money and she only came in third in Iowa. That trend has just started and it will only get bigger. There will be fewer bought and paid for politicians in the future.
And if you don't like what the truckers are paying for their access to the roadways, well, go right ahead and gripe about that to your representatives. Frankly, I would more inclined to worry about the safety issue at this point. Maybe in the future, I will bother with the road issue.
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Teri Brake (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 6 comments)
on Monday, January 7, 2008 at 2:51:54 AM
Corporations get a HUGE subsidy from the government in the form of roads. Large trucks (18-wheelers) when loaded, do 10,000 times the damage to the roads as do passenger cars. They should be required to pay for that but they do not. In order to pay their “fair share” they would have to pay about 10,000 times the fuel tax, or about $450 PER GAL tax.
If the roads were owned by private concerns, the owners could charge the trucks for the damage the trucks do. Needless to say, there would not be many large trucks on the roads. But that is a good thing. A steel wheel rolling on a steel rail is significantly more efficient that a rubber tire on pavement, so we wold see an increase in shipping via trains. This would allow the train companies to rebuild their tracts and infrastructure etc. It may even result in the train companies again promoting passenger train travel and the end to Amtrak.
Another benefit would be reduced congestion on the nation’s freeways, which would translate to shorter commute times, less roadway maintenance and therefore lower fuel taxes, fewer accidents etc. The increased efficiency would decrease air pollution and the consumption of fossil fuels.
So Terri; getting the government out of businesses that it has no legal or logical basis being in is a good thing. Virtually all monopolies exist because the government sanctions them. In a free market, businesses compete to be the lowest cost supplier of goods and services people want. When the government gets involved, we get high prices and poor service. There are thousands of case studies supporting the benefits to society of free markets. Many of these studies also illustrate the high cost of government interference. The one I cited above regarding the trucking industry is but one.
Do yourself a favor and study economics. Do a little reading and educate yourself.
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Mark Bennett (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 47 comments)
on Sunday, January 6, 2008 at 2:54:44 PM
To call Teri "profoundly ignorant" is exactly the term that applies to you.
The idea that corporations can be controlled by removing government from the equation and having only market forces is such a delusion that it is mind boggling that someone can assert it in the 21st century. It ranks with the flat earth for credibility.
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Gregory Wonderwheel (3 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 99 comments)
on Sunday, January 6, 2008 at 7:12:17 PM
The irrationality of libertarianism is exquisitly demonstrated by your argument about corporations and roads. I agree 100% with the view that corporations do the greatest damage to roads and that the government "subsidizes" corporations in a manner of speaking by not taxing corporations to pay their fair share.
But what is your solution? To make all roads private toll roads?
Taking government out of the equation means that there is no entity that could fairly tax the corporations whiich is the better solution than doing away with the government.
Basically it looks like libertarians don't believe in government of the people, by the people and for the people. Because the "bad guy" corporations have taken over government instead of returning government to the people you would disable government. That is no solution.
But why would libertarians prefer to disable government over fixing government? Because the philosophy of libertarianism is the unbalanced and onesided worship of the individual to the detriment of the social reality. Libertarians hate to have the people regulate the individual and want to push the balance point as far to the right as possible in favor of the conception of "individual" rights.
In concert with this goal, libertarians place the individual's greed for private propety above the social contract and the right of the people to share property. Frankly that was Adolf Hitler's view too.
"We stand for the maintenance of private property... We shall protect free enterprise as the most expedient, or rather the sole possible economic order." Adolph Hitler
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Gregory Wonderwheel (3 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 99 comments)
on Sunday, January 6, 2008 at 7:32:03 PM
It would seem that with all the failed government to date you people would find more pertinent issues to disagree on. Does anybody care that this country is going into the toilet in an exponentially increasing spiral of hate. Even Obama is talking about killing everybody America doesn't like.
It would seem that with such a revolution building to save this country from losing all that the founding fathers bled to establish, the issues would center on all the corruption and deceit that is negating the voting process. Is all you care about just what you can get? Why don't you all just shut up and take a little time to look at what is really happening instead of only caring about what the next candidate can do to make sure you are nice and comfortable.
Big corporations are killing this country with poisons, and this alienating "plaigiarism of partnership" that is infecting Americas free market society like a virus just makes for greedy mass bedfellows. I see all you people every day just complacently rolling along sipping your latte, primping your "bling bling" image and running scared when the real "poop" hits the fan.
Those of us who are real Americans have been dying inside for over thirty years, trying and trying to get you idiots to help with the real issues. The lies that you kind of people help the elitists get away with because all you want is to put somebody in office that increases your comfort level, are almost collusive.
The Bush family is a bunch of sicko's and Nazi's. If you don't think that George Bush Senior killed JFK then you don't know diddly. George Bush Senior has been the premier force in this country for over 40 years, since before he was in charge of the CIA. No matter that we are better off not to have Back Door Gore in the hot seat, it still must be noted that W. Bush was able to pilfer the presidency, and quite easily I might add.
How do you people live with the convenient amnesia that is infecting the middle and upper class. As soon as some candidate says anything that puts a little extra bloody cab fare in your pocket, or plays avenger to your many sick hatreds, they are your best friend. Ron Paul is the only decent human being in the running that I have seen in my life and I have lived in this country for over forty years. I don't want one more hateful "skull and bones" sicko in the white house, and you shouldn't either.
Religions around the world preach a message of hate, fear and control, and seek to rob from every human their birthrite of prayer. Those evil veracity bending manipulaters are what have given us up to such evil powers by legitimizing such control. That is why there was a need for seperation of church and state, but the damage had already been done. The politicians seem to think that they are better than us and that we don't know how to behave or think or communicate, and have been pushing for Authoritarianism for almost a century. However, it has been the pressure of control and fear that has manifested all the perversions that we are dealing with. People would act a lot differntly if given the opportunity, and that has been proven many times.
There is an absolute myriad of major issues like this country now falling into a veritable police state and all you can talk about is the f...ng money. You all are part of the errant equations that saturate this society...what you would call the problem. I am very salient, and I don't need to know anything specific about politics or policy or any of your vehement ramblings of statistics. I can SEE it all in my mind like a song and believe me it kills me on a daily basis, because for all I have tried to do to change this world, the one thing I have found is that none of you types TRULY give a rip. I piss on your stupid roads. Take a walk.
You love your vengeful religions because you all believe that some day your hateful god will come back and kill all your "enemies". Sure, they tell you that all have sinned. Well thank you master of the obvious, however what they are really hiding is the very important fact...that all are righteous...take responsibility and start acting like it.
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Dane Wilson (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 2 comments)
on Sunday, January 6, 2008 at 11:32:57 PM
I must extend my sincerest apologies, I didn't mean for that last post to sound so nasty. I am just having a hard time with all these murderous despots controlling this great nation because everybody just wants their greedy cash. I am poor and I intend to stay that way, that it makes most of the people in this country look down on me, is crippling. I have spent a lifetime of dedication to my fellow man and have never crossed any of the lines that soil peoples souls, many times permanently.
I have more righteousness in my thumb than a thousand priests and all it has gotten me is hated. Why? because for most people, the real truth is too painful for them, or at least they think it is. From what I have seen, most are too afraid to even consider trying. I live in torment for the things I wish I couldn't see, but I wouldn't give it up for any of most peoples happy complacency.
I also believe that too many people think that voting is somehow being involved. To just take one day out of every four years to punch some holes in a piece of paper is not being involved. The people who stand to gain so much are the ones who can help the most, however, they won't. This country is falling into ruin because of US, and our refusal to take responsibility for the solutions our actions reap. It is the complacency of contemporary society that is enabling so much abuse and exploitation. The Bin Ladens and Husseins are there because we demand it every day with our actions. The second worst day in my life is when I realized that people had actually tortured other human beings to death and more. The worst day of my life is when I realized it was still happening, and I have not had a happy day since.
Who here would pull the trigger if they ever got a Hitler or a Jung Il in their sights? I can almost hear the cheers and applause. Now, who would look them in the eye and put their hand firmly on their shoulder and seek to understand their pain? nobody? I can hear the pin drop. That, my friends is what I call being part of the problem. Fighting fire with fire is failure. PEACE!
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Dane Wilson (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 2 comments)
on Monday, January 7, 2008 at 12:27:29 AM
