Well, if you refuse to back up your assertions than we can toss them in the dustbin. Good day to you.
ok just for you. i withdraw what i said. ron paul is a perfect pick for the republican president and i am pulling for him to win the primaries. if i cant have palin, bachman or cain as my pick i guess ron paul will get the job done.
Normally I would agree with you, however I really think the republicans are going for the ABO vote and will not vote 3rd party. Paul doesn't siphon any votes from the right, he actually gets them from the left. The fact of the matter is, people who are loyal Ron Paul supporters will NOT under any circumstances vote for another GOP candidate. So Paul running 3rd party will not get any of them. However, Paul will get some of the left anti-war vote. He hurts the dems more then the GOP on a 3rd party ticket. And no, he won't run 3rd party. He will not ruin the legacy for his son by going 3rd party.
He gets them from both sides but the majority of his supporters are of the conservative variety. Sure, the rank and file republicans who receive all their marching orders from Fox News will vote for who they are told to vote for; but Ron Paul supporters, as you well know, will not vote for anyone other than Ron Paul. There is a sizable Ron Paul wing within the republican party and that wing will depart if he departs. Also, not sure what legacy you are referring to. His son Rand understands the game regarding our rigged duopoly. Finally, he won't run third party if he wins the GOP nomination. However, by not ruling it out he is telegraphing to his supporters what his next step is. Remember, he is not seeking re election in the House so it's all or nothing.
I think when we look back 20 or so years from now (those of us still around) we'll see how right Ron Paul was, and how - though never elected as President - he shaped politics and the world with his thinking. He will be remembered for his radical ideas that were CORRECT. I truly wish he would stand a chance, but I think the rich and powerful still have too great a stranglehold for him to succeed. However, look at his affect on the current candidates. You've got Perry (lunatic as he is) saying what Bernanke is doing is borderline treasonous. You've got Newt (who I like out of the group ex-Paul) consistently pointing out the errors of the Fed and mentioning last night how he'd fire Bernanke. Bachmann, Palin, even Romney said he would not reappoint Bernanke. I don't think any of these candidates would be saying these things if it weren't for Paul and the population responding so positively to his ideas. Though I dismay that Paul will never be President (barring a miraculous event), I honor the momentum he has garnered in the country and that he has single-handedly woken more people from their slumber than any other politician in decades. He must really chafe the ass of the elite.
DAS, you are not listening to me. Yes, obviously Ron Paul supporters are of the "conservative variety". However, the GOP is not losing those votes because they never HAD them. That 10% is off in their own wing. They will not vote for Romney no matter what, so they are not going to "pull" any votes away. Paul will get some of the disenfranchised liberal votes due to his foreign policy views. And you know what, the GOP knows this and they are not afraid of Paul's third party. I honestly think the GOP much more fears a Trump 3rd party ticket. Trump absolutely WOULD pull Romney voters and GOP voters over to the 3rd party and would get Obama re-elected.
The GOP has the votes as long as Paul remains in the GOP. As an example, the only reason I am a registered republican is to vote for Ron Paul in the primaries. That's true for many of his supporters. Should he decide to leave the party so to will those votes. The GOP has the votes today, but they may not have them tomorrow.
Thank you for articulating exactly why the establishment is terrified of Dr Paul; the man has single handedly changed the debate. Just imagine if he had a bully pulpit..things would actually change for the better in this country. I think you make some valid points but if Paul does well in the early states (Iowa and New Hampshire) it could cause a tidal wave of support from the "oh, I better vote for who's gonna win" crowd. Most of the people out there are sheep and there is simply no way for the corporate media to downplay it if Paul comes in first or second in those two states...though I suspect they will try. If he does poorly in those states then he will likely be gearing up for a third party run before too long.
cramer wasnt too impressed with what the republicans have to offer: "One other thought, last night's debate showed me that they better get their act together over there because if any of the Republicans whom I saw last night wins the election, there will be no help whatsoever coming from the White House -- and, if anything, scorn would be the strategy if, indeed, scorn is a strategy at all." Jim Cramer