[tomder55]

Can Ron Paul turn a populist libertarian campaign into as successful run for Republican standard bearer ? Or is he just a reincarnation of Howard Dean?

Ron Paul's supporters blitzed the net yesterday and hauled in over $4million in campaign donations . This tops the single best day of any Republican candidate ,and only trails Evita and Obama for the record.

They picked Nov. 5 as the fund drive date because it was Guy Fawkes day . Guy Fawkes tried and failed to off King James I with a terrorist bombing of Parliament . A movie about a dude who fights a fascist government dressed as Guy Fawkes called '"V" for Vendetta' appears to be a popular one with Paul's supporters . Thus the date of the fund raiser.

But Ron Paul is only polling about 5% in national averages . So although he has a very committed base ;do you think it will translate into votes at the primaries ? And if not ;does this make the role of money in politics just a little over-rated ?

I will concede this point in advance. Their enthusiasm is refreshing compared to the lifeless values voters this time around. Even if the Republicans dismiss Paul they had better start paying attention to this potential voting block. I travelled up-state NY over the weekend . Besides all the local candidates placards ,the only Presidential sign I saw from either party was for Ron Paul's . Will they be a footnote in history like the Deaniac ;or a potential block to court ?

[RickJ]

My money at this point is with Ron Paul. I believe he can pull it off.

[kindj]

While I don't think he can pull of the whole shootin' match, I do think he can shake the dust off the traditional candidates and maybe fire them up a bit.

[RickJ]

At the risk of having things thrown at me, I think an awesome running mate for him would be Pat Buchanan ;)

[tomder55]

There are some issues I think he is right on about . But I think he is way off base about our foreign policies .

[NeedKarma]

Whether he may be the best man or not (I like him) he is not what the media is pushing towards the populace unfortunately.

[tomder55]

Turns out that Paul is not alone . Mick Huckabee ,another of the so called 2nd tier candidates was able to raise $1.1 million on-line last month . Huckabee Deems Himself 'In Play' | The Trail | washingtonpost.com

I forgot to add a link to the Ron Paul record haul
Ron Paul's Record Online Haul | The Trail | washingtonpost.com

[N0help4u]

A. I heard him more likened to Ross Perot than Howard Dean.

B. He grew up a few miles from where I did! That makes him okay with me.
On second thought there's Teresa Heinz Kerry :( so I take that back.

C. I say we need the day to come where the majority of people fed up with Dem's and Rep's get together and actually vote for 'the third party' Ron Paul would be a good candidate for that. But it ain't going to happen this time round --I don't think!

[tomder55]

I liken him more to the Ralph Nader candidacy in terms of effectiveness He will draw single digit support .I have a feeling that if Paul mounted a 3rd party run he would draw equally amongst Republican and Democrat disaffected .

[magprob]

Ron Paul will be made ineffective by bizness as usual.

[zylstra]

I have a feeling that if Paul mounted a 3rd party run he would draw equally amongst Republican and Democrat disaffected .

He already ran in a 3rd party in '88.

[inthebox]

I liken him more to the Ralph Nader candidacy in terms of effectiveness He will draw single digit support .I have a feeling that if Paul mounted a 3rd party run he would draw equally amongst Republican and Democrat disaffected .

Taxes, Spending, and Debt Are the Real Issues by Ron Paul

I think he will draw true fiscal conservatives and scare all the entitlement spending Republicans and Democrats.

All he needs is a "giant sucking sound" ;) like line and he will be a major force.






Grace and peace

[tomder55]

I really don't see the Ross Perot comparison . Paul has sounded like a Democrat at the Republican debates and it makes sense . There is a strong left leaning aspect to libertarianism Left-libertarianism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

I liken a potential 3rd party run by Paul to the Anderson campaign in 1980 . Although he was a Republican his voter base was Democrats who did not like Carter .

If Hillary were the nominee I think a lot of the Kossaks would vote for Paul who is much more of a dove.If Obama or Edwards were the nominee fewer would defect.

[ETWolverine]

First of all, with the exception of gun control issues, Ron Paul is way off on most topics. He really is pushing for an end to all immigration, even legal immigration. He wants the USA to have pretty much no contact with the outside world, and ignores the fact that many US interests lie outside of the US borders. He has no foreign policy to speak of other than to say that we shouldn't have a foreign policy.

I think that even those who like Ron Paul will wake up to the fact that his ideas on foreign relations are not workable in the real world, and in the end he won't get more than single-digit support.

Elliot

[ordinaryguy]

The thing that left-of-center Dems and right-of-center Repubs have in common is a desire to use the power of government to make people act and think like them--about as far from the Libertarian position as you can get. And the Great Middle is quite happy feeding at the trough, and would not take kindly to a reduction in the flow of slop. No, I don't think Paul will be more than a footnote in the 2008 election season.

I agree with the John Anderson analogy. I'm proud to have voted for him in 1980, in spite of the fact that his candidacy was partly responsible for Ronald Reagan's election. Elections are about more than winning. If we don't cast our vote for the candidate who best reflects our views and philosophy of government, we are no more honest than the politicians who pander to us.