Ron Paul in '08?

I am just curious if anyone can provide some information about this (possible?) presidential candidate. To me, he seems like someone I would like more information about.

Now, whether or not he can be taken seriously by the American people is another story. I know he is a Libertarian running with the elephants. Yes, I am already thinking about where I will cast my vote in '08 and I am sick of both the Republicans and the Democrats. He seems like he would shake up Washington... And I honestly think Washington needs a good firm Cha-Cha!

This is some info I dug up on him just googling his name...

Official Web Site

Wiki

This one is quite interesting to search through!!!

Reason online article...

Anyways... Your thoughts? Do you think it is time for a 3rd party? I mean... If there is any election that a libertarian could do it... Wouldn't it be this next one?

I dont have any links for him but I think he would be my choice for president. Far more than hillary or obama.

posted by LostSailor

I am curious if anyone can provide some information about this (possible?) presidential candidate. Now, whether or not he can be taken seriously by the American people is another story. I know he is a Libertarian running with the elephants. Yes, I am thinking about where I will cast my vote in '08 . . I am sick of both Republicans and Democrats. He seems like he would shake up Washington . . Anyways . . Your thoughts? Do you think it is time for a 3rd party? I mean . . If there is any election that a libertarian could do it . . Wouldn't it be this next one? [Edited by Don W]

Q1. In 2000, Congress employed 38,000 employees in W-DC. I would guess the number has grown and has not shrunk. I don't know how many outside W-DC. I believe the average Congressperson employs about 200 employees. With nearly a $3 T. budget, it takes 1000s just to read it in a comprehending way. None of them want to talk about that. How many employees. I do know the top pay for top aides is about 95% of the Congressperson’s pay, about $165,000 a year. And their pay gets COLA’d every two years. A more generous COLA that the rest of us have. Perhaps a half dozen people are in that pay bracket. The lower half probably are closer to $35-$45,000 a year plus generous fringe benefits.

I’ve said all that to raise the issue of Libertarianism. Should a person live what he preaches, or should he indulge the same perks of office his peers enjoy all the while decrying the institution? The average House district has about 550,000 people. The sole congressperson for Montana has over 800,000. There is an exquisite formula that allots House seats among the several states which “proves” this disparity is fair. A long time ago the congresspersons got an annual mailing (stamps) allowance, but now I am of the opinion it is unlimited. Once upon a time congresspersons got one round trip ticket from their home to W-DC per year. I believe they get a round trip business class ticket each week congress is in session. Some have been known to fly on privately owned jets to and from. The Longworth House Office Building was ballyhooed as the most expensive office building ever built! I have also heard that claim for the FBI Building.

Congresspersons have the best health care plan money can buy! Your money. Congress has a wonderful retirement plan but no one will tell you exactly how much it is. This came up when we learned former San Diego Congressman Butch Cunningham will continue to get his pension even though he “sold” his office for at least $3 million and is now living in the penitentiary. I believe his pension is $85,000 a year. It may be more. He may get one from the Navy, too. And also Social Security. And like OJ, he may have some money stashed away.

Well, there is a lot of work for a Libertarian to do, that’s for sure.

Q2. Is this the time for a 3rd party? I think not. Reflect on the last time there was a third party that counted. 1992. Ross Perot’s No Official Name Party. Perot was included in the 3 presidential debates because the League of Women Voters ran those debates. By 1996, the Reps and Dems had “fixed” that! The Reps and Dems "fired" the League of Women Voters. Now the 2 parties run the debates and you will note the Perot’s Reform Party candidate (Pat Buchanan) did not get to participate in 1996, despite the Party polling nearly 20 million votes in 1992. Not enough they said! That’s democracy in action, for you A-rabs!

1992. Clinton polled 45 million votes, Bush41 polled 39 million votes and Perot polled nearly 20 million votes. Our electoral system is so much skewed against “outsiders” that Clinton received 370 electoral votes, B41 received 168, and Ross Perot receive a big Zero electoral votes. Yet, we heard not a murmur from the general public, which is equal to a imprimatur of approval! The public spoke by not speaking.

We had a two party system in 1792 and it was served the country well. The only other time a third party mattered was in 1912, when Theodore Roosevelt’s Progressive Party - called the Bull Moose Party - gave the election to Democrat Woodrow Wilson and caused the defeat of the Republican incumbent William Howard Taft. In1820, James Monroe was re-elected to the office of president without opposition. Called the Era of Good Feeling. The only other time that happened was in our first election in 1789 when George Washington had no serious opponent.

This is why most observers say voting any 3rd party on the national level is “wasting” your vote.

Ron Paul has offices in Washington, DC
Lake Jackson, TX, Galveston TX. Texas City TX and Victoria TX. Sweet Jesus! How do Members of the British House of Commons get by on 3 assistants?

I'll bet Ron Paul's telephone bill is more than most of us make in a year? And I'll bet you he will not tell you what it is if you email him to give you the dollar amount. I'm not knocking him, I'll bet you that none of the 435 Members and 5 Delegatse will tell you. Hey, that's called "transparency!"

[edit on 3/4/2007 by donwhite]

Originally posted by donwhite
I'll bet Ron Paul's telephone bill is more than most of us make in a year? And I'll bet you he will not tell you what it is if you email him to give you the dollar amount.

I would like you to contact Ron Paul's congressional office so that you have no doubt as to the outcome. I've contacted his office on other matters and I believe that you will receive the information that you request.

Originally posted by donwhite
This is why most observers say voting any 3rd party on the national level is “wasting” your vote.

First of all... I did read your entire post and it is quite a bit to digest. I haven't the time now but will try for a more thoughtful response at a later time. For now I would like to comment on the above quoted.

Is it really throwing your vote away... If you don't feel like you've thrown a vote away?

Also... Technically... It wouldn't be a 3rd party vote in this case as Ron is registered with the Republicans...

[edit on 4-3-2007 by LostSailor]

posted by df1

I would like you to contact Ron Paul's congressional office so that you have no doubt as to the outcome. I've contacted his office on other matters and I believe that you will receive the information that you request.

SEE COPY

Instant Reply:
Dear Don White,
Thank you for contacting Congressman Paul's office using the Internet.

Your message has been sent to the Congressman. A copy is found below.

Sincerely,
The Office of US Representative Paul

From: Don White

E-Mail Address: [email protected]
XXX Xxxxx X
Jacksonville,FL 322XX
904 xxx-xxxx

Technical Inquiry

Dear Mr. Paul: Fellow posters on the ATS Board and I are discussing some of the typical office expenses Congresspersons encounter. We would like to know the total telephone bills for your five offices over a year. 2004 or 2005 or 2006 would be good for us. You should know that you have many dedicated adherents outside the Lone Star State. Thank You. Don White, Jacksonville, FL (904) XXX-XXXX

That's It. I'll post his reply.

Originally posted by donwhite
Dear Don White,
Thank you for contacting Congressman Paul's office using the Internet.

And I thank you too. I will be surprised if you do not receive the numbers.

Ron Paul is the only member of Congress or the Senate to stand up to the NWO and against business as usual. His stances on issues I care about mirror my own. Take a look at his record and you'll see he is a man of integrity. He is without a doubt the best candidate out there by far.

Originally posted by jblaze
Ron Paul is the only member of Congress or the Senate to stand up to the NWO and against business as usual. His stances on issues I care about mirror my own. Take a look at his record and you'll see he is a man of integrity. He is without a doubt the best candidate out there by far.

I agree completely.
Which is why he will never win.
Those in power want a puppet,not a individual.
That being said,I do wish Mr.Paul luck.

posted by df1

posted by donwhite
Dear Don White,
Thank you for contacting Congressman Paul's office using the Internet.

And I thank you too. I will be surprised if you do not receive the numbers.

Sorry, df1, but after 6 days, no reply from Mr Ron Paul.

Don W

Originally posted by donwhite
Sorry, df1, but after 6 days, no reply from Mr Ron Paul.

I'm still hopeful. Congressional offices probably don't get many requests to see their phone bills. Do keep watching the calendar for us.

I'm still hopeful as well. I also have to agree. A request about a phone bill is... Well... Kind of a strange one.

Originally posted by df1

Originally posted by donwhite
Sorry, df1, but after 6 days, no reply from Mr Ron Paul.

I'm still hopeful. Congressional offices probably don't get many requests to see their phone bills. Do keep watching the calendar for us.

OK, you are right.
That info will not be on high priority and is most likly not readily available. The GSA may pay the phone bills. I can imagine how no one in Paul's office would have a "need to know" the answer.


[edit on 3/12/2007 by donwhite]

Originally posted by donwhite
OK, you are right. That info willnot be high priority and is most likly not readily available. The GSA may pay the phone bills. I can imagine how no one in Paul's office would know the answer.
Don W

If you have time write back and press the issue citing your original email. I did not intend for you to cut Ron any slack.

Originally posted by LostSailor
I am just curious if anyone can provide some information about this (possible?) presidential candidate. To me, he seems like someone I would like more information about.

I share your curiosity. I'm going to research his positions on issues.

Anyways... Your thoughts? Do you think it is time for a 3rd party? I mean... If there is any election that a libertarian could do it... Wouldn't it be this next one?

The interview with Reason was good. Anyway, the time for a 3rd party is overdue and gaining momentum every year. But there hasn't been a strong enough candidate yet.

There are only two 3rd parties that have a chance, imo, and those are the Libertarians and the Independents. And they are not extremely far apart, philosophically, because most Indy's tend to be conservative. But they need to get more people into the local, state, and Congress before they make a run for the Oval Office.

Just my .02

Originally posted by df1

Originally posted by donwhite
OK, you are right. That info willnot be high priority and is most likly not readily available. The GSA may pay the phone bills. I can imagine how no one in Paul's office would know the answer.
Don W

If you have time write back and press the issue citing your original email. I did not intend for you to cut Ron any slack.

Courtesy demads we give at leat 14 days for such a mundane request. And, it fringes on the improper but for all congresspersons theoretically working for us taxpayers.

Let's give another week.

Well... I found Ron Paul's MySpace page. Basically, this link here contains pretty much anything and everything Ron Paul has ever done.

I highly doubt you could find this much information on any of the other candidates.

Originally posted by Black_Fox
I agree completely.
Which is why he will never win.
Those in power want a puppet,not a individual.
That being said,I do wish Mr.Paul luck.

I agree with you as well. It is already happening on those obscure online polling sites such as Horserace.com. I've noticed that Ron has a strong grassroots online community. Apparently this is grounds for calling him a spammer and continually reseting his poll position. A harmless website? Maybe... But seeing as how the majority in this country vote for who they think will win. Because, it makes them feel all warm and fuzzy inside to be on the winning team. I feel these sites are important, especially for candidates like Ron Paul.

Here is a pretty good article on what it will take for Ron Paul to win. I understand it is just opinion... But he makes some good points.

External Source
Clearly, the establishment media’s virtually blackout of Ron Paul’s candidacy is a magnificent case study in: media incompetence? bias? laziness? All of the above?

No matter how the media treat Ron in the months ahead, by this time next year both the Republican and Democrat presidential nominees should be all but selected, because so many primaries will be held next February and March. Thus, whoever raises substantial funds soon and has a message that resonates with voters for the next 12 months will be the overwhelming favorites to win their respective party’s nomination.

Guess I'll be the spokesman for Ron on ATS.

Here is a video...

Just another opinion article on Ron.

LINK
If the Republican Party is ever going to have a chance to win in 2008, it will need a candidate who will repudiate, not extend, President Bush's legacy of war, corruption and profligacy. Congressman Ron Paul, R-Texas, is that man. More than just a grin and a sound bite, Paul is a man of deep convictions. He is one of the few nationally prominent Republicans who had the courage to oppose the Iraq war and the administration's ongoing assault on personal freedom.

You know... I think that if everyone picked a Presidential Candidate and posted news articles on them it would be a nice resource for the upcoming race. Here is another article on Ron that I dug up today. It's a pretty damn good read. I quoted my favorite part.

Link
Ron Paul has made numerous media appearances, from C-SPAN to Lou Dobbs, since and prior to the announcement of his candidacy. Still, the strategy thus far has been to ignore him to the extent possible. That approach cannot work in the long run, since for one thing the enthusiasm for Dr. Paul all over the Internet cannot be contained forever. For another, people are going to become curious about him when they watch, or hear reports about, the first Republican primary debate on May 3. They’ll see a bunch of establishment hacks uttering platitudes devised for them by handlers and focus groups, and they’ll see Ron Paul, who unlike his opponents is not only intelligent enough to write his own speeches, but who will also raise questions the other candidates would prefer not to discuss. He can pummel every single one of them on their lousy records on taxes, the Constitution, and war. Ron Paul is about to spoil the party. This will be like no other Republican primary debate in many, many years.

Now that will get him noticed.

[edit on 26-3-2007 by LostSailor]