I wonder who Ron Paul would pull votes from if he runs as an Independent?

On the same thought path, what would happen if Barack Obama ran as an Independent?

I think it was Chuck Todd over at MSNBC who opined that Paul’s support is largely made up of I.T. types, people who got into the web waaaayyyy back in the 90’s. I remember reading a good story about I.T. types being somewhat anti-social, and loners, so computers are a great line of work for them. They may tend to independent by virtue of being closed off to much of the “real world.”

I’m not saying I agree with that assessment, but it is interesting.

That’s a question a lot of his “supporters” might want to ask. Paul isn’t just anti-war, he’s anti-everything, including every single government program, every single bit of money leaving this country in foreign aid, membership in the UN.

I realize that Katherine is aware of this, as are most libertarian leaning Paul supporters, but I have a feeling that a good bit of the anti-war kooks who think they agree with the man don’t have a clue about how conservative he is.

To answer your question though, I don’t think he is Nader or Perot. If he runs third party, the people that will vote for him, despise the other two parties so much that they would never vote Republican or Democrat regardless. I can’t see the hardcore anti-war kooks voting for Hillary, nor can I see the hardcore libertarians voting for the GOP nominee.

Mack, that’s a pretty accurate generalisation.

Being in IT, but dealing with “the business”, it’s funny how the personalities vary from our building, where IT is, and the “corporate” buildings. It’s like being on different planets.

I don’t think that Paul, whether he churns up a miracle and runs away with the Republican nod or comes in as an independent, has a chance. I’d bet on a snowballin hell before I would him. He’s too conservative to get enough votes. The one I think who could make a real dent in the two-party system is Bloomberg. If he decides to drop a billion of his spare change on running as an independent, he has a real chance to win. I doubt people will be real happy with most of the current crop of Republicrats as the final duo.

including every single government program

Well, every single federal government program. From what I’ve read about the man’s views, if an individual state wanted to adapt the closest thing it could to communism, he’d be all for it. He just more or less wants to restrict the federal government’s power to only outlawing abortion.

Southern Beale must be bored. Here she sticks a butter knife into the electrical outlet know as Ron Paul.

That is one way to get a lot of comments on your blog. The Paulites are not happy with Ms. Beale.

Some of the accusations made are serious. Especially the racial ones.

Ron Paul WILL win the Republican Nomination. For a few simple reasons, the first being that most Republican’s are just waiting to vote against Hillary. Thompson just dropped out, where are his supporters going to go? Ron Paul supporters are growing by leaps and bounds now.

I’m not a Paul supporter given his anti-choice stance and apparent past racist leanings, but it is good to see all this talk of Paul running as an independent… and that 27% of Republicans say they would vote for a third party anti-choice candidate.

This further shows the GOP to be breaking up and an upcoming Democratic dynasty. The Dems will increase their majorities in congress and win the presidency. Already we’re seeing this Dem wave happen with the KY governor and the VA senate changing hands to the Dems this week.

Thanks GW. We couldn’t have done it without your incompetence and abject failure.

The question becomes then — what if he runs third party.

Oh, please, don’t throw me in that briar patch. Please please please please.

libertarian leaning Paul supporters

A = A.

Ron Paul WILL win the Republican Nomination.

Keep on tokin’.

He has to win the support of the Republican National Committee and to win state primaries. He doesn’t have big-time RNC support, he doesn’t have the support of the state organizations, and he doesn’t have the bloodlust that the core of the Bush dead-enders have. No way he gets the nomination. ACK speaks the truth.

$4M is mouse nuts. A stunt. Political theater. Money-bombing is good for a distracting blip in the news blurbs, but it doesn’t mean jack in the bigger picture.

Thompson just dropped out? Are you a time traveller? Or am I that out of it?

This further shows the GOP to be breaking up and an upcoming Democratic dynasty.

And if your very optimistic predictions do not come to past I will buy stock in Prozac, because sales will increase.

Thompson just dropped out? Are you a time traveller? Or am I that out of it?

The only drop out I’ve heard about is Brownback. Thompson is still in.

A Thompson aide resigned because of his problems running afoul of US drug laws.

That may be the source of the confusion.

I read SB’s post. As expected, it was pure garbage.

Based on her logic, since the Communist Party of the USA and the Communist Party of Red China both endorsed Kerry for President, John Kerry is therefore a communist.

And how about Bin Laden reading straight off of the DNC talking points? Maybe, based on her logic, the Democratic Party supports terrorism?

Absurd? Of course it is.

I want to personally thank Ron Paul for at least adding some personality to an otherwise indistinguishable group of candidates. I think Dr. Paul is well aware he isn’t going to win the nomination, much less the presidency, but his efforts are causing people to at least pay attention to certain ideas and ideals that are often not given voice. Even the ignorant fool that thinks Dr. Paul is “blaming America for 9/11″ at least gets to hear a dissenting opinion, which is more than what she/he usually hears in the mainstream media.

The most entertaining part of Dr. Paul’s campaign is watching the head-in-the-sand devotees to the status quo desperately search for ways to marginalize Dr. Paul and his followers. His followers are all creepy “IT people” or “conspiracy theory nuts.” Dr. Paul is a racist, a misogynist, and an isolationist. We know these things because, well, the media tells us they are true!

Dr. Paul very obviously isn’t just saying what he thinks will get him elected. I think he believes the ideals he promotes, which is much more than you can say for any of the other Democrat or Republican populist buffoons running.

With that said, the tried-and-true, head-in-the sand approach is probably going to bring about true change more quickly than if someone like Paul keeps making noise and getting people to listen. The difference between the Dr. Paul followers and the people with whom I share political views is that the Dr. Paul camp still has hope that the existing system can work if only adjusted in the proper manner. We believe the existing system is inherently flawed on many levels and is doomed to failure. The quicker it collapses, the quicker we can move on to something (hopefully) more conducive to true liberty.

Based on her logic, since the Communist Party of the USA and the Communist Party of Red China both endorsed Kerry for President, John Kerry is therefore a communist.

Beale’s post is over the top. The racial allegations are quite a stretch. I have a problem with calling someone a racist from one poorly written article that was quite a stretch to begin with.

It will be a long campaign. I hope some of Ron Paul’s ideas inspire others. I was against both Nafta and Cafta as written and see one of the great threats to our country as the globalist policies of families Clinton and Bush.

Isolationism is not the answer. But neither is the perverse global economy we endure today. Open borders are not the solution either.

With our public schools being as indoctrinated as they are, our nation has great challenges in the near future. I do know this, the solutions will not come from Hollywood or the Manhattan elite, it will come from average Americans. The people who save the world every few generations. They are the greatest resource to defend freedom the world has ever known.

I am glad to see at least one populist stirring the imagination of the American public. I wish there were a few more.

This further shows the GOP to be breaking up and an upcoming Democratic dynasty. The Dems will increase their majorities in congress and win the presidency.

William,
Keep believin’ it dude, and you’ll get blind-sided. We here in Mississippi just voted in a lot of REPUBLICANS. Only one Dem survived the statewide races. I don’t see a “Dem Dynasty” coming up.

They have proved their incompetence to get anything passed since they were elected last year. As for Paul, I don’t think there are enough supporters out there in the GOP to hurt them. I think if he ran as an Independent, it would hurt the Donkeys.

William,
Keep believin’ it dude, and you’ll get blind-sided. We here in Mississippi just voted in a lot of REPUBLICANS.

Where else but Mississippi. (I can’t remember if Mississippi ranked 49th or 50th in education).

Anyway, it’s not just ‘me’ that is predicting the Dems will capture both the White House and increase majorities in congress. There are plenty of polls that say the same thing.

Anyway, it’s not just ‘me’ that is predicting the Dems will capture both the White House and increase majorities in congress. There are plenty of polls that say the same thing.

I don’t think it would be any big surprise if the Democrats took the presidency and majorities in congress. The amusing part of it is people like you who actually believe it is going to make a significant difference. If it happens, there should be plenty of rose-colored glasses available from your Republican friends.