Ron Paul Disciples Spreading Word In N.H.

Washington Post: Republican Hopeful Looks To Step Into The Spotlight

(Washingtonpost.com)  This story was written by Jose Antonio Vargas.

---

There's no mistaking which house on Lake Shore Drive, about 45 minutes northeast of Manchester, is the one full of Paulites -- the intensely loyal, almost fanatical supporters of Rep. Ron Paul. Signs are everywhere. On the back window of a brand new black Toyota, on the bumper of a green Geo, on a white Volvo station wagon that sits beside a beat-up lime green Honda. "Ron Paul 2008."

"We can run the whole New Hampshire campaign right here," says Jim Forsythe, 39, a former Air Force pilot who's on his driveway in jeans, T-shirt and white socks. "We're the hard-core supporters."

Like Paul himself, the Paulites are against the war in Iraq, against the growing federal bureaucracy, against the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Education, the income tax, against, as Forsythe says, "politics as we've known it."

Inside Forsythe's kitchen, snacking on spinach dip, there's Kelly Halldorson, 34, a mother of three whose first presidential vote went to Bill Clinton. And Jane Aitken, 58, a retired art teacher who voted for President Bush in 2000 and 2004. And Will Albenzi, 28, a security guard who's gotten so disillusioned with the Republican and Democratic parties that he belongs to neither.

And this being the Granite State, the first primary state famous for its independent "Live Free or Die" attitude, there's Chris Lawless, a 38-year-old software technician who's followed Paul's career since 1988, when the obstetrician-turned-congressman ran for the White House as the Libertarian Party nominee.

In a state where Patrick Buchanan upset Bob Dole, the front-runner for the GOP nomination, more than a decade ago, anything is possible, says Andrew Smith, a pollster and director of the University of New Hampshire's Survey Center. As of last November, 26 percent of New Hampshire's electorate were registered Democrats and 30 percent were Republicans. But the biggest block of voters -- 44 percent -- were undeclared. Forty percent to 45 percent of those, Smith says, leaned Democrat and 25 percent to 30 percent Republican.

But whatever their backgrounds, the Paulites have catapulted a Republican candidate often described "eccentric," "unknown" and a "long shot" into a spotlight. Paul may be the candidate who has tapped into that independent and frustrated portion of the electorate that in every race is looking for a third way.

This month, the 10-term Texas Republican stunned the GOP field by raising a little more than $5 million in the third quarter, 70 percent of it from online donations; Sen. John McCain, once considered the front-runner for the GOP nomination, and former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, who placed a strong second in the Iowa straw poll in August, raised $6 million and $1 million, respectively. For months now, Paul has been the most popular GOP candidate on the Web, with more supporters on MySpace, Facebook and Meetup than Rudy Giuliani, Fred Thompson or Mitt Romney, who won the Iowa straw poll and leads in the polls here.

"Everyone -- the staffers in the other campaigns, the bigwig political observers in the state -- is scratching their heads. They don't know what to make of this Ron Paul phenomenon," pollster Smith says. A University of New Hampshire poll last month showed Paul at 4 percent in the state. The most recent Washington Post-ABC News national poll, also from last month, had him at 3 percent. "The other campaigns aren't worried that he'd win the primary. They just don't know who his supporters are and whose support he's taking away," Smith adds. "His poll numbers aren't high now, but it's only October. And they could see him getting 10 percent of the vote here. If you get 10 percent of the vote in a crowded field, well, you might finish third." But the Paulites are aiming for higher than third place.

Last week, they gathered at Forsythe's house to watch the latest GOP presidential debate. Forsythe is the most recent Paulite convert of the bunch. The father of two heard Paul speak in February and remembers how he derided big government and unnecessary wars. Says Forsythe, an aerospace engineer: "That really got me. I fought in Bosnia, Somalia and Iraq, the Iraq before this Iraq war.

"I just couldn't believe a politician was talking about these things," he says. "And the thing is, what's going on with Ron Paul, what he's tapping into, speaks to how much the Republican Party has lost its way."

* * *

Paul isn't using the Internet. The Internet is using him.

Yes, the 72-year-old's main headquarters sits in a nondescript office building in Arlington. But his real headquarters may be on the Web, where Paulites have organized, raised money and created buzz, all independent of the official campaign. Take Meetup. There are 994 Ron Paul Meetup groups, more than all the other candidates in both parties combined, and New Hampshire has four, the largest being Forsythe's. The group's name is HQNH, and its 418 members have their own Web site, where Forsythe is the blogmaster. Kate Rick, one of Paul's four staffers in New Hampshire, says HQNH is the candidate's most effective grass-roots operation, handing out literature at gun shows, holding up signs at fairs and canvassing. Rick should know. She helped start HQNH.

Some quarters of the blogosphere have obsessed over Paul's intense online following, but things kicked up early this month when Paul announced his third-quarter fundraising figures. Unlike the rest of the presidential field, Paul has consistently improved on his money haul, taking in $640,000 in the first quarter, $2.4 million in the second and $5.1 million two weeks ago. At least two-thirds of the donations, his aides say, came from the Internet. New Hampshire gave the most money per capita, according to the campaign, and the most dollars from one area came from Los Angeles County.

"This is the first politician I can truly support, ever," says 53-year-old William D. Johnson, who runs a law firm in downtown L.A. and has donated the maximum, $2,300. A former Democrat, he switched to the GOP because of Paul. "I don't agree with all his positions -- he's not as strong on environmental issues as I'd like -- but because of his record you know that he's a man of utmost integrity."

[gunownerdan]

Dr. Ron Paul is clearly the ONLY anti-war and pro-liberty candidate.
ronpaul2008.com

[extremophil]

It sounds like the "Paulites" are a good example of self delusion.

[myidoncbs]

Ron Paul''s poularity is good news for the Democrats. It proves that a large number of republicans HATE what the neocon conmen have done to their party, to this country, and to the world. They would rather have no government at all than continue down the path of destruction of the Bushies.

[antoniof123]

The GOP has already lost most of the liberatarians so too little too late.

[Kacela]

I am now a Democrat for Ron Paul. He will end the occupation of Iraq faster than anyone - even hillary, Obama and Edwards. I encourage everyone "sitting on the fence" about Ron Paul to watch the Aaron Russo film "America: Freedom to Fascism" - you can view it online at YouTube or rent it from Blockbuster.

[drinuk]

Ron Paul is BAD NEWS for the Dems, those Republicans who hate George Dr Strangelove Bush, who would have voted for the Dems, now have a very sane and sensible alternative, a good guy who would actually work FOR the American people.

If you Muppets out there want more of the same, go put your hand in the bag and pull out any other name, right or left, they are all crooked b a s t a r d s but don''t forget, you are going to lie on that bed for the next four years.

[barbjc1]

In my opinion, Ron Paul is the ONLY Republican that could beat Hillary Clinton. The rest of the GOP candidates are just good ole boys. I agree with most of Ron Paul''s politics, but I am also a supporter of Hillary Clinton.

[radiob-2009]

Drew Shelt is leading the pack in New Hampshire and Iowa, has more faithfull voters than any other candiate.

[cfin5]

This is so wonderful! Dem''s and Rep''s leaving the "DemopubliCANT" party shell game and going back to our constitutional foundation heritage. We just want to be "AMERICANS" again!......Ron Paul, the unsocialist and pro-constitution candidate in ''08! GO USA!!!

[gkc99]

Unfortunately, Repugs have spit in the faces of the Libertarians once too often. Repugs LOVE big government when it''s doing what they want. Repugs LOVE big deficit spending when it''s for causes they support. Repugs HATE freedom when it means people don''t just fall in line with the Bushit neofascist agenda.

While Ron Paul may be a Libertarian, *** few of the Repug congressional candidates are. Therefore, anyone who wants something better than the last 6 years of the long national Bushit nightmare had better be voting Democrat, as otherwise, unless you make a point of voting for Ron Paul as the ONLY Repug choice, you''ll be putting the same bunch of spineless Bushit-enabling losers back in Congress.

So vote Democrat if you support freedom in the USA. Maybe Ron can be UN ambassador or something.

[jn122736]

Ron Paul''''s poularity is good news for the Democrats. It proves that a large number of republicans HATE what the neocon conmen have done to their party, to this country, and to the world. They would rather have no government at all than continue down the path of destruction of the Bushies.
Posted by MyIDonCBS at 10:14 AM : Oct 15, 2007
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Precisely

[bombadil4]

While it''s true that many who have jumped on the "Paul Bandwagon" may be unaware of many of his views, his support at least shows a growing disgust and dismay at the so-called status-quo that passes for government in this nation. Problem is, the big money special interests, in collusion with our politicians, have a strangle hold that may be beyond challenge at this point. That battle needed to be waged long ago.

[jn122736]

Ron Paul makes (Posts) false and/or unachievable claims like:

%u201CHe has never voted to raise taxes.%u201D

%u201CHe has never voted for an unbalanced budget.%u201D

%u201CHe will eliminate the IRS%u201D
********

Actually; Ron Paul voted FOR tax cuts in time of war with no accompanying spending cuts to offset them.
He had to have known this would cause large deficits, so therefore he definitely did vote for an unbalanced budge.

In fact, those tax cuts so unbalanced the budget that the national debt has nearly doubled, raising the interest on the debt to nearly one $1/2 trillion, EVERY YEAR.

This $1/2 trillion comes from taxes so therefore he definitely voted to raise taxes.

Ron Paul cannot simply cancel the $9 trillion national debt and without taxes he can%u2019t even pay the ANNUAL interest on the national debt, let alone reduce it,

To do what he and his supporters claim, would require a total shutdown of the tax supported federal government and privatizing everything including the military.
Do we need/want Blakwater type security forces to replace our military?

Can/will any of you explain how Ron Paul will effect the changes he proposes/promises?
Will he end social security as well as all other social spending programs?
Will he sell off all government owned properties such as the national forests?
.
Ron Paul = Republican= stay the course=borrow and spend.

[l8c6]

Ron Paul is a long time neo con era Reaganite who is trying to separate himself from the failures of this ideology. Think of this as a 2.5 long decade scenario of drug use. It was a fun ride, quite a high to drain the infrastructure and advocate spending it on corporate greed with individual aspirations being the carrot on the stick. Now many of the republican followers are strung out and the euphoria is gone. Rather than to think out of the box they want to go back to the nostalgic era when it was cool to get high and no consequences of neo con republican libertarian ideology was apparent.

Now much of what we had has been compromised and bones are our infrastructure are depleted of calcium. Libertarianism has provided many of the core ideological principles of the neo con movement. Ron Paul wants to take us back to the early days of Reagan ideological meth use but there is no going back for these junkies, they''ve tapped the infrastructure and wealth has concentrated. The push for privatization continues from ideological junkies but with more concentrated wealth Wall street style elections loom.

Lobbyists have introduced spoilage into the idea of representative democracy i.e. one vote for every adult shareholder in america and soon if something doesn''t change course it will clearly be a privatized multinational corporate influenced nation where the election process as long as one continues will be one for every share OWNED.

[bohemianowl]

The income tax can be eliminated if we rethink our role of government. We can''t afford to be the world''s police anymore. END THE WAR!!! BRING THE TROOPS HOME!!!

The detractors of Ron Paul very realistic ideas haven''t studied his plan or are probably exploiting people via the current corrupt system.

But they are quick to call him a nut job! I think anyone who wants to continue with the current system is NUTS!

[chrisconlin]

"...this guy is a anti-goverment, anti income tax nut job! His biggest supporter''''s include David Duke (former leader of the KKK)...."
________________________________________________

- Dr. Paul is not anti-GOVERNMENT. He is very much pro-FEDERALISM (you know, the ONLY type of govt. authorized by the U.S. Constitution). He is against the excesses and over reaching arms of the FEDERAL government.
- Yes he is anti-INCOME tax. Not anti-TAX. There are numerous types of taxes, the federal income tax is only one type.
- The fact that you believe that holding the view of LIMITING (not abolishing as your comment suggests) government and continuing an unathorized (Constitutionally) UNAPPORTIONED (look it up) income tax speaks volumes.
- Who cares if one of his supporters is a member of the KKK. Do you actually believe NO OTHER CANIDATES have people supporting them that would not be considered moral or upright persons? The fact of the matter is that Dr. Paul has people holding WIDE BELIEFS and from NUMEROUS BACKGROUNDS (Republican, Democrat, Independant,Anarcist, ect...)supporting his message. But then, what else would one expect when one gives a message of LIBERTY AND SELF RESPONSIBILITY WITH LIMITED INTERFERANCE FROM THE GOVERNMENT?

[nexgen99]

God help us if this clown gets in office.

[l8c6]

Ron Paul ideals are the continuation of the half truths. Someone will lead. Humans are a social animal that seek leadership. The framers conceived ideas to help humans be led but still have a voice which protects against tyranny. Ron Paul''s ideological base lacks the vision to see that what they support will lead to tyranny.

[adventurepa]

Compared to the rest of the neo-con repukes, Ron Paul is like Jesus and the rest of the bunch are demons sent by the devil himself.
If picking the lesser of evils is the idea,
Ron beats all of the other Repukes 100 to 1.

jn122736, if those are the only gripes you have against Ron Paul, The rest of the candidates shouldn''t throw rocks in their glass houses.

[bohemianowl]

Ron Paul is certainly NOT a NEOCON!

Ron Paul is the only candidate who tellsthe truth consistently, and his record speaks for itself.

His detractors are the special interest groups, the guys exploiting the system and getting rich.

We eon''t need Blackwater merceneries, big War budget.

We need to take care of ourselves and set an example for the rest of the world that freedom is possible.

Many people don''t know we are almost in a Police State with the national I.D. around the corner.

Many don''t know that almost every other candidate (Left and right) is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a semi-secret group that is tearing part our constitution and pushing the agenda of a North American Union.

[l8c6]

While it''''s true that many who have jumped on the "Paul Bandwagon" may be unaware of many of his views, his support at least shows a growing disgust and dismay at the so-called status-quo that passes for government in this nation. Problem is, the big money special interests, in collusion with our politicians, have a strangle hold that may be beyond challenge at this point. That battle needed to be waged long ago.

Posted by bombadil4

The reason this has happened has been due to the attacks of men like Ron Paul on our representative democracy which began with Reagan. Some entity or someone will lead end of statement. In the name of freedom and shrinking government wealth concentrated in multinational corporations is threatening our representation as a people. Our traditional ideal has been one vote for every adult in america. In corporate land when there is a vote it''s one vote for every share owned. In other words the wealthiest control which is OLD WORLD ORDER.

[l8c6]

Ron Paul IS a neo con in the sense that much of his libertarian ideological principles are the base of the neo con movement. He is a avid support of Reagan which resulted in the anti-social attack on representative democracy. These principles result in a loophole for high functioning socio-paths to exploit society and take control.

[cfin5]

chrisconlin,.....You are correct my friend! People like "l8c6" smack off twisted smears while never posting who they would vote for and why. I''m definitely waiting for him/her to do so for a little interaction with that. Sounds like a Hillbillary supporter too me.

[chrisconlin]

"...Can/will any of you explain how Ron Paul will effect the changes he proposes/promises?
Will he end social security as well as all other social spending programs?
Will he sell off all government owned properties such as the national forests?..."
______________________________________________

- First he will not do away with taxes as you wrote in the full version of you post. He will do away, through various means, the current federal INCOME tax which would also mean the eventual abolishment of the IRS.
- Yes, he will eventual do away with social security and other various programs. HOWEVER, he has said a number of times that if elected, his administration would be a TRANSITIONAL one. He knows that he ALONE can not bring back the Federal govt. to it''s Constituional limits in just 4 or 8 years. To do so will take serious commit AND TIME by the American people. What about those who have become DEPENDANT upon all of the various federal govt. programs (such as social security)? Again, he is a realistic man. He again, has said that one can not simply do away with social security (for example) while there is still a whole group of person''s dependant upon it. The money to help the TRANSITION for these people will come from the current expendatures of our overseas MILITARY MAINTAINMENT (not just Iraq) as well as other places.
- As for govt. owned properties, I do not know. I do know that he has priorities in mind. I suspect that this would not be high on the list, if at all.

[brettrix]

We are now in the Ron Paul Hate stage - just read some lies in this comment board...

"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they hate you, then you win" Gandhi

This is the hardest stage for a Ron Paul supporter to be in but do not lose hope. We will win. We are winning - Ron Paul just defeated Mitt Romney in the Conservative Leadership Conference Straw Poll in Reno, Nevada.

Romney attended the event and still lost -

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/10-13-2007/0004681331&EDATE =

[chrisconlin]

- In short, he is very realistic about what he hopes to achieve, and does have ideas about how to accomplish them. All one has to do is to dig into the issues a little bit more, instead of going on a chat board and asking (that is, if they are actually honest and SINCERE questions not simply meant to DISCREDIT a person in other people''s eyes). :)

[l8c6]

Ron Paul is about privatization. Sounds cool when one is living in a world of make believe.

In the real world this will result in tyranny of concentrated wealth.

[bohemianowl]

Ron Paul is not a member of the "Council on Foreign Relations."

The CFR is working for the absolute destruction of everything that made America the greatest Country in the history of mankind. For any Presidential candidate to be a member of this organization is an affront to the senses and some would say a treasonous act.

Through the secrecy of the CFR they seem to be getting away with supporting the very destruction of the U.S.


PLEASE DO NOTE VOTE FOR ANY PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE WHO IS A CFR MEMBER: These same people are for the North American Union (NAU), NAFTA, NASCO, CAFTA, and keeping the Patriot Act, Homeland Security, American Protection Act, and every Executive Order Bush has already signed.

these candidates are C.F.R. Members:

Fred Thompson
Rudy Giuliani
Hillary Clinton
Barack Obama
John Edwards
Joseph Biden
Chris Dodd
John McCain
Mitt Romney
Bill Richardson

[bohemianowl]

Ron Paul wants to eliminate the FED, which is basically a Counterfeiting operation.

The FED is a mechanism which transfers wealth to the very wealthy.

The FED is a privately owned bank, owned by a handful of elite families (the Rockefellers, the Rothschilds...) and have been responsible for much bloodshed. The CFR is a front group for these Elites.

Turn off FAUX NEWS and do some research!

WAKE UP BEFORE IT"S TOO LATE!!!

[cfin5]

bohemianowl,.......That''s right about the CFR. American''s will not be fooled "all of the time". That time is now! The CFR''s attitude is so arrogant to trump our national sovereignty. Why, even the Mexican citizens are outraged at what that old FOX has done to their country and pulled down his bronze "Zieg heil''in" idol yesterday just within a few hours of it being installed. The Mexican Congress is investigating him for "ENRICHING HIMSELF" while in Office! Sounds like they''ve been having the same problems that we have with our "public servants".......COUGH! COUGH!

[chrisconlin]

"Ron Paul is about privatization. Sounds cool when one is living in a world of make believe.

In the real world this will result in tyranny of concentrated wealth."
___________________________________________

- This is PARTLY true. Ron Paul is about A TRUE FREE MARKET economy(one which we do not and have not had for a very long time in America). In an actual free market the suppliers (i.e. those "privatized" persons) MUST answer to the CONSUMERS. It would also mean the LACK OF GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE BY WAY OF SUBSIDIES and other govt. FAVORS to help the supplier gain advantage over his/her COMPETETORS (in a true free market economy I guarantee the number of lobbiests in Washington would be cut as well.)
- As for your 2nd comment above, all I have to ask is where have you been at? Do you think this is not a reality today?? If I am not mistaken, this is what Hillary''s and other''s campaigns (now that I think about it, just about all campaigns today) are about.

[l8c6]

Ron Paul is a long time neo con era Reaganite who is trying to separate himself from the failures of this ideology. Think of this as a 2.5 long decade scenario of drug use. It was a fun ride, quite a high to drain the infrastructure and advocate spending it on corporate greed with motivational individual aspirations being the carrot on the stick. Now many of the republican followers are strung out and the euphoria is gone. Rather than to think out of the box they want to go back to the nostalgic era when it felt good to be high on ideology and no consequences of neo con republican libertarianism was apparent.

Now much of what we had has been compromised and the bones of our infrastructure are depleted of calcium. Libertarianism has provided many of the core ideological principles of the neo con movement. Ron Paul wants to take us back to the early days of Reagan ideological meth use but there is no going back because what was is no longer with the current tapped infrastructure. Wealth has concentrated. The push for privatization continues from ideological junkies but with larger corporate wealth and influence Wall street style elections loom. This situation came about in the name of "freedom" and "less government".

[l8c6]

Ron Paul is using the old gold bug scare tactic. Large corporations which Ron Paul has protected from government oversight in the name of "freedom" are heavily concerned about protecting their federal reserve wealth and keeping their numbers from the federal reserve quite high.

Wealth for the working class once was families but Ron Pauls protection of corporations from big government has resulted in less real wealth for families.

[cfin5]

l8c6,......ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ....Your spammin'' me out dude.

[chrisconlin]

18c6 : Seems you are now double posting comments WITH NO REPLIES to those who have responded to your posts. Do you have any responses other than to re-post old comments? If not Dr. Paul, who would you vote for?

[bohemianowl]

disinformation just makes you look uninformed, I8c6

[l8c6]

Posted by chrisconlin

How do you answer to the consumers in a free market when there is not representative government for the people? Ron Paul''s followers are drunk on ideological principles that are not of the real world.

[jn122736]

Ron Paul Posters never debate actual issues or answer direct questions; they just post false and/or unachievable claims.

Why did he vote FOR Tax cuts in time of war, which he had to know would double the national debt, therefore actually increasing our taxes?

How will he pay off the national debt, or will he let it continue to financially bleed us to death with $1/2 trillion interest payments EVERY YEAR?

If he does not intend to end tax supported government or the military (along with all other federal spending necessities) yet will end income tax, he will simply raise the money with other taxes like sales taxes which would eliminate practically 95% of taxes for the rich while increasing taxes on the working class by an equal percentage.

Ron Paul = republican = stay the course = borrow (actually increasing taxes) and spend.

[lucasminton]

It''s interesting to see Dr. Paul''s detractors. None seem to be able to do much more than to engage in name calling.

Dr. Paul is the only candidate who wants to follow the constitution. Perhaps some of Dr. Paul''s detractors would do well to read this petty document. I think they would be pleasantly surprised to find the duties and powers of the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches all laid out in a nice, neat, and orderly fashion. I think people would be interested to find that those power not explicitly given to the government belong to the states and the people.

Ron Paul is needed to end the spending spree, and needless wars with their required nation building.

It''s funny how life is I just received a call while writing my comment a very close friend of mine died in Iraq on Friday.

[cfin5]

What''s the matter l8c6? Someone''s party line got your understanding? Please answer a question how about it!?!

[chrisconlin]

"...Large corporations which Ron Paul has protected from government oversight in the name of "freedom" are heavily concerned about protecting their federal reserve wealth and keeping their numbers from the federal reserve quite high.

Wealth for the working class once was families but Ron Pauls protection of corporations from big government has resulted in less real wealth for families."
_______________________

- All I will say to this, is that if this were true, we should expect to find very large CORPORATE DONATIONS being made to his campaign. After all, he is on THEIR SIDE right? We do not see this at all. Here is one sight anyone can go to to see who is donating to what canidate. It is very telling who is on the big business side once one sees the numbers for themselves.
- www.opensecrets.net (believe that is right, if not,one can always google it). :)

[l8c6]

chrisconlin

I havent'' figured out who I would vote for at this point. They are all part of a system that has some serious problems and none of them can come in and make sweeping changes. The scary part is that anyone who can just as easily could be a Hitler. We can learn from Bush just how compromised our government is and how there are those looming out there to perform what is essentially a corporate hostile takeover.

I cannot support Ron Paul and his libertarianism which provide many of the ideological building blocks of the neo con era. Without representative government this false freedom and privatization will lead to concentrated wealth ruling.

[l8c6]

chrisconlin

They don''t need Ron Paul. He''s not a big player but his principles are flawed in that they have provided a loophole for multinational anti-social corporate abuse.

[bohemianowl]

I8c6 you clearly have a special interest in seeing Ron Paul Smeared.


Maybe you are in a nice big government office like the IRS and don''t want to lose your cushy 6 digit salary and benefits.

I could see why you might be against Ron Paul.

[l8c6]

cfin5

You just don''t want to think out of the box. It''s not that Ron Paul is a devil and has no good intent. There is this disconnect from seeing that the basic ideas of libertarianism are fundamental to the neo con exploitation. Libertarianism is a loophole for high functioning economic sociopaths to wipe out representative democracy.

[cfin5]

I want to state "why" I''m supporting Ron Paul. It came about "ONLY" after a voting record inspection directly coupled with their campaign words. This is the only true way to catch a LIAR. When their talk (campaign) does not match their walk (voting record),....I simply walk away and keep looking.

[chrisconlin]

"How do you answer to the consumers in a free market when there is not representative government for the people?..."
_________________________________________

- Please clearify the question : what do you mean by no rep. govt. for the people? Do you mean no govt. interference in the free market by way of increased regulations, ect...? If this is what you mean, I would suggest you do some research in how an actual free market economy works - not the mercantilistic (protectionist) economy we have today. In a free market CONSUMERS CHOOSE who deserves to stay in business and who does not deserve to. How do they decide this? With their most POWERFUL WEAPON (so to speak) their hard earned money.
- Just as an aside : your question seems to assume that the CONSUMER needs to be protected from BAD businesses by the government. In a true free market this would not be necessary - from a consumer point of view. Such an assumption also seems to presume that the government WILL NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE of such a situation either, if the public allows it to.

[l8c6]

bohemianowl

Your comment reflects the continued hate for government that started with Ronald Reagan. It''s been over two decades and the one change that no one seems to take heed of is that wealth and influence are concentrating into the hands of a few. This is the fault of the libertarian neo con movement. Ron Paul is for privatization and so is Bush and Reagan. Same sh*it.

[l8c6]

cfin5,

Well that''s pretty concrete and doesn''t allow much for strategy. So it''s not what he voted for but just that he voted consistently. So if he said he was going to vote to end the people''s vote and the people elected him and he did just that....well there you have it. Evolution takes care of the rest of the story.

[chrisconlin]

your most recent post :"We can learn from Bush just how compromised our government is and how there are those looming out there to perform what is essentially a corporate hostile takeover..."
Your question to me before the above post : " "How do you answer to the consumers in a free market when there is not representative government for the people?..."
_____________________________________

- Do you see the contradiction?