I'd like to see Ron Paul run as a Libertarian, and have Trump jump in as an Independent (which he's threatening to do), and then watch Romney (assuming he gets the Republican nomination) go absolutely berserk as his chances for the presidency goes up in flames. It would be joyful. There would be dancing in the streets, horns blowing, people kissing people they had never seen before--like Times Square at midnight on New Years Eve.

Heh heh. A lovely scenario Jack! And have them all included in the debates. Trump would end up eating his hair.

(Since Trump is more of a cartoon character than an actual politician, in this case, attacking the messenger is okay).

It's the most wonderful time of the year.

If anyone needs to "cook up a win" right now, it's Rex Ryan/The Jets. My goodness what a terrible war of words this past week in NY between these two teams. Yikes. But as Coach Tom Coughlin said, talk is cheap.

Republican primaries. Football playoff picture. Christmas. A New Year.

Sit back and enjoy it all folks!

Cheers.

Chucky,

This is one of the beauties of a Libertarian candidate, they can be appreciated from just about any constituency. (and voted for)

They are solidly anti war (unless attacked), anti big government, anti tax, anti spend.

They are solidly pro personal liberty, pro states responsibility, pro personal rights, Pro Freedom.

It is hard for people to ignore them once the their message gets out, the main issue over the years is electability, the fact that the media has been picking our candidates by limiting the debate to two parties.

We do not like it that Dr Paul has to run as a republican, but, we have to suck it up if we want to get our message out, and it IS getting out there. And Finally, it appears that a libertarian candidate is electable!

There is an alternative to the status quo!

Elect Ron Paul, the last honest man! (or kiss your liberties goodbye)

Just what liberties is Ron Paul going to defend? I have only seen him vote to protect the rich from paying any taxes, our country be damned but the rich will be protected from paying taxes. The rich are the only one that Ron Paul has ever defended. This smaller government and privatization only benefits the rich who take over our country. That is the part that Ron Paul leaves out.

Just like when he voted to not raise minimum wage, are you telling me he did it for the people? I guess he was just protecting them from the liberty of having more money to spend. Or is keeping the poor just as poor as you can a liberty just for the rich in republican land?

Liberty in republican land seems to be your freedom to tell the rest of us what to do against our will and then call it liberty and freedom, well no thanks I will take a country that values its people and choose the freedom to live and die in dignity with social safety nets for the poor and middle class.

While Ron Paul does have a couple reasonable ideals, the rest is smoke and mirrors brought to you by the republicans for the 1% only party. Check out his voting records and you will see that his votes do not match what comes out of his mouth.

The neocon war mongers are losing.

Yes Alex, they are, and their getting pissed about it.

Chucky Stuart

If you don't like the message, go after the message, not the messenger. Obama is not a Nigerian Muslim, Ron Paul is not a racist.

Chucky Stuart

It can be proven President is Not a Muslim. How can you Ron Paul is not racist; particulary after those revealing newsletters?

His signature is on them. He had to have known. Furthermore, I heard a clip of him a few years back making some very disparging comments about Black People.

Merry Christmas Beverly. True, I can't prove Ron Paul is not a racist, however I harken back to the PBS debates when Paul talks about the war on drugs adversly affecting minorities more than white folk. His numbers were 14% of those who use illegal drugs were African American, 32% of those convicted for illegal drug use were African American and 61% of those who eventually go to prison for illegal drug use were African American. He said if he were Pres., he would pardon all non-violent drug offenders. Also, in the same PBS debate, he admitted to rarely changing his mind on issues but that one exception was the death penalty; his reason, the rich can buy there way out easier than the poor and disenfranchised.

Youtube has Ron Paul clips that would keep you busy for a week, one of my favorites is an interview he did with Bill Maher. I don't know, at the end of the day, I can't prove he isn't a racist. But just remember, to the faithful, you really can't disprove something they want desperately to believe. There are folks out there to whom you will never prove that Our President is not a Nigerian Muslim. That's why they call them the faithful, they place faith over reason.

Peace

And let me say this just for clarity, I vehemently oppose most if not all of Ron Paul's economic philosophy. It's the major reason I could never support him in a general election. That's where you hit the guy. As for the rest, I believe that he brings a great message to the forefront of the American debate. I would hate for this valuable message to be lost at a time when we need it most.

I am glad that Ron Paul is beating the neocon war mongers.

Forget about peace and prosperity; I'm watching Meet the Press right now telling us we need to support the global "tent" of the world economy. What came to mind was the tents in local city parks.

Nice straw man argument at the top, there, Chuck. Too bad it's not true.

Those of us who oppose Obama do so because his policies have been disastrous for the country- limping GDP, five trillion in additional debt, unemployment that is only below nine percent because hundreds of thousands have left the labor force- the civilian labor force is at 1983 levels- and he is as corrupt as the day is long. In fact, it is so bad that even the Washington Post cannot ignore it

http://www.politico.com/politico44/2011/12/the-politicized-energy-program-108691.html

Eighty billion dollars given to his big dollar donors- taxpayer dollars, mind you- with exactly what to show for it?

So, it's nice of you to attempt to claim that those who oppose your idol do so for idiotic reasons- but it won't wash. Obama is, in fact, the worst president ever to occupy the Oval office.

Won't be for much longer, though. In just a little over a year, we'll have a new president who can set about fixing this disaster.

Under McCain/Palin, the debt would have exploded by $8 TTTrillion and unemployment would be at 28%. The cost of getting the "car out of the ditch" is not an expense that you can reasonably pin on the repairman, Obama. Bush and his "party" drove the national car into the ditch, and have been sabotaging every effort to get it running again ever since, because they don't like the repairman, and they don't want everyone to ever be able to ride in the proverbial car, ever again. Our deficits are created by their decisions and obfuscations over the last 30 years. That's the FIX they were always working towards. Exclusion.

Wow Paul, interesting attack, especially since in that 30 year timeframe you reference there have been lots of politicians with a "D" after their name. Sorry dude, absolving your guys of any and all responsibility for the state of our country rings very hollow. If you are trying to claim that despite their "good Intentions" dems have for decades been thwarted by the repubs, then it seems we must seriously examine the competence of those who call themselves democrats. I can't believe you are claiming that, however. That would be just plain silly.

You've never heard of a DINO? And you visit a political blog?

I'm happy to investigate and prosecute all of them. Are you? Of course not. You think saying that the Democrats were in on it means that no crimes were committed,"because everyone was doing it."

GRAMM(R)_LEACH(R)_BLILEY(R) rescinded our protections from the casino fraud of WALLSTREET. Rubin and Clinton were advised that the removal of regulations would accelerate the economic benefits to the nation. GLB passed the SENATE 92-8. Clinton couldn't have won the VETO fight if he had attempted it.

Watch Sen. Byron Dorgan(D) predict the bubble and its collapse, and the NEED for government taxpayer provided "bailouts" because of GLB, on youtube. Did any Republican stand up and do the same?

You think saying that the Democrats were in on it means that no crimes were committed,"because everyone was doing it."

---------------------------------------------------------

Gee Paul, that sure is reading a lot into what I actually wrote. I'm saying that there are 2 possibilities; either the dems are as much to blame for our present troubles and should be held accountable along with the repubs, or they are so blazingly incompetent and ineffective that they no longer serve a useful function in balancing out the repubs. There really isn't a third possibility.

You have to start the INVESTIGATIONS somewhere. I vote for Gerald Ford and his pardoning of Nixon after his appointment by Nixon. A clear conflict of interest. Nothing from that era deserves legitimate classifications of secrecy. We should quickly be able to establish who was on the side of the "Rule of Law" from that point forward. Has a Democratic President ever pardoned a democratic ex-President?

Just what liberties is Ron Paul going to defend? I have only seen him vote to protect the rich from paying any taxes, our country be damned but the rich will be protected from paying taxes.

Is that American's First grade understanding of reality?

Surely you know the top 1% paid 40.4% of all federal income taxes .... the middle class paid 4.7% of all federal income taxes .... close to 50% of Americans pay no federal income tax ....

Did you know that IRS data for 2007 (under that evil Bush that robbed from the poor to give to the rich) shows that the bottom 40% earners, not only didn't pay taxes - they actually received net payments from the IRS equal to 4% of total tax revenue!

So how does that work again?

Our evil corporations .... pay virtually the highest taxes in the world. Heck even communist China has a much lower rate of only 25% .... a communist country!

The socialist idiots in Europe who have gone broke proving Obamanomics doesn't work, now have rates that average less that of China.

Obama sees that disaster .... and says .... "Let's do what they did to collapse our economy too?"

Asinine.

Why do you fall for this class-warfare crap .... just pure ignorance .... childish envy ..... what?

This smaller government and privatization only benefits the rich who take over our country.

You have that backwards, too.

It is big government that grows its power and control through legislation and regulation that benefits the rich.

How else can you have one of the largest, richest multi-conglomerates in the world, a company that had profits of $14 billion ..... pay zero taxes ..... if not through innumerable loopholes in the massive tax code .... if not via a 57,000 page tax return like GE's 2010 return!

Do you really think the little guys have the resources, the army of tax accountants and lawyers to do a 57,000 page return?

Take a look at no joe's post - perfect example.

Obama has the rich, his billionaire bundler buddies, collect incredible sums of money for his elections and literally turns around and gives the tax payers money to them to fund their new investment projects while providing big government subsidies and trying to eliminate their competition at the same time.

So who protects the rich?

And again, what is wrong with you .... why do you deny facts, common sense .... reality?

Paul and Chucky debate the economic collapse .... who is more at fault. What difference did it make in the end other than the blame game.

Dem or repub, they were both big government - Clinton's big government social engineering followed by Bush's big government followed by Obama's big government on steroids.

Can anyone argue that with small government, with the evil rich bankers being responsible for their loans - they would have made all those stupid loans to people who couldn't pay for the loans on their own .... that they would have intentionally risked their own ruin?

Only with needless big government and social engineering do you end up with this insanity.

Repubs are having a very hard time convincing people.

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-12-21/obama-approval-rating-shows-signs-of-rebound-in-two-polls.htmlIn the ABC/Post poll, respondents overwhelmingly said they trust Obama over Republicans to protect middle-income Americans, 50 percent to 35 percent. Obama’s advisers say that’s a sign the president’s message is resonating with the public.http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2011/12/26/bright-note-for-obama-in-gallup-numbers/For the first time since July, Gallup’s daily tracking poll shows those who approve of President Barack Obama‘s job performance edge out those who disapprove, by a 47% to 45% margin.

Americans Favor Jobs Plan Proposals, Including Taxing RichMajority say Obama's jobs plan will help economy at least "a little"...........http://www.gallup.com/poll/149567/americans-favor-jobs-plan-proposals-including-taxing-rich.aspx

Who protects the rich? Why the republicans of course.

We will see when they are faced with the choice, increase tax on the poor and middle class and the frail economy who it will damage or tax the rich who won't even feel the difference being the new surcharge doesn't kick in until the second million of income?

I will give my prediction on how the republicans will vote. I willing to bet it won't be for raising taxes on the rich. It will be all about making the working class paying for the stimulus that the tax holiday should bring to our economy that the republicans are trying to kill. Of course after the tea party makes the stimulus fail with their attached poison pills they will blame everybody but themselves.

You know the deal where we trade 200,000 jobs to pay for the tax holiday. Just what our economy needs, 200,000 more unemployed and then them getting half wages for doing nothing. Just some more of them republican smarts they brag about. It gets worse then the government has to hire independent contractors who cost at least twice as much as an employee to do the same work. Another lose, lose, lose plan must of been a brainchild of the republicans.

We are a big country with great people and we need a big government to protect us from the greedy who would and do damage our air and water for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. I understand the Koch brothers are upset after all they have been stopped and fined for their participation in destroying our planet. In this smaller government they dream of they all specify killing the EPA. Wonder why?

Repubs are having a very hard time convincing people.

Yea, with the liberal media, all of Obama's demagoguery componunded by American's disdain for nasty politics .... they fall for the sound bites and demonizing.

47% approve of Obama?

Whooo - hooo!

The guy that said if we spent a trillion, unemployment would not go over 8% .... and it blew all the way to 10.1% .... averaged 9% ..... and after $5 trillion .... unemployment will still not below 8% .... AFTER 4 YEARS!

$5 trillion and he can't create ONE NEW NET JOB!

Yea the guy is a real winner.

Dang Bush, dang repubs, dang Congress, dang tsunamis, dang ATM machines, dang Arab spring ....

.... that caused the lowest consumer confidence in 30 years, the worst recovery in modern history, the longest chronic unemployment, worst drop in home equity, the highest misery index in 28 years, record poverty, record number on food stamps, first down grade in history, highest debt in history in mankind ....

Doesn't have anything to do with Obama's policies ...... his war on energy, his war on the private sector - demonizing the rich and business, his massive regulations, his monetary policy and de-valuing the dollar, his threatening new taxes every day .... has nothing to with uncertainty, increasing costs of healthcare, food , energy ....everything.

Yea, repubs have a hard time convincing people ..... that's why no joe, myself and others come here everyday.

Care to try refute anything?

And why are you so invested in failure?

Why do you defend it?

Payroll tax holiday?

Are you a moron that doesn't even know that it is your own Social Security?

Obama is taking your money from your retirement to give to you today and you fall for it?

Did it create jobs last year?

You actually think that political gimmicks create jobs ..... that 2 month extensions are sane legislation?

How pathetic.

Bob the sane legislation would have been for a year. But the republican can't bring themselves to ask the rich to invest in their own country. Now the republicans are faced with a choice tax the rich or tax the poor. Which one do you think they will choose?

Pathetic is republicans that can find money for wars and killing people all over the world, but when it comes to Americans who are in need, we don't have the money. Republicans could start wars and then give tax cuts to the rich and create huge deficits but we don't have the money to stimulate our economy with a tax holiday.

We know where the money is coming from and what's more we know what the 16 billion being added to our economy every month is good. That is if the tea party doesn't stick us with some kind of anti-stimulus by cutting 200,000 jobs. You must be proud to represent the party that does it's best to sabotage any growth in our economy.

Bob you claim to be smart, read about Greece and the austerity plan and you will soon realize austerity is a one way trip to the bottom with no way out. Understanding the austerity trap takes some critical thinking that I am not sure you possess. But try it, thinking for yourself can be a more fullfilling life.

I have a question for Ron Paul supporters. For months now you have used a Libertarian/Paul fallback position on many issues called "personal responsibility". I believe that it is a huge part of the Libertarian philosophy.

So, on to the question. When shown what was published in his newletters, vile and quite rascist comments, Ron Paul has said that he didn't write those, never read them, was not aware of them until 10 years later, and didn't even know who wrote and included them in newsletters that bear his name, and were sent to his constituents.

The question is not: Is Ron Paul a rascist? On that, I am happy to take him at his word. The real question is: When will Ron Paul take personal responsibility for disgusting comments that were published in his name? When will he live up to that mantra of libertarianism? You all say he has principles. Isn't it time for him to show them?

Jon, not only has Ron Paul taken responsibility he has disavowed the letters. I understand you could be fairly new to this story but for those that have been follopwing it for years, even RP's hardest critics admit this is a non-issue.

America said:

Just what liberties is Ron Paul going to defend? I have only seen him vote to protect the rich from paying any taxes, our country be damned but the rich will be protected from paying taxes. The rich are the only one that Ron Paul has ever defended. This smaller government and privatization only benefits the rich who take over our country. That is the part that Ron Paul leaves out.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I think you are the one leaving something out. These same uber rich people that you claim RP is protecting want absolutley nothing to do with RP, would you like to know why? Because corporate welfare would actually end and a failed business would actually be allowed to fail.

The facts don't add up to what you have claimed- ron paul has voted down tax increases for all americans because he doesn't believe americans should be taxed, not just rich people. And he doesn't vote for minimum wage increases because he doesn't believe in goverment controlled price inflations. Now we both know that you know that yet you chose to distort the record anyways, why not just say I don't agree with Rp's economic ideas?

Ron Paul wrote a much more recent article - signed by Ron Paul - called Government and Racism. It's on the Lew Rockwell website. It can also be found by googling "Government and Racism - Lew Rockwell".

In the article, Ron Paul defends Don Imus's "right" to call young black women "natty-headed hos". But RP appears to go further than defending Imus's "free speech" when he disparages all of those who justifiably came to the defense of the young women (forgetting about their free speech apparently).

From the article:

"The young women on the basketball team Mr. Imus insulted are over 18 and can speak for themselves. It's disconcerting to see third parties become involved and presume to speak collectively for minority groups. It is precisely this collectivist mindset that is at the heart of racism... By encouraging Americans to adopt a group mentality, the advocates of so-called ‘diversity’ actually perpetuate racism. Their obsession with racial group identity is inherently racist.”

Basically, it appears to me that Ron Paul is using his ideological doublespeak to claim that people who express disgust for Don Imus’s remarks are racists themselves.

Racist or not, I could not vote for a candidate who wants to sell our National Parks and get rid of the Federal Aviation Administration and the Nuclear Regulatory Agency (etc.).

Anthony Terrell is being a very bad boy, I think!

Better than pig lard.

hey fasback is awesome for baking

LOYALTEXAN

Funny, very funny.....(sarcasm)

Loyaltexan, all the candidates agree Ron Paul has the least amount of baggage, it's ok if you don't like him but his record is true even his critics concede that.

Owned...

The cookies will be his downfall...

RP 2012...

obama momma

That crap was debunked years ago... He's answered it hundreds of times now. Another idiot hasn't done any research themselves and just wants to spew more of someone else's hate.

To anyone that wants to claim that Dr Paul is a racist based upon newsletters posted in his name years ago, they were debunked years ago. I have a few links for you to peruse before deciding that he is a racist.....

www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGhv3paNz6U
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMIPTu3YdBQ&feature=related
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ji_Ft23BDw&feature=related
www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2yIxMtQLZU&feature=related
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ItmcIxe5Fs&feature=related
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKKik8DVOsM&feature=related
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TJ9ZITd2rs&feature=related
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CoQWAXuUyI&feature=related

The last one is a strong rejection, condemnation and repudiation by Dr Paul himself of any such statements posted in those newsletters.

I'm sure that african-americans speaking out for Dr Paul has to be an emotional wrench to the psyche of democrats or especially the Black Caucus. The President will still probably get a majority of blacks to vote for him, but it will be a substantially smaller block than last time.

I know the liberal MSM and the Fox wanna be's are trying to hype him as a racist, it doesn't stick and you all are looking like the racists yourself.

I heard a msm announcer state that it is probably good that they are hitting him with it now. He's right, lets debunk this and get it out of the way early! Thank you MSM!

A denial is not a debunking.

Paul-977599

Obviously you didn't look at the links, just a blind robotic response.

And, before you defend your statement as otherwise, the first link is one of the regional heads of the NAACP Mr Linder who has known Dr Paul for over 30 years, is well aware of these newsletters and their content, and rejects any characterization of Dr Paul as a racist.

The liberal media is currently asking Dr Paul for an absolute rejection of everything espoused in those newsletters. The last one is exactly that, an absolute rejection of anything contained within them. Hammering him about it more is just making political hay because you hate his political position.

Game, set, match!

Like I said, blind robotic response.

Too bad Egilman, apparently Paul is one of the "faithful". I doubt you'll ever succeed in changing his mind with actual proof and evidence. It was a great effort though.

Ron Paul won’t fully repudiate racists: reporthttp://www.marketwatch.com/story/ron-paul-wont-fully-repudiate-racists-report-2011-12-26?link=MW_home_latest_news

Just as you can't prove that Muslims were flying the planes on 9/11, I can't prove that Ron Paul is, or is not a racist.

A denial is not a debunking, and evidence is not always proof.

Alex. CA,

And what he said in that article is that "...they can support me if they want, that does not mean that I support them or their views."

Ok, you want to throw links out there try this one...

www.thegatewaypundit.com/2010/07/figures-black-panther-who-threatened-philly-voters-is-a-credentialed-dem-poll-watcher/

So I guess the Black Panthers support the Democrat Party, does that mean Obama supports the Black Panthers and "Killing Crakkkas" ???

Alex, it cuts both ways doesn't it?

Paul-977599

....and evidence is not always proof.

You absolutely right with this one, My problem is most on the Democrat side consider it final proof.

The point being that you and anyone else cannot prove that Ron Paul is a racist, you can only cast aspersions against his character. which you can do to anyone. What I call proof is the consistent upholding of his character by his lifelong associates who trust me would out a racist in an instant.

That my friend nobody can refute.

What difference does it make what Democrats think of Ron Paul? They don't vote in Republican primaries, and Paul isn't going to get the Republican nomination for the general election. Not and live through it anyway.

Paul-977599

As far as me and many others out there in political land and beyond? Not a damn difference, nope, none at all.

As far as I know, if he gets the votes, he gets the nomination. The establishment republicans might not like that, along with the establishment democrats, but there isn't anything under the law they can do about it now is there?

Not and live through it anyway.

You think someone will hurt him? I don't know, Bobby was shot just before he was going to be nominated, so I guess it is possible, you thinking that that is what "Might" happen?

i think a more "Real " idea might be the old fart would have a heart attack .

Ron Paul has been voting for all the war mongers all his life.

Americans First-3238795 & Alex. CA

I've got a website for ya..

projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/112/

this is The U.S. Congress Votes Database which is posted by the Washington Post. It documents every vote and member of the House and Senate since 1991.

Why don't you guys look up his pro war votes and point them out to us I'm sure we would all be very interested in them, if Dr Paul has voted for war we would like to ask him about that!

How about it guys? you've made the claim, now, Show us!

They can't Egilman because it never happened. The sad thing is "America First" and Ron paul want the same thing, accountability. America First wants it by increased government and Ron Paul want its by actually allowing companies to fail. What "America First" hasn't figured out yet is that they've been doing it by government regualtion for gernerations and it doesn't work.

"America First" take some time to look into RP and ask yourself out of all of the candidates both republican and democrat which one of these candidates actually has not taken any money from big banks and corporations.

A campaign contribution is not a quid pro quo arrangement. That would be bribery. If you want a candidate who doesn't owe anyone anything, you have to support public financing. If you want a President who can choose to try do what he, and you, really wants, you have to continue to support him into a second term where he can't run for re-election, so he has no excuse for ignoring the requests of his loyal supporters.

bush ended up with a 21 percent approval rating, he only cared about very few people in his second term.

Why would anyone want to help a racist??