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Subscribe to RSSRon Paul’s third campaign for president may not lead to the Texas Congressman being nominated at the Republican Convention in Tampa this August -- notwithstanding a lawsuit filed by supporters in attempt to make that happen -- but, from Maine to Alaska, the “Paul Revolution” has swept state Republican parties.
Out of the national spotlight, Paul activists have mastered obscure local party rules to win key positions of power at state conventions, infiltrating the Republican establishment across the country, including in the key swing states of Iowa and Nevada.
In Massachusetts, they even beat out many prominent pro-Mitt Romney supporters to win spots as Romney delegates. They are informally bound by party rules to vote for Romney still, but the open secret in both parties, is no one is really bound – one of the issues at the heart of the Paul supporters’ lawsuit against the national party.
Ben Margot / AP
Supporters of Republican presidential candidate Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, cheer as Paul speaks at the University of California at Berkeley, Calif.
Paul’s strategy has always been to motivate “the remnant” to gain influence by getting involved in party politics, and described how that would happen to a small group of reporters in Columbia, S.C., in mid-January.
“We don't win over the insiders by becoming like an insider,” Paul said. “We win the inside over by making the outsiders become more appropriate.”
But what Paul activists have done in many places is learn the rules of the insiders and use them against them.
After being described as “an outlier for the Republican Party,” Paul Wednesday morning on MSNBC, explained how supporters will achieve his long-term goal of bringing the GOP around to accepting his political philosophy.
“I want to work on the platform,” Paul said, “but we know platforms don't change people's attitudes. That's what we want to do -- get attention to changing the attitude, so that we, who are perceived as outliers, become the insiders. And that's what's happening. … We're winning state delegations, state chairmen and small offices, anywhere from city councils to county commissioners.”
Paul supporters are winning elections and becoming party insiders: chairmen, national committeemen, executive board members, elected officials, candidates and delegates.
- In Iowa, four of Paul’s former aides hold leadership positions at the state party, including chairman A.J. Spiker – who was Paul’s state co-chair. At least six members of the Iowa State Central Committee are Paul supporters.
- In Alaska, Republicans voted Russ Millette as the party’s new chairman and Debra Holle Brown as co-chair, both Paul supporters. Local reports call this a sea change in state politics, after “at least 12 years of the Alaska GOP being run by what those party newcomers call ‘establishment Republicans.’”
- In Nevada, Paul supporters won 13 of 14 new elected executive board spots at the Clark County GOP. Four years after having the lights turned out on them at the state convention in 2008, Paul supporters now hold positions at local and county GOP offices across the Silver State.
- In Minnesota, the state Republican Party endorsed Paul supporter and economics teacher Kurt Bills for the GOP Senate nomination. He will face incumbent Democrat Amy Klobuchar in November.
- And in Maine, 21-year-old Paul supporter Ashley Ryan was elected as the state’s new Republican national committeewoman. The Paul campaign claims she is likely the youngest national committeewoman.
“Look at the next generation,” Paul said on MSNBC. “I mean, there is so much excitement out there. The big deal is that the next generation are sick and tired of what they're getting and they're looking for something. And what we're offering seems to appeal to the young people.”
Paul also explained that the goal of his movement “is to show that there's a political benefit toward accepting some of the views that we have.”
“I believe we're actually doing a favor for the Republican Party. If they would look to us for guidance and to realize that if they would accept some of these things, they might have an easier time winning.”
That said, not everyone's sold on just how lasting the impact of the "revolution" will be, considering Paul wasn't able to win a state in the GOP primary and didn't stop Romney, the most establishment of all the candidates, from becoming the nominee.
Asked which mattered more -- influence over party platform or being a state party chairman, Steve Schmidt, John McCain's 2008 campaign manager, dismissed either and said Paul supporters would be little more than a "hassle we'll have to deal with."
"I'm not sure that either have a particularly big influence on the direction of the party," Schmidt said on MSNBC. "When you have a state chairman who takes over a state party and the state party's dysfunctional, it's no longer relevant to the political goals of electing a majority, whether that's on the Democratic side or Republican side. Typically you see something that is taking place in California, for example, where you know the Republican parties become a small ideological clubhouse, totally faded to irrelevance where they-- factions gather twice every year to pass resolutions, denouncing the other faction, and it's a small clubhouse where people are relevant in the sphere of that small clubhouse, but no longer relevant in terms of being able to shape the outcome of an election -- to recruit candidates, to raise money, to register voters. And that's the direction these dysfunctional parties will go."
Jeff Johnson, a Republican National Committeeman from Minnesota, though, addressed the anxiety some in the establishment have over this increased participation by Paul’s followers.
“Ron Paul haters, get over it,” Johnson said. “If we don’t grow, we die as a party.”
Nearing the end of his career, Paul, 76, calls his movement an “ideological revolution,” one he says is “alive and well.”
And this year, as Paul disciples become more involved and win elections, it’s a movement the Republican Party is being forced to deal with.
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OMG... Did msnbc just write an article that is void of biased and opinionated interjections? This appears to me like ... *gasp* ... straight forward journalism.
Use of facts, telling the story as it appears to be true, without bashing one side or the other... this would be a lovely trend should it actually catch on.
I'm reasonably certain Paul will steal votes from Obama.
Centric democrats realize he's a nightmare, but can't bring themselves to vote for Romney. So rather than either voting for more bad dreams, or not voting at all...
Ergo, Mr Paul, waiting in the wings.
I think he will, he would also steal independent votes and moderate republican votes.
I'm reasonably certain Paul will steal votes from Obama.
I'm reasonably certain you're delusional. Ron Paul could do for President Obama what Ralph Nader did for George Bush --- siphon off just enough votes to swing a key state to the polar opposite candidate. Now -- if the choice was between Romney and Paul -- I do think most Democrats would vote for Paul. But that's NOT the choice.
True, I actually have a number of liberal friends that fully support Ron Paul...
Mitt, Obama, both a wasted vote, they both might as well be made of cardboard,
they will do nothing, to direct a different course. Ron Paul is the only person to
who wants to change anything,.. real change this time around,
take the country back..
"take the country back" - back to 1910, back before Social Security and Medicare, back before Civil Rights. Remember that little racist newsletter of his, the one he pretends he had no control over and had no idea what was in it? That might have been believable, except his name was on the cover and he'd been quoted as saying he wouldn't have signed the Civil Rights law.
That's a change we can't believe in.
CM, quit reading and believing propaganda. He is the only prominent figure, right now, that is not in the hands of the profiteers. I do not agree with everything he is for, but he may be our only hope for change.
If you agree with more than about 10% of what he is for, you're a danger to yourself and others. His beliefs would plunge us back into the late 19th Century. It wasn't pretty.
A "wasted vote" is on the guy who doesn't win. Ron Paul is at the bottom of the pack. He can't even compete in the Republican primary....
A vote for Ron Paul is clearly the real "wasted vote".
That is the attitude that perpetuates the problem. Congratulations. I am sick of hearing from people who claim to hate big money in politics, then vote for the guys that are collecting near 1 billion dollars. That money does not come from citizens, it comes from the 1% you are always bitching about.
"Knights Of The Right" Join US All for Ron Paul. Defend Your Once And Future" King" President Ron Paul
Jeb Bush,I know You are an Intelligent and Honest Man.Mr. Jeb Bush, Destiny is Here ! You are risking being Joined with the mendacious and The Morally lost forever ! The Economic situation of the world gets scarier every day.It is now time for all good men to show where they stand. Knights of the Right,Stand behind your once and future"King", President Ron Paul! Those this year who end up on the wrong side of Righteousness this year, will be dismayed in 2016 when they are asked:Where did you stand in 2012 ? We few,We merry few, We Band of Brothers ! Who ever vote Ron Paul with me,
Shall Be My Brother Forever !
Read more here: #storylink=c
Well one thing is for certain...after 4 more years of the present POTUS... or 4 years of Willard either one.... There will be a big change coming in 2016.....Bank on it! Cause both the incumbent and the hopeful are just as incompetant and made of straw. Bought and paid for by the corrupt money of Big Business and corporate cronies....Repubs and Dems both. There are few honest men left....I sure wish we could find one that would unit the American people as a unit. Remember what can be done when this country speaks as one....one thing for sure is that every man women and child in this country was pissed off after the bombing of Pearl...after the Twin Towers.... and believe you me.... we spoke as one in the days after, and @!$%# got done! I'm not speaking of the unjust actions that were brought about by rounding up all the Japanese after Pearl...or the unfunded wars that followed the Twin Towers either.... that was BS.... started by straw men that were dancing the corrupt dance from the money man. I am speaking of the genuine caring for one another.... the endless hours spent helping one another no matter what color you were, or where you came from..... On the days following that we were all AMERICANS.....Imagine what happens when we put aside party lines... when color don't matter....when straight or gay don't matter....all that matters is we are AMERICANS, and we come from all walks of life, and we need to speak with one voice to say we are sick of the BS that passes for politics these days. There must be a real change made or the entire @!$%# house will melt down.... and it won't take long when its built of cards and lies!
Thank you... that is all!
Sorry dude, but there are 2 parties and there will remain 2 parites. The people wont vote for a loser so they will always vote for either the dem or repub. It's just the way things are and the way it will remain in the US for a long time. It's hy we have what we have right now, a failure, and why the other option is a tight-ass, but a 3rd party is a guarantee that we will have the failure for 4 more years, so there is no win.
Sadly I kinda agree with you... but it doesn't make it right. And as long as we continue to stand for what is wrong... we are doomed to repeat! The true definition of insanity is to repeat the same actions and expect different results....it will never happen, therefore we must push for change. Simply voting for a man because of his affiliation and not his ability to lead and bring folks together as Americans is madness. I don't see a way out either....but at least I can recognize the error of our ways. It's sad to see so many standing behind a man because of his party affiliation be them Dems or Repubs, or Independents... or whatever. I hope one day we will vote for a man because of his convictions and his ability.... not his money or his friends money. Just because he is sickly rich doesn't make him a leader! And the same holds true for the present POTUS as well.
All true. I dont believe paul was the man becuase personally, i think he had some loose screws, but i understood why his conviction is important. OUr current POTUS has zero conviction, he has had one agenda since getting elected, getting re-elected, he cares nothing for th state of the union. Romney is no better, but he is much more centered than what we have now, even if people believe differently and have been deceived because the balance of power has affected obama's decisions.
But we dont need a 3rd party, we need a 6th or 9th party, 3 will just continue the 2 party system, we need a full independent system and to remove party lines from ballots.
The middle has to take back control of the parties. Too many whack jobs on both sides.
@ trudat6445....Agreed.... the party system, be it a 2, 3 or million party system seeks to do one thing... and that thing is to deceiveand cause a division of the voting public. Far to long and far to many vote simply based on the party ideal, regardless of what the party stands for. Like tall grass in a field they are swayed by the stench of the political wind that blows them one way or the other. And with so much hot mess coming from all directions the results are turbulent and often knee jerk reactions, instead of informed decisions. As one...we as Americans are strong and can really make a difference....but divided we will fall....it's not an if....it's a when.
You know what sucks for your opinion vet? This is a lib forum, and all the libs just think you are a hardcore rightwinger and bible-thumper because you dont agree with them, and that is the division you speak of and that is why i say what i did. People no longer care about values or reason, they are so divided they just see party lines.
And regardless of them reading these posts, they wont be swayed in the slightest. Essentially, people are too stubborn and stupid to have their minds changed.
I don't see the sheeple as stupid....however they are complacent. The right situation has not arisen to cause them to open their eyes that have been blinded to the party system. They are wondering aimlessly about not seeing the forrest for the trees. I only hope that one day the right occasion comes about that will cause them to awaken. And I hope that the day does not find us lacking the ability to make the change that is needed. You know..... you can put a frog in a pot of water on the stove and turn the fire on....the change in temperature comes about so slowly that the frog will boil to death....not ever realizing the his demise is imminent. The fire has been turned on already....It is later than it seems....I hope for change....soon!
Trudat, I can see how you may be a die hard republican. You appear to not like change. You have the opinion that what is will always be. This country DOES have a history of other political parties. The Democrats and Republicans have become too radical left or right. If we, the people, still have a voice and have not been overtaken by corporatism and big banksters then we will eventually vote in a new party (and hopefully not be taken in by a corporate sponsored one.) History is always being written (and only time will tell), But we all have to wake up to what is going on.
No, i understand people. People wont vote for the 3rd party because they think it is a waste of a vote, rather at this point, they know it is a waste. The only thing a 3rd party does right now is gives a lead to one of the candidates, in the case of ron paul, it would secure an obama victory.
I havent been a fan of obama since he wouldnt answer a question directly while deabting mccain. I like him even less since he's been the most divisive president ever and has been the typical dem selling us off to the unions and ignore the private sector.
I dont care for romney as a person, but i feel his issue is that he is trying to secure a rightwing vote while being a moderate, which is what the country needs. He was a moderate in MA and did good by them, i doubt he will do anything worse than obama who is no concealing docs to pretect his AG. Im not a fan of politics like that.
I am of the opinion that he don't give two sh&ts about the AG... he is playing CYA right now....couldn't have the papers come out that will no doubt show that he was party to the entire plan, or at least knew what time it was....Just my opinion btw....of course there are no facts to back it up... they seem to be hidden in an executive order!
Trudat, I am of the opinion that as more and more people step away from the 2 party get nothing done politics, new parties will emerge. That is my hope. My fear is that the 2 parties will have so corrupted our horrible voting system that even if the people voted in a different party we would not know it. Those votes would be lost to the electorate that could easily be bought off. I fear that we are already a 3rd world country because of the corruption in Washington.
"Trudat, I am of the opinion that as more and more people step away from the 2 party get nothing done politics, new parties will emerge."
It doesn't work that way. We won't see a 3rd party, we will see a major change of direction in one party or the other. Today's Republican Party is radically different from the Republican Party of Eisenhower. That was caused mostly by George Wallace in the late 60s. From the Civil War to the 60s, Democrats had a lock on the South while New England and the west coast were solidly Republican. When the Democrats actually did something about racism in the South, George Wallace became the southern hero. In 1968, Nixon say an opening in the south and developed his Southern Strategy. Today -- the South is totally Republican while New England and the west coast are Democratic. But we still have the same 2 parties we had 45 years ago.
The Republican Party of today will not last. The only solid supporters they have are old whit men and old white women. Like it or not -- the demographics are changing. Old white people like me are dying and in not too many years, our kids will be in the minority. I don't know where either party will go over the next 30 years but I do know the current Republican Party is not sustainable.
Other countries have many political parties being elected into their governing bodies and they have a mess of a government that fails over and over.
Ron Paul - The is right choice for VP.
I can never tell who is more nuts, ron paul, or his die-hard supporters. The only people that make libs sound normal.
His supporters....hands down!
They are sheep and they go around calling other people sheep. They belong to a cult. A cult of crazies!
I tell them to STFU and go back to Alex Jones paranoia websites. Ron Paul will never be president.
You sir are repugnant.
Ron Paul will lower your expectations. Paul the dupe, is owned. Say no more.
Ron Paul - Liberterian, hates government, hates spending ... To collect full government salary, government pension and government heathcare? 1, 2, 3 Now believe both!
Ron paul doesn't accept a congressional pension, nor could he elect it if he wanted to now.
see thats where ron demands respect and takes his oath of office seriously, he thinks his job is to represent his constituents, which he does very well considering they keep electing him.
Seems like most Republicans would rather see Ron Paul win this thing...
Is that what you gathered from 35 posts?
Then pray tell, why didn't Ron Paul win a single primary or state caucus? Because "most Republicans" would rather not see Ron Paul as President, they chose Romney instead. Paulites are zealots, but they're a minority even in the Republican party. Mind you, most Republicans would rather see Paul win than Obama, but that's only because they hate Democrats in general and black Democrats in particular.
Your whole post was true until you pulled that liberal crap, most people dont like obama because he is a lying, divisive SOB, stop trying to make it about race.
As interesting as I'd find having Paul as a serious contender, it's a pipe dream that's going nowhere. It's just a bunch of delusional people who scream particularly loudly. You could compare it in some ways to OWS.
Ron Paul?
BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
do not trust the media. They want the nomination for Paul so he can lose against Obama. We are a divided nation, not based on white or black, but Host and Parasite. If you have an issue keeping up in America, talk to God. The world should come here because it wants to succeed with hard word, not for a free ride from those who work hard. Charity should be vountary, not mandatory
Funny, I've heard the argument from Paulites that: "Don't trust the media, they want the nomination for Romney so he can loose against Obama. Vote Ron Paul! Write him in if you must!"
Ron Paul has bin fighting for the American people for a long time and people see that his message + vision is what our Country needs. Freedom, less government, less taxes & The Constitution are not strange like the controlled media tells the people. He has pointed the American people to the mountain top it's now up to us the make sure we make the needed changes.
"Been" fighting. Been. Write the word down.
Unlike most tea-partiers, I've actually read the Constitution and understand what it means. The Constitution does not mean lower taxes or smaller government, and I find Ron Paul's views on the Constitution to be a bit strange, to say the least.
CM you are respectfully an idiot. The Constitution is a document agreed upon over a decade by thirteen colonies that feared big government more that anything else. These folks had memories of being oppressed by Emperial Kings and the State sanctioned churches that taxed people and emprisoned them for not being able to pay. The Boston Tea Party was a protest for such taxes. Perhaps you should read some actual history and not just the "Dummie" version of The constitution.
It's the "dummy" version of the Constitution that's required reading for republicans, conservatives and teabaggers.
Then again, those goobers can't read without moving their lips.
Sorry, Creeping Jesus... Not that I am any where near being a Republican (especially
these days) but you lose on your snide correction of Larry's post.
Uh, no, larry. That was the Articles of Confederation. Then the colonists discovered that a weak central government was a monumental failure, so they had a convention, the ostensible purpose of which was to fix the Articles of Confederation. But they quickly realized that there was no fixing them. They dumped them, and very purposefully set out to create a much, much stronger central government.
The notion that our Constitution is a paean to limited government is an often-repeated myth of the wingnuts.
nm
Is Ron Paul still breathing? I doubt if he'll be around come winter. Can I send flowers now to his widow, or is it too soon?
Heh. Any day now.
Ron Paul's politics appeal to many people much like the separatist prior to WW2. His ideas are that America needs withdraw into a shell and allow the world to work out all of their own problems. As in WW2, that is not possible. There are powerful enemies of America from around the world, namely Communist, that would only get stronger if America was not actively opposing them. America is blessed with natural resources and basic needs that everyone else around the world covets.(Amber Waves of Grain) His philosophies would appeal to many liberals. The ultra conservatives have him as do the ultra liberal Democrats. He does not believe in big government and social welfare which I happen to agree with. If he were not so old and would, I fear, allow America's enemies to get stronger through unopposed conquest, he would be a very good candidate. Where is a Man who has values somewhere between Stalin and Hitler? I feel like singing a few bars of "Is there anyone out there?" from Pink Floyd. The real issues as I see it is to enhance the strength of America through a strong economical base. A good example is the Golden Gate contract going to a company in China. That deal would have not only boosted the US Economy, but helped to develop our infrastructure in the Steel industry that has suffered since WW2. Where are the leaders of our nation in the things that matter like helping homeless people to become active participants in society again? Making laws with teeth that would force criminals to think twice before using a gun in a crime or hurt a child as a sexual predator? Invest in a new national transit system that would equal Japan or Europe. That alone would reduce our dependence on Oil, but that would be a problem for the guys charging 4 dollars a gallon.
Taxpayers should be issued Rape kits at every election time because the favors repaid by the elected officials are always expensive to the public. I shudder to think what Barry'O will do to us based on his performance up till now.
"The ultra conservatives have him" I meant to say "Hate" him. Sorry
Ron Paul and Rand Paul for GOP Ticket!!! Paul squared equals trouble for Mitt and his pack of vultures.
Republican, Democrat, Right, Left, Conservative, Liberal.. waste your entire life measuring things in little cups and making sure it has a label so you quantify it, and judge it.
I wouldn't vote for Obama because he lied, LIED when he ran before about making government more transparent. He did not. (See ProPublica: Smartronix contract blacked-out ).
Won't vote for Mitt because the corporate fat cat is all too familiar with offshore bank accounts. He'd probably start to drool a little in anybody mentioned it to him. And if all you wise guys out there with your jokes and labels and little measuring devices, KNEW.. how much we are being robbed in the global financial system you might not be laughing so hard as you are being lead by the nosering, right down the path, merrily. ( See jbyeats: IRELAND - OUR ACHILLES' HEEL )
not enough wake up for ya? maybe need something a little more close to home? ( See The Alyona Show: WI: How to Buy an Election ) Wake TF UP
Ron Paul 2012!
The GERITOL gang is poised to strike in the evil hearts of the GOP.
It is not the shenanigans pulled on Romney that is the problem, but the shenanigans pulled on poor unsuspecting voter who thought they voted for a Republican, actually voted for a TEA party-er! I.ve been saying this for some time and now it has come to pass!
There is nothing to say about Ron Paul except he is the most profound bigot on this earth. This is the same guy who has taken over the Republican party and bastardized it to the extreme. This is the same bigoted Ron Paul and son who stated: “The revolution is working, we have infiltrated the Republican Party, and we will convert the Republican Party to defenders of liberty.”
It's at the local level where people are using the (R) instead of the (T) to run for office, and where the most control over money, infrastructure, repairs, Social Program administration have the greatest impact. It must be told loudly and vociferously to all that many using the (R) behind their name are actually (T)'s in disguise and (T)'s want to destroy and eliminate of all Social Programs like Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Food Stamps, etc. Every voter must make a concerted effort to know who is the (T) and who is the (R) in local elections. And yet this blowhard, Ron Paul, is getting Social Security checks just like Rick Perry is getting Texas state retirement pay. Both rail against the system, while sucking on that government tit.
BTW, is it just me, or does "The Ron Paul Revolution" sound like a bad 60's garage band? "The Ron Paul Revolution, featuring Herman Menderchuk."
I wish I had $10 for every Bot assigned to this story. Ron Paul 2012
Do you want to be able to go home and sleep in your own bed. Have the right to make your own choices. Take a look around you and do some homework people. You wont find out how many people support Freedom until they are kicking your front door in. As long as your favorite trance show is on television, or your money has value everything is fine. What happens when that has been taken. People have died to defend the Constitution the current administration is taking from you. Romney does not have the balls to stand against the Elite that has kept Ron Paul from your mind, out of the limelight. If you think the Government that is taking away your Freedom is on your side vote for Romney, or better yet keep the psychopath Obama in there. Someday maybe you will be known as one of the people who fought for Future generations Rights. The path we are on leaves us no other choice for those who wish to be free.
Get help.
you are the one who needs help Early. We are trying to give it to you.
Bring back the Glass-Steagall Act and abolish the Federal reserve. Return monetary powers to congress where they belong.
End the so called "war on drugs" which is a war on consciousness. Restore the tenth amendment!
Close most foreign military bases while you're at it! SERIOUSLY