News outlets are playing up the CPAC straw poll that Ron Paul won.
Some are asking “What does this mean?” Others are saying “Here’s what this means.”
Being a conservative blogger — I’m a better at being a conservative than I am at being a blogger — it’s my duty to either ask what it means, or say what it means.
So, I’ll do neither.
Instead, I’ll tell you why Ron Paul is a nutcase: Because he’s nuts.
Oh, sure, he has some good ideas. There are many, many issues where he and I agree. And, where we disagree, it’s likely an issue where I’m more conservative than he.
But, there are areas where I agree with Barack Obama. Like sending more troops to Afghanistan. If the military says they need more troops, they should get more troops.
And, if we want to play to “I agree with …” game, it could done with just about anybody.
And, on lots of issues, Ron Paul is right.
But, he’s like that crazy uncle that fought in the big war. He was right about so many things, and has done a lot of good. But also walks down to the post office and pees on the plastic plants in the corner.
That’s Ron Paul. Here’s an old CNN video where he says he doesn’t accept the 9/11 commission findings, and says that our presence in the region contributed to the attacks.
You know who else blames the U.S. presence for the 9/11 attacks? Osama bin Laden.
Yes, Ron Paul has some good ideas.
But he needs to shut up and go pee on the plants in the post office.
The only thing a Ron Paul straw poll win means is that the Paulbots are good at stuffing a small number of ballot boxes, and deluded enough to think that can translate to national electoral victory.
Basil,
I don’t think it’s accurate to say that news outlets are “playing up” Ron Paul’s CPAC straw poll win.
Rather they seem to be downplaying and marginalizing its significance in a way they might not have had Romney won.
DrewJ
[You are correct that they are downplaying CPAC overall. But they haven’t ignored it. All the news prior to the poll has been an attempt to portray it as a meeting of nuts. The Ron Paul win plays right into that. And they’ve noticed. – B]
Russ:
Do you have a link supporting your assertion that Paul supporters were stuffing ballot boxes at CPAC?
That would be cheating, and I think at least one of the many reporters at CPAC would have noticed it.
DrewJ
[Don Surber make the same charge. – B]
It’s never the crazy guy that’s the scariest, it’s the people that worship the crazy guy that are really scary.
RON PAUL FOR PRESIDENT IN 2012!
[You got the all caps thing right. But, if you really want to make fun of Ron Paul trolls, you need to include more exclamation points. And misspellings. Like this:
RON PAUL FOR PRESDENT IN 2012!!1!!11!!!
Simple, really. Just turn your brain off. Be sure to turn it back on when you’re done, or you might actually vote for Ron Paul – B]
I’ve often thought of R.Paul as a plastic plant
Interesting. So you are in total agreement to send more troops to Afghanistan. That must mean you’ve already enlisted, been through training and are ready and roaring to go “defend” our nation , right?!! If not… Shut the f**ck up espusing on an increased occupational foreign policy coward!
[Yes, I had the honor to wear my country’s uniform. So, yes, I’ve defended sh*theads like you. – B]
Basil,
Yes but he wasn’t there and provides no evidence.
I think people like Surber and Russ in comments above are using the term “stuff the ballot box” incorrectly. It appears to be a way of insinuating cheating without coming right out and saying it.
If the Paul supporters were cheating then I suspect one of the large number of reporters at CPAC would have noticed it and written about it.
If Paul supporters were simply more numerous/energized/organized than the other camps, then the phrase “stuffing the ballot box” is inappropriate. That’s just called “winning.”
Drew
[But when they win, we all lose. And, besides, I owed Surber a link. – B]
Hello – Earth to Basil – we have a worldwide economic crisis on our hands and Ron Paul is the only potential Republican candiddate that understands the need for monetary reform. For the rest it’s inflate the currency more and more to solve prior inflation. Idiocy.
We have been at war in Central Asia for nearly a decade (that’s 10 yesrs Basil!). Longer than WWI and WWII combined. It NEVER ends, it never will. Those people may hate the Taliban, but they hate us there more – we cannot win, we cannot accomplish ANYTHING there except spending our economy into oblivion and bringing our troops home in body bags. Support the troops, bring them home from hell.
[Ron Paul is nuts, as are his supporters. Oh, and good job on the misspellings. But you need more all-caps if you want to pretend to be a Ron Paul nutcase troll. – B]
years
[Oh, fatal flaw. If you want to pretend to be a Ron Paul nutcase supporter, you shouldn’t correct errors, except with larger errors. Still, you’re showing promise. Keep working at it. – B]
Cp@7
Why yes I did serve in uniform Cp, in combat as did my father and all my uncles : and oh yeah,MY SON the latest Purple Heart recipient in the family.
Why can’t I believe you regarding your service? If you wore a uniform I’m picturing it being blue with a white helmet. If it were true you served for OUR country you would know and respect the fact that Ron Paul received MOST private donations from active and retired servicemen and women for his presidential bid in 2008 and STILL is receiving more donations from armed servicemen to this day than any other public figure in our nation. But oh, this is the fella you call completely “nuts”! Tell your fellow soldiers how you think but be ready for scrutiny giving the mass of soldiers support our “crazy uncle”
[Why can’t you believe it? Because you’re a Ron Paul supporter, and therefore, facts bother you. – B]
So, because he believes interventionist foreign policy can lead to negative feelings from the people we have unlawfully intervened with, he’s crazy? Solid argument – this blog post sounds like it was written by the typical American, slave to the military, and the idea of freedom spreading imperialism. Wake up and smell the coffee: the US can’t afford a worldwide military presence, shouldn’t have a worldwide military presence, and needs to spend more time keeping it’s own finances in order before playing World Cop to all those “in need” (IE: those who have something the US would like to have).
[Whoa, there. You got a problem with something I write, you got a problem with me. Frank, Sarah, Harvey, et al, aren’t responsible for what I write. I am.
I guess you think I’m going to debate all the points of what Ron Paul believe. Or what his nutcase supporters believe. No. I said that some of the things he espouses are correct. But he’s nuts. As are his supporters. – B]
Your ramblings here do not convince me that Ron Paul is a nut. A nut is someone that attacks someone that has never attacked them. A nut is someone that offers free stuff to people that can’t be paid for. Thus according to voting records, Ron Paul is the only one that is not a nut. In fact the rest pretty much are with a few exceptions. If you name call, you really should give more supporting material. Cheers.
Following your “Logic”, Since there are no plastic plants at my local Post Office – I am sane. And you seem a little too familiar with plastic plants at Post Offices, therefore, I’m beginning to worry about how your synapses are firing in Your gray matter, Mr. Basil!
Also, I see you wrote the name – Osama bin Laden. You know who else writes the name Osama bin Laden? OSAMA BIN LADEN!!! I’m really worrying about you now MISTER!!!
wow, I am always impressed with how little you know. I feel sorry for you.
“You know who else blames the U.S. presence for the 9/11 attacks? Osama bin Laden.”
And…you find logic shocking? Just because you understand the concept of criminal motive, doesn’t mean you endorse the crime. Come on, man.
Note to Ron Paul supporters, of which I am one:
Shrillness isn’t attractive, and it doesn’t persuade anyone, either.
DrewJ
Fact= most donations than any other candidate from active military went to Ron Paul
explain it. With facts as you have presented none except assinine under breath comments like “nutcase” with not a thread of declaration as to why.
Hey, kids! The Ron Paul circus is now playing at IMAO. Tell your friends! And, yes, the clown car has stopped at this post.
This IMAO website seems to be filled with retards.
“That’s Ron Paul. Here’s an old CNN video where he says he doesn’t accept the 9/11 commission findings, and says that our presence in the region contributed to the attacks.”
And your point is…what? Even the people who wrote the 9/11 commission openly said it was a sham and I’m no Truther by any means. And if Osama bin Laden said that our intervention was one of the primary causes of the attacks, then doesn’t it follow that we should at least understand the motivations of those who attack us? It does us no good to arrogantly state that the US can have bases in 140 countries around the world and not incite hatred from local nationalistic and religious groups. Fairly or unfairly, foreign intervention has consequences and we will never be able to deal with the terrorism threat until we understand that.
Sweet blog, dude!1 Keep it up, you’re going places.
/not.
More non sensical blabber with no “facts”. It’s a simple choice… Either freedom or tyranny. Which does rpaul reside on?
leaving comments here are pointless. These people are the types that listen to rush all day, conspire to attack countries for oil, have small brains, love Bush, paint their faces in their beloved nfl teams and simply think the Constitution is a comic book.
[So you search the internet for mentions of RON PAUL! and then comment on how pointless it is to leave comments. I’m starting to think it’s impossible for a Ron Paul supporter not to be nuts because of the company you’d have to keep. -Ed.]
The video clip is a portion of what he has stated so it doesn’t give the full picture. He believes Islamic so-called terrorists flew planes into those buildings, but he also believes their was gross incompetence and possibly certain people turning a blind eye. Think about the fact that Bush wanted to attack Iraq long before 911. Combine this with the fact he was bought by the oil companies in our wonderful corporate fascist system, and one has reason to wonder about what is possible. If every politician was as honorable as Ron Paul in telling lobbyists to hit the road, and, if every politician loved this country as much as Ron Paul loves it, we would have no need to worry about conspiracies. Remember there are conspiracies. Here is one for you IMAO knuckleheads: CDC = Pfizer, Treasury = Goldman Sachs, USDA/FDA = Monsanto, etc. Need I say more. Always question.
Cp@24
I was thinking “…DELUSION…” !!!!!!!!!!!!
One should not enter a battle of wits unarmed…..”””!!!!!
You said:
“You know who else blames the U.S. presence for the 9/11 attacks? Osama bin Laden.”
That’s the whole point! That was Bin Laden’s motivation. Most Neocons would disagree with that statement. They would say that Osama Bin Laden hates us for our freedom, and that our presence has nothing to do with it. You just admitted the most fundamental point that Ron Paul makes about why the attacks happened.
Osama bin Laden’s organization planned the attack on 9/11.
Osama bin Laden said the US presence in the middle east was a reason for the 9/11 attacks.
Ron Paul said the US presence in the middle east was a reason for the 9/11 attacks.
How is Ron Paul wrong then?
So, do you guy’s prefer Ronulans or Paulistinians? Just curious…
Good Video.
Just starting to hear about him and I like what he has to say. Dont see any nutcase here….. well besides whoever wrote this.
@ 29
One is known by the company one keeps. Read the above comments; there’s your answer.
The US has how many bases in how many foreign countries around the world, whose regional affairs we attempt to influence, but sure it’s our unique presence in another part of the world that provoked the attack. Remind me again why the Serbians never flew planes into the WTC? Oh wait, it’s because they aren’t the international version of hillbillies that live in the anus of the world and long for the rise of a global Islamic caliphate. Sure, let’s just acquiesce to their demands, retreat to our little American Island and pretend that we no longer live in an increasingly shrinking world that requires the type of strategic interventionism that was once purely optional. I’m sure that strategy would have worked great with the Nazi’s.
I’m all for using our power more conservatively and intelligently, but the naivete represented by Paul’s foreign policy is too much for this skeptic. I don’t believe in the communist utopia and the same goes for the Paulian/Libertarian international utopia. Unfortunately many seem to forget that the US is governed by a common founding document and a legal system, while the international system is anarchic. Where there is a system without law, it will fall to the individuals to defend their interests. Within the anarchic nation state system, the representative countries are individual actors. You can argue about what actually are the interests of the US, but you’re a fool if you think the US can remain isolationist, while other nations do not.
(Somebody will mention anarcho-capitalism and/or the idea that you can privatize the functions that states currently provide and leave private corporations to tend to their own interests (as if the US can act as a bunch of individuals, while competing against nation states who represent collective interests), but Ayn Rand pretty much crushed that long ago http://aynrandlexicon.com/lexicon/anarchism.html)
“But also walks down to the post office and pees on the plastic plants in the corner.”
hahahah. That be funny, really.
RP is still the coolest, though. Unlike most of the Bush-McCain-Lindsey Graham neo-con RINOS, RP has actually read (not to mention, thought about) a lot of real free market economics (Hayek, Von Mises, etc.) and history.
I think we may have just seen the new face of the GOP. Students made up 48% of the CPAC voters and they voted overwhelmingly for Ron Paul. Even the psuedo-conservatives at National Review have figured it out:
http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=OWE2ZGY2ZWFhNDljMjY5N2E2NjRlNDZiYjczNzllY2M=
“Paul supporters were the most visible and vocal throughout CPAC — waving posters, signs, and passing out pamphlets. Unlike the 2012 wannabes, Paul doesn’t play coy: He has a manifesto and wants to broadcast it. Period. No worries about the media spin or whether the speech gets headlines (see Pawlenty, Tiger doctrine).”
God, Guns, and Liberty,
r3VOLutionist777
Rontards or Paultards?
I am nuts.
And so are my supporters.
Paul Bearers or Paulbots?
Hey the “GUY” has two first names!!!!!WHATS HE GOT TO HIDE….HUH?…
“THINK ABout IT…!!
Ron Paul is a good man. Problem is, he’s a libertarian absolutist of the first order. That leads/drags him into some pretty ridiculous policy positions by my lights. Thing is, to call him insane is a slander. He and Pat Buchanan are of the exact same stripe when it comes to what they consider a wise and prudent foreign policy, but no one calls Pat Buchanan insane. He’s officially a Klansman…just like Ron Paul is officially “nuts”.
There’s nothing evil or insane about being wrong on a particular policy position. To assume otherwise is not only stupid, it’s cowardly and weak.
Pat Buchanan is insane.
Now we can take that one off the docket…
Perhaps it’s a bit off topic, but I can’t help but wonder…. does Ron Paul dye his eyebrows?
and R.Paul is a squirrel…gathering “NUTS….”
Think about It!!
Wow invasion of the Obamabot’s, opps, imean the rontards.
@41 GOOD QUESTION…!!!
tatoos?
Wow, Basil thats the best troll bait I’ve seen in awhile.
Stickeenotes is absolutely correct: but you’re a fool if you think the US can remain isolationist
The recurring theme in these comments from the Ronulans seems to be withdraw from the world. How are we supposed to do that? It is only our presence in Europe that saved them from enslavement by the Soviets. It has been only our presence in South Korea that has prevented another invasion by North Korea. It is only our credible threat of violence against China that has prevented an attack on Taiwan all these years. And it is the US Navy that protects all the vital shipping lines in the world. You want to end all that? Chaos would ensue. This is, in fact, the single most important reason why we must get our financial house in order. To prevent cuts in our military that would eventually cause major problems around the world.
The problem with our financial system is not military spending. It is runaway entitlement programs. That is what must be fixed.
As for Ron Paul, as Basil said, there are a lot of things RPaul says that I totally agree with, most of it financial. But when he starts talking about foreign affairs, I either shiver or laugh. Or both.
By the way, Cp, you are offensive. You are not helping your cause by insulting Mr. Basil.
I feel the same way you do about ron paul. if he is talking about finances I am all ears. any thing else and and as you said, he’s the crazy uncle who came back from war.
Gosh darn it, Basil! Next time you bait a Ron Paul troll feeding frenzy, ask me beforehand. I hate to miss good fun on a lazy Sunday.
[Sorry. It was completely inconsiderate of me. But, really, anyone can create one of these on their own at any time. Just say “Ron Paul! Ron Paul!! Ron Paul!!!11!!!!” in a comment. It’s like chumming the water. – B]
I’ve got it! We’ll hide America under a rock! No one will ever miss us!
Gooble gobble, gooble gobble! We accept Ron! We accept Ron!
Oh crap. There’s smoke coming up in the middle of the living room floor.
Either I’ve summoned up the Cthulhu-Ronpaulian entity, or I’ve dropped a cigarette ash in the carpet again.
Now how do I get rid of him? Make him say his name backwards? A non-euclidean dimensional sacrifice?
Think I’ll just dump this glass of diet Pepsi on him.
Well, that’s gonna leave a stain.
Dammit, Basil. I’m sending you the bill on this one…
1) When Osama speaks, I listen and believe.
2) This is especially true of his recent diatribe against global warming.
3) Ron Paul is a knut.
4) Instead of hiding under a rock, can’t we just turn the lights off and pretend nobody’s home?
BASIL, QUIT BAITING THE TROLLS. ONE OF THEM MIGHT HAVE A PLANE AND DISCOVER WHERE YOU LIVE. !!!!11!! (oops , I forgot what the required number of ! and 1 is.)
“Pat Buchanan is insane.”
See what I mean? None need bother to explain why this or that condemned person deserves to be a pariah. If enough popular folk condemn them, there must be a valid reason for them doing so. Thinking, arguing, proving etc., …all that stuff is for losers.
Being cool must be really cool. It’s a sad substitute for integrity, though.
[Not bad. Not bad at all. But if you really want to play like you’re a crazy RON PAUL!!1!! supporter, you should probably post the same comment a second time. – B]
“Pat Buchanan is insane.”
See what I mean? None need bother to explain why this or that condemned person deserves to be a pariah. If enough popular folk condemn them, there must be a valid reason for them doing so. Thinking, arguing, proving etc., …all that stuff is for losers.
Being cool must be really cool. It’s a sad substitute for integrity, though.
[Much better. However, if you really want to imitate a RON PAUL!!1!!! supporter, you should also include a lot of misspellings, as well the occasional odd capitalization.
Alternately, you could post the same comment a third time. – B]
“Pat Buchanan is insane.”
See what I mean? None need bother explaining why this or that condemned person deserves to be a pariah. If enough popular folk condemn them, there must be a valid reason for them doing so. Thinking, arguing, proving etc., …all that stuff is for losers.
Being cool must be really cool. It’s a sad substitute for integrity, though.
[Well done! Same comment three times! That’s the RON PAUL!!1!!! trifecta. I must congratulate you on a wonderful imitation of a RON PAUL!!1!!! troll. Again, I say, well done. – B]
ccoffer you got a bad stutter there.
Of FrnakJ’s personalities, Basil is the most entertaining when he’s bored.
What, your soccer game snowed out or something?
[There’s no sports on. Unless you count basketball or the Laff-A-Lympics. And the TiVo is down to some episodes of “Dirty Jobs,” some westerns, the last 20 episodes of “Angel,” and some “Supernatural.” In other words, just stuff the Wife watches. So, yeah, I’m bored. Good news, though. While I didn’t save a butt-load of money on my car insurance, I did find The Lost World (1925; silent)
on TiVo streaming. So, I’m good. – B]
PAT BUCHANAN 2012!!!1!!1!!
All this talk about Ron Paul’s sanity and nobody’s asking the important question:
Where does Ron Paul stand on curling???
[Curling? Oh, yeah. I watched some curling the other day. – B]
ccoffer, you seem to suggest that Pat Buchanan is not insane.
We’re on to you, Pat.
Nothing on the television, Basil? At the very least, TCM has been quite good recently. On the Waterfront and North by Northwest consecutively. And an excellent Spencer Tracy film was on last week.
So I guess it’s time to exchange the incompetent with the inane. Our most pressing problem is Jobs and the economy. Yes please elect someone else who’s either never worked for anyone except the government or who’s been in government so long they’ve forgotten what it’s like to run a real business.
Also it’s always entertaining when the ” it’s all America’s fault” liberals and libertarians get together. If we didn’t go into Afghanistan they’d complain, if we do go there they complain. No matter what was done or by who they’d complain. Hey Ron, “kill the infidels” means they want to kill us, me and you our families, friends and fellow citizens. Maybe we should kill them before they kill us. I don’t know, it just seems so much more efficient that way. Of course we could always wait for them to come here and blow up some more buildings, that’s always entertaining. At least the MSM likes it, bleeding sells you know.
Someone with a clear concise plan might be nice for a change but unless they’re the right religion, color, or have attended the right Ivy league college it doesn’t matter what their accomplishments are. It doesn’t matter how experienced they are or what their plans are. People will vote for the “Popular” candidate. Hence Obama, now we have Paul. We NEVER learn.
The only way anyone can say that the US has bases in 147 countries is if each embasy w/ a Marine Security Detachment is a military instalation instead of a diplomatic embasy. But hey, never let fact stand in the way of an irational argument…
Did you see that Britain finally released their UFO reports, without the little black markers over sensitive parts. It turns out the reason those parts of the report were so sensitive was because they were the parts they referred to the people making the reports as being mental patients, drunks and other not too kind facts.
Not good news for Ron Paul supporters.
Very clever how you never really rebut any of Paul’s views. Instead you resort to smearing him and putting him on par with Osama Bin Laden. Bravo! You neocons never fail to reveal how childish you really are.
Hehe, this thread reminds me of when I was 19 or 20 years old and a Libertarian. Except that for me, 9/11 cured me of my affliction, and I grew up to be a sane, adult conservative. For the Ron Paul nuts, 9/11 seems to have had the opposite effect.
Or maybe it’s just a perpetual regeneration where each year, some 22+ year old Libertarians and Paulnuts become conservatives, and are replaced by a new batch of college-age idiots. Yes, this is probably the better explanation.
RP Rocks!!!
Hoo boy !!11!!1 A ronulan troll fest. A long time ago I thought Pual was a viable libertarian candisate for president. Decades ago. Since then he and his followers have been responsible for the increrase in tin foil futures. Never saw a conspiracy they didn’t like.
I wonder how many Amway or Shacklee distributorships the ronlulans own, and how much they give to Benny Hinn?
Funny how RUPal won a poll that hardly anybody voted on. Maybe Coulter was right to say bump the voting age to 40. Then tye dye wearing pot smoking Ronulans won’t be able to destroy our system, but then they wouldn’t be around for us to laugh at.
What a surprise, Ron Paul brings his entire Campaign for Liberty staff to the convention and he wins the straw poll. It was just like how two years ago Mitt Romney brought his entire campaign staff to CPAC and he won the straw poll. Color me shocked.
I’ve read this thread in parts, it’s so entertaining. I miss these threads.
It brings back the hilarity of the election, back when it was funnier because it hadn’t happened yet.
Back when Hillary! still had her exclamation point.