All these comments bemoaning how "crazy" and "extreme" Ron Paul is supposed to be would have gotten under my skin at one time, but now they just amuse me, The enemies of liberty finally see the long-term impact of Ron Paul's campaign on the minds and hearts of Americans and they are going into full-blown panic mode.
Unfortunately - civility and a firm grasp of logic not being most garden-variety statists' strong suit - the only tools left in their arsenal now are sophomoric shaming and social ostracism attempts using flaccid and meaningless buzzwords. "Radical!" "Crazy!" "Extreme!" is the kind of rubbish they bleat about when they can no longer find coherent justifications for their barbarically coercive models of society.
PUBLIC OPINION > A Libertarian Can Be Elected President One Day
SodaHead News
2012/05/16 22:00:00
As with his 1988 and 2008 presidential campaigns, Ron Paul was able to accumulate an enormously active and responsive following this year, but once again, he's wound up a little short. He's run as a third-party libertarian and as a Republican; he's run in good times and bad; he's remained (relatively) honest and incorruptible in the eyes of the public. Still, nothing. If he can't make it to the Oval Office, will a libertarian candidate ever have a shot? We asked the public.
The results were pretty close, but in politics, you don't need much of a margin to win. 53% is more than enough to land the presidency, even if you're Grover Cleveland. If we acted like everything that hasn't happened yet could never happen, humanity would never move forward. Will it happen? Who knows. But the point is, it could. This isn't about whether or not you'd want a libertarian president, but whether or not it would be possible to break the two-party system and elect someone outside of the box. As the Top Comment wrote, "At this point, they can only try to forestall the inevitable. A free and voluntary society is coming."
Libertarians Have Faith
Conservatives were a little more likely than liberals to trust that a libertarian president could win, but they were both unconvinced. Same goes for moderates. The only political demographics that thought it could happen were libertarians (obviously) and political "others." The real kicker was how many voters fell into those categories -- 45% combined.
Smokers Could See It Happening
One thing we've noticed in the past is a correlation between smokers and libertarian thinking. We've suggested that maybe recent proposals threatening to slap graphic warnings on packs, or jack the price of a pack up to $100, are the reason smokers are so like-minded. Here, again, smokers were much more likely than nonsmokers to believe libertarians could take the presidency.
High School Hot Spot
In his books, Ron Paul describes the overwhelming response he's gotten from college students who are frustrated with the rigid two-party political structure, but the breakdown shows that college students are no more likely than anyone else. In fact, high school students were the real supporters here. 84% of high schoolers said it's possible -- almost as much as the libertarians themselves.
If you'd like to vote on this question, dig deeper into the demographics, or engage in existing discussion about the topic, visit our poll about libertarian candidates. We'd love to hear from you!
Simply because American voters have not yet voted a Libertarian into the executive office of the US doesn't mean that they will continue in this error. There is hope. Not everyone is as stupid and invested in ignorance as you are Mr. Won...
The main problem with Libertarians is they never had anyone that could get elected. Ron Paul has way too much baggage, is too old and too set in his ways and on top of all that has some real kook ideas like legalizing street drugs. Nobody but fellow Libertarian kooks would seriously consider voting for him. That the harsh reality.
The Libertarian Party has nominated Gary Johnson and Judge James Gray as our presidential and vice-presidential candidates and that is where our support goes. While the likelihood of them winning may be as remote as your waking up looking like Brad Pitt or your being able to understand a non-elementary concept, they will advance the cause of Liberty.
My initial response to the question was "The only reason that a Libertarian might not become president is timing. IF a Libertarian is NOT elected SOON, then there may no longer be an America for a Libertarian to preside over." Many of this country's founders expressed ideas that were anarchistic and libertarian. It is my belief that their ideals were defeated by the continuation of slavery. A tumor of evil like that will not allow the body to remain healthy and we have deteriorated to the managed economy and extremely limited freedom that Mr. Wonderful seems to love and defend so much.
There is nothing wrong with the country a good house cleaning of Congress couldn't fix. The problem isn't the president, it's Congress and the gang of crooks that infest it and corrupt it.
Unfortunately - civility and a firm grasp of logic not being most garden-variety statists' strong suit - the only tools left in their arsenal now are sophomoric shaming and social ostracism attempts using flaccid and meaningless buzzwords. "Radical!" "Crazy!" "Extreme!" is the kind of rubbish they bleat about when they can no longer find coherent justifications for their barbarically coercive models of society.
now there's a word...
not easily worked into the average convo-
well said... your post-
He wants to get rid Social Security, Medicare
and get rid entitlements that help the poor
Ron Paul wants to eliminate five entire federal departments: Energy, Commerce, Interior, Education, and Housing and Urban Development, calling them "unnecessary bureaucracies".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?...
Oh Yes Putting Millions out work or poor and disabled in the streets. Going to save America NOT We Need Jobs Not CUTS
Put your money where your mouth is ...
Tell what ORomney will do to make any difference. No generalities. No ABOs. No better evils. No propaganda links. Just tell us exactly what and how ORomney will stop the current path of demise.
Gay people are nice.
Obama is the best we've got. The others only threaten important freedoms.
Didn't Obama sign the NDAA and declare he can kill any US Citizen as long as he is a "suspected" terrorist? And didnt Romney support Obama on these stances?
The only one not threatening our freedoms is Paul.
... or won't. I don't know which.
and....
in the first minute of this video Ron Paul makes it more than known ( in 1997 ) that he is worried about Social Security and if you knew anything about Ron Paul youd know two of his biggest concerns are taking care of the elderly and the veterans