#1
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Why is Paul Running as a Republican?
Serious question ---
I know Paul has run as a libertarian in the past and it looks like his views align much more closely to the libertarian party than the Republican party. I think Paul has little/no chance of winning under either party label (and I suspect that he and most of his supporters would agree.) His ultimate goal is probably to raise awareness of the issue(s) that he feels strongly about. What are the benefits of running as a Republican? I think by running as a Republican (versus a third-party) he's representing himself as something he's not in a couple of ways: 1) he's not really a Republican (IMO), 2) he represents himself as the sort of person who will sell short his ideals for political gain. Any thoughts? |
#2
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Re: Why is Paul Running as a Republican?
[ QUOTE ]
Serious question --- I know Paul has run as a libertarian in the past and it looks like his views align much more closely to the libertarian party than the Republican party. I think Paul has little/no chance of winning under either party label (and I suspect that he and most of his supporters would agree.) His ultimate goal is probably to raise awareness of the issue(s) that he feels strongly about. What are the benefits of running as a Republican? I think by running as a Republican (versus a third-party) he's representing himself as something he's not in a couple of ways: 1) he's not really a Republican (IMO), 2) he represents himself as the sort of person who will sell short his ideals for political gain. Any thoughts? [/ QUOTE ] Free press + debate entry |
#3
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Re: Why is Paul Running as a Republican?
Probably because he is a Republican congressman. How he got there, I am unsure.
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#4
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Re: Why is Paul Running as a Republican?
He's served as a Republican in Congress for ten terms. What do you mean, he's not a Republican? He clearly supports the Republic more than most. The Republican party is a big tent.
His position on abortion aligns himself more with the Republican base than the Libertarian base. His support of the 2nd amendment and disdain for fiscal irresponsibility are a few among many parts of his platform that are pushed by both the Libertarian and Republican parties. I do not see how running for a political party's nomination is selling short his ideas. |
#5
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Re: Why is Paul Running as a Republican?
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He's served as a Republican in Congress for ten terms. What do you mean, he's not a Republican? [/ QUOTE ] I think it's odd that he ran as a Republican congressman as well. I mean that his political positions are much more like a libertarian than a Republican. [ QUOTE ] He clearly supports the Republic more than most. [/ QUOTE ] That's not what a Republican is. Nor is a member of the Democratic party someone who supports Democracy more than others. [ QUOTE ] I do not see how running for a political party's nomination is selling short his ideas. [/ QUOTE ] Partly because he is anti-establishment |
#6
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Re: Why is Paul Running as a Republican?
Just because the Republican Party abandoned its Robert Taft wing decades ago does not mean that they don't still exist.
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#7
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Re: Why is Paul Running as a Republican?
elwood,
Are you being deliberately dense? He ran as a Republican because he's not an idiot. Only Republicans or Democrats can be elected to any office higher than County Water & Soil Commissioner. |
#8
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Re: Why is Paul Running as a Republican?
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elwood, Are you being deliberately dense? He ran as a Republican because he's not an idiot. Only Republicans or Democrats can be elected to any office higher than County Water & Soil Commissioner. [/ QUOTE ] Yes, I am being deliberately dense. I always thought this was the reason why he was running as a Republican --- pragmatic reason alone --- not because he truly views himself as a member of the Republican Party. He's a RINO. I think we can agree on that. My ultimate question is do you think that by running as a Republican he is hurting his ability to effectively run as an idealist. I think it does. |
#9
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Re: Why is Paul Running as a Republican?
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elwood, Are you being deliberately dense? He ran as a Republican because he's not an idiot. Only Republicans or Democrats can be elected to any office higher than County Water & Soil Commissioner. [/ QUOTE ] Statists will tell you to work for change within the system. Then when someone does it, they say he's a sellout. |
#10
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Re: Why is Paul Running as a Republican?
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ] elwood, Are you being deliberately dense? He ran as a Republican because he's not an idiot. Only Republicans or Democrats can be elected to any office higher than County Water & Soil Commissioner. [/ QUOTE ] Statists will tell you to work for change within the system. Then when someone does it, they say he's a sellout. [/ QUOTE ] I think he should work for change within the system and I think he is a sellout for running as a Republican. Those aren't contrary views. Let me put it this way, at the end of the day Ross Perot will have made more of a national impact running effectively as a third party than Ron Paul will have. Further, Ross Perot made more of an impact running as a third-party than had Ross Perot run as a Republican. |
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