Ron Paul - Angry White Man

[ejs]

www.tnr.com/politics/story.html?id=e2f15397-a3c7-4720-ac15-4532a7da84ca

"...But, whoever actually wrote them, the newsletters I saw all had one thing in common: They were published under a banner containing Paul's name, and the articles (except for one special edition of a newsletter that contained the byline of another writer) seem designed to create the impression that they were written by him--and reflected his views. What they reveal are decades worth of obsession with conspiracies, sympathy for the right-wing militia movement, and deeply held bigotry against blacks, Jews, and gays. In short, they suggest that Ron Paul is not the plain-speaking antiwar activist his supporters believe they are backing--but rather a member in good standing of some of the oldest and ugliest traditions in American politics."

Scans of the newsletters are at a link on the link above..

[msnicolea]

I am so sick of hearing people talk about how "refreshing" Paul is, how "honest and straightforward"--he is a jackass and a bigot. It makes me sick when he is given any consideration/attention by the media.

[artist]

Where's sxsw_dad? ;)

[trestlegirl]

One of my aunts is totally enamored with Ron Paul, mostly thanks to his attitudes on doing away with taxes. I want to smack her through the internet every time she sends out another "support Ron Paul" email to the whole family. The guy is SCARY. Good thing he's not exactly going strong in the primaries!

[Linz]

Ron Paul is a weirdo.

[maxandmolly]

Wasn't there a member around here who had some affection for Ron Paul? Wonder what he'll have to say?

[Niobe]

There's a scary number of Ron Paul fans in San Francisco. I really wonder how much they know about their candidate, consider how many of them are women. :(

[dionysia]

Ron Paul is batshit crazy.

[msnicolea]

People who support him know very little about him, in my experience. They say things like "I love how honest he is! He's not a politician! He tells it like it is! He makes the debates interesting" and on and on and on. When faced with evidence of his lies, bigotry, and overall insanity, they are unable to defend their choice.

[LyLMyssChaos]

I will admit that I agree with a few of his policies (particularly on the Homeschooling front) but I do not like his methods. He is far too radical to garner any real support from the Rep. side. He really would have stood a better chance running as a 3rd party.

[jimmysgirl424]

I just found out yesterday that my mother is pulling for him in the presidential race. After I found my voice again, I simply told her she and I should discuss politics...EVER!! :p

[laura]

Someone has parked both a car and a van covered with Ron Paul stickers/signs in front of our building. It strikes fear into my heart every time I see it, and I have no clue what it is about. It seems like more than just an avid fan since it is 2 vehicles - very perplexing.

[PG-rated]

People who support him know very little about him, in my experience. They say things like "I love how honest he is! He's not a politician! He tells it like it is! He makes the debates interesting" and on and on and on. When faced with evidence of his lies, bigotry, and overall insanity, they are unable to defend their choice.
I've found the same. He has a number of outside-the-box opinions that resonate as individual stances with like-minded people, but they don't stop to consider the whole package.

[ysolde]

He is a bit of a loon, isn't he?

[Irish Elf]

Crazy AND a loon. ;)

[IrishEyes]

Someone confronted a local radio talk show host (who's a Ron Paul supporter) with the TNR article and the newsletters and asked if that affected his support. This host, who's not as obstinate as Rush (in general), brushed it off and said that Ron Paul didn't have a chance this election, but it was all about the Liberty movement that was rising in this country because of him. OK, whatever.

[thelittlebabu]

Bigotry claims aside...I don't know if they are true or not and really don't care, because I'm not voting for him and he has no chance of becoming President...Ron Paul is another high-profile Libertarian who undercuts his message of smaller government with an unhealthy distrust of government in that he believes in conspiracies. Harry Browne was the same way, with his belief in that Japan was baited into bombing Pearl Harbor so FDR could finally get support to enter the war. It's sad to me, because I like a lot of what they represent.

Ron Paul was smart to join the Republican Party because he never had a chance to get elected to Congress as a Libertarian. I'm not sure if a Libertarian disguised as a Republican can ever use Congress as a springboard to a Presidency, but it's clear that a man with Ron Paul's baggage won't.

[gayle]

Ron Paul is batshit crazy.

That sums him up nicely!