Ron Paul

[FSBlueApocalypse]

Safe to say everyone who is an active poster on here is at least a small "l" libertarian and I know Shane and myself are members of the Libertarian Party.

As the primaries keep inching closer, obviously everyone in the "liberty" movement is getting on the Ron Paul bandwagon. I would like to take the temperature of the forum here on your opinions on Paul.

1. Are you currently registered Republican? If not, are you planning to register Rep. to vote for Paul in a close primary/caucus?

2. Are you planning to vote for Ron Paul in your state primary/caucus?

3. Are there any policies/actions that Paul supports that you disagree with him on?

[AnCap Dave]

I registered as a Republican back in the 2008 election. I was a hardcore Paulite at the time, though he was my introduction to the concepts of libertarianism. Before I discovered Ron, I was completely apathetic about politics.

I've meant to switch back to independent after he lost the election that year, but simply never got around to it. To be perfectly honest though, I've switched my philosophy from small government to no government. I may vote for Ron, but I honestly don't have high expectations. Lee Wrights is also another candidate I've considered. I really like his work.

As far as things I disagree with, when I first joined this forum, I agreed with everything he stood for, though after a bit of learning, I've come to disagree with his stance on immigration. I also disagree with his stance on abortion.

[MrBogosity]

Same here: immigration and abortion.

[Goaticus]

In Michigan it used to be possible to change your registration and vote in multiple primaries. That is how John McCain won Michigan in 2000. I've never actually taken advantage of it, however. In 1996, the first year I could vote I didn't care for any of the Republicans and since I am a huge Harry Browne fan I was ecstatic I could vote for him.

In 2000 I was almost tempted to vote in the Republican primaries because John McCain was actually trying to ban my only hobby at the time, but voting for G.W. wasn't going to happen. So I stayed a registered Libertarian.

In 2004 I really didn't care who won the Democratic primary so I stayed registered a Libertarian. I voted as early as I could that day and then went to an event we called conservative fishing day. We took a bunch of disgruntled Republicans to a park on the Huron River and enjoyed a day of barbecue and outdoor fun. They wanted to stay registered Republicans because they believed in the party, but also wanted to show they weren't going to support the party with Bush on the ticket so they were making it a point to not vote.

In 2008 I didn't register Republican because Michigan tried to move up its primary to get the same kind of attention Iowa got and its votes were disallowed. In the general election, for the first time in my adult life, I didn't vote. I wasn't going to vote for Barr. I wasn't going to vote for Obama, and I loathe John McCain.

After 2008 the political climate was very anti-capitalism because Bush branded himself as the candidate of small government and when his absurd policies blew up in his face the free market got the blame. If Kerry or Gore had won I'm pretty sure the economic crisis would have occurred, but no one would have been able to blame it on the free market. It was then that I made a decision. I would much prefer an honest socialist (honest about being a socialist at least) then a neo-con or "compassionate conservative" who actually doubled the size of Government in 8 years.

Now that I live in Colorado I am going to stay a registered Libertarian. I like Ron and all, but I've decided I am not going to do anything that can be interpreted as support for the Republican Party. Personally I would rather spend my time showing that Libertarians aren't the little brother of the Republican party than supporting the lesser of two evils in the general election. Especially if I am not even sure they are the lesser of two evils.

[MrBogosity]

In 2000 I was almost tempted to vote in the Republican primaries because John McCain was actually trying to ban my only hobby at the time,

What hobby was that?

In 2004 I really didn't care who won the Democratic primary so I stayed registered a Libertarian. I voted as early as I could that day and then went to an event we called conservative fishing day. We took a bunch of disgruntled Republicans to a park on the Huron River and enjoyed a day of barbecue and outdoor fun. They wanted to stay registered Republicans because they believed in the party, but also wanted to show they weren't going to support the party with Bush on the ticket so they were making it a point to not vote.

Unfortunately, the only point anyone considers them to have made by doing so is apathy. They should have gone to the polls and turned in a blank ballot, like I did in '94!

If Kerry or Gore had won I'm pretty sure the economic crisis would have occurred, but no one would have been able to blame it on the free market.

I wouldn't be so sure of that. The dogmatic fervor of the statists to avoid reality when it's inconvenient is staggering.

[Goaticus]

What hobby was that?


Unfortunately, the only point anyone considers them to have made by doing so is apathy. They should have gone to the polls and turned in a blank ballot, like I did in '94!

I wouldn't be so sure of that. The dogmatic fervor of the statists to avoid reality when it's inconvenient is staggering.

The hobby is Mixed Martial Arts. John McCain's wife owned a sizable chunk of boxing. At that time I had to get crappy boot legs of fights off of e-bay to be up on the latest.  Also I was considering being a fighter at that time, but McCain's campaign made it hard to get a paying fight.

The blank ballot is a good idea, to be honest in 2008 I was considering just writing in something rude. I was burned out on the political process at that point and earlier that morning my first child's mother offered to let me take her so I impulsively just said screw it and spent the day with her instead.

On conservative fishing day they wrote a letter to the Republican Party and signed it with the names of those who wouldn't be voting. The blank ballot was considered, as was writing in "no confidence". In the end they decided skipping the polls entirely would be a better bet because they wanted to convey apathy to their party. The beer and bratwursts were probably a consideration.

I'm sure statist apologetics would have found a way to blame the banking crisis on the free market, but I believe their arguments had a lot more force because George W. Bush somehow branded himself as supporting a limited Government.

[Travis Retriever]

I'm registered as a democrat, and voted for Obama in 2008 (a fact that will haunt me until the die I fucking die. >_<).  In my defense, I voted a split ticket, with the votes for Congress going to Libertarians.

I'm still registered as a democrat, and last time I voted, I cast a blank ballot.  I will probably do that again for this election.  Hey, if not voting will get me looked down upon as apathetic, might as well turn in blank ballots from on, right?
I mean, they say vote for the masters leaders you want.  Well, I'm doing just that.  I voted for Nobody 2010 will vote for Nobody 2012.

[Travis Retriever]

1. Are you currently registered Republican? If not, are you planning to register Rep. to vote for Paul in a close primary/caucus?

2. Are you planning to vote for Ron Paul in your state primary/caucus?

3. Are there any policies/actions that Paul supports that you disagree with him on?

Shit.  Sorry, FS, I forgot about the postings while posting that.

1.  No and no.
2.  No.
3.  Abortion and immigration; so same as Shane and Dave.  Well, those and the whole having a government thing (like Dave, Lord T Hawkeye, etc).

[Ibrahim90]

Safe to say everyone who is an active poster on here is at least a small "l" libertarian and I know Shane and myself are members of the Libertarian Party.

As the primaries keep inching closer, obviously everyone in the "liberty" movement is getting on the Ron Paul bandwagon. I would like to take the temperature of the forum here on your opinions on Paul.

1. Are you currently registered Republican? If not, are you planning to register Rep. to vote for Paul in a close primary/caucus?

2. Are you planning to vote for Ron Paul in your state primary/caucus?

3. Are there any policies/actions that Paul supports that you disagree with him on?

well, I'm currently registered Libertarian too and am a member of the party. that should answer queston one as a "no". And I have no plans on changing that.

2-no. cannot do so in Colorado, as it is a closed primary IIRC.

3. just immigration AFAIK. I lean towards pro choice, but I do not find the issue as important (I still disagree with him on it of course).