Ron Paul Forces Plot GOP Convention Revolt

[Etta Place]

Ron Paul's forces quietly plot GOP convention revolt against McCain




Virtually all the nation's political attention in recent weeks has focused on the compelling state-by-state presidential nomination struggle between two Democrats and the potential for party-splitting strife over there.

But in the meantime, quietly, largely under the radar of most people, the forces of Rep. Ron Paul have been organizing across the country to stage an embarrassing public revolt against Sen. John McCain when Republicans gather for their national convention in Minnesota at the beginning of September.

Paul's presidential candidacy has been correctly dismissed all along in terms of winning the nomination. He was even excluded as irrelevant by Fox News from a nationally-televised GOP debate in New Hampshire.

But what's been largely overlooked is Paul's candidacy as a reflection of a powerful lingering dissatisfaction with the Arizona senator among the party's most conservative conservatives. As anticipated in late March in The Ticket, that situation could be exacerbated by today's expected announcement from former Republican Rep. Bob Barr of Georgia for the Libertarian Party's presidential nod, a slot held by Paul in 1988.

Never mind Ralph Nader, Republican and Democratic parties both face ...

... potentially damaging internal splits that could cripple their chances for victory in a narrow vote on Nov. 4.

Just take a look at recent Republican primary results, largely overlooked because McCain locked up the necessary 1,191 delegates long ago. In Indiana, McCain got 77% of the recent Republican primary vote, Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney, who've each long ago quit and endorsed McCain, still got 10% and 5% respectively, while Paul took 8%.

On the same May 6 in North Carolina, McCain received less than three-quarters of Republican votes (74%), while Huckabee got 12%, Paul 7% and Alan Keyes and No Preference took a total of 7%.

Pennsylvania was even slightly worse for the GOP's presumptive nominee, who got only 73% to a combined 27% for Paul (16%) and Huckabee (11%).

As Politico.com's Jonathan Martin noted recently, at least some of these results are temporary protest votes in meaningless primaries built on lingering affection for Huckabee and suspicion of McCain.

Given the long-since settled GOP race, thousands of other Republicans in these states, who might have put up with a McCain vote, crossed over to vote in the more exciting Democratic primaries, on their own for Sen. Barack Obama or at the urging of talk-show host Rush Limbaugh, who sought to support Hillary Clinton and prolong Democratic bloodletting.

According to a recent Boston Globe tally, Paul has a grand total of 19 Republican delegates to Romney's 260, Huckabee's 286 and McCain's 1,413.

In the last three months, Paul's forces, who donated $34.5 million to his White House effort and upward of a million total votes, have, as The Ticket has noted, been fighting a series of guerrilla battles with party establishment officials at county and state conventions from Washington and Missouri to Maine and Mississippi. Their goal: to take control of local committees, boost their delegate totals and influence platform debates.

Paul, for instance, favors a drastically reduced federal government, abolishing the Federal Reserve, ending the Iraq war immediately and withdrawing U.S. troops from abroad.

They hope to demonstrate their disagreements with McCain vocally at the convention through platform fights and an attempt to get Paul a prominent speaking slot. Paul, who's running unopposed in his home Texas district for an 11th House term, still has some $5 million in war funds and has instructed his followers that their struggle is not about a single election, but a long-term revolution for control of the Republican Party.

So eager are they to follow their leader's words, that Paul's supporters have driven his new book, "The Revolution: A Manifesto," to the top of several bestseller lists.

While Paul has consistently refused a third-party bid, he has vowed not to endorse McCain, a refusal mirrored by hundreds of his supporters who have left comments on The Ticket in recent weeks. And, no doubt, they'll flock back here today to spread the gospel below.

-- Andrew Malcolm

Ron Paul's forces quietly plot GOP convention revolt against McCain : Top of the Ticket : Los Angeles Times


I hope the Paul supporters raise a big ruckus!

[afmo]

now here's the thing....on one hand, i'd love to see RP elected president. We all know that won't happen. Sucks...but its the truth.

There are a few issues that i don't agree with Juan McAmnesty on. I probably won't vote for him. But when you look at the big picture, the new president is most likely going to get to appoint maybe up to 3 SC judges. Given the cases up for review this year (heller anyone?), we all can agree on the importance of SC justices.

McCain is also the best chance we have of maintaining our gun rights. I also don't see the democrats getting a veto-proof majority in the senate any time soon. which means a president with at least "most" of our interests in mind is a good thing.

The Democrats have been doing a great job of imploding in on themselves like a dying star. Hopefully they go supernova before the end of the primaries. McCain has been lying in wait, building money and more importantly, showing that he's above the pettiness that Obama and Clinton have been showing. He's relatively scandal free, and at this point has a portion of his competitors supporters willing to vote for him in lieu of the other democratic candidate.

Ron Paul is a Republican. As much as i'd like to see him win, causing a big ole uproar is going to hurt the good karma the republicans have been building up.

[xds&chevys]

True, he probably won't get elected this year, but as long a there is still a voice in our government that is willing to speak-up and speak-out to preserve the constitution the way it was intended, there will remain hope for the future of this country. I will still vote for him.

[east_stingray]

Originally Posted by afmo

now here's the thing....on one hand, i'd love to see RP elected president. We all know that won't happen. Sucks...but its the truth.

There are a few issues that i don't agree with Juan McAmnesty on. I probably won't vote for him. But when you look at the big picture, the new president is most likely going to get to appoint maybe up to 3 SC judges. Given the cases up for review this year (heller anyone?), we all can agree on the importance of SC justices.

McCain is also the best chance we have of maintaining our gun rights. I also don't see the democrats getting a veto-proof majority in the senate any time soon. which means a president with at least "most" of our interests in mind is a good thing.

The Democrats have been doing a great job of imploding in on themselves like a dying star. Hopefully they go supernova before the end of the primaries. McCain has been lying in wait, building money and more importantly, showing that he's above the pettiness that Obama and Clinton have been showing. He's relatively scandal free, and at this point has a portion of his competitors supporters willing to vote for him in lieu of the other democratic candidate.

Ron Paul is a Republican. As much as i'd like to see him win, causing a big ole uproar is going to hurt the good karma the republicans have been building up.

You know, even up until a few weeks ago I agreed with you. Something pushed me over the edge since then, and I'm going to vote libertarian no matter who they put on the ticket. Maybe reading all of Frenchy's posts finally got to me.

I don't care if my ONE VOTE directly CAUSES a democratic win. I'm done with this crap. I'm out. No more. I will continue to vote for who I want from this point until I can't make it to the polls anymore.

[AZXD]

I like more of the same ... But I really want my free healthcare, welfare check, and subsidized housing

I guess it won't take much to oust McAmnesty ... A story or three like this (from a blog) and a reminder that he wants to protect those who are here, panders for the Hispanic vote, and has not (since his amnesty bill was shot down, and he "has seen the light") got on the stump to promote better security ... Will equate to another nail in the coffin.

Newark’s Triple Horror able Murder Of 3 Good Kids Was Committed By Illegal Immigrants!

Even the headline - 'Newark Triple Murder Fuels Debate on Treatment of Illegal Immigrants' - is totally Liberal PC crap. According to the headline, the Illegal Immigrants are the victims - not the 3 kids who were executed. SHAME on the New York Times editors.

Are we now going to be concerned about the TREATMENT OF THESE animals? Their treatment should be a short and sweet visit to the Gas Chamber!

Not only are they illegal, but they all had a long, long list of prior arrests! So I ask, Number one, why the hell are they still in this Country,

And number two, why the hell are they still walking the streets and not in jail?

The so called, Mr Godinez was arrested in 2002 after an alleged robbery and stabbing outside an N.J., bar. He was charged with aggravated assault and robbery, then jumped his $50,000 bail.

And another guy was charged with repeatedly raping a five-year-old and he was roaming the streets here and there.. This barbaric gang of 3 adults and 3 shall we say Juveniles were the ruthless bunch of cowardly scum that I’ve heard of in a long time. The robbed them of the few trinkets they had (and how much could 3 teenagers have had) then had them kneel down and turn around and then shot them in the back of their heads, execution-style! They were out hurting innocent kids, yes just like wild animals do.

Our government is fighting a global war on terrorism because 3,000 people died on 9/11/01 in the New York City Twin Towers attack.

More than 27,000 U.S. soldiers have been injured in this war and more than 3,000 killed.

And yet, 48,000 American citizens have been killed by illegal aliens since 9/11/01 and too many of our politicians (and, yes, even in certain law enforcement quarters) believe that this 'problem' is only for the federal govt. to solve.

I daresay that the number of criminal illegals in this country rivals the total number of radical islamofascists worldwide.

It's a war, folks, and it's damn well time we started it that.

So now the six illegal ANIMALS are in custody, are you holding your breath? I am. Are we going to send them to their maker? Are we going to put them in jail and throw them in jail and throw away the key? Or are we going to do the same crap over and over again, nd them back, so that they can return and murder someone else! , I say give them the death penalty, no ifs ands or buts! .

Mexico would not be so kind to any illegal murdering immigrants.. Try going to Mexico and killing someone, it would be all over in 30 days, the firing squad would not hesitate for a second. Boom Boom Amigo, Hasta la vista, baby.

Or maybe we should give them another chance, maybe we really need them here, after all aren’t they doing the jobs that American's won't do? Maybe they were cutting lawns or washing dishes in a restaurant?

Are you listening Mr and Mrs Politicians, do you see the light yet?

How about you, are you “Mad as hell and not going to take it any more” I am. Vote these amnesty, forgiving bastards out of office.

These were the INNOCENT Victims

[jmichna]

AZXD,
Could you post a link to the Newark crimes? I'd like to read more about it.
TIA.

[xds&chevys]

+ 1000 Azxd

Ron Paul's stance on immigration:

The talk must stop. We must secure our borders now. A nation without secure borders is no nation at all. It makes no sense to fight terrorists abroad when our own front door is left unlocked. This is my six point plan:

• Physically secure our borders and coastlines. We must do whatever it takes to control entry into our country before we undertake complicated immigration reform proposals.
• Enforce visa rules. Immigration officials must track visa holders and deport anyone who overstays their visa or otherwise violates U.S. law. This is especially important when we recall that a number of 9/11 terrorists had expired visas.
• No amnesty. Estimates suggest that 10 to 20 million people are in our country illegally. That’s a lot of people to reward for breaking our laws.
• No welfare for illegal aliens. Americans have welcomed immigrants who seek opportunity, work hard, and play by the rules. But taxpayers should not pay for illegal immigrants who use hospitals, clinics, schools, roads, and social services.
• End birthright citizenship. As long as illegal immigrants know their children born here will be citizens, the incentive to enter the U.S. illegally will remain strong.
• Pass true immigration reform. The current system is incoherent and unfair. But current reform proposals would allow up to 60 million more immigrants into our country, according to the Heritage Foundation. This is insanity. Legal immigrants from all countries should face the same rules and waiting periods.

Can Anyone disagree with this plan??

[AZXD]

Originally Posted by jmichna

AZXD,
Could you post a link to the Newark crimes? I'd like to read more about it.
TIA.

Sorry, found it by accident. Maybe searching the names of victims and assailants will help.

[one-eyed-fatman]

Here's a story on it.

4th suspect in Newark schoolyard killings remains at large - Breaking News From New Jersey - NJ.com

[AZXD]

Originally Posted by one-eyed-fatman

Here's a story on it.

4th suspect in Newark schoolyard killings remains at large - Breaking News From New Jersey - NJ.com

Yep, I read this and wonder what is so wrong with Ron Paul's stance on immigration.
It is so much better than free health care, free immigration status, and .... Does that guy have anything other than change to stand on ??? Oh well, whatever gets the vote, right ??