Ron Paul: Now Joining The Race as Third Party???

[88Mariner]

oh man, just got this in the inbox. Ron Paul is making a statement on the 10th at the National Press Club. Bob Barr and Chuck Baldwin (Constitution Party Candidate) will be there.

First thing that came to mind was that Barr and Baldwin would step aside and put Ron Paul back in the race as the Libertarian and Constitutional Party candidate. I could, as always, be very wrong on this, but he coudl easily garner the largest third-party vote in history.

This is almost as exciting as Palin's husband's business partner trying to conceal his divorce records...you know...that business partner that had the alleged affair with Palin...


This could be the best Monday I've had in years.....

I'll post more as it filters through the web

[88Mariner]

Re: Ron Paul: Now Joining The Race as Third Party???

http://www.ballot-access.org/

Montana Constitution Party Submits Presidential Electors Pledged to Ron Paul and Michael Peroutka

September 5th, 2008
On September 5, the ballot-qualified Constitution Party of Montana submitted its presidential elector candidates to the Secretary of State. The party informed the Secretary of State that its electors are pledged to Ron Paul for president and Michael Peroutka for vice-president. Ron Paul was aware that the party planned to do this, and has said that as long as he can remain passive and silent about the development, and as long as he need not sign any declaration of candidacy, that he does not object.

and so it begins...

[i!!ustrious]

Re: Ron Paul: Now Joining The Race as Third Party???

I'm pretty sure I just went into shock. That's a long 34 page decision for me to read right now, but I'll get around to it. I suppose the rank-with-fear structure of the mass media might try to downgrade and treat this matter like a pimple as well..


Lol, never heard about that alleged scandal, hah that's prime time. Cheers.

[88Mariner]

Re: Ron Paul: Now Joining The Race as Third Party???

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/09/09/ron-paul-plans-special-announcement/

oh shit. this. is. big. it could be totally anti-climactic tho.

Thoughts: ever one of hte third-party nominees will campaign for ron paul as a write-in, and in some states, ron-paul will replace the respective write-in where those states permit such changes.

this would be stunning if it turned out like that. just magnanimously stunning.

[Lorn]

Re: Ron Paul: Now Joining The Race as Third Party???

Will there be a third party debate this year?

Remember the one that took place in '04. It was a breath of fresh air to say the least.

[toasty]

Re: Ron Paul: Now Joining The Race as Third Party???

What is this wacky mo-fo up to? Actually very curious what he has up his sleeve...

[Jenks]

Re: Ron Paul: Now Joining The Race as Third Party???

he would be stealing votes from republicans mostly, correct?

[toasty]

Re: Ron Paul: Now Joining The Race as Third Party???

That would probably be the conventional wisdom, but I actually know a lot of Paul supporters that refuse to support McCain, so I'm not so sure. McCain tends to take the hit in polls where Barr is included, but Paul inspired a somewhat different voter profile. Really tough to say...

[88Mariner]

Re: Ron Paul: Now Joining The Race as Third Party???

yet Barr will be at this meeting. I'm thinking the importance of this meeting isn't to detract away from the demicrats, but to solidify a third party into this country.

[Lorn]

Re: Ron Paul: Now Joining The Race as Third Party???

That would probably be the conventional wisdom, but I actually know a lot of Paul supporters that refuse to support McCain, so I'm not so sure. McCain tends to take the hit in polls where Barr is included, but Paul inspired a somewhat different voter profile. Really tough to say...

Wasn't Paul's base a lot of younger folk? If so, could give us a glimpse of the voting public in about 15 years.

[88Mariner]

Re: Ron Paul: Now Joining The Race as Third Party???

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTCskE1m3kI[/YOUTUBE]

[Lorn]

Re: Ron Paul: Now Joining The Race as Third Party???

^He said it. Government only serves special interests. Or as someone else puts it, every government program has the exact opposite of its intended purpose.

[88Mariner]

Re: Ron Paul: Now Joining The Race as Third Party???

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gj4x1Ijw4MDlWEadWey5y9c0GlhgD933TVRG7

nice.

Here's the text of the speech:

September 10, 2008

Ron Paul's Opening Statement at the National Press Club Today

The American Majority
Ron Paul

The argument that the two parties should represent opposed ideals and policies, one, perhaps of the Right and the other of the Left, is a foolish idea acceptable only to the doctrinaire and academic thinkers. Instead the two parties should be almost identical, so that the American people can ‘throw the rascals out’ at any election without leading to any profound or extensive shifts in policy. - Carroll Quigley – Author of Tragedy & Hope

The coverage of the presidential election is designed to be a grand distraction. This is not new, but this year, it’s more so than ever.
Pretending that a true difference exists between the two major candidates is a charade of great proportion. Many who help to perpetuate this myth are frequently unaware of what they are doing and believe that significant differences actually do exist. Indeed, on small points there is the appearance of a difference. The real issues, however, are buried in a barrage of miscellaneous nonsense and endless pontifications by robotic pundits hired to perpetuate the myth of a campaign of substance.
The truth is that our two-party system offers no real choice. The real goal of the campaign is to distract people from considering the real issues.
Influential forces, the media, the government, the privileged corporations and moneyed interests see to it that both party’s candidates are acceptable, regardless of the outcome, since they will still be in charge. It’s been that way for a long time. George Wallace was not the first to recognize that there’s “not a dime’s worth of difference” between the two parties. There is, though, a difference between the two major candidates and the candidates on third-party tickets and those running as independents.
The two parties and their candidates have no real disagreements on foreign policy, monetary policy, privacy issues, or the welfare state. They both are willing to abuse the Rule of Law and ignore constitutional restraint on Executive Powers. Neither major party champions free markets and private-property ownership.
Those candidates who represent actual change or disagreement with the status quo are held in check by the two major parties in power, making it very difficult to compete in the pretend democratic process. This is done by making it difficult for third-party candidates to get on the ballots, enter into the debates, raise money, avoid being marginalized, or get fair or actual coverage. A rare celebrity or a wealthy individual can, to a degree, overcome these difficulties.
The system we have today allows a President to be elected by as little as 32% of the American people, with half of those merely voting for the “lesser of two evils”. Therefore, as little as 16% actually vote for a president. No wonder when things go wrong, anger explodes. A recent poll shows that 60% of the American people are not happy with the two major candidates this year.
This system is driven by the conviction that only a major party candidate can win. Voters become convinced that any other vote is a “wasted” vote. It’s time for that conclusion to be challenged and to recognize that the only way not to waste one’s vote is to reject the two establishment candidates and join the majority, once called silent, and allow the voices of the people to be heard.
We cannot expect withdrawal of troops from Iraq or the Middle East with either of the two major candidates. Expect continued involvement in Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Georgia. Neither hints of a non-interventionist foreign policy. Do not expect to hear the rejection of the policy of supporting the American world empire. There will be no emphasis in protecting privacy and civil liberties and the constant surveillance of the American people. Do not expect any serious attempt to curtail the rapidly expanding national debt. And certainly, there will be no hint of addressing the Federal Reserve System and its cozy relationship with big banks and international corporations and the politicians.
There is only one way that these issues can get the attention they deserve: the silent majority must become the vocal majority.
This message can be sent to our leaders by not participating in the Great Distraction—the quadrennial campaign and election of an American President without a choice. Just think of how much of an edge a Vice President has in this process, and he or she is picked by a single person—the party’s nominee. This was never intended by the Constitution.
Since a principled non-voter sends a message, we must count them and recognize the message they are sending as well. The non-voters need to hold their own “election” by starting a “League of Non-voters” and explain their principled reasons for opting out of this charade of the presidential elective process. They just might get a bigger membership than anyone would guess.
Write-in votes should not be discouraged, but the electoral officials must be held accountable and make sure the votes are counted. But one must not be naďve and believe that under today’s circumstances one has a chance of accomplishing much by a write-in campaign.
The strongest message can be sent by rejecting the two-party system, which in reality is a one-party system with no possible chance for the changes to occur which are necessary to solve our economic and foreign policy problems. This can be accomplished by voting for one of the non-establishment principled candidates—Baldwin, Barr, McKinney, Nader, and possibly others. (listed alphabetically)
Yes, these individuals do have strong philosophic disagreements on various issues, but they all stand for challenging the status quo—those special interest who control our federal government. And because of this, on the big issues of war, civil liberties, deficits, and the Federal Reserve they have much in common. People will waste their vote in voting for the lesser of two evils. That can’t be stopped overnight, but for us to have an impact we must maximize the total votes of those rejecting the two major candidates.
For me, though, my advice—for what it’s worth—is to vote! Reject the two candidates who demand perpetuation of the status quo and pick one of the alternatives that you have the greatest affinity to, based on the other issues.
A huge vote for those running on principle will be a lot more valuable by sending a message that we’ve had enough and want real change than wasting one’s vote on a supposed lesser of two evils. (Via Campaign for Liberty)

[Lorn]

Re: Ron Paul: Now Joining The Race as Third Party???

The coverage of the presidential election is designed to be a grand distraction. This is not new, but this year, it’s more so than ever.
Pretending that a true difference exists between the two major candidates is a charade of great proportion.

Nicely said.

People will waste their vote in voting for the lesser of two evils.

And this!

[88Mariner]

Re: Ron Paul: Now Joining The Race as Third Party???

Bob Barr just asked Paul to be his VP (with root asserting he would step down in the interest of liberty). Let's see how this pans out (but unlikely it would happen).