To sum up his analysis, Rand was right to endorse Romney because in order for Rand to get what he wants, he has to play politics. We just have to hope that what he wants is what we want too. Problem is, that's like using the One Ring to Rule Them All to try to do good. If he uses it once, will he use it again and again and again? If this is a good reason to endorse Romney, will there be more "good reasons" to do similar things down the road? Will it ever stop? If it doesn't then Rand will end up just like them. Ron was known as "Dr. No" for the precise reason that he never sold his vote on one bill to gain someone else's on another. He never used The Ring.
I do agree with the pragmatic observation. Ron has repeatedly demonstrated a pragmatic approach to his actions, and I think that's why he's held his Congressional seat for so long and I don't take issue with that, and maybe this is part of what we're seeing. Maybe Rand knows what he's doing. Maybe we'll see.
I didn't know that Ron essentially conceded the R race prior to the endorsement which is/was perhaps my biggest beef. So maybe that's explained, at least.
But this puny meaningless endorsement now means everything to you?
I can tell none of you have ever been in a political office or elected board and had to hold the line against the majority and its statist media parrots. Let me just say that it is not as easy as you seem to think.
Either way, we still have 11 weeks to find out what the "genius" behind the move was.
What if the Pauls extracted promises of major financial and party support for Cruz in Texas and for Bills in MN?
Would that be worth it?
I'm just posing an example. That wouldn't involve a convention speech or the party platform. Just two superb Ron Paul Republicans.
Romney and the RNC wouldn't even have to do it themselves. They could arrange for someone else to supply the funds.
I'm just saying that something like that would be worth the trade.
In any event, Rand's endorsement is necessary. And I'm more than a little tired of all the wannabe's whining about something so meaningless.
IMO, every last Ron Paul supporter in the country should pledge to support Romney. Then just vote however they feel like. It would be the best way to maximize our impact within the party and prepare for the 2014/2016 cycle.
IMO, anyone that pins any hopes on the politcal process in this kountry is a fool. So the short answer to your question is no, it wouldn't be worth it.
Then you agree with Rockwell and the others and shouldn't ever bother to vote. For that matter, to be consistent, you shouldn't care whether Rand endorsed or didn't endorse. You're saying it makes no difference. In which case, you believe democracy has utterly failed and we've succumbed irreparably to an oligarchic empire, much as the Romans did. Again, you can't hold such views and still vote as any meaningful exercise of power.
If Paul is the candidate for the GOP, unlikely I find, then I will take a flyer and vote for him. Otherwise, local only. The rest is a ruse, a charade.
Ah. Then you only argue politics, you don't believe in any chance for real change.
Not sure why you think local is any better than state/federal. So much of what we call local government is run by federal regulation, matching funds, trickle-throughs, block grants, etc. It is a continuum, not sharply delineated as it once was. In the last dozen years, we've started federal funding of schools and, via tobacco tax, the SCHIP children's health insurance for poor to middle-class families (up to $85K households, paid for by smokers whose income averages less than half of that).
But if not Paul, then who cares. I mean do you really, ... really, see a difference between the Junior years and the Yomama years in terms of liberties lost? I don't. It's been a near perfect linear progression from 9/11.
It's a little disturbing to think of Ron Paul as some god-king.
He is 77, a little frail. And he announced his retirement over six months ago because the Texas GOP redistricted him into new territory. Again.
BTW, did Ron Paul actually win a single precinct or county anywhere in the country yet? Upon what do you base your fantasy that he could become president in 2012? Or in 2016 at the age of 82 or so? Especially when no president has ever taken the oath older than 69 (Reagan turned 70 shortly after his inauguration).
I'm willing to discuss politics. Fantasies? Not so much.