Some of Stossel interveiw of Ron Paul

[pharmboy]

This is part of a interview by John Stossel of 20/20 of Ron Paul.

Stossel : Could a state legalize heroin ?

Paul : Under our federal system of government, that would be the case. If you
ask the people who are against ( legalization of heroin ) if they would use
it, they say "Oh no, I wouldn't use it! It's always those other people that
might use it , so I have to take care of them and prevent them from doing
harm to themselves."

Stossel : Is that the proper role for the government ?

Paul : No, I don't belive so. The government should not be involved in personal
habits. I have no problem with state laws that protect children from the use
of these drugs . But under the Constitution, the president and federal
government wouldn't have a say in it.

Stossel : You seem to be saying that adults own their own bodies. If a woman wants
to rent hers out or some one wants to smoke crack, that's their buisness.

Paul : Yeah. People make bad choices in religion and philosophy, but we don't
regulate their thinking or their religious beliefs if they're not harming
other people. Thats why I defend this position that government can't
protect individuals from themselves. It's just impossible. ( And when
it tries ) it becomes a tyrannical state.

Damn this guy needs way more media attention because most
people out there don't know who he is.

[Raz]

Would mainstream americans ever vote this guy in?

[pharmboy]

The west coast definitly, the east coast maybe, all those bible thumpers

in the middle NO WAY. Sorry to say.

[jab]

He's doing pretty good so far.. He's had two second place finishes, the second in LA, being VERY close. The only candidates with any money left are Romney (his own money). He's doing OK with delegates for this stage of the game. Giuliani and Huckelberry are so close to broke they are already rumored to be planning an exit. McCain is the flip-flopper of the century.

I think he's a very viable candidate. Especially now.. Since the approval rating for the war is WAY down (and he's allways been against it, unlike the rest of the GOP) and the economy is now the primary issue (and RP is famous for his economic prowess).

Things are shaping up good. Now if the media would give him even a bit of fair news coverage I think he'd be a GOP shoe-in.

[EleusisII]

Sorry.... Besides his stance on drugs, this guy is looney-tunes. And completely unelectable.
He's popular with the far-right wing of the republican party though... The people that voted for Pat Buchanan. That's just 5-10 percent of the republicans though, so the only chance you'll see him in the White House, is if the dead will rise, and somebody commands an amry of zombies to the polls

[bbob]

Or every freedom loving American who is tired of an oppressive Federal government gets out and votes.

[eveline]

Sorry.... Besides his stance on drugs, this guy is looney-tunes. And completely unelectable.
He's popular with the far-right wing of the republican party though... The people that voted for Pat Buchanan. That's just 5-10 percent of the republicans though, so the only chance you'll see him in the White House, is if the dead will rise, and somebody commands an amry of zombies to the polls

Libertarian is not far-right any more than it's far-left. I don't want to get into this though.

[jab]

Amen!!

Or every freedom loving American who is tired of an oppressive Federal government gets out and votes.

EleusisII,

I think it is pretty funny when people talk about Ron Paul and say his plans are crazy. People need to get out of their cozy little boxes and actually pay attention to things and search for the truth instead of just listening to whatever someone tells you.

The Constitution, the last time I checked, wasn't a crazy idea. Period. The mainstream media tells you what they want you to hear. Dr. Ron Paul is the only candidate whose records actually backs up what he says. He has NEVER changed his position to tell someone only what they want to hear. I am not going to vote for the person who is the medias flavor-of-the-month.

He raised almost $20 Million dollars in the 4th quarter alone, by individual donors, and won't accept donations from corporations or special interest groups.

He has never voted to raise taxes.
He has never voted for an unbalanced budget.
He has never voted for a federal restriction on gun ownership.
He has never voted to raise congressional pay.
He has never taken a government-paid junket.
He has never voted to increase the power of the executive branch.

He voted against the Patriot Act.
He voted against regulating the Internet.
He voted against the Iraq war.

He does not participate in the lucrative congressional pension program.
He returns a portion of his annual congressional office budget to the U.S. treasury every year.

What is so crazy about having this kind of voting record?

What is so crazy about Ron Paul?

[CIIORNOTHING]

Ron Paul could be elected tomorrow, and he still wouldnt be able to get all of his ideas enacted. He would have to convince congress and the senate and get them all on board too, and that just seems impossible.

Im afraid we are stuck with 4 or 8 more years of the same old bullshit, whichever fool gets elected.

[jab]

You very well may be right. But, at least he'd get things started, and being president has a lot of pull.. Look at all the illegal, unethical, things Bush has done. Would you have thought he could pull all this crap off 8 years ago? I wouldn't, but he did.

Why accept 4/8 more years? Why not use your vote to help fight that?

Whatever. Everytime we have this discussion I hear the same arguements over and over. Poeple are so ready to just accept thier fate.. Lay down and die, so to speak. I don't get it. I wasn't raised that way and that train of thought doesn't compute with me. I was raised to stand up for what I believed in and never accept failure as an option. Fight till the bitter end and all.

The people of this country are sick of politicians running roughshod over thier civil liberties and freedoms, I hear them crying about it all the time. Remember, if you don't vote against it, you are voting for it. So when that jail door slams, or when the foreclosure notice comes in the mail, or when privacy and the internet (heck the US as we've known it) are completely regulated, or when your or someone you knows job is shipped overseas.. You only have your own inaction to thank for it.

Ron Paul could be elected tomorrow, and he still wouldnt be able to get all of his ideas enacted. He would have to convince congress and the senate and get them all on board too, and that just seems impossible.

Im afraid we are stuck with 4 or 8 more years of the same old bullshit, whichever fool gets elected.

[Raz]

You very well may be right. But, at least he'd get things started, and being president has a lot of pull.. Look at all the illegal, unethical, things Bush has done. Would you have thought he could pull all this crap off 8 years ago? I wouldn't, but he did.

Why accept 4/8 more years? Why not use your vote to help fight that?

Whatever. Everytime we have this discussion I hear the same arguements over and over. Poeple are so ready to just accept thier fate.. Lay down and die, so to speak. I don't get it. I wasn't raised that way and that train of thought doesn't compute with me. I was raised to stand up for what I believed in and never accept failure as an option. Fight till the bitter end and all.

The people of this country are sick of politicians running roughshod over thier civil liberties and freedoms, I hear them crying about it all the time. Remember, if you don't vote against it, you are voting for it. So when that jail door slams, or when the foreclosure notice comes in the mail, or when privacy and the internet (heck the US as we've known it) are completely regulated, or when your or someone you knows job is shipped overseas.. You only have your own inaction to thank for it.
Just like ol Winston churchill said "We shall never Surrender".Shame too many people are sheep...Raz

[CIIORNOTHING]

Hell, at least I get out and vote. Youd be surprised how few even do that. More freaking people vote for American Idol than for thier president.

Im very passionate about politics, but as my views contrasts with most here, I dont get into it very much. I like alot of what Paul has to say, Im simply saying that even if he were elected, its not like drugs would become legal overnight and everyone would be banging H in restaurants and on the street corner.

Anyway, good to see you have all that passion. Put it to good use and you should have a very fruitful life, no doubt.

And I will add this. Like you I hear people crying about liberties and government control, and most times those same people turn aroudn support a democrat. It blows my mind. I dont think most have a clue what the fundamental differences are between dems and GOP. Most just think dems help the poor and middle class and the GOP is for the rich. If you want your life to have less interference by governement, you damend sure shouldnt be voting democrat IMHO, but yet so many do.

anyhoo.....

[Thanat0s]

heh, anyone see the text message 'poll' msnbc conducted this morning? topic was:
'who do you think won last nights repulican debate?'
the answer, with like 40 some percent?
ron paul!

sadly, the party will NEVER let him become the nominee... im a whack-0 libertarian myself, pure adam smith economist with the govt strictly forbidden from meddling n personal or state affairs but im also a realist and the party along with the rest of america just isnt capable of understanding his theory nor are they ready to put their faith in it...

i dont know how we got here but getting back is gonna be a long hard road... we likely wont make it.

keep up the god fight, RP!

[pharmboy]

If an IDIOT like Rudy wins ( or rips off ) the election

I hope the world comes to an end in 2012, I can't take

too many more years of this insanity. :jumping-s

[jab]

You are very correct in the fact tha people don't really understand the GOP. The problem lies in that fact that most of the GOP candidates don't understand the GOP either. ;)

Hell, at least I get out and vote. Youd be surprised how few even do that. More freaking people vote for American Idol than for thier president.

Im very passionate about politics, but as my views contrasts with most here, I dont get into it very much. I like alot of what Paul has to say, Im simply saying that even if he were elected, its not like drugs would become legal overnight and everyone would be banging H in restaurants and on the street corner.

Anyway, good to see you have all that passion. Put it to good use and you should have a very fruitful life, no doubt.

And I will add this. Like you I hear people crying about liberties and government control, and most times those same people turn aroudn support a democrat. It blows my mind. I dont think most have a clue what the fundamental differences are between dems and GOP. Most just think dems help the poor and middle class and the GOP is for the rich. If you want your life to have less interference by governement, you damend sure shouldnt be voting democrat IMHO, but yet so many do.

anyhoo.....

[CIIORNOTHING]

You are very correct in the fact tha people don't really understand the GOP. The problem lies in that fact that most of the GOP candidates don't understand the GOP either. ;)


I wont aruge that. I dont know how old you are, but the guys calling themselves republicans today are anything but. Oh well, dont get me started. :)

[CIIORNOTHING]

heh, anyone see the text message 'poll' msnbc conducted this morning? topic was:
'who do you think won last nights repulican debate?'
the answer, with like 40 some percent?
ron paul!

sadly, the party will NEVER let him become the nominee... im a whack-0 libertarian myself, pure adam smith economist with the govt strictly forbidden from meddling n personal or state affairs but im also a realist and the party along with the rest of america just isnt capable of understanding his theory nor are they ready to put their faith in it...

i dont know how we got here but getting back is gonna be a long hard road... we likely wont make it.

keep up the god fight, RP!


The way we might be able to get there is if we can get a copy of the constitution in the hands of every person in America, and have them actually read it and try to understand it. If you do that, you cant help but start asking questions. Like why is the government doing so much that the constitution never fucking allowed, provided for or even suggested? So many of us have just accepted that government does this or that, and thats how it is. But that shit didnt just happen overnight. It evolved overe years of liberties being stolen, and politicians and judges molding and bending the constitution to mean what they want it to mean or whatever helps them and thier supporters (read: financial contributors). Its all a fucking joke. Half the country can update you on what Paris or Brittany are doing in thier day to day lives, but we dont question why the fuck its nessecary to give 30-40% of our paychecks to an entity that does very little for us in return. Aw hell....now Im pissed. I need a hit.

[jab]

36 I definately remember when better times and cooler heads prevailed in the GOP. Oh the good 'ol days. :)

I wont aruge that. I dont know how old you are, but the guys calling themselves republicans today are anything but. Oh well, dont get me started. :)

[CIIORNOTHING]

36 I definately remember when better times and cooler heads prevailed in the GOP. Oh the good 'ol days. :)


You are only a year yonger than me. So you do remember when republicans didnt spend money like a drunken sailor and put us in debt to our ears ! :)

[Thanat0s]

...i stopped getting mad a long time ago... ive progressed to that dismal state of dissapointment. i have not even voted in some time... not because i dont care or am uninformed, i simply will not cast MY ballot for a 'lesser of two evils...' if i could go to the polls and select 'choose not to choose due to lack of positive choice' i would. thats been the case lately, voting simply to keep someone else OUT of office. this cycle though, things are a little different... i have an affirmative vote in my states primary, Ron Paul, and in the national i just might vote if either he(not likely) or sen obama get their partys nomination. clinton, no, any other republican, no... its just a fucking shame when theres no one to vote FOR, only against...
lets hope america has wised up and the same ol' politics will go the way of the dinosaurs...
not gonna hold my breath though...


i concurr, time for a hit!

[Thanat0s]

You are only a year yonger than me. So you do remember when republicans didnt spend money like a drunken sailor and put us in debt to our ears ! :)

oh geeze, the mainstream repubs are so far away from the philosophical foundations of the party it is unreal...
i really hate speaking in terms of this party or that, as i think towing the party line has done so much damage...
idealological purity is gone
when hillary was bashing obama in the latest debate for calling the gop the party of ideas my heart sank... it shows me that she wouldnt even listen to what might be a good idea simply because it was proposed by another party... when people cant admit a good idea or learn from their adversaries you have lost something very very important.
partisan politics, an Rx for disaster...

[Thanat0s]

to george W's credit... we do need to remember that this debit was incurred due to many factors...
we were in the midst of a deep recession bordering on depression in 2000-2001, 9/11 killed the market and pushed the economy further down the tubes, we beefed up natl security, and are still carrying on a two front 'war...'

not to say that grave missteps werent made, but some debit simply had to be taken on due to extraordinary factors beyond anyones control...

a return to fiscal resonsibility is indeed in order but lets not forget what really fueled our debit. im no bush backer but anyone in any party would have done nearly the same, given the circumstances...

[bbob]

Escuse me but I believe "we "are still carrying on a THREE front war

[Duckfeet]

the reason I'm for Ron Paul, has nothing to do with "party principles" whatever those are...I know what they say, and I know what the democratic party says, and they both are full of shit. Both partys are totally owned by special interests and could care less about us...

the reason I'm for Paul is because he consistently stands by simple constitutional principles...Unlike some of my pals, I never thought he had a chance in hell...but no other candidate, from any other party seems to be willing to tell the truth, and that's why I vote for him in the primaries, in the general will "write him in," and why I refuse anymore to vote for any candidate from either of the two parties...it's a matter of principles.

As far as I know, he is the *only* candidate who has come out publicly opposed to the crackdown on docs for opiate perscribing, and he is the only candidate to come out against the drug war.

I could go on and on, but I refuse anymore to vote for parties who are not comtted to honesty: the democrats are no better than the republicans. Both fuck me in the long run: I went to another stupid war a democrat we all loved got us into, and I went to prison under Jimmy Carter...so one party might hug me and talk nice, but they still fuck me, and only the libertarians see it as criminal...and Paul, no matter which party he runs under, is an honest libertarian...

[Thanat0s]

Escuse me but I believe "we "are still carrying on a THREE front war
meaing actually troops on the ground MILITARY action... 'we' meaning americans...
sheesh, be a dick why dont ya?

whats with the attitude, mr ulterior agenda?

[bbob]

If by Mr.ulterior agenda you see me as someone being beyond what is seen or avowed;intentionally kept concealed such as an ulterior motive,you have me misunderstood.My agenda I hope is clear I am TOTALLY against the war on drugs.Yes my Dr. is in jail being held without bond,I feel this is a terrible injustice.I felt the war on drugs was a terrible,unconstitutional,unjust war way before he was ever arrested.It is our government who named(declared) this action a war not me.As far as troops on the ground goes I guess one who has had his door bashed in at 3 AM,spent 4yrs in a cage,for pot would see it different than one who hasn't.My attitude comes from 33 of 48 yrs.defending myself in this war.I'm not trying to disrespect or discredit your views,but feel a need to express mine as well.My intent was not to offend you but urge others to help stop this war

[clinton]

hey barney what makes him so crazy?

[tptptp]

hey barney what makes him so crazy?

Eleusis wrote a post once with about 6 things he disliked about Paul 3 weren't even Paul's real stances, the other 3 are basic republican things (anti-illegal immigration) etc. He also said hillary clinton is centrist (and not very liberal) supports SUPER liberal ideas (like univ hcare, illegal immigration rights/amnesty) I mean to the point of communistic or super fascist stuff so why he's even discussing GOP in general IDK but then again he's said that anesthesia assisted detox is a good deal & was chewing someone out telling them that nick founded opiophile among other things, so take that for what it's worth.

One of the few wrong things Eleusis said was that Paul was ANTI gay rights, when we all know clear as day Paul has libertarian-like views on that. If you argue that he's lying about his stance there then once again you must not understand that anti-gays is pretty much a GOP thing especially in the military, so Paul would have no reason to lie about that. Then again like I said he called hillary centrist and ron paul "far right" and this is just the tip of the iceberg of some the things he's said.

I explained the stances he claimed were Paul's that he had wrong (3 of the 6, very wrong media feed type wrong) and pointed him in the direction of Paul's website where he gives his stance on every issue in plain english with a 20 year voting record to back it up. He told me if I believed what was written on the site that I'm basically a looney.

I refuted that if he were lying he would at least have the popular views for his party and not the unpopular ones & he has a 20 year voting record to actually back up what he writes. He seems to ignore this fact but has gotten his "facts" obviously from media hype. How ironic.

If Paul had pretended he was pro-war & pulled back the reigns a little on some of his other stances, just a little he could have easily been a top-tier contender from the get-go with his voting record, at least moreso than he has been. Especially now that economic policy is the "#1 concern" above the war. I even think Paul had something to do with that...Without a doubt Paul is the most knowledgable in dealing with economic policy.

Anyways as far as that goes I see a few of you asking him, so thats a pre-warner that you're about to waste your time with a AGGRO liberal to begin with who hasn't got half their facts right & hasn't really scratched any surfaces on the others.

Paul is the man and he's only getting more and more popular. Like I always say I wish he had started in 6 months sooner. He's an *gasp* honest politician & that can be backed up by his voting record and staying out of all the lucrative congressional stuff that would benefit him but isn't right. The current power of media is a big problem in having a just government election as can be clearly evidenced by this election & by all these fake superficial views people claim politcians have. On the other hand, they may hear about real views a politician has and not agree with the surface because they don't understand or care to look underneath & the media supports that type of superficial thought, because it's so much easier to sway opinion as needed this way.

[Duckfeet]

He's the only man I know running on principles who doesn't waver...I could give a shit which party he is from, or what he thinks about abortion, or any thing else...all I have to do is get a copy of the constitution, and I'll know exactly how he is going to vote. That makes him radically appealing in my book, and makes all the rest of them look like the hack they are. I wouldn't give a shit if he ran on the democratic or cat-pumpers of America Party...it's the man himself I'm voting for, simply to see about how many others in the fading country give a shit about what we once stood for, as we slowly descend into being just another addition to Mexico....we were a noble experiment, that's all, and people prove once again, about what they are worth...we get the gov't we deserve...

[pharmboy]

I love the guy because as far as I know he's not "owned" buy big oil or

any other "BIG" corporate special interest. All the others are beholdin to

some lobby or another. Money runs both republicans and democrats but

I think Paul is a libertarian running as a republican because he rightly

figures a libertarian would have alot of trouble getting elected.

He's my man and I think Thomas Jefferson would approve also. .:jumping-s

PS. U100 I am honored to have my quote in your signature. Thank you.:D

[nick]

I love the guy because as far as I know he's not "owned" buy big oil or

any other "BIG" corporate special interest. All the others are beholdin to

some lobby or another. Money runs both republicans and democrats but

I think Paul is a libertarian running as a republican because he rightly

figures a libertarian would have alot of trouble getting elected.

He's my man and I think Thomas Jefferson would approve also. .:jumping-s

PS. U100 I am honored to have my quote in your signature. Thank you.:D

Umm John Edwards is not in the pocket of corporate America.

[tptptp]

Thompson and Hunter(?) dropped out. Meaning there's 5 candidates left. Paul is in 4th so far (who would have ever thought he'd be ahead of Guliani) and will very likely beat Guliani unless Guliani pulls off Florida.

Huckabee and Guliani (after Florida) are both broke.

Believe it or not Paul is one of the three that can actually afford to stay in the campaign because of how much money he's raised in donations.

Of course I want Paul to win & I don't like Mitt but I hope if it comes down to it Mitt beats McCain. If it comes down to McCain Vs. Hillary it's a sign of armageddon.

[modega]

I think Ron Paul is a great candidate. He seems full of integrity and respect for the constitution along with concern for every individual citizen.

[EleusisII]

hey barney what makes him so crazy?


Well, tptptp either can't read properly, or the guy likes to put misrepresent things I write on purpose, so take what he writes with a big bag of salt, ok?

But thank you for asking, I'll tell you exactly why Ron Paul is nuttier than a bag of nuts.

1. He would let worker opt out of social security. The social security system is purposely designed, so that everybody have to contribute, and everybody gets a cut of the cake. What would happen if social security was optional? Rich guys would opt out, and regular guys like us are left with paying for the whole thing. Social security would probably collapse, so hope you have enough money in your IRA.

2. He wants to abolish the income tax... Yeah, everybody hates paying taxes, but they're there for a reason. You got to pay for things somehow. Pretty much very single nation, except for third world hell-holes like Somalia, uses the income tax to pay for the governments expenses. Why? Because it's the most efficient and socially responsible way to pay for necessary expenses.

3. He wants to abolish the federal reserve. The fed helps regulates the economy. Every single industrialized nation has some version of a federal reserve in place to fight inflation, keep the economy rolling smoothly and so on. And yet Ron Paul, who isn't even an economist, has figured out a better way of doing that? Gee, you'd think that if having no central bank was a good idea, some country would have done that allready, no?

4. He wants to pull out of the UN. The only body for international cooperation that everybody recognizes... Why? Either he's nuts, or he's trying to get votes from the Idaho-militia/conspirationist crowd. Probably a mix of both.

5. He wants to pull out of NATO. I'm no big NATO fan myself, but who is it that suplies troops on the ground in Afghanistan, for a war that the US started? That's right, NATO.

6. He wants to trash 200 year of US legal history: The US has what is known as birthright citizenship. That means, that if you're born here, you get US citizenship automatically. Well, if it's up to Ron Paul, that legal precendence goes out the window.

7. He wants to use bountyhunters to hunt terrorists. A couple of hundred years ago, they had what they called Letters of Marque, that they gave to pirates and privateers. That letter gave the bearer the right to seize enemies ship and cargo. Well, Ron Paul is nutty enough to suggest to reintroduce letters of marque, thereby brilliantly dragging it the war on terror into the 17th century.

8. Ron Paul wants to make immigrants lives hell. You can say what you want about immigration, but this nutbag wants to take the option of going to school away from children of illegal immigrants. First of all, children shouldn't be punished for their parents sins, and second of all, cutting off access to schools and the most basic welfare is sure to make Americas current problems with ghettos and inner cities look like a walk in the park.

9. He wants to close most federal agencies. Way to go nutbag... Turn back that century of progress... We want the US to look like it did at the turn of the century godamnit!

10. Ron Paul has voted against gay rights. Not only has he voted against an adoption bill for homosexual couples, and is against the US militarys current policy on homosexuals. In other words, if you're gay, you would probably be worse off with this nutbag in charge.

And there are other things. Ron Paul is against public healthcare, and if he had the chance, he would probably abolish medicare and medicaid, which has probably helped put a lot of people on this site. There's also the fact that he has an uncanny resemblance to Elmer Fudd, which kinda worries me, and the people that his campaign attracts.
(Besides us druggies, of course)
Ron Paul seems to attract a lot of single-issue weirdo's... Conspiracy-nutters, militiatypes, the "911 was totally an inside job, dude"-guys. You shall know the tree by its fruit, and something is seriously wrong with this guy. IMHO he's nuts, and attratcs the same stoneage-republicans that voted for Alan Keyes during the last election, and whose m.o is basically to abolish the United States and federal government as we know it. So yeah, thank god he doesn't stand a chance to be president.

[CIIORNOTHING]

meaing actually troops on the ground MILITARY action... 'we' meaning americans...
sheesh, be a dick why dont ya?

whats with the attitude, mr ulterior agenda?


Your posts on this thread are some of the most concise and level headed Ive heard from anyone in a long time. Nice job.

[CIIORNOTHING]

Thompson and Hunter(?) dropped out. Meaning there's 5 candidates left. Paul is in 4th so far (who would have ever thought he'd be ahead of Guliani) and will very likely beat Guliani unless Guliani pulls off Florida.

Huckabee and Guliani (after Florida) are both broke.

Believe it or not Paul is one of the three that can actually afford to stay in the campaign because of how much money he's raised in donations.

Of course I want Paul to win & I don't like Mitt but I hope if it comes down to it Mitt beats McCain. If it comes down to McCain Vs. Hillary it's a sign of armageddon.



Its now a four horse race. Paul is done. So who do we all talk about now ?

IMHO, it is going to come down to Hitlary vs. "crazy" McCain. Wow, what a choice.

[tptptp]

Its now a four horse race. Paul is done. So who do we all talk about now ?

IMHO, it is going to come down to Hitlary vs. "crazy" McCain. Wow, what a choice.

Um what election are you in!?! it's a 4 horse race Paul is in. He's ahead of Guliani...

There's only 5 total.

Unfortunately it looks like there's a very good chance it WILL be McCain vs. Hillary. McCain is the only one that they're saying has a good shot against the dems this time too.

W-T-F it's definitely the older generation I think the younger generation is more Ron Paul-like.

70% of Americans want us out of Iraq now, how is the candidate that says he would commit us for 100 years to Iraq while we're going broke and economy the #1 issue and war the #2 be the most popular? NUTS he's also a huge flip flopper and pro-drug war NAZI. I seriously don't get it. I know he's real popular with the old stuck in their way idiots but h's just like bush but more extreme how do people like him? He will doom our economy as surely as all of hillary's super liberal programs. He can't cut taxes when he's for putting us in a war and increasing troop numbers & in favor of more drug war funding.

Hillary won't answer questionjs directly about MJ and sick people and all either. Bill clinton was a populkar president but for being a democrat he actually got a very nazi-like drug czar during his time. So if hillary gets elected I'm sure it's really bill running it. At least she is now for a timetable for Iraq withdrawal.


This would seriously be a super shitty choice. I'm hoping Obama would pull it off. I don't like the guy but as a second choice behind Paul I think he'd be the least of the two evils. On the drug issue he might actually do something although he doesn't seem to be for any reform (aside from disparity) it is his people getting the big shaft in the drug war so that might help. BUT he could just be racist too and help them get treated more "equally" by being harder on whiutes. Never know.

end of the world at 2012 looking likely now with this vote. I hope Mitt beats McCain and Obama beats Hillary. Of course I hope Ron Paul beats them all.

I like things from bother republican and democratic sides.

Seven of the big issues (not necessarily THE biggest)
1) Iraq War
2) Economy
3) Drug war
4) Taxes
5) Cutting crap that jeopardizes our rights, patriot act, national ID card etc.
6) Trust
7) Immigration/ War on Terror

Ron Paul is by far the best on all IMO

1) Immediate Iraq withdrawal (and from the rest of the world) & hunt down terrorist groups but stay out of Iraq nation building.
2) Been involved all kinds of banking committees, always been working hard to improve the economy even votes against congressional raises! never taken a government paid-junket, returns a portion of his budget to the treasury every year. Even written books on how to restore the economy and has even brought to lgiht all of the problems with federal reserve being made up of a group of secret banks (it's not government owned "federal" is meant to trick people). Yes sound money is hilarious, that's what they want you to believe because otherwise they have tyo explain how all paper currenciies have always bankrupted themselves. Why do they refuse to audit the gold in fort knox that was turned over to these bankers "to hold for us."!!! Wants to stop overspending, borrowing, cut taxes
3) Wants to end the drug war & return the responsibility on the user and their family to get clean if they wish to do so. Savge us ton of taxes money. Lower crime, death, disease, stop locking up innocent doctors and driving them all away from pain management making people suffer. Right now at about 70 BILLION spent on the drug war per year state/federally & it's only getting worse.
4) Wants to abolish IRS (just federal income tax, not state, sales, or the 435873 other taxes we pay.) Could EASILY be done if we had a solid economy.
5) ONLY one against the national ID card (what nazi germany and soviet russia had) voted against the patriot act and wants to get rid of it and restore our liberties instead of take them away.
6) 20 year voting record to back up what he says never voted for a tax increase, unbalanced budget, congressional pay raise, doesn't participate in the very nice congressional pension plan, gives some of his budget back every year.
It's truly refreshing to see someone speaking for what they believe in whether or not its the popular view. Doesn't dodge questions or flip/flop even over 20 YEARS. Doesn't say one thing to one group and then something else to another. Never voted for this stuff in all of 20 years!

7) Wants to stop giving ILLEGAL aliens amnesty and forcing our hospitals/schools to be mandated to give ILLEGAL''s this stuff for free forcing them to close. As long as we reward this illegal immigration it will never end. They get more ebenefits than LEGAL immigrants! With our economy about to bottom out having a bunch of illegals here is gonna hurt us even more, BIG TIME. Wants to stop sending our border patrol overseas. The war on terror is a scam. How in the world are we safe by rebulding Iraq when our borders are literally WIDE open. REAL terrorists have REAL funding and they can EASILY get to Mexico. Does anyone believe we're more secure by dropping our border patrol and sending them overseas!?!? They'll just fly to Mexico and hop over. The fact that another terrorist attacks hasn't happened with our border wide open just shows how rare and uncommon it is.

We're only making it worse over there pissing them off to recruit more and more, that normally wouldn't even join.
Then when someone finally does pull us out we WILL be at a greater risk of attack BECAUSE we screwed around over there. It'll only get worse and worse.

Fighting the war on terror is very similar to fighting the war on drugs. We're only making it worse. If we backed off and just targeted dangerous groups and managed the problem we'd be better off, just like the drug war. Back off and manage the problem.

Even if Ron Paul never got 1% in any state (obviously he's done much better) I'm still gonna be out there voting for him...it's only the beginning.

[CIIORNOTHING]

Um it's a 4 horse race Paul is in. He's ahead of Guliani...

There's only 5 total


Four horse race meaning Clinton/Obama vs McCain/Romney.


Paul is not even on the radar, and Guliani already dropped out.

[tptptp]

Four horse race meaning Clinton/Obama vs McCain/Romney.


Paul is not even on the radar, and Guliani already dropped out.

Um he's at 4th place. Yeah his chances are low but you can't base everything off of what 5 states? still 45 to go...

2 months ago mccains campaign was "dead" obama had no chance against hillary Paul was "2% nationwide" "huckabee had no chance in Iowa" Obviously the people in the back have further to go that requires no intelligence but no one is "out" yet.

Paul has the money to finish til the end. Huckabee might be broke & drop out but, Paul wont. He's gonna get his 15 minutes spreading his message.

[pharmboy]

McCain SCARES me. Romney SCARES me. The dems. would be better

BUT it would still be Buisness as Usual in Washington. And I am SOOOOO

sick of the usual BULLSHIT from Washington. I don't see ANYTHING getting

better for the little guy, and it depresses me. It's depressing.And looking hopeless.:(

[Duckfeet]

I'm starting to think it was a bad move--and I'm a guilty party, really, I was admin at the time--to think it was fine to think Ron Paul could be supported on here. I think all of us that favor him, thought his postion on "pain docs", and "the drug war" meant that unlike all the other politicians, it was cool to voice our support for R. Paul. Hindsight of course, shows me different.

Too many people I really respect, and even look up to, on here, don't like RP, and I see their point. I guess I see why for all general purposes, we avoid talking about politics and religion, just for the sake of harmony on Opiophile. Now it seems obvious to me, why it was probably a bad move to make Ron Paul exempt from the same sort of restrictions we would normally apply to politics and promoting politicians on here. People just get too passionate, sometimes say things we regret...

I had seen RP simply as one politician, who was on "our side" when it came to opiates, and the prescription of pain medicine... But as the election get closer, I realize there are many more issues on the table, and that people--naturally--bring those issues up.

And of course, on everything else, we are all over the place: some of us are extremely liberal, progressive, socialistic, and others of us are conservative, right wing, religious, whatever...and many of us have other issues we feel passionately about. From abortion to the war, we are I *not* all in agreement, nor should we be.

I see all this now, but didn't see it at the time Ron Paul first came to my attention. I was just thrilled to read what he had to say about drugs, and all that. Oh well, Opy'll survive, so will Ron Paul, and politics will continue to be a touchy area on here.

[tptptp]

I'm starting to think it was a bad move--and I'm a guilty party, really, I was admin at the time--to think it was fine to think Ron Paul could be supported on here. I think all of us that favor him, thought his postion on "pain docs", and "the drug war" meant that unlike all the other politicians, it was cool to voice our support for R. Paul. Hindsight of course, shows me different.

Too many people I really respect, and even look up to, on here, don't like RP, and I see their point. I guess I see why for all general purposes, we avoid talking about politics and religion, just for the sake of harmony on Opiophile. Now it seems obvious to me, why it was probably a bad move to make Ron Paul exempt from the same sort of restrictions we would normally apply to politics and promoting politicians on here. People just get too passionate, sometimes say things we regret...

I had seen RP simply as one politician, who was on "our side" when it came to opiates, and the prescription of pain medicine... But as the election get closer, I realize there are many more issues on the table, and that people--naturally--bring those issues up.

And of course, on everything else, we are all over the place: some of us are extremely liberal, progressive, socialistic, and others of us are conservative, right wing, religious, whatever...and many of us have other issues we feel passionately about. From abortion to the war, we are I *not* all in agreement, nor should we be.

I see all this now, but didn't see it at the time Ron Paul first came to my attention. I was just thrilled to read what he had to say about drugs, and all that. Oh well, Opy'll survive, so will Ron Paul, and politics will continue to be a touchy area on here.

If it's in this area I don't see a problem, other than other peoples problems. I only know a few people here who don't support him and many who do. Some aren't even Americans! but even most non-Americans here seem to support him. No one is forced to read the threads. I'm glad his name was used here because I think many wouldn't have known otherwise. I think we were the first two to do his signatures and there's like 10 now =p and more people interested. This has kinda become the political section (there is actually one) since the board is so large no one visits there.

Not trying to be rude, you seem to change your stance quite a bit lately on things you seemed to support before as an admin...

Anyways hope all is well with the taper.

[EleusisII]

Um he's at 4th place. Yeah his chances are low but you can't base everything off of what 5 states? still 45 to go...

Paul has the money to finish til the end. Huckabee might be broke & drop out but, Paul wont. He's gonna get his 15 minutes spreading his message.


You don't get it, tptptp? It's not about wether Ron Paul is fourth or even third, in some state. It's not even about how much money he has left for his campaign. Ron Pauls campaign was doomed from the start. Can you imagine Mr. and Mrs. Republican, the kind of people who are going to vote for Romney, voting for Ron Paul? Hell no! He's a fringe-candidate, no matter how "honest" he is, and no matter how refreshing his views on the war on drugs are.

His particular fringe of the party doesn't speak for more than 10 percents of the republicans, and that's on a good day.

For crying out loud, Ron Paul get's the support of "Da Twoofers": the whole "911 was an inside job, man!" crowd are rooting for him. If that's not an abortion in the first trimester for a political campain, I don't know what is...

[tptptp]

You don't get it, tptptp? It's not about wether Ron Paul is fourth or even third, in some state. It's not even about how much money he has left for his campaign. Ron Pauls campaign was doomed from the start. Can you imagine Mr. and Mrs. Republican, the kind of people who are going to vote for Romney, voting for Ron Paul? Hell no! He's a fringe-candidate, no matter how "honest" he is, and no matter how refreshing his views on the war on drugs are.

His particular fringe of the party doesn't speak for more than 10 percents of the republicans, and that's on a good day.

For crying out loud, Ron Paul get's the support of "Da Twoofers": the whole "911 was an inside job, man!" crowd are rooting for him. If that's not an abortion in the first trimester for a political campain, I don't know what is...


Doesn't matter he gets my vote & he's making big changes regardless if he comes in first or last. He has the money to stay the entire campaign and get his message across one that many people don't know much about. He is the reason economics is now the #1 issue among other things. Anyone with a shred of intelligence understands his position on terrorist, just like the drug war and we're only making it worse while going bankrupt.

I think what you don't get is I'm voting for him no matter what & of all people a insanely liberal foreigner who thinks Paul is far rights and HILLARY is CENTRIST!? is not gonna change my opinion on the American president. You must have a lot of time on your hands I couldn't give two shits who gets elected in Denmark. You could follow leader elections across the world an entire lifetime and stay busy. No thanks

We ARE two separate countries if you didn't know. Don't you like sovereignty?

[pharmboy]

When I read the interview that Stossel did with Paul I thought

Thank God Finally a candidate that will talk about issues that

I care about and more than that issues that wont be popular

with the media ( any REAL issue is unpopular with the media

all they want to talk about is baige pablum blaaa issues that

take the focus off of the real issues.) SO yea like you DF I was happy

to put my support behind the guy, and still may be. I think the guys

MAINLY saying let the constitution and the states rule.
ALL the other candidates are pusseys that will say ANYTHING
they think will get them the popular mainstream vote.

[Duckfeet]

I still support Ron Paul. And went to some trouble to change to republican party to vote for him in primary. I was speaking specifically to my views on being able to talk freely about politics and support a candidate on opiophile. I've never felt comfortable w/personal attacks on here, and other differences I might have had, I always made clear to other admins and mods, and simply tried to show support when I felt it was called for.

I disagree that "my stance" has changed. Things I supported I still support...differences I had, are still different, and you know as good as anybody what they were: this was only area I thought about then, and was making comment about, "in general" politics, I thought wouldn't apply to
RP, for some reason...I was in error...

Kind of a "heavy" comment to make about my stance changing. Makes me seem like a hypocrite, and I doubt/hope u didn't mean that...just fighting dope/detox,,, Other than that, same as always--tho last time I was this bummed, I took off for a bit...no biggee...racking my brains to see where else I've changed, where I used to show support, or disagreement. Could be, tho, I know people rarely see themselves the way others do.

Moody, but I've always been moody, when fighting withdrawals...other areas, I mean, u knew areas I was in disagreement with, but I showed solidarity for sake of Opy...this wasn't one of them, and just felt that it wasn't as innocuous as I once thought...more like plain old politics, and passion...I always saw RP as interesting and welcome sort of "sideshow" from politics, and now see that he isn't, to other people, once campaigns began in serious...






If it's in this area I don't see a problem, other than other peoples problems. I only know a few people here who don't support him and many who do. Some aren't even Americans! but even most non-Americans here seem to support him. No one is forced to read the threads. I'm glad his name was used here because I think many wouldn't have known otherwise. I think we were the first two to do his signatures and there's like 10 now =p and more people interested. This has kinda become the political section (there is actually one) since the board is so large no one visits there.

Not trying to be rude, you seem to change your stance quite a bit lately on things you seemed to support before as an admin...

Anyways hope all is well with the taper.

[EleusisII]

Doesn't matter he gets my vote & he's making big changes regardless if he comes in first or last.

Yeah right... That's what they said about Pat Buchanan and Ross Perot too, and look at how that went.
And I'm not trying to convert you, I'm sure you'll vote for Ron Paul, just like a couple of other percent of the republicans will in the primaries.
And no harm done. Every race have had a candidate like thet. In six months, when Ron Paul will be back home whith his wacky militia-buddies in Texas, the real presidential elections will start, and it'll be probably be Obama vs. McCain


He is the reason economics is now the #1 issue among other things.


The American economy going to hell, foreclosures and the housing bubble is what raised awareness about the economy. Not a candidate nobody heard about 6 months ago, and will have forgotten about again in six months. And by all means, vote for who you want to in the primaries.


a insanely liberal foreigner who thinks Paul is far rights and HILLARY is CENTRIST!?

See, you have no idea where I come from politically, neither have you made an effort to find out, which isn't really nice. Especially considering you try to misrepresent my stance and position all the time.

You must have a lot of time on your hands I couldn't give two shits who gets elected in Denmark.
Not really, you're the one who keeps posting stuff about him all the time, even though I have a feeling you'd think it's annoying if somebody started posting thread after thread about an obscure candidate for a French primary... Wouldn't you?

Ignorance regarding current events and the world around us is never a charming trait, so I hope that's not how you wanted your remark about elections in another country to be interpreted.

Do you really find it odd, that people respond to what gets thrown up there? I'm usually a busy guy, but I also try to keep up on current events around the world, and if I see something interesting I might respond to it. Hell, if somebody starts making posts after posts about an obscure candidate for a French primary, I might post about that too.

[EleusisII]

^^^^ Yeah that!

[CIIORNOTHING]

Man o man. Im not trying to rain on anyones parade. Im an old school fiscal, Reagan Conservative. Im not happy with McCain at all, and he is looking strong right now, but he is no Conservative. Romney worries me for the very fact that he is a Massachussetts blue blood. A wolf in sheeps clothing maybe? I like Huckabee, but he has things that bother me. And I like some of Pauls ideas, though many of the negative things Eleusis reported about hiim I agree with.

In any case, there are going to truly be some sad faces in this camp after next Tuesday. I can tell you guys truly beleive Paul has a chance and he simply doesnt. He is as good as out of it. And for the record, how did anyone think McCain was out of it? His campaign ran into money issues before the first primary, but he has done VERY well in the primaries. Paul is the opposite. He may have money, but he has done horrible in the primaries. I mean, decent for a nobody, but thats what he is. A nobody that is making a decent run, but at the end of the day, will be just another Ross Perot. Just another "also ran".

[Duckfeet]

I never voted for him because I think he had a chance. I could give a shit less about who "has a chance." To me that is buying into the same old bullshit, of only voting for the designated winners. Sure he'll loose. I vote my conscience, and Ron Paul is the *only* candidate who has ever spoken publicly in support of people like me. And most of my whole life has been held forfeit to my opiate addiction.

Why should I vote for the person I think will win anyway? It's not going to affect a junky like me whether a democrat or a republican "who is likely to be elected" comes into power anyway. I don't know *why* I should care about a democrat, as some do. It was a democrat started the war I was in--identical to this one, and no democrat ever lessened the penalties for my drug of choice, so I don't care which of the "probable" candidates wins.

I supported and voted for Paul, because he is a libertarian, and because he has publicly stated the same positions we usually take on here: that the "Drug War" has failed, and that the gov't has no business dictating the drugs doctors can perscribe.

Why should I care about "abortion" or "who will fight the war better in Iraq?" Or "who will pull us out?" None of those people ever gave a shit about me: let them fight their own battles. I like war anyway: distracts young men from their wretched lives, and Iraq and Afghanistan--like Vietnam--are junky paradises...