Does Ron Paul REALLY have any chance?

Question

I love Ron Paul's stances and policies, but does he really have any chance at all of winning the Republican Primaries, let alone the presidency?

Answer 1

No.Look,IrespectRon Paul as an individual--andhe's probably the mosthonestcandidate out there (except maybe forObama)--andphilosophically, I'm alibertarian.

But Ron Paul doesn't HAVE any policies--that'sthe problem. Politically, they have nevercome to grips with the issues facing people in the real world. They offer a set offine philosophical principles. As abstract principals, they arefine. But the real world is messy--and does not admit of simple eithr-or solutions. What do you do, for example, about health care? The notion that taxpayers should not be forced to pay for other people's health care will not work. Try to abolish all state-supportedhealth care, and the voters dwill toos you out and put someone else in as sooon as the body count starts to mount--which it will.There are a lot of people who cannot afford their own health care--anddecent people are not going to stad by and watch them die to satisfy an abstract philosophical principle. That fact doesn't fit into the libertarian philosophy--but we are talking politicalreality, not abstractphilosophy.

Libertariaism as a political framework isn't developed--not even close. And won't ever be until its adherants quitrelying on quotes from "Atlas Shrugged" and start doing the long, hard work ofdeveloping policy and political positions that are based on libertarian thought, but that apply those ideas intelligently to real-world problems.

Answer 2

As long as the democracy stays free he has a chance. He will get my vote for a better America. He gets criticized for being a libertarian/constitutionalists when those were the principles this country was founded on. It's like a Thomas Jefferson running for office but being laughed at...never would happen.

Answer 3

Yes. He's going to win all the marbles. People like firm surfaces to walk upon. Not surprise spots of quicksand that have enormous spans.. Thats another reason why taking a path least traveled that is rocky and has some boulders upon it may be the best. Why? There's boulders and rocks upon it.

Answer 4

He's a real conservative and therefore has no chance of getting through the Republican primaries.

Answer 5

No.

He gets no media attention, because he's got no $$$ for TV ads. What most people aren't aware of, is that it doesn't take millions "to get elected" -- it takes millions for USA news to treat you viably, because they WANT/need candidates with funds for their own purpposes (dirty little secret, they'll never say!)... If Paul has no $$$$ -- then what GOOD would it do national news networks next year? TV news is about Advertisers, and why support/ editorialize/ choose-as-news a guy with No Juice to pay for ads, down the road (vs. what you see with Mayor Bloomberg's "possible independent run" because he'd spend $1 billion and guess who would see those checks?). Any media biz that talks-up Hillary/Obama or Mitt now... knows the cheese will come, and their sales reps. can show/bring clips (of favorable news!!) when in Sales Meeting over rates/terms and ad schedules.

Plus, the reality is -- people vote for candidates on HOW they look... sadly. Bill Clinton had no business beating the field in '92. But, he had the JFK-like hair & flair. He also had the photo of him AND JFK, in case any editor missed that connection, to sell to their audiences... that simple.

Ron Paul? he looks like the dad on "Frazier"...

Paul is supported by people that hear him.. and most of those will be younger voters, who watch YouTube and like Bill Maher, etc. etc. and are LOOKING for a darkhorse candidate. He'd be HELPED by endorsements, in other niche's (like Kramer & white males, on that "Mad Money" show). But, for the most part.. since the DEM-media has already chosen it's candidate to give a Black Eye to the Mitts, Rudy's of the world (it's Huckabee, and they're ALL OVER him to promote him... vs. say, a McCain, who they will ignore just as easily as a Ron Paul).

Hillary/Obama get the coverage for what reason? the money and that the Dem-media sees them (and remember, a station's/sites/paper's "pick" comes down to the choices of a VERY few people, behind the scenes...) -- is borne out how they are covered, even years BEFORE that media source "endorses them". Like CNN being in bed for Hillary -- they're only not making this official, because they'd look like TRUE *******, if she's run off the ticket by next May.

Answer 6

Absolutely none. Don't waste our vote when it can be better used on a candidate who actually has a chance of winning (and isn't a nutcase).

Answer 7

I doubt it

to many fear based conservatives that get fooled by the hijacked republican party

Answer 8

Yes, about the same chance and icecube has in Death Valley on the hottest day of the year.

Answer 9

He stands no chance because he wants to kill the following programs; i mean really, he wants to kill Federal Emergency Funds!!??! REALLY! We we be like a third world country with him in charge. Don't get me wrong, he is the only candidate to speak his mind, it's just that a democracy as far reaching as ours can not benefit from the exclusion of departments such as the Federal Reserve.

he wants to kill:
Internal Revenue Service
Department of Education
Department of Energy
Department of Homeland Security
Federal Emergency Management Administration
Interstate Commerce Commissiom
Federal Reserve

Answer 10

Slim at this point.

It takes people like you and I to help make the difference.

Don't give up and don't vote for the 'popular' candidate. Stick to your guns.