Ron paul: white noise from a dark place

We're amazed at the cultish clamor on the Interweb for the homuncular geezer Dr. Ron Paul, the stealth right-wing extremist running for President on the Republican ticket.

Here's a candidate straining into the mainstream. Paul won the straw poll at Sunday's Fox News when 34% of Fox News viewers said he won the debate. He came in 3rd the day before in a straw poll at the Christianists' Values Village pow-wow.

In the last fundraising reports filed, Paul had raised a more than respectable $5.2 million with $5.4 million left for the primaries and no debt.

He's the only anti-war Republican candidate (which shows how in-fucking-much trouble they're in) which apparently, with his ruggedly individualistic views has gained him passionate support on the interweb.

Even some lefties have joined the cult. Bill Maher says Paul is his "new hero." The Daily' Show's Jon Stewart gushed, "What is so interesting about Congressman Ron Paul is you appear to have consistent, principled integrity."

But like the LaRouchies who stand outside our PCC every Saturday- the Paulites stubbornly defend their man even when pelted with spelt biscuits and soybutter by the cognizati.

These Paul supporters are part the growing small-L libertarian mindset that's filling in the vacuum left by the failure of the conservatives.

We've always called them the "fuck-you conservatives." They don't like religion or religion's place in conservatism,and the Republican Party. They're against the war, and don't like neoconservative military adventurism. They smoke a little dope, look at a little porno, and don't think the government has any right whatsoever telling them or anyone else what they can do with their bodies. Or operate their businesses, or regulate their markets. They hate political correctness, and taxes; don't want government in their health care, their pants, or their guns.

They're mostly male- they're the famous "angry white men" we used to hear about in the '90's.

They left the Democrats long ago, were part of the coalition with the Chistianists that made the Republican revolution in 1994. They've now become disillusioned with the GOP, and won't get in bed or line with any political party including the large-L Libertarians. But they love Ron Paul.

But what they don't wanna know is that Paul has walked the line between the neo-nazi right and the mainstream for years. If Maher and Stewart both Jews, knew who Paul is and who he hangs with- would they think he was so "refreshing?"

Dave Neiwert at Orcinus:

It's just who he is. But of course he attracts their support.He's long been a player on the netherworld between the extremist right and mainstream conservatism, acting as a "transmitter" of extremist beliefs who avoids racist and anti-Semitic talk and repackages for broader consumption their bizarre, conspiratorial worldview as ostensibly normative.

Paul's the 2008 presidential choice of  David Duke, that jolly olde Klansman/Republican who calls himself a paleoconservative these days.

He's been endorsed by Stormfront the white supremacist website of record. Listen to "Lady Celtic" about Ron.

Why would these extremist devils be so passionate for Ron Paul? Sara Robinson at Orcinus has written, that Paul's "friends on the farthest right edges -- the tax patriots, "sovereign citizens," and proto-fascists who have supported him from the beginning and are supporting him still."

She quotes the late Molly Ivins who knew this son of the Lone Star State when he was still in training sheets:

Molly, with her usual insight, laid out the essential struggle we're having with Paul. As a libertarian leftist, I understand viscerally the charm of Paul's message. Who wouldn't be charmed? He's anti-war, anti-torture, anti-drug war, and anti-corporation -- a real progressive dream date. Until you reflect on the fact that he's also anti-choice, anti-gay, anti-environment, anti-sane immigration policy, and apparently, anti-separation of church and state as well.

Robinson quotes political newsletters written by Paul in 1992, and used against him (for naught) in his 1996 campaign for Congress in which he "endorsed the concept of secession, defended cross burning as an act of free speech and expressed sympathy for a man sentenced to prison for bombing an IRS building."

This isn't all the ancient history of the 1990's: According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, Paul, as recently as this month has spoken to a dodgy group with racist connections.

Robinson gives a Stormfront commenter the last word:

Anyone who doesn't vote for Paul on this site is an assclown. Sure he doesn't come right out and say he is a WN [white nationalist], who cares! He promotes agendas and ideas that allow Nationalism to flourish. If we "get there" without having to raise hell, who cares; as long as we finally get what we want. I don't understand why some people do not support this man, Hitler is dead, and we shall probably never see another man like him.  ...

Not to mention if Paul makes a serious run, he legitimizes White Nationalism and Stormfront, for God's sake David Duke is behind this guy!

Comments

[Duffman]

Ron Paul is a freakin joke. Thanks Bla'M for helping to expose the real person behind the curtain. You should post same over at Un-Sound Politics. :)

[Ted Smith]

I was in Mill Creek yesterday and saw both a Ron Paul sign (at an intersection) and a Ron Paul bumper sticker on a car that was more rust than paint. Perhaps a Huckabee-Paul ticket is in our future. Excellent nightmare material.

[brian]

Yeah, and if you poke around the web you can also find claims that NAMBLA endorses Hillary. Big whoop.

[Lysander]

This article is just another mindless hit piece, replete with baseless assertions, guilt by association nonsense and outright lies. I'm sure the author has a promising career ahead in the mainstream media.

[Duffman]

Alas, now I know why you had such a small part in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'.

[Andrew]

Any news pertaining to Ron Paul is even less relevant than the weather forecast for Antarctica.

[Duffman]

Hey &dru...we agree! :)

[singer]

Ron Paul is the Barry Goldwater of our time. They wrote similar filth about him as well. After the Republicans lose big in the next election cycle, they will look to Ron for his trememdous American appeal and leadership. He is already attracting a following of those who have been diregarded by the political structure. He stands for real liberty that's been denied to us in the duopoly of the two party system.

[Andrew]

He's just a Libertarian crashing the Republican contest. He's not bringing any dynamic that hasn't been tried and defeated many times over again. Family values Republicans will never ever ever ever swing that far socialy liberal. Lets stop pretending that Ron Paul is somehow interesting.

[sparky]

But he is interesting because of the reaction he elicits from both the left and right. I know lefties who find him interesting because he is willing to stand up to Bush about the war, but they shiver at his idea of what to do with everything else in the government. He is regularly booed at the Republican debates because he does not toe the party line. At the Puyallup Fair, I signed his name sheet at the Republican table and the lady in charge got very pissed that anyone would show any kind of support for him.

[singer]

Republicans will come around. Dr. Ton is inspiring a new netroots like a Howard Dean. He is the hope of a new generation. Old politics are dying.

[Duffman]

Dr. Ton may be; Dr Ron - NEVER. :)

[dbcooper]

The Republicans have been led into these wars by the Jewish Neocons. Bush, once a righteous man got snookered by them, as did the military and the American people. Neoconservatism is Zionism in the cloak of freedom. They want us to fight their battles for them in the Middle East. There should be a free market on Jews--if they can't compete in the neighborhood on their own, Israel should go away. We have no business shedding American blood for their Jewish imperialism. Ron Paul is the only politician out there who knows that. He won't be elcted this time, but by 2012 the people will have had enough of this.

[Duffman]

Wow...guess your parachute din't open eh?

[Andrew]

Sure, Libertarianism is interesting in the sense that Objectivism is interesting: how can educated human beings be so blind to the necessity of social health?

But Ron Paul himself is not interesting, in fact he's a pale, sneering uncharasmatic vehicle that only serves to make Libertarianism look as white and detestable as it realy is.

[sparky]

but that sort of proves my point, Andrew. If Ron Paul was boring you would ignore him. As it is, he generates a lot of strong opinions. I would never vote for him, but I listen to what he says just because he isnt a cookie cutter candidate.

[Andrew]

OK, he speaks from a provocative platform but last I checked this is a race to become President and he aint gonna be President. It's bad enough that we elect Presidents based on wether or not they look like we could enjoy a beer with them but now we invite people into the running whom we'd never dream of voting for? This is a colossal circus.

[Duffman]

...well sparks, you tried to appeal to his sense of humor and/or rationale...and you found out that he ain't givin an inch...ha

[Duffman]

"It's bad enough that we elect Presidents based on wether or not they look like we could enjoy a beer with them.."

I would NOT enjoy having a Duff-Beer with Mr Ron Paul. :)

[Maureen McMahan Moore]

I have a silver bracelet with “WWRD?” engraved into it. The "R" stands for Ron Paul. He is a hero by the strongest definition of the word. Ron Paul is a constitutionalist who votes based on principles that support our rights as individuals.

But it is how he does it that makes him a HERO. He consistently stands undaunted in the face of opposition. He is dedicated to protecting “the good.” He is uncompromising in his standards, valiant in his efforts, and he does it all with a quiet nobility that is inspiring. He does what is right. He tells us the Truth. It is this that defines him as a HERO for our times.

What would Ron do?
•Stand for Americans and a future of freedom still possible to us when we follow the Constitution.
•Awaken HOPE where many people aren’t even aware it has been lost.
•Give us back control over our own lives.
•Empower us as mighty individuals to solve problems for ourselves and our communities

Ron has been willing to stand alone in Congress and fight for our freedoms. Don’t let him stand alone.

Every day I hear intelligent good people say “Ah well there’s nothing we can do about it.” Untrue.

For all those moments of beauty, for all the times you have recognized the Truth — before the sinking feeling followed when you thought “it’s no use” — follow his white plume. It is on the road to victory and honor.

[cinco]

This libertarian shit always sounds good becaus it is neither left nor right. But they can't tell you how all this free & independent personal sovereignty would work. If we can't support my grandma in the rest home should she just go to the streets? No safety net, free market poor people? private freeways and unregulated food, airlines, medicine, and environment? Are they nutz?
Yup.

[Andrew]

What it comes down to is that they expect that irresponsible people will suddenly act responsible if we pull the safety blanket out from under them and make them pay for every single social service or product they benefit from. They think that a living wage will naturaly occur in a laissez faire system. Right, and the precedent for that in human history is where?

They are so very sick. They are to greed what Stephen King is to horror stories.

[Ian]

It's amazing how people lack the ability to think. I guess people are so accustomed to Emperor Bush that they feel the President can go about willy nilly and do as he pleases, and that Ron Paul would cackle away as he would gleefully snap away these safety nets you feel society would fall apart without. It. Just. Doesnt. Work. That. Way. Wake up people. Knee-jerk reactions just make you look dim-witted.

[John M. Drake]

Let's see. The ACLU (the darlings of the left) have long defended cross burning as a form of free speech. So why would it be wrong for Dr. Paul to take the same position? As for Dr. Paul being "anti-gay" he did stand up AGAINST the amendment to ban gay marriage! Being anti abortion? So what. He just happens to think that "fetuses are people too." Certainly that's a reasonable opinion. (Anyone who's seen a 3D sonogram of a fetus knows what I'm talking about.) Also Ron Paul clearly spoke out against slavery and linked it to the civil war.

A constitution in and by itself does not guarantee liberty in a republican form of government. Even a perfect constitution with this goal in mind is no better than the moral standards and desires of the people. Although the United States Constitution was by far the best ever written for the protection of liberty, with safeguards against the dangers of a democracy, it too was flawed from the beginning. Instead of guaranteeing liberty equally for all people, the authors themselves yielded to the democratic majority’s demands that they compromise on the issue of slavery. This mistake, plus others along the way, culminated in a Civil War that surely could have been prevented with clearer understanding and a more principled approach to the establishment of a constitutional republic.

I doubt you'll find David Duke or anyone at Stormfront taking that position.

[My Man Dori]

This piece is garbage!

Ron Paul would make America what it once was GREAT!

[colier]

I bet Dori is voting differently..

[Cindy Duke]

www.davidduke.com/general/
why-cindy-sheehan-is-right_350.html

[coiler]

Cindy Sheehan is not endorsing Duke, nor would she. Duke is trying to back door on her status for his own gain, much like Duffman plays switch-hitter around here, okay?

[Duffman]

so coiler, how do I play switch-hitter? I think I pretty much state where I stand, do I not.
How's Cindy doing against Pelosi...what a joke that is. Hahaha

[My Man Dori]

Dori interviewed Ron Paul and has publicly stated that he supports many of his views.

Who would Dori vote for...Hillary?

[Duffman]

...so whad da ya think my man dori...would dori vote for Cindy over Pelosi (I mean if he was voting for that position)

[Duffman]

My Man Dori (we know who you are)

Well since Stephen Colbert is apparently the Presidential Choice of 2% of Democrats, I would have to think that Dori might consider voting for him...what do you think....nothing tht exciting on the Repug front.

[Duffman]

ital...off, sorry.

[Duffman]

...off

[Justin Atheropinion]

Maureen McMahon Moore:

That sounds great and all, but let's get down to specifics--what is he going to do with the Reichstag?

Signed,
Curious

"White plume," indeed! You folks are scary. And trying to assuage my fears by telling me RuPaul "clearly spoke out against slavery and linked it to the Civil War" (caps mine) doesn't exactly convince me (and by the way, welcome to the 19th century--we've had another one since then, y'know) that you're progressive on anything. Except hype, of course. You guys drink tons of Kool-Aid.

[joanie]

Well, the interest in Paul certainly reflects this country's craving for "consistent and principled integrity." It seems we'll take anything close.

I wonder if a Paul candidate wouldn't be better than a Romney candidate? Paul sounds good compared to the other Repugnants but he'd soon be outed once competing against the left. At least I think so.

Not so sure about Romney. Attractive, wealthy Massachusett men seem to do rather well in national politicking. Well, some of them anyway. :) Kinda speaks to the average intelligence of the entire electorate.

[bohemianowl]

This is all the dirt you could dig up??

Some supporters are racist???

What is your REAL beef with Ron Paul?

Vote Ron Paul 2008

[Timothy Leonard]

I persecution is just what it is, whether you are a black panther, a zionist or a white supremicist. Sooner or later it may be your turn. Spread peace not prejudice.

[Douglas]

Wow! What a silly and uninformed piece. Ron Paul is most certainly NOT anti-gay, anti-church & state, anti-environment, nor anti-sane immigration. Where are you even getting this from? Furthermore, he believes the limits imposed on the Federal government require the abortion issue to be debated at the state level. He is originally from Pennsylvania and notes that the city of Pittsburgh that was once horribly polluted cleaned itself up beautifully with local government.