I've got a gut feeling that Ron Paul will run 3rd party

[bemac]

Why?

He'll have the money to do it. He'll get significant support from outside the GOP. He'll want to participate in the Presidential debates. He isn't returning to Congress after his current term. Inflation, he believes, will be running "high." With the right VP choice, he could garner strong support from the OWS crowd. He'll be the only anti-war, pro-civil liberties candidate.

It could be very interesting. He doesn't need to win for it to be interesting either, and if he could beat one of the two, the GOP candidate, or Obama, he could really push the debates further along than he already has, i.e., he could shift the GOP further toward a fiscally conservative, socially liberal position.

[Gomez]

Ron Paul said in one of his interviews on the tv, that the occupy wallstreet people were right, but misdirected. I would think most of those people are democrats. If he can appeal to that fraction of democrats, except the damn unions, he'd pickup a lot of votes.

Ron Paul was also directly asked in an interview if he'd run as a third party candidate. He shewdly skated around that question. I believe it was in this interview, not sure though.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vV7e-YJjcg

[southfork]

Why?

He'll have the money to do it. He'll get significant support from outside the GOP. He'll want to participate in the Presidential debates. He isn't returning to Congress after his current term. Inflation, he believes, will be running "high." With the right VP choice, he could garner strong support from the OWS crowd. He'll be the only anti-war, pro-civil liberties candidate.

It could be very interesting. He doesn't need to win for it to be interesting either, and if he could beat one of the two, the GOP candidate, or Obama, he could really push the debates further along than he already has, i.e., he could shift the GOP further toward a fiscally conservative, socially liberal position.

If Paul runs a third party bid Obama wins hands down.

[bemac]

If Paul runs a third party bid Obama wins hands down.

Well, if he doesn't run 3rd party, Obama wins hands down.

[southfork]

Well, if he doesn't run 3rd party, Obama wins hands down.

Dont think so, true conservatives would vote for him in a third party scene, he gets maybe 20/25% of the vote, I figure obama to get 45% tops, If he doesnt run the pubs win with a anyone but Obama 55% of the vote. Also figure the lack of direct funding for Acorn siphons votes from Obama and add the fact that all the disenfranchised minorities that bought into the I'll never have to worry about gas in my car, food or paying the mortgage and rent again all feel sold out now I dont see how he can win in a two way race. If Nader runs that hurts Obama more and they've already tried to buy him out.

[TimoneX]

Not sure I prefer any of the rethugs over Obama, accepting Paul and Johnson of course. At least we know Obama cannot be trusted for a second, I've little idea what a Perry, Cain, or Romney presidency would look like, but I doubt it'd be much better than the slime we have now and he's damaged goods. The anyone but Obama argument makes me queasy, because one of these warmongering rethugs with a mandate and both houses of Congress could be very hazardous to our national health.

If we cannot get Paul or Johnson in there, then give me barry for 4 more years. I believe RP just sent a message to rethug leadership and I hope he does hurt them if he doesn't win the nomination. In his absence the presidential race will be just a bunch of hot air, with zero substance and zero choice.

[southfork]

Not sure I prefer any of the rethugs over Obama, accepting Paul and Johnson of course. At least we know Obama cannot be trusted for a second, I've little idea what a Perry, Cain, or Romney presidency would look like, but I doubt it'd be much better than the slime we have now and he's damaged goods. The anyone but Obama argument makes me queasy, because one of these warmongering rethugs with a mandate and both houses of Congress could be very hazardous to our national health.

If we cannot get Paul or Johnson in there, then give me barry for 4 more years. I believe RP just sent a message to rethug leadership and I hope he does hurt them if he doesn't win the nomination. In his absence the presidential race will be just a bunch of hot air, with zero substance and zero choice.

If Obama gets re-elected he will view it as a mandate for more of the same, take from the working class and give to the ows types, he will bypass the constitution and congress at every chance, you will wish you were in russia when he gets done with his socialist agenda.

[TimoneX]

If Obama gets re-elected he will view it as a mandate for more of the same, take from the working class and give to the ows types, he will bypass the constitution and congress at every chance, you will wish you were in russia when he gets done with his socialist agenda.

We BOTH know what barry will do, and it ain't good. What will president mittens do though? President Cain? GAK!

Now consider that more dems in the senate are up to get the boot than rethugs. If Romney or Cain win with any kind of plurality AND the rethugs take over the senate they will feel as though they have a mandate. If there's one way things can get worse that would be it. Obummer felt he had a mandate, had both houses in his first two years and we got ppaca. What would president Perry pass with rubber stamping law makers? Dream act ++? Mandated gardisil for every human on earth AND their dog?

[Alric]

Well I am still hopeful for Ron Paul winning the republican nomination. If he does that, I think he will get a land slide victory.

If he goes as a 3rd party, I think we have a very real chance to finally create a third party in our government.

[Garyw]

Ron Paul won't need to run as a 3rd Party candidate. He is on his way to a Republican Nomination anyway. Just watch the results in Iowa and New Hampshire in January. He won the straw poll saturday in Iowa by 84% of the votes. New Hampshire is a state that has more Independent voters than Republicans and they are not going to vote for Obozo. Once he wins those two states money will pour into his campaign and the News agencies will have to concede to him and the rest of the states will be history. He won straw polls in Florida, Nevada,California Washington DC New Hampshire already. He knows what he believes is right. Most of us know he is right. God Knows he is right. and it is right it will happen. All the way to the white house. Those of you who would rather see Rand running will probably see both of them on the same ticket.

[bemac]

Ron Paul won't need to run as a 3rd Party candidate. He is on his way to a Republican Nomination anyway. Just watch the results in Iowa and New Hampshire in January. He won the straw poll saturday in Iowa by 84% of the votes. New Hampshire is a state that has more Independent voters than Republicans and they are not going to vote for Obozo. Once he wins those two states money will pour into his campaign and the News agencies will have to concede to him and the rest of the states will be history. He won straw polls in Florida, Nevada,California Washington DC New Hampshire already. He knows what he believes is right. Most of us know he is right. God Knows he is right. and it is right it will happen. All the way to the white house. Those of you who would rather see Rand running will probably see both of them on the same ticket.

Straw polls are just not truly representative of the voting public however. The company I work for does polling, among other things, and I just don't see him above 3rd place among voters. In Iowa, he was in 3rd, too.

[HistoryStudent]

Obama needs a 3rd party to give 10% of his BILLION dollars to and to split the
conservative vote so he (Obama) can win like:

Clinton when Ross Perot ran as a 3rd against Bush I - who looked really stupid!

Wilson when TR Roosevelt Bull Moose ran against his buddy Taft.

[bemac]

Sorry to say it, but if anyone thinks Romney, Perry, or Cain will be any better than Obama is fooling themselves.

[born_cross_eyed]

He'll want to participate in the Presidential debates. He isn't returning to Congress after his current term.

He might "want" to but they would never let him. The Commission on Presidential Debates is headed by two people: the former Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, and the former Chair of the Republican National Committee. No one is getting in the debates except for the stooges selected by the media (Obama and alternate bank puppet). They learned their lesson with Ross Perot.

IMO libertarians, "true" conservatives, etc. should spend their time and resources preparing for what is to come, not participating in the obviously rigged vanity sport that passes for elections in this country. That way if/when TSHTF we won't be at the complete mercy of the elites who orchestrated it.

Even without a major economic catastrophe, my preps are coming in handy right now with 3/4 of a million customers (including me) without power in CT right now. They say it could be a week before the lights come on. Good thing I've got a generator, gas, flashlights (and batteries), food, propane, water (and filters), portable heater, etc.

[bemac]

He might "want" to but they would never let him. The Commission on Presidential Debates is headed by two people: the former Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, and the former Chair of the Republican National Committee. No one is getting in the debates except for the stooges selected by the media (Obama and alternate bank puppet). They learned their lesson with Ross Perot.

Perot had the money to garner enough support. They HAD to let Perot in. They will HAVE to let Paul in. He'll have enough support.

[born_cross_eyed]

Perot had the money to garner enough support. They HAD to let Perot in. They will HAVE to let Paul in. He'll have enough support.

I guess. I think the B.S. criteria is 15 percent in 5 national polls. Considering the polls are rigged by the corporate media, and the Commission gets to choose which polls it uses, I don't see it happening. Would some people be outraged at his exclusion? Sure, but not nearly enough to make a difference.

[bemac]

Considering the polls are rigged by the corporate media

That's actually not really possible. There would be so many polls being done, any poll with inconsistent results would be highly investigated by the other polling firms.

[cpthnsolo]

Sorry to say it, but if anyone thinks Romney, Perry, or Cain will be any better than Obama is fooling themselves.

I mostly agree with this, but IMO we need to elect someone who claims to be conservative simply for the sake of judicial appointments. Keep Barry in there and he'll have four more years to add even more liberal judges to the federal benches. The judicial branch has clearly been growing in power so it would be nice to see a few conservatives nominated before there are no remaining conservative judges at the federal level. IMO this is enough of a reason to vote for whatever polished turd the repubs run. I hope everyone else does the same.

[Alric]

Ron Paul got second last time here in nevada. I don't see him doing worse than last time around. If he just wins one of the first few that will put him on the board and people will believe he has a chance, and if they beleive he has a chance he will get a ton of support from all the people who like him but worry he can't win.

[Gomez]

Ron Paul got second last time here in nevada. I don't see him doing worse than last time around. If he just wins one of the first few that will put him on the board and people will believe he has a chance, and if they beleive he has a chance he will get a ton of support from all the people who like him but worry he can't win.

I may be wrong, but isn't Nevada a big defense contractor state? If so, I would doubt he would do very well, considering his stance on military spending.

http://www.governmentcontractswon.co...a_counties.asp

[Alric]

To be honest I didn't even know we had any big defense contractors out here. Though it isn't to surprising because we do have a big air base here. No one really cares much about them though, the big thing in Nevada is always about gaming and tourism. I suppose it could effect some people, but overall that isn't a deciding factor in any thing. Like I said, he did pretty good last go around here.

[Canadian-guerilla]

i believe Jesse Ventura said he would run as VP ONLY if RP ran as a third party

[bern]

IMO, Ron will not run 3rd party. It's GOP or bust. He will keep the threat of a 3rd party run open for leverage in negotiating with the GOP though.

The media has been pushing this 3rd party run idea pretty hard lately. They are scared about Ron winning Iowa and making a serious run at the GOP nomination.

[phideaux]

I voted for Ron Paul in 1988 when he did run "3rd Party" (Libertarian).

The MSM want to delude the Sheeple into thinking there are only two choices. NOT!

The Libertarian Party is the Third Party.

The Greenies are the Fourth Party. The American Independent Party (Alan Keyes) is the Fifth Party and on and on. There are at least 20 other registered national political parties.

[TimoneX]

Paul would be doing the nation and his supporters a disservice by not running third party if he doesn't win the rethug nomination IMO. The two party system has an absolute stranglehold on our political process. Only candidates like Perot in 1992 can refocus the debate to any meaningful extent. Paul would likely have a similar opportunity this cycle.

[phideaux]

i believe Jesse Ventura said he would run as VP ONLY if RP ran as a third party

I worked hard in 2008-2009 to try and convince Ventura to run for prez. I spoke to him personally and interviewed him with a couple of journalists. Here's part of the interview that he said I could make public.



I think a Paul-Ventura ticket would take America by storm. They may not win it, but they'll kick some butt and shake up the political establishment for good, for forever.

But, I have to respect Ron Paul's word that he will not run other than as the Repub.

[TimoneX]

I voted for Ron Paul in 1988 when he did run "3rd Party" (Libertarian).

The MSM want to delude the Sheeple into thinking there are only two choices. NOT!

The Libertarian Party is the Third Party.

The Greenies are the Fourth Party. The American Independent Party (Alan Keyes) is the Fifth Party and on and on. There are at least 20 other registered national political parties.

This is how our founders intended our political system to operate, not the perverted two party system with few differences between them that we have now.

[phideaux]

This is how our founders intended our political system to operate, not the perverted two party system with few differences between them that we have now.

The Founders, especially Geo Washington, despised political parties altogether.

Most people don't know that for the first few presidential elections, the guy who came in second became the Vice President.

[TimoneX]

The Founders, especially Geo Washington, despised political parties altogether.

Most people don't know that for the first few presidential elections, the guy who came in second became the Vice President.

I hadn't realized just how much danger our founders saw in party affiliation, until I read some of Madison's quotes. It's a shame we don't widely teach the words of these wise men any more. We were warned about numerous pitfalls, including this one, but have chosen to ignore their words.

[Garyw]

I really don't see Ron Paul running as a 3rd party However. He is putting his whole effort into winning the Republican Nomination. After the primary is over if he does not win the nomination. People may convince him as a last ditch event to run. An independent candidate only needs 38% of the general election to win the whole thing. He has to decide if he can do that or not or if he would be a spoiler. In my opinion any of the other status quo candidates would be the same as we have now. No matter what happens his supporters will not leave him. They perhaps will not vote at all for any of the status quo candidates. I for one will not vote against the lesser of two evils ever again. I have been doing that all my life.

[TimoneX]

I really don't see Ron Paul running as a 3rd party However. He is putting his whole effort into winning the Republican Nomination. After the primary is over if he does not win the nomination. People may convince him as a last ditch event to run. An independent candidate only needs 38% of the general election to win the whole thing. He has to decide if he can do that or not or if he would be a spoiler. In my opinion any of the other status quo candidates would be the same as we have now. No matter what happens his supporters will not leave him. They perhaps will not vote at all for any of the status quo candidates. I for one will not vote against the lesser of two evils ever again. I have been doing that all my life.

I used to do the same, but came to my senses. Third party candidates cannot win only because people believe they cannot win and vote for the lesser of two evils instead. Ron Paul can and should run third party if he fails to win the nomination. I officially predict that he will do precisely that. He knows as well or better than the rest of us what will change if one of the leading CFR rethugs wins or obama is re-elected...nothing.

I think Paul has understandably felt tired, disappointed, and ignored at points in his political career. This is his time to shine though. More people are listening and paying attention to him than in the past. King george w, emperor barry, bank bailouts, ppaca, and a corrupt Congress have made it clear to anyone not totally blinded by propaganda that there's no real difference between these two parties. Either party would and will merrily drive this train off a cliff if left unchecked.

[Flake]

whether you like it or not, the majority of voters are going with their party. It is not possible for a third party to win, this is not 'the Enlightenment', this is the ass end of forty years of progressive education.

There IS only a choice of two parties. Your only hope is to hijack one of them.

And, by the way, you're wasting your time when you have zero reps or senators, concentrate on that first and quit the tinfoil hat stuff and you might get somewhere.

[Gomez]

whether you like it or not, the majority of voters are going with their party. It is not possible for a third party to win, this is not 'the Enlightenment', this is the ass end of forty years of progressive education.

There IS only a choice of two parties. Your only hope is to hijack one of them.

And, by the way, you're wasting your time when you have zero reps or senators, concentrate on that first and quit the tinfoil hat stuff and you might get somewhere.

I don't agree with this at all. I'm a republican but I unfortunetly got scammed into believing Obama's BS. The only republican candidate I would trust and trust totally, would be Ron Paul. The rest of them are out for themselves. business as usual.

I'd vote for RP in a heart beat if he ran third party. He's the ONLY choice.

[TimoneX]

whether you like it or not, the majority of voters are going with their party. It is not possible for a third party to win, this is not 'the Enlightenment', this is the ass end of forty years of progressive education.

There IS only a choice of two parties. Your only hope is to hijack one of them.

And, by the way, you're wasting your time when you have zero reps or senators, concentrate on that first and quit the tinfoil hat stuff and you might get somewhere.

I hope you're wrong. In fact I'm putting my time and money in the pot to work to MAKE you wrong, by contributing to Dr. Paul's campaign. Meanwhile I prepare in case you're right, because it wouldn't be prudent to do otherwise.

[latemetal]

Let us see if I'm reading this right, I have a choice between a left-wing Keysenian thug, a right-wing Keysenian thug, and Ron Paul. Ron Paul please.

[Tinbox]

whether you like it or not, the majority of voters are going with their party. It is not possible for a third party to win, this is not 'the Enlightenment', this is the ass end of forty years of progressive education.

There IS only a choice of two parties. Your only hope is to hijack one of them.

And, by the way, you're wasting your time when you have zero reps or senators, concentrate on that first and quit the tinfoil hat stuff and you might get somewhere.

well Ron Paul would probably have to only get 35-40%, granted that would not be easy....

Presidents have the power to veto any bill from congress right? Honestly having Ron Paul vetoing damn near every bill and the govt doing nothing would be a major improvement in my opinion.

[Tinbox]

I really don't see Ron Paul running as a 3rd party However. He is putting his whole effort into winning the Republican Nomination. After the primary is over if he does not win the nomination. People may convince him as a last ditch event to run. An independent candidate only needs 38% of the general election to win the whole thing. He has to decide if he can do that or not or if he would be a spoiler. In my opinion any of the other status quo candidates would be the same as we have now. No matter what happens his supporters will not leave him. They perhaps will not vote at all for any of the status quo candidates. I for one will not vote against the lesser of two evils ever again. I have been doing that all my life.

I completely agree with this. I don't understand why people want to pledge their support for a candidate that they believe is just not QUITE as bad as the other candidate (i hear people say this all the time too). By voting for them your giving them your own personal stamp of approval, and I certainly won't give any candidate that unless I actually believe in them.

[Garyw]

Ron Paul probably will not need to run as a 3rd Party History Student but if he does he is much more popular and well known than Ross Perot and from what I understand from many researches on 3rd party candidates he only needs 38% of the vote to win the general election.

Obama needs a 3rd party to give 10% of his BILLION dollars to and to split the
conservative vote so he (Obama) can win like:

Clinton when Ross Perot ran as a 3rd against Bush I - who looked really stupid!

Wilson when TR Roosevelt Bull Moose ran against his buddy Taft.

[Garyw]

(Please excuse me repeating myself I came back today and had to post from what I read on the first page not realizing I was repeating an earlier post. )

Paul would be doing the nation and his supporters a disservice by not running third party if he doesn't win the rethug nomination IMO. The two party system has an absolute stranglehold on our political process. Only candidates like Perot in 1992 can refocus the debate to any meaningful extent. Paul would likely have a similar opportunity this cycle.

I agree totally with you Timonex but he cannot breathe a word of it before the primary is over if he decides he wants to do that. Like i said in the last post he only has to have 38% of the general election results to win. He already probably will win the republican nomination unless there is mass manipulation at the voting booths across the country. If that happens I expect blood in the streets.