Who is this Ron Paul?

[33girl]

Originally Posted by honeychile

I should have made myself clearer - it was obvious that a campaign worker had gone car to car, not that all of the Ron Paul voters were shopping there. It was a Shop & Save, for what it's worth - they make the more complicated Christmas cookies (ladylocks, tassies, etc) for less than half of most places!

You mean he stuck bumper stickers on the cars?? That's effed up. They really need to try that at the South Hills Market District so they can get an ass-whomping.

For the uninitiated: Market District is a division of our biggest local grocery chain and pretty much a wannabe Whole Foods. Soccer moms w/ big and/or expensive vehicles shop there.

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by 33girl

You mean he stuck bumper stickers on the cars?? That's effed up. They really need to try that at the South Hills Market District so they can get an ass-whomping.

Indeed. I ripped mine off immediately. I see no sense in sporting a bumper sticker for someone whose platform I'm not familiar with yet.

For the uninitiated: Market District is a division of our biggest local grocery chain and pretty much a wannabe Whole Foods. Soccer moms w/ big and/or expensive vehicles shop there.

The ADPi EO sister I mention on these boards is one of the pharmacists there. It's almost TOO big!

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

I don't mean to challenge the idea, because I don't really know, but where do you get the impression that he is uniquely able to work with people he doesn't agree with? Do you have any examples of that?

I ask because I actually think that Obama's campaign strategy seems geared toward painting himself as some sort of unifying figure, but for the life of me I can't think of a single time, idea, platform or belief that actually reaches that goal or actually should be used to cast him in that light.

Where I've seen it discussed most is his experience in the Illinois legislature, I most recently saw a quote in an article (Time or Newsweek I think) from a Republican who was pro-death penalty and how Obama was the first one to work with him on the topic despite their opposing views and how surprised he was at this. I think it's also that his "message" as it were, appeals to members of both parties, even if in the end they wouldn't vote for him. These guys will though http://www.republicansforobama.org

From Obama's site: "His first law was passed with Republican Tom Coburn, a measure to rebuild trust in government by allowing every American to go online and see how and where every dime of their tax dollars is spent."

I have a lot in the way of sources at my fingertips because a lot of the stuff was local to living here. But, he doesn't seem to play the partisan "game" the same way others do. And being from Illinois, I'm so sick of politics as usual. If he loses the election, I want him to come back and run for governor. *Please Obama Please* because Illinois needs some sanity.

[Drolefille]

I just remembered there's a crazily painted car.. yellow with red white and blue on the sides that I'm 95% sure is for Ron Paul an has been parked in my school's parking lot for the past month or so. Not sure if it's still there now that the semester is over. I didn't really see the point.

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

Where I've seen it discussed most is his experience in the Illinois legislature, I most recently saw a quote in an article (Time or Newsweek I think) from a Republican who was pro-death penalty and how Obama was the first one to work with him on the topic despite their opposing views and how surprised he was at this. I think it's also that his "message" as it were, appeals to members of both parties, even if in the end they wouldn't vote for him. These guys will though http://www.republicansforobama.org

From Obama's site: "His first law was passed with Republican Tom Coburn, a measure to rebuild trust in government by allowing every American to go online and see how and where every dime of their tax dollars is spent."

I have a lot in the way of sources at my fingertips because a lot of the stuff was local to living here. But, he doesn't seem to play the partisan "game" the same way others do. And being from Illinois, I'm so sick of politics as usual. If he loses the election, I want him to come back and run for governor. *Please Obama Please* because Illinois needs some sanity.

Hm - I'll have to read more into his time in the Illinois Legislature, thanks.

However, the above is still kind of hollow for me - for instance, many many many bills are co-sponsored by members of both parties, the bill is VERY specious in that the term "rebuild trust" shows an agenda beyond the bill itself, "doesn't play the game" doesn't really mean anything to me, I don't know what "working with" someone with diametrically opposed views really means since there's no real compromise to death, etc. etc. etc. - and that's kind of the problem.

Obama's message seems kind of hollow, and there doesn't seem to be much meat on his ideas (very similar to Ron Paul in my mind, just in a completely different fashion). I do agree that his message is meant to appeal to both sides of the aisle - but in doing so, I think he's done this through rhetoric alone. I realize this is not uncommon, and that's what makes me really worry that Obama really is exactly "politics as usual" instead of anything really mold-breaking. Maybe I'm out there for feeling this, though . . . but it's not like others are lining up to explain "how" or tell where the money will really come from, after all.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

Hm - I'll have to read more into his time in the Illinois Legislature, thanks.

However, the above is still kind of hollow for me - for instance, many many many bills are co-sponsored by members of both parties, the bill is VERY specious in that the term "rebuild trust" shows an agenda beyond the bill itself, "doesn't play the game" doesn't really mean anything to me, I don't know what "working with" someone with diametrically opposed views really means since there's no real compromise to death, etc. etc. etc. - and that's kind of the problem.

Obama's message seems kind of hollow, and there doesn't seem to be much meat on his ideas (very similar to Ron Paul in my mind, just in a completely different fashion). I do agree that his message is meant to appeal to both sides of the aisle - but in doing so, I think he's done this through rhetoric alone. I realize this is not uncommon, and that's what makes me really worry that Obama really is exactly "politics as usual" instead of anything really mold-breaking. Maybe I'm out there for feeling this, though . . . but it's not like others are lining up to explain "how" or tell where the money will really come from, after all.

Definitely do, he's certainly gotten more done there than as a freshman US Senator simply because of the politics involved in being low man on the totem pole. I never have sources at my fingertips because I read such a variety of news/magazines/etc. and because I never anticipate needing to pull them up again later.

I think it's taken Obama time to develop his ideas, and this will be a weakness for him. But what he has developed makes sense to me. For example, the issue of driver's licenses for illegal immigrants: I agree that we'd be better off if illegal immigrants had IDs, had to take driving tests, and show proof of insurance just like the rest of the population. Obama answered the question, and Hilary answered the question AND tried to turn around and be anti-illegal immigration at the same time. I don't feel like Obama feels the need to cover his ass with his answers.

*shrug* Being from Illinois gives a bunch of "woo Obama" spirit as well. Of course, as I said, I don't vote in primaries anyway so hence why so many of my candidates listed in my summary are "who to the what now?" responses.

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

Definitely do, he's certainly gotten more done there than as a freshman US Senator simply because of the politics involved in being low man on the totem pole. I never have sources at my fingertips because I read such a variety of news/magazines/etc. and because I never anticipate needing to pull them up again later.

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*shrug* Being from Illinois gives a bunch of "woo Obama" spirit as well. Of course, as I said, I don't vote in primaries anyway so hence why so many of my candidates listed in my summary are "who to the what now?" responses.

All good dude - this all makes perfect sense to me, I just wanted to pick your brain for the same reasons you listed. Thanks!

[KAPital PHINUst]

I don't know how I missed this thread, but no matter; I'm here now.

Yeah, Ron Paul's message is radical, but in this day and hour, it is much needed. I don't like any of the other candidates, because all they will do is seal the fate of this nation.

Meaning: the Iraq war will never end, the economy will collapse, the dollar will drop to below zero, hyperinflation will occur, leading to skyrocketing crime, martial law will be imposed, the National ID Card will be implemented, dissenters of the government will be shipped off to FEMA camps, and we will be under constant monitoring and surveillance. In short it will be a draconian, Orwellian environment which will be antithetical to the true purposes of American, and life won't be worth living here anyway.

I don't know if RP will get all his plans implemented. I do know for a fact that if he doesn't, at a minimum he will try his darndest to reverse the current direction America is headed: a one-way ticket to Oceania. And that is by reducing or eliminated the most menacing and nuisance government programs. And that much is good enough for me.