Ron Paul Changed the Republican Party

Some libertarian issues are now mainstream in the GOP

TAMPA - It's easy to see why Ron Paul didn't get a speaking spot at the Republican National Convention. The retiring Texas congressman again suggested the 9/11 attacks would not have happened if the U.S. had followed his isolationist foreign policy approach.

While those views are poison to most Republican delegates and voters, Paul has actually had at least some success in moving GOP in his direction. The official party platform includes a call to audit the Federal Reserve. Paul based his unsuccessful bid for his party's presidential nomination in part on his push for more Fed transparency.

Paul's comments on foreign policy came at a raucous rally near the official Tampa convention site. Some Paul supporters have threatened to disrupt official proceedings to promote their views. But the official Paul organization wants none of it, suggesting it's content to have his ideas lead Republicans more to their worldview.

"It's not our desire to have floor demonstrations. That would cost us a lot more than it would get us," Paul spokesman Jesse Benton told The New York Times.

Via The Jewish Telegraph Agency, Reuters and The New York Times.

Posted August 27, 2pm PST.

Should Republicans adopt more of Ron Paul's ideas?

[DerivePI]

"Translation for Dummies" - Should Republicans vote for laws just because they think they are a good idea or should they actually consider whether it is the role of the Federal Government to impose these restrictions/penalties/interpr etations on the people in accordance with the constitution?

[Givenkarma]

The government should fear the people, this is what America is based on. Why do we have the highest per capita incarceration of any devoloped country? You fuck with our government you will be lucky to live say nothing of see the light of day again. It does not matter which team you vote for they are all bought and sold. Revolution and blood spill is the only way i see any future for USA.

[Real4WheelDrv]

Yeah so we can go right back to the system we have now, whoever has the most friends wins.

[Bobolinsky]

Now. If Libercontrarians would get it into their head that it would be much easier for the Tea Party to be successful in getting more of the economic issues that libertarians care about on the agenda if the Libertarians weren't so Contrarian, then maybe even more of the issues that libertarians care about will be on the agenda in the future.

If only they could get over the fact that the republican party isn't intolerant towards religion. Maybe that's their hangup. Christophobia.

[RAWalker]

No, Bob...it has nothing to do with religion and a lot to do with the fact that even though both 'Pubs AND Dems find the right side of the issue at times (which in the Constitutional Republic that we are is almost always the side of the Constitution), they always end up somewhere way out of the ballpark on other issues. They even contradict themselves at times in order to pander to the people that they feel they represent. A Libertarian candidate represents ALL Americans...it's easy to do: Just apply the Constitution and VOILA! Instant reason. Sometimes the right thing to do isn't necessarily the most popular thing to do, but that's why we need to have a Constitution and elect representation that will abide by it. That's why our servicemen and women, on the national-level right down to our local police, swear an oath to it. There's no question that there are some who would take advantage of the situation were we not to have it, and that's why this BS "two-party"-system of one party needs to go.

[RAWalker]

...and keep in mind, Bob: One of the things that our Founding Fathers felt was a necessity was the separation of church and state. While that means that the church, or for that matter ANY religious group, should have no say in our legislative-process, it also means that the government should have no say when it comes to the church. One can never threaten or influence the other = true religious-freedom for The People.

[Just_Lisa]

@RAWalker wow. Awesomely said!

[wild_turkey6]

@RAWalker Wow. You hit it out of the park with that one.

[wild_turkey6]

@RAWalker Wow. You hit it out of the park with that one. Kudos

[IMAQT]

Ending interventionism would mean that the era of big government in foreign affairs could be brought to an end. No wonder the Republican establishment is so terrified of Ron Paul's foreign-policy message. I think it is a funny thing, though, that so-called conservatives take pride in their advocacy for small government and their criticism of welfare; entitlements and handouts. But when it comes to foreign policy they turn into liberals. They want massive military budgets. They want a supremely powerful Pentagon. They want virtually unlimited welfare handouts for Israel and other “allies” such as Pakistan.

[Fishbone345]

You forgot Egypt. Second only to Israel in Foreign Aid.

[MongoAPillager]

no,they should adopt Mr Paul as their presidential canidate

[MongoAPillager]

they will drop his ideas as soon as the election is over

[Kelly]

Our comploete country should adopt ALOT of Ron Paul's ideas!!!!!!!!!!

[Thunderchicken]

"Ron Paul Changed the Republican Party"

For the better.

[Fishbone345]

"The retiring Texas congressman again suggested the 9/11 attacks would not have happened if the U.S. had followed his isolationist foreign policy approach."
Truth sucks. Who knew blowback would be so extreme?!

[AceLuby]

The Republican party will never change. Oh, they'll say they've changed, but it's all lip service for votes. Gotta turn those Ron Paul votes into Romney votes after all, then it'll be back to 'Reagan proved deficits don't matter'. If the libertarians want to be represented they need to break from the Republican party completely.

[marine1]

GOOD

[Chomsky0]

Should Republicans adopt a Corporate Tyranny platform? They are working on it, they just haven't got the balls to go 100% for it yet. They are looking at Ron Paul's success and thinking, Wow, maybe it could be possible after all.

[marine1]

What we need is a common sense party, problem is, we have no qualified applicants

[DrMoonshine]

Well since you came up with that, maybe you're the one.

[marine1]

@DrMoonshine wonder what it would be like if we could replace the house and senate with common sense people.

[zimm48]

ron paul better than mitt romney

[liber-T]

While I feel Ron Paul has invigorated interest and promoted more libertarian ideas within the GOP, I don't see those efforts taking the kind of hold that they need to.

[WALMARTRAMEN]

His Lower spending and smaller government with 50 million poor out there. The American dollar on the edge. Blaming Obama for not getting something that might take Bill Clinton 16 years to get us out of.
It took him 8 years with old man Bush! Spending cuts with a bad foundation. You will just pass on the cost to more food stamps.
Or more people shop lifting food by the masses!
Just more stupid!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positi...

[Decent-Dissent]

I think the GOP answerd this tonite at the RNC by acting like SOBs. The only thing left to do is for Ron Paul & Mark Johnson to team up on the little engine that could, and maybe (just maybe) save us from this 2 party system...
#Chuggachuggachuggachuggawhoow hoo

[Canoochee]

How old is Paul? Better question is is this the last election cycle we have to put up with him?

[Debstake]

The treatment of Ron Paul and his delegates and the cheating of the RNC to remove him from nomination is enough for me. I WAS a life long republican. Now I am a libertarian. I will not vote for BO or Mitt because the vote for one of these 2 jackasses is a vote for the other. The ONLY difference between BO & Mitt is one is dipped in white chocolate.