WilliamC
02-01-2008, 11:28 AM
Today I called into the Ben Ferguson show again, which was being guest hosted by Andrew Clarksenior. While no fan of Ron Paul, Mr. Clarksenior is certainly more fair and even in his opinions.
A previous caller had just called in and said, while he thinks Ron Paul is a Conservative, he also thinks Ron Paul is anti-American because he criticises too much. Why people can't listen to the words and only hear the tone I don't know, but too many have this opinion.
Mr. Clarkseniors primary criticism of Ron Paul is that he is too negative and doesn't present a positive vision for America. He let me talk for ~5 minutes or so and I repeatedly made the point that Ron Paul has plenty of positive things to say but since he gets so little time to speak during the debate his message can't get out. All in all it was a good conversation. At the end I did say that if anyone wanted to hear the positive things Ron Paul has to say just go to his website and watch his video monologs about the various issues.
Below is my follow-up email to Mr. Clarksenior. For whatever good it does.
Greetings Andrew,
Thank you for taking my call this morning and giving me ample time to speak.
Your criticism of Ron Paul and that he does not present a positive message or
optimistic vision for the United States is quite valid, and is something that
many of his grassroots supporters have struggled with over these past few
months. While it would be great if he were the orator that Barack Obama or even
Mike Huckabee is, that is not the case. However, you must admit that, during
debates, Ron Paul is marginalized, interrupted, and even laughed by the other
candidates while he is trying to explain his positions. It sort of makes it
difficult for what he says to connect with the audience when he is being mocked
while saying it. Yet connect to the audience he does, as revealed in the
applause he gets during debates and the donations he gets from his supporters.
However I also sense that part of what you are saying is that you prefer style
over substance, a flashy presentation over a 20+ year consistent voting record,
and someone who looks and sounds good over someone who will actually do good. I
really don't think you believe that, but I do believe that if Ron Paul's message
were being talked about by, say, Mike Huckabee, that it would be much better
received by you and the public at large. Ironically enough, Mike Huckabee and
the other Republican candidates have indeed co-opted large parts of Ron Paul's
message during the course of their campaigns. Notice how many of them are now
talking about the US "borrowing money from China"? Ron Paul was saying this from
the beginning.
If you wish to take 10 minutes to watch a video that directly addresses Ron
Paul's foreign policy, using clips from the debates, and puts this policy in the
perspective of two great orators who also believed in the Constitution more than
the Government, please watch this one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Io7k-RMHEA4
Despite the comment at the beginning about it being "banned" from YouTube, there
is no vulgarity or profanity or any type of offensive language. It simply
juxtaposes speeches from John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., and Ron Paul
in order to highlight the common vision that these three men share for America.
Andrew, it is easy to go with the crowd and follow the popular, but it requires
a bit more effort to look beneath the surface and see the truth about the men
who are running for President. The Republican party is in deep trouble with the
rise of the neoconservative ideology and the infiltration by liberals such as
John McCain and Mitt Romney. True American Conservatism is based on the respect
for Constitution, and unless it abides by the Constitution the United States
Government is really no different from any other on Earth. The spirit of liberty
and independence that makes America unique cannot continue if the Federal
Government becomes the oppressor of individual rights instead of the protector
of individual rights. That is why I, and so many others, are behind Ron Paul,
because he has been the champion of the Constitution his entire political
career.
A previous caller had just called in and said, while he thinks Ron Paul is a Conservative, he also thinks Ron Paul is anti-American because he criticises too much. Why people can't listen to the words and only hear the tone I don't know, but too many have this opinion.
Mr. Clarkseniors primary criticism of Ron Paul is that he is too negative and doesn't present a positive vision for America. He let me talk for ~5 minutes or so and I repeatedly made the point that Ron Paul has plenty of positive things to say but since he gets so little time to speak during the debate his message can't get out. All in all it was a good conversation. At the end I did say that if anyone wanted to hear the positive things Ron Paul has to say just go to his website and watch his video monologs about the various issues.
Below is my follow-up email to Mr. Clarksenior. For whatever good it does.
Greetings Andrew,
Thank you for taking my call this morning and giving me ample time to speak.
Your criticism of Ron Paul and that he does not present a positive message or
optimistic vision for the United States is quite valid, and is something that
many of his grassroots supporters have struggled with over these past few
months. While it would be great if he were the orator that Barack Obama or even
Mike Huckabee is, that is not the case. However, you must admit that, during
debates, Ron Paul is marginalized, interrupted, and even laughed by the other
candidates while he is trying to explain his positions. It sort of makes it
difficult for what he says to connect with the audience when he is being mocked
while saying it. Yet connect to the audience he does, as revealed in the
applause he gets during debates and the donations he gets from his supporters.
However I also sense that part of what you are saying is that you prefer style
over substance, a flashy presentation over a 20+ year consistent voting record,
and someone who looks and sounds good over someone who will actually do good. I
really don't think you believe that, but I do believe that if Ron Paul's message
were being talked about by, say, Mike Huckabee, that it would be much better
received by you and the public at large. Ironically enough, Mike Huckabee and
the other Republican candidates have indeed co-opted large parts of Ron Paul's
message during the course of their campaigns. Notice how many of them are now
talking about the US "borrowing money from China"? Ron Paul was saying this from
the beginning.
If you wish to take 10 minutes to watch a video that directly addresses Ron
Paul's foreign policy, using clips from the debates, and puts this policy in the
perspective of two great orators who also believed in the Constitution more than
the Government, please watch this one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Io7k-RMHEA4
Despite the comment at the beginning about it being "banned" from YouTube, there
is no vulgarity or profanity or any type of offensive language. It simply
juxtaposes speeches from John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., and Ron Paul
in order to highlight the common vision that these three men share for America.
Andrew, it is easy to go with the crowd and follow the popular, but it requires
a bit more effort to look beneath the surface and see the truth about the men
who are running for President. The Republican party is in deep trouble with the
rise of the neoconservative ideology and the infiltration by liberals such as
John McCain and Mitt Romney. True American Conservatism is based on the respect
for Constitution, and unless it abides by the Constitution the United States
Government is really no different from any other on Earth. The spirit of liberty
and independence that makes America unique cannot continue if the Federal
Government becomes the oppressor of individual rights instead of the protector
of individual rights. That is why I, and so many others, are behind Ron Paul,
because he has been the champion of the Constitution his entire political
career.