Texas Republicans are NUTS!

[libertarian4321]

Yeah, thats a provocative title, but let me explain.

I've been a Republican for most of my life- the fiscal conservative, small government kind. I'm not a pacifist by any means (I've served more than 2 decades in the US Army).

However, after attending the Republican Straw Poll as a "guest" (not allowed to vote because I'm not a past Texas delegate), I can tell you, these folks are NUTS!

The event opened with the heart rending song and video "Do you remember" (don't remember the artist)- showing scene after scene of 9-11 and then showing video glorifying the Iraq war. Speaker after speaker came up to rally support for the war- it was the main theme of the event (other than the occasional brief interlude for prayers, songs praising God, and "praise Jesus" type stuff).

By the time the morning session was over, I think most of the people in there were ready to not only continue the war in Iraq, but they were pumped up to invade Iran, too.

It was utterly INSANE!

It was so bad, I skipped the afternoon speeches (I was later told it was more of the same, only worse) and wandered over to the Peace Rally across the street.

Yes, the peace rally attracted the normal collection of "oddballs" you would expect, but to be perfectly honest, the peace folks seemed more rational than the Republicans.

So I worked the crowd a bit- got a few of them interested in Dr. Paul (amazingly, many of them had no idea there was an anti war Republican).

There is something clearly wrong with the Texas Republican Party when an ex-military, fiscally conservative, clean cut guy like myself feels more at home at a peace rally than at a Republican event.

If the Republican Party doesn't get back in touch with the American people, its DOOMED!

[james1906]

Yeah, thats a provocative title, but let me explain.

I've been a Republican for most of my life- the fiscal conservative, small government kind. I'm not a pacifist by any means (I've served more than 2 decades in the US Army).

However, after attending the Republican Straw Poll as a "guest" (not allowed to vote because I'm not a past Texas delegate), I can tell you, these folks are NUTS!

The event opened with the heart rending song and video "Do you remember" (don't remember the artist)- showing scene after scene of 9-11 and then showing video glorifying the Iraq war. Speaker after speaker came up to rally support for the war- it was the main theme of the event (other than the occasional brief interlude for prayers, songs praising God, and "praise Jesus" type stuff).

By the time the morning session was over, I think most of the people in there were ready to not only continue the war in Iraq, but they were pumped up to invade Iran, too.

It was utterly INSANE!

It was so bad, I skipped the afternoon speeches (I was later told it was more of the same, only worse) and wandered over to the Peace Rally across the street.

Yes, the peace rally attracted the normal collection of "oddballs" you would expect, but to be perfectly honest, the peace folks seemed more rational than the Republicans.

So I worked the crowd a bit- got a few of them interested in Dr. Paul (amazingly, many of them had no idea there was an anti war Republican).

There is something clearly wrong with the Texas Republican Party when an ex-military, fiscally conservative, clean cut guy like myself feels more at home at a peace rally than at a Republican event.

If the Republican Party doesn't get back in touch with the American people, its DOOMED!

You're living testimony as to why the GOP is dead in the water.

[LibertyEagle]

What's your deal, libertarian? eh? Going from thread to thread trying to keep everyone all drummed up about the straw poll. And now, after posting this same type of BS in another thread just a few minutes ago, you start a brand new one calling all Texans, NUTS!

Way to go! Just insult all the Republicans in Texas. Buy a clue, will you. Only 1,000 of the 17,000 delegates even bothered to show up to the straw poll. A lot of them are not any happier about the Republican Party than WE are and we don't bring them over to Dr. Paul by wholesale insulting the entire state!!

What was your goal in designing the title of this thread? To run away any lurkers from looking into Dr. Paul further. Well, I'll just bet you succeeded.


I am tired of everyone who wasn't here getting the TX results completely wrong and I'm worried this failure to understand what happened is going to hold us back in the future. The fact so many of you see the Hunter win as having come out of nowhere just proves you aren't aware of what's going on here. We that are here knew that he was going to be the main one to beat -- he was on the ground here for weeks getting the pro-war/anti-immigration crowd behind him enough that they'd come out and vote for him. Any statements from people who travelled to the poll and saw the hostility of some of the crowd needs to keep this in mind -- those were Hunter voters who came because Hunter got them fired up, and they arrived hating Paul. They were not the party.

Before we caught on what Duncan was up to we thought Paul was in really good shape and we hoped Duncan's blitz wouldn't be enough, but it was. We knew Fred was going to be the other one to beat because he's got a fair amount of the "good ole boy" delegate support and also a healthy sized protest vote. Meanwhile the vast majority of delegates kept telling us they hate where the GOP has gone and had no intention of going to vote in the poll.

If "we told you so" re: Hunter isn't enough, at least look at the numbers. 500+ from a field of voters in the 10s of thousands should say something. The TX GOP is in shambles just like the national party, and the majority of delegates are as angry as the rest of us. We know of ranking Paul-supporting delegates who didn't vote because they wouldn't give the GOP the $50.

The below is something I sent out a few places. I really hope people pay some attention to what really happened here. There is tons of room to continue growing support inside the GOP, and like it or not we need that to actually take the primary.

Jeremy Blosser, Volunteer Grassroots Coordinator in DFW, aka the guy with the bullhorn during the parade

================================

I am one of the main volunteer coordinators of the DFW grassroots for Ron Paul, and I can't really agree with the argument that the TX GOP as a group is organized against Ron Paul and that's why they used a delegate-only vote. I think this argument is too easy and ignores something much more significant than a cabal.

The overwhelming message we heard while campaigning for and working on this straw poll is that the TX GOP is in shambles, just like in the rest of the country. There were tens of thousands of eligible delegates, but we were told only around 3,000 registered. Of those, 1,300 actually voted. The responses from the program to call delegates before the poll indicated at least 30% are undecided. We ran into delegates who are precinct chairs and the like who refused to go to the poll because they didn't want to give the GOP $50. At least one delegate told us he voted for Fred because there was no "none of the above" on the ballot, and since Fred is undeclared he thought that was the next best thing. While this still means the majority of the delegates aren't voting for Paul right now, there is incredible room for growth even inside the party structure.

Duncan Hunter won this because he spent 2 weeks on the ground in the area talking to the GOP clubs, holding open conference calls, etc. He got a fair number of people following him around, largely on the war and the border fence (I don't say "immigration", because he doesn't talk about a plan beyond the fence), and those are the people that showed up. We knew he was working on this and it would give him a good showing. We hoped it wouldn't be enough to win, but it was. He needed a shot in the arm here and it remains to be seen if he got it. I wouldn't bet on it. He put in the time to win here but it's not something I think he'll be able to repeat.

Meanwhile, Ron invested very little in this non-binding pony show yet is still the only candidate placing in the top 3 or 5 in all straw polls across the nation. Romney campaigned to win Iowa but placed in the bottom here along with Huckabee. Hunter did it in Texas after failing in Iowa. Fred does keep popping up but not nearly at the level Ron does. Ron is running a national campaign whether he's in each state or not, the rest are not.

And of course there is no question that Ron had the strongest volunteer support. Our group dominated the outside and the events. After we peacefully "crashed" Hunter's Friday afternoon rally by holding signs several feet away and then joining Hunter's invitation to sing "God Bless America", our booth inside was flooded with donations and our sign and shirt van outside was flooded with people wanting Ron Paul materials. Of course, the media continues to downplay our numbers. One local paper reported there were "more than 300" at the rally Friday night. I don't have the final count yet but the room sat 700 and was to standing room only barely an hour after the doors opened. The parade the next morning was another huge success.

PS: This doesn't mean the GOP didn't try to pull some (legal) dirty tricks. Over and over again the message from the non-candidate speakers was that the GOP needs to make sure they elect a candidate who will keep attacking the middle east and isn't Ron Paul. The most flagrant came after the candidates spoke but before the voting, when we were subjected to a horror show from a 9/11 pentagon survivor who described in excruciating detail (complete with pictures) his injuries, debriding, maggots to clean his wounds, etc. There was no point to this at all except to remind people they are to be scared and have to keep killing people to feel safe. Of course, one has to wonder if they would have felt the need to pump all this propoganda if they weren't afraid of what Ron's message is producing inside the party. I doubt it did much actual good since most delegates are disgusted with the party and weren't even there, and those that were came to vote for Duncan or Paul or Fred in the first place. I don't think the undecideds came out enough to represent a significant part of the vote. We tried to get them there too, but we didn't find them on the floor.

PPS: By the way, it wasn't a bus of delegates they didn't let in, it was 5 delegates and their guests who were late for various reasons and weren't all necessarily Ron Paul supporters. The campaign and local GOP contacts tried to get them in without real success. The media did come out for some interviews so hopefully it gets attention.

[JosephTheLibertarian]

Why do people keep saying that Libertarianism and conservatism are related?

http://www.insteadofablog.com/images/nolanchart.gif

about as close as conservatism is to totalitarianism. Libertarianism is as close to conservatism as it is close to liberalism, it is an independent ideology.

[LibertyEagle]

Traditional conservatism and libertarianism share quite a few things in common.

Personal responsibility
Personal Privacy
Belief in a limited constitutional government
Individual liberty
Fiscal responsibility in government

[JosephTheLibertarian]

According to this and every other chart I've looked at, libertarianism is as close to conservatism as it is to liberalism. I have nothing against conservatism, but I think that libertarianism should be seen as an independent ideology.

[LibertyEagle]

Yes, but an INDIVIDUAL can have beliefs that fall close to the so-called dividing line between conservative and libertarian. It's really not a dividing line either, the 2 somewhat overlap.

[Dustancostine]

Well those charts aren't worth crap.

--Dustan

[JosephTheLibertarian]

There's one chart that shows libertarianism being closer to anarchism than it is to conservatism. Well, I would support voluntaryism / anarchism, so it makes sense. I think these charts often imply that conservatives are social conservatives as well as fiscal conservatives, I guess the charts consider social liberal-conservatives as "social moderates" and not libertarians.

[quickmike]

I myself feel the government should be more of a Libertarian type government than a conservative one, yet im more conservative than libertarian in my own life.............. If that makes any sense LOL. Libertarianism is the perfect form of government because it allows the individual to be a conservative, a liberal, a communist, a socialist if they want, but on their own time, and with their own dollar.

[libertarian4321]

What's your deal, libertarian? eh? Going from thread to thread trying to keep everyone all drummed up about the straw poll. And now, after posting this same type of BS in another thread just a few minutes ago, you start a brand new one calling all Texans, NUTS!

Way to go! Just insult all the Republicans in Texas. Buy a clue, will you. Only 1,000 of the 17,000 delegates even bothered to show up to the straw poll. A lot of them are not any happier about the Republican Party than WE are and we don't bring them over to Dr. Paul by wholesale insulting the entire state!!

What was your goal in designing the title of this thread? To run away any lurkers from looking into Dr. Paul further. Well, I'll just bet you succeeded.

First off, I'd like to suggest that you sit down, take a deep breath, and try not to have a stroke- you seem to be a bit overly agitated.

For the record, I have made a whopping total of TWO posts about the straw poll.

This event was put on by the Texas Republican Party. These people are Texas Republicans and represent Texas Republicans. The Texas Republicans at the event overwhelmingly showed support for candidates who support the views of the Texas Republican leadership who put on the show.

Does that mean every Texans is nuts (btw, if you read carefully, I never said that) or that the rank and file Texas Republican is nuts? No. But their leadership is, and their activists are. I should point out that the continuous glorification of war was met by thunderous applause again and again and again, all day long.

My intent was not "to insult the entire state of Texas" (I am a Texan), but to let people know what kind of mentality we are up against.

If you went to the event, you'd know that what was presented there was completely out of touch with what the American people believe, and even what the average Texan (a very "red" state) supports. The stuff presented at the event by the TEXAS REPUBLICAN PARTY was WAY over the top.

[libertarian4321]

According to this and every other chart I've looked at, libertarianism is as close to conservatism as it is to liberalism. I have nothing against conservatism, but I think that libertarianism should be seen as an independent ideology.

I agree- libertarianism shares some aspects of both conservative and liberal ideology, but is an separate ideology.

[LibertyEagle]

Well, the title of your thread is "Texas Republicans are nuts", so that does indeed imply that you are talking about all Texas Republicans. And no, you can't label all Republicans as agreeing with the Party heads, any more than you can say that Republicans agree with what the national GOP is doing.

There are a lot of Republicans, from Texas and elsewhere, who can't stand what the neocons are doing. We need to reach out to them, not alienate them with insults.

[JosephTheLibertarian]

It'd be hard to live as a Libertarian... our money is pinted out of thin air, so I'd probably starve to death to boycott using USDs

I'd go to jail if I'm cauht with marijuana

Never get a job for not filling out the W-2

Never get an education since I'd be against financial aid

damn

It'd be hard

I would have to hold a sign outside "WILL WORK FOR PRECIOUS METALS"

[quickmike]

It'd be hard to live as a Libertarian... our money is pinted out of thin air, so I'd probably starve to death to boycott using USDs

I'd go to jail if I'm cauht with marijuana

Never get a job for not filling out the W-2

Never get an education since I'd be against financial aid

damn

It'd be hard

I would have to hold a sign outside "WILL WORK FOR PRECIOUS METALS"

wouldnt have to worry about any of that with a libertarian government. Im all for that. :D

[buffalokid777]

I myself feel the government should be more of a Libertarian type government than a conservative one, yet im more conservative than libertarian in my own life.............. If that makes any sense LOL. Libertarianism is the perfect form of government because it allows the individual to be a conservative, a liberal, a communist, a socialist if they want, but on their own time, and with their own dollar.

I personally am sick of the politcal labels....

As far as I'm concerned there are only two labels that mean squat.....

Either you are an American Nationalist who belives in what the founding fathers did....

Or you are a globalist.....a person with no country....

I am an AMERICAN NATIONALIST......

I BELIEVE IN THE CONSTITUTION AND WHAT THE FOUNDING FATHERS WANTED AND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!

I am sick of the GLOBALIST SCUM......

Your an AMERICAN....OR YOUR NOT!

CHOOSE YOUR LOYALTY!

[quickmike]

I personally am sick of the politcal labels....

As far as I'm concerned there are only two labels that mean squat.....

Either you are an American Nationalist who belives in what the founding fathers did....

Or you are a globalist.....a person with no country....

I am an AMERICAN NATIONALIST......

I BELIEVE IN THE CONSTITUTION AND WHAT THE FOUNDING FATHERS WANTED AND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!

I am sick of the GLOBALIST SCUM......

Your an AMERICAN....OR YOUR NOT!

CHOOSE YOUR LOYALTY!

The globalists goal is to eventually have everyone living in the same country. One government for all where the few decide for the many. A government too big for anyone to do anything to make a change in it. Not really the same thing as a person with no country because under globalism, everyone would have a country, its just they would all have the same one with no other choice.

[Ron Paul Fan]

I think the problem here and in society is that we think of people as belonging to and deriving their rights as groups. But we don't get our rights because we're libertarian, or nutty Texas Republicans, or wacky truthers. We get our rights from our Creator as individuals and we are all individual Ron Paul fans who support him for different reasons so every individual should be treated the same way. If the goal here is to police the world by calling people names and lumping all of them into one group, you lose liberty and seperate the forum into different groups joining together and attacking one another. But if the goal is to promote liberty, you can unify all segments. The freedom message brings us together, it doesn't divide us.

[quickmike]

I think the problem here and in society is that we think of people as belonging to and deriving their rights as groups. But we don't get our rights because we're libertarian, or nutty Texas Republicans, or wacky truthers. We get our rights from our Creator as individuals and we are all individual Ron Paul fans who support him for different reasons so every individual should be treated the same way. If the goal here is to police the world by calling people names and lumping all of them into one group, you lose liberty and seperate the forum into different groups joining together and attacking one another. But if the goal is to promote liberty, you can unify all segments. The freedom message brings us together, it doesn't divide us.

Thats pretty much the same thing im saying. Libertarian form of government would mean exactly this. We could all be free to live under our own rules that we set for ourselves, yet could not impose those rules on other people. I could live as a conservative in my own personal life. You could live as a communist if you wanted where everyone who lived in your house divided up everything equally. Anything goes as long as it doesnt infringe on someone else who doesnt want to take part in your beliefs.

[pappy]

I myself feel the government should be more of a Libertarian type government than a conservative one, yet im more conservative than libertarian in my own life.............. If that makes any sense LOL. Libertarianism is the perfect form of government because it allows the individual to be a conservative, a liberal, a communist, a socialist if they want, but on their own time, and with their own dollar.

My exact sentiments

[Thunderbolt]

...

[trispear]

Never get an education since I'd be against financial aid

Only government financial aid since that was taken by force to be given to you. Private financial aid is okay;)

[libertarian4321]

I sure didn't take your post as insulting. It seems like they are nuts. So are the neo-cons, George W, Cheney, etc., etc., etc.

Of course you didn't mean to attack all Texans. It was a general statement about how the straw poll went. It also explains why Ron Paul did not do so well in a crowd like that.



You know, if it was just the standard Bush/cheney rhetoric, I probably wouldn't have been that upset- it would have been expected, but these people made Bush and Cheney look cool headed and reasonable- seriously. They made radical right wing talk show hosts look like Doves by comparison. It was some downright scary stuff. It sure wasn't the kind of Republican Party I grew up with.

[speciallyblend]

no harm meant but ,he was only saying some Texas republicans(not the free thinking ones across the country),but no need to give them Texas republicans crap,just give them pistachios. there is a message in there somewhere:) anyway

I hope Texas Republicans wake up.I'm definitely Pro-Ron Paul,but really the GOP needs to understand they are in Real trouble and the only thing that can save THE GOP is Libertarian minded former democrats like me and libertarians and independents and true conservative democrats and republicans and anti-war greens and independents. If the GOP sleeps thru the Ron Paul Campaign,then they will sleep right thru the election. Ron Paul supporters are with it.The question should be is the GOP BRAINDEAD?? If this offends a GOP person,then they should ask themselves why? We are giving the GOP a chance to win,if they ignore us and me as the voter then that is their choice. GOP better wake up to reality. Ron Paul's Message is spreading like a wildfire.To the GOP its Ron Paul or neither of the 2 old parties,state politicians are starting to understand the 2 dirty words in politics are the democrats and the word republican. The battle to nominate Ron Paul will be easier then having to say the word republican to potential voters. thats pretty much the truth.

[constituent]

i'm with the OP on this one... I've been putting up with Texas Republicans since they took the executive branch in 2000; arrogance running rampant as they
mock our state left and right (see ntl convention)

I've been shouted down over 'not supporting our president,' 'not supporting our troops,' been called, 'unpatriotic' have been reported to the FBI for 'radical political views' and the list goes on and on

by ZEALOT Texas Republicans. perhaps there are a few non-zealots, but none to be seen over the last decade or so (excepting of course the good dr.)...

but for what it's worth I find that most Texas Democrats (any hardcore partisan for that matter) are the same or worse.


and to the OP, watch out for agitators and instigators, don't let them hijack your thread by bending and twisting your words to build strawmen out of.

[speciallyblend]

:)
My exact sentiments


Quote:
Originally Posted by quickmike
I myself feel the government should be more of a Libertarian type government than a conservative one, yet im more conservative than libertarian in my own life.............. If that makes any sense LOL. Libertarianism is the perfect form of government because it allows the individual to be a conservative, a liberal, a communist, a socialist if they want, but on their own time, and with their own dollar.

Well said exactly;):D

[quickmike]

You know, if it was just the standard Bush/cheney rhetoric, I probably wouldn't have been that upset- it would have been expected, but these people made Bush and Cheney look cool headed and reasonable- seriously. They made radical right wing talk show hosts look like Doves by comparison. It was some downright scary stuff. It sure wasn't the kind of Republican Party I grew up with.

You know what makes me mad the most about these people? The fact that so few of them ever served in the military in their lives. Chickenhawks piss me off more than just about anything in the world.


Id like to get up on stage and spew off all that bullshit to a huge crowd of them like I was one of them, let them cheer like madmen, screaming for blood. Then suddenly, press a button on the wall and four steel walls would drop down around them. They would be like "WTF is going on here? I would say "well since youre all so gung-ho about this, we figured you would all be willing to "git r done"........... heres your uniform. The planes will be leaving in 20 minutes, so drop yer cocks and grab yer socks. Youre all in the military now. Time to go die for freedom folks!!! We gotta fight them over there, so we dont have to fight them over here!!!" Sit back and see how many of them literally piss their pants, which im sure most of them would do.

[constituent]

quickmike-

i think it'd look more like that little story in the movie STAND BY ME w/ the fat kid at the pie eating contest

what was it? a barf-o-rama if memory serves?

[quickmike]

quickmike-

i think it'd look more like that little story in the movie STAND BY ME w/ the fat kid at the pie eating contest

what was it? a barf-o-rama if memory serves?


LOL ......... yeah, I remember that one. Everyone barfing on the shoulder of the guy next to them. Thats about what it would look like.

http://www.vaiden.net/used_blueberries.jpg

[disinter]

What's your deal, libertarian? eh? Going from thread to thread trying to keep everyone all drummed up about the straw poll. And now, after posting this same type of BS in another thread just a few minutes ago, you start a brand new one calling all Texans, NUTS!

Screw off. The guy has just as much of a right to express his opinion as anyone else. Are you against that? Do you want to censor him? YOU make me sick.

Oh, and Texas Repugs ARE nuts.... hello?

[LibertyEagle]

Yes, he sure does and I also have a right to say what I think about it.

Ever since the straw poll, we've had thread after thread with people claiming... it's a bird, it's a plane, NO, IT'S A CONSPIRACY!!!!. We've been robbed. Oh, poor us. Those Republican meanies. It's all their fault.

Sounds like the same kind of moaning and groaning that comes from the liberals. Everything is somebody else's fault.

Earth to disinter. We are attempting to win the REPUBLICAN nomination. Do you really think it is advantageous to be calling all Republicans, nuts?

[constituent]

^ PM Territory.

[quickmike]

Screw off. The guy has just as much of a right to express his opinion as anyone else. Are you against that? Do you want to censor him? YOU make me sick.

Oh, and Texas Repugs ARE nuts.... hello?

Come on now, were all Ron Paul supporters here. Lets not get pissy. I think theres alot of truth being said by both of them. On one hand, you hear alot of Texans screaming for war and neo-con agenda because like they say, "the squeaky wheel gets the grease" I dont think theyre the majority, but they are the most vocal because their message is so agressive, and by default that makes them scream the loudest, which sure makes it look like they are the majority. Sure, if you have a neo-con gathering like this of course youre gonna see a lot of chickenhawks running their mouths. Thats to be expected. I bet if you showed video of this neo-con orgy to every single texan though, and made them vote on if this is a good thing or a bad thing, most of them would say its a bad thing. But they rarely get heard by the neo-cons because its not in their interests. Theres a reason they use terms like "silent majority" You have to wonder how many of those chickenhawks were paid to be there in the first place, or were party hacks who just take their marching orders given to them. I dont think its real, but it sure looks that way if youre standing in the same room as them. Thats exactly the impression that the neo-cons want to give. Its the same propoganda that makes them report that the troop surge in Iraq is going so well when everyone knows it is not.

Lets not fight too much with each other, at least not until Ron Paul gets elected............. Then we can kick each others asses all we want and it will be fun.:D

[constituent]

oh no... you mean the RNC has picked up on the Rally Squad idea from the White House protest manual?

why am i not suprised?

though i really thought that sort of thing was left firmly in the realm of brownshirts and mussolini,

welkome to amerika!

[quickmike]

oh no... you mean the RNC has picked up on the Rally Squad idea from the White House protest manual?

why am i not suprised?

though i really thought that sort of thing was left firmly in the realm of brownshirts and mussolini,

welkome to amerika!

Thats why ive always believed that knowing our history is useless. It seems we always take the bad aspects of it and re-use them. The good things are always forgotten.

Im almost certain Dick Cheney is spending his labor day passed out on the couch with Wild Turkey on his breath and a leather bound copy of Hitlers Mein Kempf on his chest.:D

[constituent]

naah... the reader's digest condensed version of DAS KAPITAL

[quickmike]

naah... the reader's digest condensed version of DAS KAPITAL

Hey, anything goes well with Wild Turkey

[dagnytaggart]

I'm just going to chime in to say I completely agree with the original post. I attended the straw poll and had the exact same feelings; however, I was not disheartened in the least when I heard the results. I think a lot of the old timers there thought we were crashing their party and resented it. Some of our supporters booed their bomb Iran speeches, which I'm sure has never happened at one of these GOP pep rally type events. But when I was leaving a woman behind me said she was sorry my candidate didn't win, but she appreciated my enthusiasm.
It was a FANTASTIC experience and although the extremists there will never be won over, I think we made great gains. As a matter of fact, a policeman stopped me and asked me if RP was anti-war. I did my best to set him straight and gave him the website address for more info.
I would actually like to attend a Demo straw poll to see what craziness they espouse on the other end of the spectrum.
Shannon

[speciallyblend]

:rolleyes: Let's all kiss and make up.emotions can get the best of everyone,but i truly believe everyone posting here is a Ron Paul Supporter and are doing the best they can. Keep up the GREAT WORK and keep spreading Ron Pauls Message :D

[klamath]

Yeah, thats a provocative title, but let me explain.

I've been a Republican for most of my life- the fiscal conservative, small government kind. I'm not a pacifist by any means (I've served more than 2 decades in the US Army).

However, after attending the Republican Straw Poll as a "guest" (not allowed to vote because I'm not a past Texas delegate), I can tell you, these folks are NUTS!

The event opened with the heart rending song and video "Do you remember" (don't remember the artist)- showing scene after scene of 9-11 and then showing video glorifying the Iraq war. Speaker after speaker came up to rally support for the war- it was the main theme of the event (other than the occasional brief interlude for prayers, songs praising God, and "praise Jesus" type stuff).

By the time the morning session was over, I think most of the people in there were ready to not only continue the war in Iraq, but they were pumped up to invade Iran, too.

It was utterly INSANE!

It was so bad, I skipped the afternoon speeches (I was later told it was more of the same, only worse) and wandered over to the Peace Rally across the street.

Yes, the peace rally attracted the normal collection of "oddballs" you would expect, but to be perfectly honest, the peace folks seemed more rational than the Republicans.

So I worked the crowd a bit- got a few of them interested in Dr. Paul (amazingly, many of them had no idea there was an anti war Republican).

There is something clearly wrong with the Texas Republican Party when an ex-military, fiscally conservative, clean cut guy like myself feels more at home at a peace rally than at a Republican event.

If the Republican Party doesn't get back in touch with the American people, its DOOMED!

Your thread title could have been better but I agree with almost every thing you said in the post. As retired military I am feeling the same way. Do they really still think that these wars are making us safe?

[cujothekitten]

Your thread title could have been better but I agree with almost every thing you said in the post. As retired military I am feeling the same way. Do they really still think that these wars are making us safe?

yes
http://forum.protestwarrior.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=952

[quickmike]

Your thread title could have been better but I agree with almost every thing you said in the post. As retired military I am feeling the same way. Do they really still think that these wars are making us safe?

I think its the fact that most of these chickenhawks never served a day in the military that makes them so easily led to believe in ideas like that. They dont have clue #1 what war is all about. Just what they see on TV and old John Wayne movies where the good guy always kicks ass. They dont see the effect of military force has on the mindset of a country that is being occupied by another country no matter what good intentions they believe are justified.

[Bryan]

There is something clearly wrong with the Texas Republican Party when an ex-military, fiscally conservative, clean cut guy like myself feels more at home at a peace rally than at a Republican event.
Other than me not being ex-military, I'm right with you on this. I also went to the peace rally and felt much better there then listening to all the neo-con fear-mongering propaganda... and that was before they started in doing all they could to smear the Democrats and the peace rally. I was literally getting ill listening to what was being said in the half hour or so before they announced the results. When the one Townhall speaker started to smear the peace group outside saying things like some of them "aren't playing with a full deck" I could have shouted him down in disgust, but I was too nauseated to do so. I now know how my bus driver friend who I interviewed at the Iowa Straw Poll must have felt (shown in a youtube video).

I've had plenty of hard feeling towards the GOP in the past but I've never been so embarrassed to have ever been a part of the GOP before- I could have never imagined in a 100 years they would have shown the videos they did about the Dems ties to the KKK and such. What was the real point of this? Typical "hate the other side" non-sense at its worse. It makes me sick thinking about it.

[Revolution9]

Other than me not being ex-military, I'm right with you on this. I also went to the peace rally and felt much better there then listening to all the neo-con fear-mongering propaganda... and that was before they started in doing all they could to smear the Democrats and the peace rally. I was literally getting ill listening to what was being said in the half hour or so before they announced the results. When the one Townhall speaker started to smear the peace group outside saying things like some of them "aren't playing with a full deck" I could have shouted him down in disgust, but I was too nauseated to do so. I now know how my bus driver friend who I interviewed at the Iowa Straw Poll must have felt (shown in a youtube video).

I've had plenty of hard feeling towards the GOP in the past but I've never been so embarrassed to have ever been a part of the GOP before- I could have never imagined in a 100 years they would have shown the videos they did about the Dems ties to the KKK and such. What was the real point of this? Typical "hate the other side" non-sense at its worse. It makes me sick thinking about it.

I would suggest this as a scientific beginning of what has occurred.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0v7PJmKKsfM&mode=related&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33P-GBoRZlI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6N6Z_IhzBak&mode=related&search=

If you want to understand this dynamc running through history, Professor Andrew Lobaciewiski(sp?) wrote a book on this phenomena that happens to oridinary humans and infects societies...Political Ponerology:A Science of the Study of Evil Adjusted For Political Purposes. A few on here have bought it already and have excellent things to say..

Best
Randy

[quickmike]

Other than me not being ex-military, I'm right with you on this. I also went to the peace rally and felt much better there then listening to all the neo-con fear-mongering propaganda... and that was before they started in doing all they could to smear the Democrats and the peace rally. I was literally getting ill listening to what was being said in the half hour or so before they announced the results. When the one Townhall speaker started to smear the peace group outside saying things like some of them "aren't playing with a full deck" I could have shouted him down in disgust, but I was too nauseated to do so. I now know how my bus driver friend who I interviewed at the Iowa Straw Poll must have felt (shown in a youtube video).

I've had plenty of hard feeling towards the GOP in the past but I've never been so embarrassed to have ever been a part of the GOP before- I could have never imagined in a 100 years they would have shown the videos they did about the Dems ties to the KKK and such. What was the real point of this? Typical "hate the other side" non-sense at its worse. It makes me sick thinking about it.

Hey, theyre desperate.............. desperate times call for desperate measures when you are are losing most of your base. It makes me feel pretty good to see them act so irrationally, just shows that they have completely lost control and are starting to freak out about it.

[Bryan]

Thanks Randy, I'll check it out.

BTW- I wanted to say thanks for this thread:
http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=15175

[Revolution9]

Thanks Randy, I'll check it out.

BTW- I wanted to say thanks for this thread:
http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=15175

Yeah..kitties and doggies and lizards are cool:D I know what I am doing..I carved out the free speech zone and established my perimeters.. Now it is time to light the campfires from the heart of the flame. Then the drum circle.. A prayer of smoke aloft for the Good Doctor..

Best
Randy