Rand Paul will probably be the first libertarian President

[Xenophage]

I'm not pessimistic about this campaign, because I think Ron's going to do at least twice as well as he did last go around, and everyone will be pushing just as hard as we did in '07 if not harder. However, even if he wins the primary, I have lingering doubts that the brainwashed American public will elect him over Obama.

I think Ron's role is more like Goldwater's. Philosophical, educational. When Rand runs, nobody will be able to beat him. He has all of his father's strengths and none of his weaknesses, except for that annoying habit of saying, "Well the interesting thing is..."

I'm sure plenty of people disagree! I sure HOPE Ron wins, anyway.

[sailingaway]

Why would you want to say this? Seems to me we should be focusing on the goal.

But if/when it happens, Rand's weaknesses will be in the general. The smear job the liberal media did is a time bomb waiting to be resurrected. We have to erode it over time between now and 2016.

[muzzled dogg]

what about washington?

[AuH20]

Rand has the mindset of a calculated assassin. Chris Wallace would have had his proverbial throat slit, if he attempted what he did last night to his Rand's father. He can switch between libertarian and social con at the turn of a dial. He can talk like a more erudite Herbert Cain if the situation dictates. He can talk policy wonk like Newt Gingrich as well. Rand is Weapon X as far as I'm concerned. FOX is going to have their hands full with him next cycle.

[Warrior_of_Freedom]

Obama's puppet masters will start nuclear Armageddon before Ron or Rand are elected.

[sailingaway]

Fox won't be the issue, msnbc will. The left hates him virulently. And lies about him all the time and so many lies are recorded in media that they have a treasure chest to mine when the time comes, with 'authorities'.

[Matthew Zak]

It doesn't really do us any good counting ourselves out. I live in MN and I saw Jesse Ventura get elected governor. Surprising things can happen

[sailingaway]

It doesn't really do us any good counting ourselves out. I live in MN and I saw Jesse Ventura get elected governor. Surprising things can happen

this^^

[Matt Collins]

what about washington?
Washington was NOT a libertarian.

Coolidge and Jefferson were in my opinion the two closest we've had. But even they were imperfect.

[BuddyRey]

Well the interesting thing is, Ron Paul can win! :)

[muzzled dogg]

Washington was not a libertarian but we're talking about rand being one?

[GunnyFreedom]

I think Rand's politicking influence is already showing up in Ron, and it's still very early. If I could tell Ron one thing, it would be that the Oval Office is not a deliberative body, and the people are instinctively picking the executive mindset over the deliberative mindset. Act. Do. Proceed. Declare. Go. This is what people mean when they say "he's very Presidential."

Heretofore, RP has come off as a man of deliberation, which is appropriate for Congress being a deliberative body. Now he needs to be an executive. The do-er. A very deliberative executive to be sure. So, "the Oval Office is not a deliberative body" and the manner of his campaign is already adjusting. So I also believe that the OP extremely underestimates our shot at RP12.

I think if we put Rand Paul, Ron Paul, and Doug Wead around a table just arguing about whatever for a couple hours a day, Ron would crush every demographic in the debates.

[Sola_Fide]

All I'm going to say is we Paultards are going to be a very busy bunch in the next decade or so:)

[teacherone]

Rand Paul will probably be the first libertarian President

awesome... music to my ears.

if he gets there it's because his father woke us all up and lit the forgotten spark of liberty in each of us.

[sailingaway]

I think Rand's politicking influence is already showing up in Ron, and it's still very early. If I could tell Ron one thing, it would be that the Oval Office is not a deliberative body, and the people are instinctively picking the executive mindset over the deliberative mindset. Act. Do. Proceed. Declare. Go. This is what people mean when they say "he's very Presidential."

Heretofore, RP has come off as a man of deliberation, which is appropriate for Congress being a deliberative body. Now he needs to be an executive. The do-er. A very deliberative executive to be sure. So, "the Oval Office is not a deliberative body" and the manner of his campaign is already adjusting. So I also believe that the OP extremely underestimates our shot at RP12.

I think if we put Rand Paul, Ron Paul, and Doug Wead around a table just arguing about whatever for a couple hours a day, Ron would crush every demographic in the debates.

Doug was a shill in presidential debates for Bush. I definitely hope Ron has him on board.

[TomtheTinker]

Rand's the political King Kong..if you know what I mean.

[HarryBrowneLives]

I will push harder than ever for Ron as I have done since '07, but Rand's our Godzilla of Liberty for the future. Should it come to that (and the O man is reelected which is a looooong time off). The Rand campaign starts with me the next day as far as I'm concerned.

[Occam's Banana]

I will push harder than ever for Ron as I have done since '07, but Rand's our Godzilla of Liberty for the future. Should it come to that (and the O man is reelected which is a looooong time off). The Rand campaign starts with me the next day as far as I'm concerned.

This ^^. I don't think I can bear the prospect of a future without any REAL champions of liberty to pick up wherever Ron leaves off.

It's ironic. I've always thought that the "dynasties" of American national politics - the Roosevelts, Kennedys, Bushes & (almost) Clintons - were signs of "decadence & decay," if you will.

I still do. The aforementioned have all been about arrogance, grandiosity & power. The Paul "dynasty" will be about peace, prosperity & liberty.

[dannno]

He has all of his father's strengths and none of his weaknesses, except for that annoying habit of saying, "Well the interesting thing is..."

I'm sure plenty of people disagree!

Yep, I'm one of those who disagrees. I like 'the interesting thing is.."

[sailingaway]

Rand wouldn't be next in line if he weren't 'Rand', and we still have vetting time. But he's justifying it, we aren't blindly going for anyone named 'Paul'. Mind you, upbringing isn't irrelevant.

[ThyGivaOfRep]

RP can win. I do believe that Rand Paul will be the best contender in 2016. He has a better image than RP. People will be sick of Obama and democrats in general, except Republicans will likely get killed in the senate and house because they will have a lot of candidates up for reelection. 2018 will likely be even worse.

[outspoken]

The nation cannot sustain four more years of Obama and all hell will break loose if we have to wait til 2016. Jmho

[Ethek]

Well as long as he is not "L"ibertarian. I would hate to see him waste his effort.

[Brett85]

Why would you want to say this? Seems to me we should be focusing on the goal.

But if/when it happens, Rand's weaknesses will be in the general. The smear job the liberal media did is a time bomb waiting to be resurrected. We have to erode it over time between now and 2016.

If you think they did a smear job on Rand, it would be 100 times worse for Ron if he ever won the GOP nomination.

[MaxPower]

what about washington?

Washington was NOT a libertarian.

Washington was not a libertarian but we're talking about rand being one?
Well, time-adjusted in terms of racial/gender values, the government Washington presided over was much more libertarian than the one Rand would be given, but I will say that Rand is significantly more libertarian in terms of basic political philosophy than Washington was. Much as there is a lot about Washington for libertarians to admire- in particular, the fact that he was not a power-hungry politician and sincerely believed in the rule of law- President Washington did sign the First National Bank of the United States into law (against Jefferson's vehement protests), support or at least accept tax hikes, sign a Militia Act which allowed for a military draft, and oversee a slight increase in the national debt.

In chronological order, I will say that Jefferson, Monroe, Cleveland, Harding and Coolidge had the most libertarian presidencies in the history of the union, though they all broke with strict libertarianism at one time or another. I am quite positive Ron Paul would be the most libertarian president of all time; I have some doubts about the more compromising Rand surpassing the aforementioned presidents' libertarianism, but he would at least be in the running.

[sailingaway]

If you think they did a smear job on Rand, it would be 100 times worse for Ron if he ever won the GOP nomination.

Oh, I know, but whoever wins the actual nomination will get it. But at that point they've already been having Ron be the 'one principled conservative' so long they are going to be arguing against themselves, and at that point the GOP will have Ron's back, the way they had Rand's in the general.