Hi there! (and a story about trying to convert an 80-year-old neocon)

[Just Flossin']

Hi guys, long time reader and first time poster on this forum. I always get a kick out of reading other people's awakening stories so I figured I'd share mine.

I voted for Bush for his second term and then for Romney in the 2007 GOP primaries. I voted for McCain in the elections but that was more a vote against Obama because I saw through his fraudulent message that was making Obama-bots out of everybody else. I heard about Ron Paul during the primary process but wasn't hardcore into the election cycle so I really didn't know what he stood for but I knew he was anti-establishment, Ross Perot-esque (not necessarily on policy but because he was an outsider in an insider's game) and was intrigued by this because he was something different. I discounted him and figured he had no chance, so I'd better go with what's likely and safe. Boy how I wish I can recall votes now and just wipe them from my voting history.

Obama got elected and I tuned out politics - I couldn't stand what was coming out of Washington. Fast forward to the beginning of the 2011 GOP primaries and I focused in on Ron Paul. I realized that he's been right all along and he is the only one that recognizes the major issues this country is facing and knows how to fix them. I'm sick of people that are obscure or single-issue voters on subjects that have nothing to do with grim realities facing this coutry. The country is collapsing, wealth is being wiped out, and we face the prospect of the fail of the dollar yet people are trying to determine what a candidate's position is on natural gas fracking or the federal wildlife reserve in Muscatoon, Nowhere.

Anyways, I've given Paul money for each moneybomb and everytime he has asked. The only political junkie in my family is my grandmother and she doesn't read the paper, watch tv, utilize a computer, or anything but relies solely on Limbaugh, Levin, Savage, Hannity, and others for her political views. And she is feverishly anti-Ron Paul. She'll call me berating Ron Paul and say I'm "whacked out" right after Levin finished bashing Paul as an anti-semite, terrorist, nutjob that wants everybody to do drugs. She doesn't want to hear the truth about Paul and always points to his foreign policy (which the neo-con hosts always attack). She was for everybody but Paul and except Romney. I heard how great Perry, then Cain, then Bachman, then Santorum, and now Gingrich is and how Paul "should drop out because he's ruining it for everybody." She's just parroting the neo-con hosts' nonsense. Any ideas as to how I can break through this daily and incessant brainwashing by these idiots and convince her Paul is the answer?

By the way, I used to be all into talk radio and have sinced tuned it out. I can't take their garbage anymore. Not hard to figure out why their audiences have declined by 20-33% in the past year.

[Liberty4life]

You should inform her about the truth, patiently, also look at my signature, its Ronald Reagan's "endorsement" of Ron Paul
There is a Video link too.

[Liberty4life]

When the argument comes up that he is anti-semite counter with not true, we give more money to arab nations, to withdraw all
foreign entitlements would be a benefit to Israel.

[Liberty4life]

While your Grandmother will only listen to the masters spoon feeding, make sure she knows what that is, You are the next thing to her, inform her about Ron Paul not being isolationist, but non-interventionism please explain the difference.

[Xenophage]

Welcome to our world. It's frustrating and sad sometimes. I wish I had good tips for you...

[Monarchist]

Your best bet is to simply make sure she isn't able to get out and vote. Sorry. :/

[angrydragon]

Ask her why she feels that way and counter with what you know about Ron Paul.

Maybe stop listening to these so called expert political pundits for a few weeks and think for herself.

[TonySutton]

First, DO NOT talk about Ron Paul. You need to talk to her about the message, Liberty. Most people will reach out and grasp liberty when you offer it to them. Once they are sold on Liberty, then you explain to them how Ron Paul is the only one who wants them to have Liberty.

[dustinto]

Break her radio... kidding

[XTreat]

Ask her why she trusts Levin more than you.

[seapilot]

Ask her why she trusts Levin more than you.
Exactly.

[Lord Xar]

Give her your kindle for a few days with all the RON PAUL videos that have created a positive storm.

The predictions one.... troop one .... etc.. and others that can draw out how paul was right, the neo-cons were wrong.

.... and have her watch them.

[alucard13mmfmj]

im pretty sure when we get old... we will hinder the young as well lol. im pretty sure we will turn out the same as our grandparents. we just dont know it yet.

one of those "music is crappy these days. music was the best back in my time". a generational thing.

[ryanmkeisling]

There is no way to change her, I have people in my family like that was well, although fewer and fewer lately. People have to learn from their mistakes? Welcome to the forums!

[Revolution9]

My Nanna used to watch these horrible movies when I went over to her house for vacation. One night I was so fed up with the romantic crap I got up and turned the TV off in protest because she wouldn't let me watch fright night features. To my surprise she just said "Well that was a silly way to end the movie..I wonder what happened to so-and-so..." Thereafter I waited for the opportune plot development and going to commercial to shut these ghawdawful movies off.

Have you listened to the shows with her and went off on critiques? Have proofs handy.

Rev9

[nano1895]

im pretty sure when we get old... we will hinder the young as well lol. im pretty sure we will turn out the same as our grandparents. we just dont know it yet.

one of those "music is crappy these days. music was the best back in my time". a generational thing.

all the young people who were frustrated at election results finally learn when they are old to turnout and vote :rolleyes:

and i think much of the music nowadays is crappy ;)

[Austrian Econ Disciple]

I know you might not want to hear this, but you will not change her mind. Just have to face the fact that she is at a point in her life where people don't often, or nearly ever change their philosophical outlook and approach. You are the future. The young (under 40) libertarian population will replace the ancien regime so to speak in due time. All the best and continue to educate yourself so you can better present our argument and case!

[dannno]

and i think much of the music nowadays is crappy ;)

You've obviously never heard disco, Rick Astley, New Kids on the Block or The Backstreet Boys. There has always been crappy music. There is some great electronic music nowadays, some good indie rock leftover from the beginning of the millenium and psychadelic rock like Radiohead. Also been a lot of good metal in the last 12 years if you're into that.

[centure7]

She'll call me berating Ron Paul and say I'm "whacked out" right after Levin finished bashing Paul as an anti-semiteShe's trying to convince you to NOT vote for Paul even harder than you are trying to get her to vote for Ron Paul LOL.

Tell her that you'll agree to honestly consider not voting for Ron Paul if she'll agree to look at the issues one by one with you, then do just a tiny bit of independent research with you on each issue. When you're each done doing the research, you both agree to share what you've found and consider changing your vote accordingly.

You have to get her to explicitly agree to take on the issues one by one and independently research each one to find out what the real story is and make an informed decision. That is your only shot so far as I can think of and I can't believe it would go anywhere. You're time is much better spent getting males under 30 to the polls where we already win.

[mosquitobite]

First, DO NOT talk about Ron Paul. You need to talk to her about the message, Liberty. Most people will reach out and grasp liberty when you offer it to them. Once they are sold on Liberty, then you explain to them how Ron Paul is the only one who wants them to have Liberty.

This. If she is a small government conservative...start there.

I usually go in progression (maybe not all in the same conversation!) something like this:

Berate the war on poverty - how it hasn't done anything, can't be "won" etc and is just a toilet to flush money down and buy votes. (they usually get this)
Next, move on to the war on drugs...been going on for almost 50 years and we're no closer to eradicating drugs, drug lords, etc than we were the day it started. Again - MONEY TOILET. I usually use the "Whack a Mole" analogy. Kill one drug lord, another pops up. (if you frame it right [money wasted] you can get them on board this way)
Finally, next step is the war on terror. Ask them to define WHO a terrorist is, and how we WIN the war on terror? Again - bring it back to MONEY and what a waste it is to think we can ever eradicate all forms of terror/terrorism.

So long as there is no definable "END GOAL" to win, it just becomes a question of how much money are we willing to flush away??

It works even better if your voter is a believer in Christ. Because you can then tie foreign policy to their beliefs. I say: relying on our government to "protect" us is a dangerous slippery slope in more ways than one. I believe our founding fathers were blessed with immense wisdom from our Creator when they formed our government and they all strictly warned us about the dangerous tightrope between security & liberty. God also calls on us to rely on HIM for our peace and security. On that note, I *REFUSE* to live in fear of a government created enemy in order that I might pretend to sleep better at night. GOD is my rock.

HTH!

[pinkmandy]

Maybe try a dvd? Get some popcorn and watch it together. :)
http://onedollardvdproject.com/Videos/RonPaul2012/

[Sullivan*]

First, DO NOT talk about Ron Paul. You need to talk to her about the message, Liberty. Most people will reach out and grasp liberty when you offer it to them. Once they are sold on Liberty, then you explain to them how Ron Paul is the only one who wants them to have Liberty.
This

Along the same lines, you have to tailor the message. That's not to say compromising on positions or anything, just finding the correct wording that best speaks to the individual question. Figure out what is TRULY important to her regarding the issues, and explain exactly where Ron Paul stands with the wording that puts him in the best light. It's a delicate balancing act between the message and the delivery. Passion is to be commended, but at the same time you can't be brutish. For every 3 mischaracterizations of Paul's positions, you have to provide 3 firm, sound responses rooted in conviction and honesty, and put aside the indignation. It's not fair that we have to cut through the crap to get to the real argument, but that's just the way it is. We must accept it when we're engaging those against us, and do the best we can not to put them on the defensive so we can get to reality.