War at DailyPaul.com

[James_Madison_Lives]

UPDATE: This thread of mine has been deleted: "This is Official Write-In Deadline Time, Act Today for Paul! These Votes Will be Counted" now gets "403 Access Denied" error.

Reposted at Ron Paul Forums here:
http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?388927-This-is-Official-Write-In-Deadline-Time-Act-Today-for-Paul!-These-Votes-Will-be-Counted.

Original DailyPaul link (to see error):
http://www.dailypaul.com/253462/this-is-official-write-in-deadline-season-act-today-for-ron-paul-these-votes-will-be-counted

Post says in full:

I just found out the the time for registering official write-in presidential candidates is NOW, this is usually one of the last deadlines on the elections deadline calendar. Being an official write-in means the votes get tallied and counted.

Here is a link from 2008 with information on all the states. Although outdated, it still has many useful links.

http://writein2008.blogspot.com/

Requirements vary. Usually making an official write-in involves getting a small number of registered voters (12 in my state) to sign and notarize. THE IMPORTANT THING IS THAT YOU NOT WAIT ANOTHER DAY to pick up the phone and find out when the deadline is. This time of year they are passing day by day.

Thank you, Ron Paul Revolution.


There have been over the past two weeks numerous complaints by Daily Paul readers that there seems to have been a coordinated hijack which now seems aimed at implying that Ron Paul endorses Gary Johnson by taking over the website which bears Ron Paul's name. Of course some Johnson discussion is perfectly appropriate, but this goes far beyond that. In the spirit of open discussion of this grievance at the website I penned the following post. Now this is a first: minutes after i posted the piece disappeared and my userID was blocked! I was talking about free speech!

Some have wondered before if the site may have been hacked. This is to let readers of DailyPaul know what is going on, since I know there is a good cross-readership. It is addressed to Michael Nystrom, who runs the site. Please let me know if the letter is a fair ball or out of bounds. I really don't know what's going on, I suspect a hack, since Michael has never in the past shrunk from criticism or free speech, almost to a fault.

I have been an active contributing member for more than 2 years at this site.


Mr. Nystrom: Please Update Policy or Change the Name of the Site

Hi Michael. Hope you are well. I'm writing because I have been coming to Daily Paul for awhile to learn, discuss, and support Congressman and presidential candidate Ron Paul. It certainly made sense that a place called "Daily Paul" would be the right place. Now I have a hard time doing this, because it is not about Ron Paul anymore but a certain Libertarian candidate whom I won't name.

But first let us examine the possible parameters of one thing we all hold dear, free speech. It is admirable and fitting that on a Ron Paul site, speech would be hallowed. And it is. So the next question is, does it fit into a website which hallows free speech to constrain the parameters of that speech? I submit, good sir, that it does.

Now it would be peculiar if a handful of stock car, NASCAR racing aficionados, were to gather enough numbers to vote enough articles up to make this look like this was a NASCAR site. Would that be right? Naturally an article here or there about Danila Whatsername, or whoever that hot babe race car driver is, would be welcomed. We are not afraid of free speech and we like variety. The question is at what point, in a concerted assault, does Daily Paul become Daily NASCAR?

If I want to discuss and learn about the thinking, writings, policies, campaign strategies, and the general politics of Richard Petty, I'll go to Richard Petty dot com.

Let us see what others have done when confronted with the same problem. One example is one of our nemesis, the evil orange empire, Daily Kos (yes sign of the cross here!) They as well had numerous episodes of hijack, in which a cabal of gleeful partisans, non-Democrats, caused holy hell and took over the thread lists and had operator names going to utterly derail any discussion about Democrats, which Markos, who owned the servers and the bandwidth, wanted it to be about. He finally put out a mission statement (http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/11/15/73807/-Memo-to-the-world):

<i>This is a Democratic blog, a partisan blog. One that recognizes that Democrats run from left to right on the ideological spectrum, and yet we're all still in this fight together...It's a Democratic blog with one goal in mind: electoral victory.</i>

Marko's ball, Marko's call. More over it made sense, since sticking to a topic of discussion is a very reasonable way to run a discussion without impinging on free speech. When a person gets off the topic now and then, no problem. When too many do over and over, perhaps it is time for the founders to say, you are in the wrong place.

It is neither fair nor right to allow anyone but Ron Paul to profit, trade, and imply some endorsement by overwhelming a site using Ron Paul's name. I propose that this site clarify that it is a vehicle for the discussion of the thinking, writings, and campaign news for Ron Paul, dedicated, as that devil Markos might say, to the electoral victory of Ron Paul. We say this about his write-in campaigns now, and about Dr. Paul's possible run for president in 2016 as he hinted on the Jay Leno Show.

It's not fair. I came here to read about Ron Paul.

JML

Top right-hand corner, most active topic: Is it Time for Johnson Supporters to Start Their Own Forum? (not written by me)
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8295/7939838616_243966ba76_c.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8310/7939836582_0661261761_c.jpg

[RickyJ]

Johnson is pro-choice. I will never vote for a person that is pro-choice. If Daily Paul wants him, they need to change their name. I don't go to Daily Paul too much and I don't post there, so it wouldn't affect me any, but it would be sad that a Paul forum gets taken over by Johnson supporters. You might be right about them being hacked though. I sure hope that is what happened.

[Cowlesy]

His name is Michael Nystrom, not David.

[sailingaway]

I noticed Ron Paul's picture is gone and the top article says 'Farewell to Ron Paul - thanks for the ride!' as if he's gone up in smoke, but I didn't look further than that.

[James_Madison_Lives]

His name is Michael Nystrom, not David.

Thank you. Do you know him? I'm betting he doesn't know about it, it's too weird. Now this thread is gone:

Article "This is Official Write-In Deadline Time, Act Today for Paul! These Votes Will be Counted" now gets "403 Access Denied" error.

Reposted at Ron Paul Forums here:
http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?388927-This-is-Official-Write-In-Deadline-Time-Act-Today-for-Paul!-These-Votes-Will-be-Counted

Original DailyPaul link (to see error):
http://www.dailypaul.com/253462/this-is-official-write-in-deadline-season-act-today-for-ron-paul-these-votes-will-be-counted

It is nothing more, as you can see, than informational about getting Ron Paul as a write-in on state ballots

[kathy88]

Many of us women here are intrigued by thoughts of a Daily Johnson. Props to Angela for coining the phrase.

[Veteran Citizen]

It's time to figure this thing out. Either this is a Ron Paul movement, or a Liberty movement. Love the guy completely, but I'm voting for Liberty(rian)

[ronpaulfollower999]

Many of us women here are intrigued by thoughts of a Daily Johnson. Props to Angela for coining the phrase.

Our movement is split over Gary, and now you want to create a gender divide too? :p

[kahless]

Many of us women here are intrigued by thoughts of a Daily Johnson. Props to Angela for coining the phrase.

LOL. I got half way through what the OP wrote and wondered how many posts before I would see a post like yours.

[sailingaway]

It's time to figure this thing out. Either this is a Ron Paul movement, or a Liberty movement. Love the guy completely, but I'm voting for Liberty(rian)

Maybe individuals do different things, if this is liberty.

[James_Madison_Lives]

LOL. I got half way through what the OP wrote and wondered how many posts before I would see a post like yours.

LOL reminds me of a video a rapper made about Tiger Woods.

[Feelgood]

Guess they could call it the "Daily JOHNSON" :)

[jcarcinogen]

Our movement is split over Gary, and now you want to create a gender divide too? :p

People are individuals there was never a united voting block.

[Nirvikalpa]

Daily Johnson...

... sounds great to me.

:D

[cajuncocoa]

It's the owner's choice to do what he wants with his website, no? It's sad that they're kicking Dr. Paul to the curb, but it's their right to embrace Gary Johnson if they want. I have too many issues with GJ to support him myself, but I have no problem with the Daily Paul website getting a makeover. I'm sure they'll lose a lot of people over that call, but it's their choice. (FYI, you don't really have a right to free speech on someone's website...if it's privately owned, the webmaster gets to decide what he/she will allow on the site).

[Lord Xar]

Nystrom is a business man.

[kahless]

As a business man he could have promoted dailyjohnson.com and kept dailpaul therefore profiting from both sites. That is if he actually owns dailyjohnson.com, whois shows private reg. domainsbypoxy. If he does not own it he could have just promoted another domain for the Johnson users.

[Lucille]

Guess they could call it the "Daily JOHNSON" :)

Heh (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdW2I2rLsBY).

Will they be hawking SuperShittyBrochures for Johnson's campaign too?

[The Dude]

We say this about his write-in campaigns now, and about Dr. Paul's possible run for president in 2016 as he hinted on the Jay Leno Show.

My god there is some serious derangement on this forum. STOP THE PERSONALITY CULT. Ron is done with elections.

[JK/SEA]

My god there is some serious derangement on this forum. STOP THE PERSONALITY CULT. Ron is done with elections.

Ron?...is that you?

[American Idol]

Let's face it, Gary Johnson is probably a nice guy and a fine enough candidate, but he will not crack 1% in this election. He will be like Bob Barr and Michael Badnarik before him--he will have little to no impact--and then he will move on to something else. He just doesn't have the name recognition on top of the rules that hamper 3rd Parties anyway.

[RickyJ]

My god there is some serious derangement on this forum. STOP THE PERSONALITY CULT. Ron is done with elections.

Most here thought that after 2008. Those that thought he might run in 2012 would have been called deranged by you then. Not only has Ron Paul himself hinted that he might run in 2016, but at the start of his rally in Tampa it was hinted that he might run in 2016 as well.

[RonPaulFanInGA]

DailyPaul.com is an eyesore. Haven't been there in forever.

Who wants to argue all the time about a candidate who won't even get a full 1% of the vote this November?

[DeMintConservative]

Let's face it, Gary Johnson is probably a nice guy and a fine enough candidate, but he will not crack 1% in this election. He will be like Bob Barr and Michael Badnarik before him--he will have little to no impact--and then he will move on to something else. He just doesn't have the name recognition on top of the rules that hamper 3rd Parties anyway.

Yeps. Third party candidacies are totally inconsequential. Those who believe that they'll be able to "build upon" Johnson's results or campaign are going to have a rude awakening. It won't affect the 2 party system in the slightest.

Perot won 19% of the popular vote and was leading in the polls before he decided that bizarre campaign suspension. John Anderson got 7% of the popular vote. George Wallace got 45 electoral votes and 14% of the popular vote. Lasting consequences? Zero. Johnson will be lucky to get above 1% in more than one or two states. In a couple of months, nobody will remember his candidacy. Heck, most people won't even notice it.

[sailingaway]

DailyPaul.com is an eyesore. Haven't been there in forever.

Who wants to argue all the time about a candidate who won't even get a full 1% of the vote this November?

Well, I've liked DP. Started out there, in fact. However, if the community there doesn't like the change, maybe Josh will pick up traffic.

Better mousetrap, and all that....

[American Idol]

My god there is some serious derangement on this forum. STOP THE PERSONALITY CULT. Ron is done with elections.

It's not so much a "personality cult" as the true fact that Ron Paul has built up more goodwill and name recognition than any libertarian maybe ever. Almost everyone knows and likes Ron Paul, and it will be difficult to build up that goodwill and name recognition elsewhere.

[CPUd]

The simple fact of the matter is that a site like dailypaul takes $$ to operate. Over the last few months, when I've been there, an average of about 300 users on there at any given time. Ads don't bring in nearly as much as what people might think. I would guess the bulk of his income came from subscriptions, which have been apparently decreasing each month.

He's been fairly open about wanting to rebrand the site, even asking some of the users what they would like it to be. The RP graphic at the top of the site, about a month ago he started fading it, but got a lot of backlash from the users, because the RNC hadn't happened yet.

I have been watching it get 'taken over' by several groups over the last 3-6 months. There are a persistent few who make GJ posts to the point where it was an automatic -50 within an hour of being posted. Then they began to disguise their posts/thread titles so that people would read a bit until they saw it was pushing GJ, then those would get downvoted. These people are opportunistic, and wish to recruit passionate folks on the dailypaul to go do their work for them.

The L4RP and their 'satellites' have worked the board pretty hard, too. Whenever someone would respond to them by posting the various business ventures this group operates, the poster and relevant information would vanish into the 403 hole.

The fear porn peddlers have settled in at dailypaul. I have heard from others that this is typically what happened after the last election cycle. This is by far the most profitable niche, and what I expect will become of the dailypaul.

What you see over there is a terraforming process - those who partake in this business have it down to a science, and what they want, they usually get- eventually. If they can't have dailypaul, they will suck its userbase dry and kill the site.

I suspect you have just stumbled into the path of these pros, and had a rude awakening. Welcome to the wild West.

[The Dude]

Most here thought that after 2008. Those that thought he might run in 2012 would have been called deranged by you then. Not only has Ron Paul himself hinted that he might run in 2016, but at the start of his rally in Tampa it was hinted that he might run in 2016 as well.

Ron will be 81 years old.

[JK/SEA]

Ron will be 81 years old.

Ron is the original Highlander...i'm certain he could kick the ass of everyone in here.

[parocks]

Well, I've liked DP. Started out there, in fact. However, if the community there doesn't like the change, maybe Josh will pick up traffic.

Better mousetrap, and all that....

Both will likely lose traffic. Because people won't want to talk about Ron Paul as much now.

I appreciate that they're trying to come to terms with reality over there.

Reality is that GJ is on the ballot. They're quick to ban/delete over there.

Voting for GJ is the most reasonable thing to do.

[sailingaway]

Both will likely lose traffic. Because people won't want to talk about Ron Paul as much now.

I appreciate that they're trying to come to terms with reality over there.

Reality is that GJ is on the ballot. They're quick to ban/delete over there.

Voting for GJ is the most reasonable thing to do.

Only if you want to.

I was speaking about relative traffic between the sites though.

[parocks]

Yeps. Third party candidacies are totally inconsequential. Those who believe that they'll be able to "build upon" Johnson's results or campaign are going to have a rude awakening. It won't affect the 2 party system in the slightest.

Perot won 19% of the popular vote and was leading in the polls before he decided that bizarre campaign suspension. John Anderson got 7% of the popular vote. George Wallace got 45 electoral votes and 14% of the popular vote. Lasting consequences? Zero. Johnson will be lucky to get above 1% in more than one or two states. In a couple of months, nobody will remember his candidacy. Heck, most people won't even notice it.

The idea is that GJ might be able to do well this year, because of all the Ron Paul supporters who suddenly have nothing else to do. By well, the best the LP has ever done, which is a little bit over 1%. Voting for GJ is really what Ron Paul supporters should be doing. And people shouldn't be busting on dailypaul for GJ hype.

[parocks]

Only if you want to.

I was speaking about relative traffic between the sites though.

I really have only spent time over there when someone here says something about something over there. I like that they've recognized our current situation. I would think that on the margins their idea is good.

[sailingaway]

The idea is that GJ might be able to do well this year, because of all the Ron Paul supporters who suddenly have nothing else to do. By well, the best the LP has ever done, which is a little bit over 1%. Voting for GJ is really what Ron Paul supporters should be doing. And people shouldn't be busting on dailypaul for GJ hype.
\
DP should do what Michael wants, it is his site. However, it seems to me that people should similarly vote as THEY think they should.

[MelissaCato]

Great it's settled then, write-in campaign 4 Ron Paul 2012 !! Darn it.

[sailingaway]

Great it's settled then, write-in campaign 4 Ron Paul 2012 !! Darn it.

I'm willing to sign as an elector in my state. We only need 54 more, and my vote will be counted.

[RickyJ]

Great it's settled then, write-in campaign 4 Ron Paul 2012 !! Darn it.

Right! And we can count his votes ourselves by having a site where everyone can go to to say they voted for Paul. We will have to rely on people being honest and not cheating by trying to vote more than once, but if most people are honest and few try to cheat, we will have a good idea how many voted for Ron Paul for president regardless if the some states don't count his vote.

[MelissaCato]

I'm going into the lebanon county election board tomorrow and find out about all this for my area. I called 3 times today and was promised a return call but nothing. They definitely don't like me in there because I do too much digging and asking questions. I ask them just about every question off the black box voting website. LOL Does anybody have the latest scoop on Pennsylvania write - ins or for lebanon pa ?

[brushfire]

Who wants to argue all the time about a candidate who won't even get a full 1% of the vote this November?

That may be true, but the irony of such talk... Does this make GJ unelectable?

[sailingaway]

Right! And we can count his votes ourselves by having a site where everyone can go to to say they voted for Paul. We will have to rely on people being honest and not cheating by trying to vote more than once, but if most people are honest and few try to cheat, we will have a good idea how many voted for Ron Paul for president regardless if the some states don't count his vote.

We can also compare the number who voted, nationwide, with the number who voted for presidential candidates on the ballot. If the gap is unusually large, that is a protest vote, imho

[Icymudpuppy]

Let's face it, Gary Johnson is probably a nice guy and a fine enough candidate, but he will not crack 1% in this election. He will be like Bob Barr and Michael Badnarik before him--he will have little to no impact--and then he will move on to something else. He just doesn't have the name recognition on top of the rules that hamper 3rd Parties anyway.

So, you're going to vote Obamney then, is that it because writing in Paul will also yield less than 1%.

[Eisenhower]

Many of us women here are intrigued by thoughts of a Daily Johnson. Props to Angela for coining the phrase.

LOL

[sailingaway]

So, you're going to vote Obamney then, is that it because writing in Paul will also yield less than 1%.

I'm going to vote for the guy I actually like, Ron Paul. It would be great if he got more than 1%, but that isn't the objective. Voting my conscience is the objective.

[American Idol]

So, you're going to vote Obamney then, is that it because writing in Paul will also yield less than 1%.

No, I didn't say that. I might even vote for Gary Johnson, who knows.

I merely stated the fact that he will garner less than 1% of the vote, and there will be no "building" on his run, just as there wasn't for any of the previous LP candidates, some of whom had more name recognition than GJ.

I don't have the solution, I'm merely pointing out the problem. Ha

[DeMintConservative]

The idea is that GJ might be able to do well this year, because of all the Ron Paul supporters who suddenly have nothing else to do. By well, the best the LP has ever done, which is a little bit over 1%. Voting for GJ is really what Ron Paul supporters should be doing. And people shouldn't be busting on dailypaul for GJ hype.

So what if he gets a little bit over 1%? How is that minimally relevant to the future of the country? I don't think he'll get close to 1%, but even if he does, then what? It's utterly irrelevant.

They should be voting for Romney. If Obama wins another term, in 2016 every Republican candidate will be running on making Obamacare sustainable, not repealing it. Even Rand Paul.

[sailingaway]

So what if he gets a little bit over 1%? How is that minimally relevant to the future of the country? I don't think he'll get close to 1%, but even if he does, then what? It's utterly irrelevant.

They should be voting for Romney. If Obama wins another term, in 2016 every Republican candidate will be running on making Obamacare sustainable, not repealing it. Even Rand Paul.

Romney's going to 'replace it'. Seeing what was in Romneycare which he said Obama should take national, how much better do you think his 'replacement' will be?

[DeMintConservative]

Romney's going to 'replace it'. Seeing what was in Romneycare which he said Obama should take national, how much better do you think his 'replacement' will be?

I don't think he'll get the votes to replace it with anything of substance. Let alone a version of Romneycare, he isn't crazy. He'll just repeal most of it and get some stuff like across the states competition in.

Still, that misses the point: its' not really about what Romney will do. It's about the difference in terms of longer term consequences.

[sailingaway]

I don't think he'll get the votes to replace it with anything of substance. Let alone a version of Romneycare, he isn't crazy. He'll just repeal most of it and get some stuff like across the states competition in.

Still, that misses the point: its' not really about what Romney will do. It's about the difference in terms of longer term consequences.

It's all going to be the same bill. One bill that deletes X and replaces it with Y. Neither gets through without the other. And your statement implied that things would be materially different if Romney wins, and I doubt that. At this point, America has simply lost.

[twomp]

I don't think he'll get the votes to replace it with anything of substance. Let alone a version of Romneycare, he isn't crazy. He'll just repeal most of it and get some stuff like across the states competition in.

Still, that misses the point: its' not really about what Romney will do. It's about the difference in terms of longer term consequences.

HAHAH there is no difference between Obama and Romney. If Obamacare was popular, Romney would be boasting that he was the one who originally came up with it. Romney just says what he thinks people want to hear. He doesn't care about repealing Obamacare, he cares about getting elected.

Besides if Romney wanted our vote, he'd wouldn't have lied, and cheated at the RNC to shut us out. Not only does he not deserve our vote, he deserves to lose. Bush = Obama = Romney. Goldman Sachs (D) vs. Goldman Sachs (R)... you get the drift... oh wait you don't....

[The Free Hornet]

Johnson is pro-choice.

Here is a source that contradicts,


He opposes late term or partial birth abortion and signed legislation as governor outlawing the procedure in New Mexico. He has stated multiple times that he supports parental notification laws and counseling. He has also stated that he opposes government funding for abortions. These beliefs were stated in the South Carolina debate and in a CSPAN interview during the presidential campaign.

Among the various items used during his 2012 campaign was Our America Initiative. On that website, Governor Johnson states that abortion rights were not something dealt with in the constitution and should therefore be dealt with at the state level. He stated that the Roe vs. Wade decision has expanded the reach of the Federal government into areas of society never envisioned in the Constitution and should be revisited. Once Roe vs Wade is overturned, the abortion decision should be returned to the states. This viewpoint is echoed on his campaign website, where he affirms his pro-life stance and states that government should be neutral on personal beliefs.

www.thepoliticalguide.com/Profiles/Governor/New_Mexico/Gary_Johnson/Views/Abortion/ (http://www.thepoliticalguide.com/Profiles/Governor/New_Mexico/Gary_Johnson/Views/Abortion/)


I will never vote for a person that is pro-choice.

Do you hate us for our freedom? :(

[RickyJ]

Here is a source that contradicts,





Do you hate us for our freedom? :(

Garry Johnson is in no way pro-life and will never get my vote.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0Kq4hbMtS0

[FrankRep]

Daily Johnson...

... sounds great to me.

:D

Sounds kinda dirty. Welcome to 5th grade!

[RickyJ]

Sounds kinda dirty. Welcome to 5th grade!

5th grade? 5th graders are 10 and 11 years old. Maybe 11th or 12th grade.

Let the girls have some fun. They put up with us guys talking about women.