RSDavis
12-22-2007, 12:00 PM
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Ron Paul Roundup (12-22-07)
by RS Davis (http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=194780914&blogID=340407149&Mytoken=840357D6-03F0-4269-978D162F15CDF82633558776)
Hello Freedomphiles! This will be the last Roundup until after Christmas, so in the meantime, I encourage you to go and peruse the back issues and look at some of the other entertaining and infuriating things on my blog (http://blog.myspace.com/freedomphiles).
Our first stop today is with National Post and the nice love letter they wrote (http://www.nationalpost.com/opinion/story.html?id=191721) to Ron Paul:
Ron Paul makes a pretty odd sort of 21st-century JFK. He's a slight-built, goofy-grinned 71-year-old obstetrician-gynecologist from Texas, a man old enough to have delivered milk as a teenager to Honus Wagner's doorstep. In interviews, the congressman comes off a little like your less cuddly but more interesting grandfather. He believes the U.S. should return to a gold-backed currency, wipe out the Federal Reserve and most government agencies, pull out of NATO, and eliminate federal income taxes. At live events, he projects extraordinary charisma. When he starts talking in his bedside-manner voice about the harm done by the blind, senseless War on Drugs, he can move a listener almost to tears.
Even on the libertarian end of the political spectrum, some would consider him pretty hard-core -- a borderline anarchist who has devoted his life to destroying the U.S. federal government as we know it. But if you're looking for a modern candidate who seems to have the Kennedy-like ability to weld disparate social elements into a game-changing campaign, you'll have a hard time making a stronger choice this year than Ron Paul.
He is a Depression-era country boy who has somehow built what may be the strongest Internet following of any 2008 candidate for the presidency -- at any rate, it is the loudest. Cheques from gun-control opponents who admire his strong Second Amendment stance flow into his coffers alongside equally large cheques from peaceniks impressed by his stance against the Second Gulf War. He's an "isolationist" who has thousands of expatriate and libertarian supporters in Europe. By some accounts, his following amongst active-service soldiers abroad towers over those of other Republicans.
The Rapid City Journal reported (http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/articles/2007/12/21/news/local/doc476ca2f63d339183042462.txt) on a rally today:
The Rapid City Ron Paul 2008 Meetup Group, an organization designed to create awareness and support for Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul, will be teaming up to raise public awareness for the candidate.
Supporters plan to gather on the Disk Drive sidewalk in front of Rushmore Mall at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 22. They will be waving signs, American flags and working to create awareness for their cause.
Now, LewRockwell.com has been writing all these essays lately about why different groups should vote for Ron Paul. They did libertarians, conservatives, liberals, anarchists - I'm surprised they haven't done Yanni enthusiasts. Well, their next stop (http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig8/preston4.html)is near and dear to my heart - the counterculture:
Strictly speaking, the term "counterculture" refers to any cultural undercurrent that holds to a set of values different from those of the mainstream society. Of course, most Americans think of "counterculturalists" in terms of the various subcultures that emerged from the social upheavals of the 1960s and 70s or whose existence emanates from that time period. Perhaps a better term might be "bohemians," a label that has traditionally been given to those, usually artists, writers, or intellectuals, who exist outside of cultural conventions or who possess a value system that is opposed to "establishment" values. An even wider term might be the Marxist designation "lumpenproletariat," originally used as a means of classification of the urban unemployed but now more broadly utilized as a description of a wide assortment of persons who exist on the margins or among the bottom layer of society.
Such groupings include a substantial amount of variation among themselves. Among the ranks of counterculturalists, bohemians and lumpenproletarians are members of the many youth subcultures (hippies, ravers, punk rockers, "goths"), adherents of spiritualities outside the mainstream religions (New Age, pagans, Wiccans, Buddhists), so-called "sexual minorities" (gays, lesbians, bi-sexuals, transsexuals and transgendereds), a wide spectrum of subcultures devoted to particular forms of art, music or fashion (such the enthusiasts for massive tattooing and "body piercing"), the various drug cultures, those whose livelihood in on the margins of society or even the law (from bookies to midwives to "sex workers"), and those with unconventional political views (anarchists, primitivists, tax resisters) or social practices (polygamists, vegans or nudists). These groups then overlap considerably with others, such as students and other young people, low-income or unskilled workers, residents of urban tenant housing, proponents of "alternative media," the casually self-employed "petite bourgeoise" (to use another Marxist term), transients, the unemployed, the homeless and, unfortunately, prisoners.
Though there are obvious exceptions (like bikers and skinheads), counterculturalists generally favor the political Left. I know of no intrinsic reason for this, except the frequently false stereotype that "left" is synonymous with enlightenment, anti-authoritarianism or anti-establishment attitudes with "right" being identified with obscurantism or apologetics in defense of the status quo. It also true that the majority of counterculturalists, bohemians and (arguably) the wider lumpenproletarian sector generally think of themselves as socially "progressive" and side with environmentalists, animal rights activists, feminists, proponent of "gay rights," racial/ethnic minorities, the handicapped, and the poor and downtrodden, no doubt because many of them belong to these groups themselves. At first glance, it might appear that these people would not have much in common with a multiple-term Republican congressman, pro-life obstetrician, devout Baptist, "gold bug" who epitomizes "family values" like Ron Paul. So why then would it be in the self-interests of the "masses of the marginalized" to rally behind Dr. Paul's candidacy?
Centrist writer Grizzle Griz once again comes to the defense (http://www.nolanchart.com/article630.html) of our man on The Nolan Chart:
An almost-apoplectic Doocy sputtered, "uh, Governor Huckabee is not selling fascism. He's simply sending out a Christmas message," Doocy clearly missed Paul's point: Fascism won't be sold as fascism, complete with swastikas, brown shirts, and a high-stepping march. It will be sold in a package of Christianity and patriotism. I'm sure Christmas fits that bill.
One may expect journalists and bloggers, who have more time to react, to understand Ron Paul's academic point better than Fox's weatherman. To be fair, some of their headlines inserted a question mark after "Paul calls Huckabee a fascist", but several were just downright dishonest. For instance, James Pinkerton of newsday.com split Paul's quote and even added that Paul "caught himself" before saying, "I don't know whether that's a fair assessment". For the record, Paul did not miss a beat between the sentences. This means that either Pinkerton has an incredible insight into Ron Paul and we should all abandon candidacy-vetting for Pinkerton's superior input or Pinkerton dishonestly speaks outside the scope of his authority.
Ron Paul defends himself about an hour and seven minutes into this video:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7493899900883927358&loc=interstitialskip
PBS Newshour wrote (http://www.pbs.org/newshour/vote2008/blog/2007/12/ron_paul_blimp_flies_the_balti.html) about the blimp:
The Online NewsHour rode along as the blimp took to the skies for three hours to promote Paul's candidacy and his small-government platform. The dirigible drifted over the Charm City's skyline and suburbs, displaying its gigantic "Who is Ron Paul? Google Ron Paul" and 'Ron Paul Revolution' banners. The blimp rides like a boat, tipping and rolling with the wind. It is also unpressurized. With easily (and safely) opened sliding windows, the blimp offers a chilly ride in the December air.
Paul blimp operatives broadcast streaming video from the aircraft, while a Paul-supporting lobbyist hosted live interviews for a Ron Paul Internet radio station. Hundreds of feet beneath the blimp, traffic slowed to a crawl as the craft went into hover mode above the freeway during afternoon rush hour for maximum exposure.
Here's the accompanying video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcaVshJnMXg
Looks like getting on the ballot in Alaska is wrapped up. Business Wire reports (http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20071221005655&newsLang=en):
Republican Congressman Ron Paul's presidential campaign is preparing to turn in the signatures necessary to guarantee a place on Alaska's primary caucus ballot.
Dr. Paul's National Campaign Manager Lew Moore is in Anchorage today for the announcement. Earlier this week, Washington State Coordinator Maureen McMahan Moore visited Haines, Juneau, and Fairbanks to hire staff and meet with volunteers. Another volunteer meetings is planned for this Saturday, December 22, from 10:00AM to Noon at the Anchorage Marriott Hotel.
"Alaska has rallied to Dr. Paul's message of freedom, peace and prosperity," said Campaign Manager Lew Moore.
Let's finish off with another video from Mona "Liv" Gillen - the Ron Paul Girl. I'm not sure what this has to do with Ron Paul, but it's really hot until she starts lasering off those sexy tattoos:
http://www.metacafe.com/w/989434
Have a Merry Christmas, guys, and I'll see you when I get back. Like I said, check out the rest of my blog. Here are a couple suggestions:
Government Jackboots at it Again (http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=194780914&blogID=340235966&Mytoken=B6EC80D9-65D1-4888-8775452D02F0EFAF31662721)
Zero Tolerance and Zero Common Sense (http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=194780914&blogID=339627852&Mytoken=B6EC80D9-65D1-4888-8775452D02F0EFAF31662721)
Christmas Without Sluts and ******s? (http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=194780914&blogID=339616875&Mytoken=B6EC80D9-65D1-4888-8775452D02F0EFAF31662721)
Guns Save Lives Vol 66 (Home Invasion Edition) (http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=194780914&blogID=338146414&Mytoken=4C2694F8-53C1-40BA-ADE6CF8651992A6432116036)
Jane, You Ignorant Slut... (http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=194780914&blogID=338112264&Mytoken=4C2694F8-53C1-40BA-ADE6CF8651992A6432116036)
http://www.brendangates.com/forumlogo.jpg
Ron Paul Roundup (12-22-07)
by RS Davis (http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=194780914&blogID=340407149&Mytoken=840357D6-03F0-4269-978D162F15CDF82633558776)
Hello Freedomphiles! This will be the last Roundup until after Christmas, so in the meantime, I encourage you to go and peruse the back issues and look at some of the other entertaining and infuriating things on my blog (http://blog.myspace.com/freedomphiles).
Our first stop today is with National Post and the nice love letter they wrote (http://www.nationalpost.com/opinion/story.html?id=191721) to Ron Paul:
Ron Paul makes a pretty odd sort of 21st-century JFK. He's a slight-built, goofy-grinned 71-year-old obstetrician-gynecologist from Texas, a man old enough to have delivered milk as a teenager to Honus Wagner's doorstep. In interviews, the congressman comes off a little like your less cuddly but more interesting grandfather. He believes the U.S. should return to a gold-backed currency, wipe out the Federal Reserve and most government agencies, pull out of NATO, and eliminate federal income taxes. At live events, he projects extraordinary charisma. When he starts talking in his bedside-manner voice about the harm done by the blind, senseless War on Drugs, he can move a listener almost to tears.
Even on the libertarian end of the political spectrum, some would consider him pretty hard-core -- a borderline anarchist who has devoted his life to destroying the U.S. federal government as we know it. But if you're looking for a modern candidate who seems to have the Kennedy-like ability to weld disparate social elements into a game-changing campaign, you'll have a hard time making a stronger choice this year than Ron Paul.
He is a Depression-era country boy who has somehow built what may be the strongest Internet following of any 2008 candidate for the presidency -- at any rate, it is the loudest. Cheques from gun-control opponents who admire his strong Second Amendment stance flow into his coffers alongside equally large cheques from peaceniks impressed by his stance against the Second Gulf War. He's an "isolationist" who has thousands of expatriate and libertarian supporters in Europe. By some accounts, his following amongst active-service soldiers abroad towers over those of other Republicans.
The Rapid City Journal reported (http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/articles/2007/12/21/news/local/doc476ca2f63d339183042462.txt) on a rally today:
The Rapid City Ron Paul 2008 Meetup Group, an organization designed to create awareness and support for Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul, will be teaming up to raise public awareness for the candidate.
Supporters plan to gather on the Disk Drive sidewalk in front of Rushmore Mall at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 22. They will be waving signs, American flags and working to create awareness for their cause.
Now, LewRockwell.com has been writing all these essays lately about why different groups should vote for Ron Paul. They did libertarians, conservatives, liberals, anarchists - I'm surprised they haven't done Yanni enthusiasts. Well, their next stop (http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig8/preston4.html)is near and dear to my heart - the counterculture:
Strictly speaking, the term "counterculture" refers to any cultural undercurrent that holds to a set of values different from those of the mainstream society. Of course, most Americans think of "counterculturalists" in terms of the various subcultures that emerged from the social upheavals of the 1960s and 70s or whose existence emanates from that time period. Perhaps a better term might be "bohemians," a label that has traditionally been given to those, usually artists, writers, or intellectuals, who exist outside of cultural conventions or who possess a value system that is opposed to "establishment" values. An even wider term might be the Marxist designation "lumpenproletariat," originally used as a means of classification of the urban unemployed but now more broadly utilized as a description of a wide assortment of persons who exist on the margins or among the bottom layer of society.
Such groupings include a substantial amount of variation among themselves. Among the ranks of counterculturalists, bohemians and lumpenproletarians are members of the many youth subcultures (hippies, ravers, punk rockers, "goths"), adherents of spiritualities outside the mainstream religions (New Age, pagans, Wiccans, Buddhists), so-called "sexual minorities" (gays, lesbians, bi-sexuals, transsexuals and transgendereds), a wide spectrum of subcultures devoted to particular forms of art, music or fashion (such the enthusiasts for massive tattooing and "body piercing"), the various drug cultures, those whose livelihood in on the margins of society or even the law (from bookies to midwives to "sex workers"), and those with unconventional political views (anarchists, primitivists, tax resisters) or social practices (polygamists, vegans or nudists). These groups then overlap considerably with others, such as students and other young people, low-income or unskilled workers, residents of urban tenant housing, proponents of "alternative media," the casually self-employed "petite bourgeoise" (to use another Marxist term), transients, the unemployed, the homeless and, unfortunately, prisoners.
Though there are obvious exceptions (like bikers and skinheads), counterculturalists generally favor the political Left. I know of no intrinsic reason for this, except the frequently false stereotype that "left" is synonymous with enlightenment, anti-authoritarianism or anti-establishment attitudes with "right" being identified with obscurantism or apologetics in defense of the status quo. It also true that the majority of counterculturalists, bohemians and (arguably) the wider lumpenproletarian sector generally think of themselves as socially "progressive" and side with environmentalists, animal rights activists, feminists, proponent of "gay rights," racial/ethnic minorities, the handicapped, and the poor and downtrodden, no doubt because many of them belong to these groups themselves. At first glance, it might appear that these people would not have much in common with a multiple-term Republican congressman, pro-life obstetrician, devout Baptist, "gold bug" who epitomizes "family values" like Ron Paul. So why then would it be in the self-interests of the "masses of the marginalized" to rally behind Dr. Paul's candidacy?
Centrist writer Grizzle Griz once again comes to the defense (http://www.nolanchart.com/article630.html) of our man on The Nolan Chart:
An almost-apoplectic Doocy sputtered, "uh, Governor Huckabee is not selling fascism. He's simply sending out a Christmas message," Doocy clearly missed Paul's point: Fascism won't be sold as fascism, complete with swastikas, brown shirts, and a high-stepping march. It will be sold in a package of Christianity and patriotism. I'm sure Christmas fits that bill.
One may expect journalists and bloggers, who have more time to react, to understand Ron Paul's academic point better than Fox's weatherman. To be fair, some of their headlines inserted a question mark after "Paul calls Huckabee a fascist", but several were just downright dishonest. For instance, James Pinkerton of newsday.com split Paul's quote and even added that Paul "caught himself" before saying, "I don't know whether that's a fair assessment". For the record, Paul did not miss a beat between the sentences. This means that either Pinkerton has an incredible insight into Ron Paul and we should all abandon candidacy-vetting for Pinkerton's superior input or Pinkerton dishonestly speaks outside the scope of his authority.
Ron Paul defends himself about an hour and seven minutes into this video:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7493899900883927358&loc=interstitialskip
PBS Newshour wrote (http://www.pbs.org/newshour/vote2008/blog/2007/12/ron_paul_blimp_flies_the_balti.html) about the blimp:
The Online NewsHour rode along as the blimp took to the skies for three hours to promote Paul's candidacy and his small-government platform. The dirigible drifted over the Charm City's skyline and suburbs, displaying its gigantic "Who is Ron Paul? Google Ron Paul" and 'Ron Paul Revolution' banners. The blimp rides like a boat, tipping and rolling with the wind. It is also unpressurized. With easily (and safely) opened sliding windows, the blimp offers a chilly ride in the December air.
Paul blimp operatives broadcast streaming video from the aircraft, while a Paul-supporting lobbyist hosted live interviews for a Ron Paul Internet radio station. Hundreds of feet beneath the blimp, traffic slowed to a crawl as the craft went into hover mode above the freeway during afternoon rush hour for maximum exposure.
Here's the accompanying video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcaVshJnMXg
Looks like getting on the ballot in Alaska is wrapped up. Business Wire reports (http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20071221005655&newsLang=en):
Republican Congressman Ron Paul's presidential campaign is preparing to turn in the signatures necessary to guarantee a place on Alaska's primary caucus ballot.
Dr. Paul's National Campaign Manager Lew Moore is in Anchorage today for the announcement. Earlier this week, Washington State Coordinator Maureen McMahan Moore visited Haines, Juneau, and Fairbanks to hire staff and meet with volunteers. Another volunteer meetings is planned for this Saturday, December 22, from 10:00AM to Noon at the Anchorage Marriott Hotel.
"Alaska has rallied to Dr. Paul's message of freedom, peace and prosperity," said Campaign Manager Lew Moore.
Let's finish off with another video from Mona "Liv" Gillen - the Ron Paul Girl. I'm not sure what this has to do with Ron Paul, but it's really hot until she starts lasering off those sexy tattoos:
http://www.metacafe.com/w/989434
Have a Merry Christmas, guys, and I'll see you when I get back. Like I said, check out the rest of my blog. Here are a couple suggestions:
Government Jackboots at it Again (http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=194780914&blogID=340235966&Mytoken=B6EC80D9-65D1-4888-8775452D02F0EFAF31662721)
Zero Tolerance and Zero Common Sense (http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=194780914&blogID=339627852&Mytoken=B6EC80D9-65D1-4888-8775452D02F0EFAF31662721)
Christmas Without Sluts and ******s? (http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=194780914&blogID=339616875&Mytoken=B6EC80D9-65D1-4888-8775452D02F0EFAF31662721)
Guns Save Lives Vol 66 (Home Invasion Edition) (http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=194780914&blogID=338146414&Mytoken=4C2694F8-53C1-40BA-ADE6CF8651992A6432116036)
Jane, You Ignorant Slut... (http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=194780914&blogID=338112264&Mytoken=4C2694F8-53C1-40BA-ADE6CF8651992A6432116036)
http://www.brendangates.com/forumlogo.jpg