Neighbor on Ron Paul

[tennman]

I was wearing my Ron Paul shirt today and my neighbor commented on it. Made a disgusted look. Mentioned foreign policy and that he was gonna vote for Newt. I think most people would've backed down or said "Well as long as we beat Obama" just so that they didn't have an argument with their neighbor. Not me. He added that he thought Newt was the only one who could beat Obama (which blew my freaking mind because the other 3 do better against him).

I said, "Well I used to like Newt...until I heard that he supported Obamacare, cap and trade, illegal immigration and stole from social security to pay for the so-called balanced budget."

I satyed on him. And I told him some of the things that Ron Paul said. He really liked the states rights part and Paul wanting to cut a lot but he kept talking foreign policy and that he was pro-military. Again, the campaign has GOT to get this issue to death so that people give themselves intellectual permission to be a Paul supporter. I told him that Ron Paul was pro military but that he wanted to stop all the waste like the billion dollar embassy in Iraq when we're broke. And all the bases in foreign countries. And ESPECIALLY the billions in aide we send to our freaking enemies like Saudi Arabia, Germany, Russia, Pakistan, China and others.

It's a start. He ended with saying that he loved how Paul wanted to cut waste but just "didn't know" about his foreign policy. We made small talk and went our ways but if he thinks he's getting off that easy he's got another thing coming to him. I got him thinking a little and am preparing him for further baptism into the truth. Little by little, people gravitate toward candidates that someone else is passionate about - especially when things make sense. And especially if Newt goes down. He didn't seem to like anyone but Newt...which to me, Newt is certainly not the most likeable.

So I just thought I'd share. I still don't see a forum to post conversion stories or time lines...so I guess this will do for now. Encourage me!

[sailingaway]

go get that vote!!

And this is the right place for those stories...

[AhuwaleKaNaneHuna]

+ reps.

That was a good intro for getting defenses down, by saying, I use to support Newt.............

[Havax]

"You'll hear a lot of negative things about Paul from the establishment. They call him anti-Israel because he wants to end all foreign aid. His argument though, is we are broke, and it doesn't make sense for us to borrow from China to give to Israel, or any other country for that matter. What's so crazy about that? His actual main thing is just going to war with a proper declaration like our constitution demands. He's the only veteran in the race and he gets double the amount of active military donations than all the other candidates combined, including Obama. Our biggest threat to national defense is our debt. Since Paul is the ONLY candidate proposing real cuts and not just proposed increases, he is the strongest on our debt, our economy, and therefore our defense. That's why I'm voting for him. By the way, did you know Newt dodged the draft and left one of his multiple wives with cancer?"

That's what I would have said.

[harikaried]

"You'll hear a lot of negative things about Paul from the establishment. They call him anti-Israel because he wants to end all foreign aid. His argument though, is we are broke, and it doesn't make sense for us to borrow from China to give to Israel, or any other country for that matter

That's probably not that good of an argument for someone that wants to support Israel. Better would be that cutting all foreign aid means Israel's enemies get no more money to buy weapons to use against Israel! Israel's enemies get 7 times more money from the US than Israel gets from us.

[georgiaboy]

great work standing your ground!

Working on a few fence sitters myself. Military contributions is always a good point to bring up. Especially if you ask "Do you Support the Troops?" first, then followup with "Well, the troops support Ron Paul, WITH THEIR HARD EARNED MONEY THAT US TAXPAYERS PROVIDE, by donating to him over twice as much as all the other candidates COMBINED".

Regarding foreign policy, I always say that Ron Paul's plan will keep us safer than everyone else by miles, simply because all our soldiers will be here, and we'll be focused on defending our land, not on all the other countries lands. The money saved by not being spread all over the world will be able to improve our weapons, as well as our ability to defend from attack. We also reap a good neighbor dividend by not having our forces deployed in other citizen's countries.

The usual rebuttal is that we must stay deployed around the world to protect our interests. My reply - what does that mean? It means there are companies (usually oil, but others as well) who want the American taxpayer to fund their security forces to operate overseas. Does that sound like free market competition at its finest? Didn't think so. 'Nuff said.

Lastly, Iran is Iraq 2.0 redux, Bin Laden is dead, the Iron Curtain is down, we still spend more on military than all the other countries of the world combined, ever, and will still under Ron's stated plans, and Ron Paul, vetted and trusted champion of the constitution, is bound by oath as president to prosecute war when declared, fight it, win it, and come home.

or something like that.

[No Free Beer]

And all the bases in foreign countries. And ESPECIALLY the billions in aide we send to our freaking enemies like Saudi Arabia, Germany, Russia, Pakistan, China and others.

I was unaware we were still fighting in WW2...

Germany is our enemy?

[bunklocoempire]

He ended with saying that he loved how Paul wanted to cut waste but just "didn't know" about his foreign policy.

Neighbor huh? Do you two look out for each other pretty well or would you both be better off having some bureaucrat from a bankrupt failed 'business' (U.S. government) on the other side of the world telling you how your relationship should be and who can do what? What if that 'bankrupt business' favored one of you over the other?

Good luck and stay irate and tireless!

+ rep nice work!

[andrew1229649]

I always pull the I used to support (insert candidate here). Then I tell them why I dropped support for them. lol It's a way of bashing without bashing.

[nano1895]

"Well I used to like Newt...until I heard that he supported Obamacare, cap and trade, illegal immigration and stole from social security to pay for the so-called balanced budget."

[carmaphob]

+rep! Good story!

[noneedtoaggress]

so that people give themselves intellectual permission

This, my friends, is where the battle for liberty lies. Not through bloodshed or political action, but by breaking down the walls in the minds of those who won't allow themselves to see liberty for what it is.

[kill the banks]

damn MSM is filling these empty minds ... hit the phones and change a few

[InTradePro]

I always pull the I used to support (insert candidate here). Then I tell them why I dropped support for them. lol It's a way of bashing without bashing.

Hot tip!

[Tinnuhana]

A lot of Democrat-leaning people are defensive because of all the "Make Obama a one term president" meme. So when I talk with them, I throw back to the previous election and just say both Obama and McCain lost any chance of me voting for them when they returned to DC to vote for the bailout. Once they see you are about the issues instead of personalities, you can have a good conversation about economics, etc.
I also let them know that Obama would do better with the economy if he wasn't trying so hard to be like FDR. Then I can talk about all the things FDR did wrong without directly attacking Obama. They can think it through and realize that the current president just picked the wrong role model.
This can apply to talking with people voting in the Republican primaries, too. Once you defuse the emotional angle, you can have a decent conversation.

[Liberty74]

That's probably not that good of an argument for someone that wants to support Israel. Better would be that cutting all foreign aid means Israel's enemies get no more money to buy weapons to use against Israel! Israel's enemies get 7 times more money from the US than Israel gets from us.

That might be in direct foreign aid. However, since we are forced to buy much of our oil from OPEC and the ME (not sure what percentage comes from that region), we are actually providing Israel's enemy with how much money? You see, I consider trade a form of aid as well.