Well, it's been an amazing day today. I'm just reeling from last night because my car's engine blew up in smoke and fire burst in the front. The fire was put out, thank god, but the car is done with and my family, thankfully, will in the next month or so go with me to buy a Hybrid or something. At least a car that doesn't depend on gas so much. However, I'm at the best cafe in Berkeley, the Au Coquelet Cafe having a nice salad and a clementine Izze. I'm sure Markos has been here since he is (last I checked) a resident of Berkeley.
Anyway, onto the diary:
I really don't understand Ron Paul. I also don't understand how he gets thousands and thousands of devoted followers, many of whom look at him like the Dennis Kucinich of the Republican Party, who like Kucinich ran twice for President and never won a single primary. The difference between Paul and Kucinich isn't because of ideology but knowledge and temperament. Ron Paul has more devoted followers than Kucinich and like Kucinich, is anti-war to the extreme. That I give Paul credit for.
However, in just about every single other issue, Ron Paul is so far to the right it is not even funny. Seriously, do Paul's supporters REALLY understand this?
On second thought, Paul does have a number of conservatives and right wing people following him. No question about that. There are also a number of libertarians who support Paul because he himself used to be one.
On the other hand, there are those anti-war activists who believe Ron Paul is an authentic, honest man who can really bring a sense of clarity and decency to politics.
PLEASE. Don't make me laugh. I'm not naive. In the words of Ordell Robbie from Jackie Brown, "My ass may be dumb but I'm not a dumbass."
Ron Paul is considered the godfather of the Tea Party and of course his son, Kentucky U.S. Senator Rand Paul is no exception to the rule (although Democrats and progressives on Daily Kos should work REAL hard to make Rand Paul a one-term U.S. Senator). I consider him the godfather of brainwashed garbage personally.
Michael Steele had to say this on MSNBC in regards to Ron Paul:
“What the Republican National Committee did to Ron Paul was the height of rudeness and stupidity for this reason: Why would you alienate an individual who has the ability to attract a new generation of voters, who are already skeptical of your institution but are willing to at least listen through the vehicle of this individual and the words that he is saying? Why would you alienate them, get on the floor and not let them speak? Not have his name go up on the board and see the number of electoral votes that he receives? This is crazy!”
I agree with Michael Steele on one point. The Republican National Committee gave a deplorable treatment to Ron Paul and his followers because they have every right to have a voice at the Republican National Convention.
On the other hand, maybe the RNC has a point. It's not so much that Ron Paul is anti-war as his ideas are even further than most conservative ideas. They would have distracted the 2012 Republican National Convention and made Mitt Romney an even bigger fool than he is for being the Republican nominee for President.
But when Michael Steele mentions "next generation of voters," what next generation of voters? Voters who can't even take the time and think objectively and gain knowledge to back up their views? Voters who think Paul is so anti-war that he's all of a sudden declared honest? Voters who think the best solution to reforming the Federal Reserve is ending it, when not a single business on Wall Street will ever listen to Ron Paul (although I don't like everything the Federal Reserve is doing).
Gee, you'd think these Ron Paul and his passionate, "knowledgeable" supporters would learn a thing or two about the following:
Knowledge
Information
Information Technology (IT)
Information Technology Implementation
Applications of Information Technology
See, the real way of reforming things is in how you present information and make it available to the American public. In my MBA program at my business analysis certificate program, as well as in my communication with the IIBA (International Institute of Business Analysis) I'm learning a lot on the concept of business analysis, which is to reform business and organizations that are meant to serve consumers and residents across America and the world. In fact, just a few days ago I wrote a comparative analysis on different cities in the U.S. (such as New York City and San Francisco) that have used Compstat, a database, for a flawed reasoning on how to combat crime. The bottom line for me is, when I'm offering solutions, I'm thinking outside the box and I'm looking at possibilities as far as improving how the way business, communication and operations are done. That's why I enjoy IT so much.
Now why don't Ron Paul and his followers think in terms of those innovation ideas?
Look, I like a lot of what Jesse Ventura believes in and I believe he is an intelligent, outspoken person. Not a dumbass. However, even Ventura is naive. He must have supported Ron Raul simply on the basis of honesty. As if honesty was really what really makes a great president.
No, what really makes a great president is honest, knowledge, being smart and right (like John Kerry has always argued) and practical. That's what Barack Obama has. I'm really not sure why Ventura doesn't support Barack Obama because he's accomplished a hell of a lot more in junction with Ventura's beliefs than Ventura wants to admit. In fact, Ventura would be welcome as hell in the Democratic Party because unlike what he thinks, moderates ARE welcome. We aren't the Republican Party. Of course, when there are matters like Medicare and Social Security, we don't compromise.
Anyway, real devotes of Ron Paul would rather be concerned over issues such as: The secession of states in the United States in promoting ideals of the Tea Party, a party filled with self-centered wasps, elitists and people who don't know what the words "objective" and "real knowledge" really mean.
Oh and yes, the constitution. Gee, what makes you guys the experts of the Constitution of the United States. Were you guys the founders? NO, you weren't.
Here's the constitution as it's summarized from the archives of none other than the U.S. Government Archives:
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
Basically, what the Constitution of the United States is a blueprint of the U.S. It isn't a bible like Ron Paul and others have argued. Whenever people carry a copy of the constitution in their pockets, why are they doing so? Are they really believe the Constitution is God?
Seriously, Ron Paul and his minions have such a warped understanding of the United States it's unbelievable. Here's an article put out by Politico, which I'm going to analyze piece by piece:
http://www.politico.com/...
Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) said Monday that secession was a “deeply American principle,” amid a growing number of people petitioning the White House to let their states secede from the U.S.
“Secession is a deeply American principle. This country was born through secession. Some felt it was treasonous to secede from England, but those ‘traitors’ became our country’s greatest patriots,” the former presidential candidate wrote in a post on his House website. “There is nothing treasonous or unpatriotic about wanting a federal government that is more responsive to the people it represents.”
Secession is a deeply American principle?! Congressman or should I say, former Congressman Paul, are you living in the 1700's or the 1800's? All 50 states have been established. Where were you and your followers in the early 20th century? Great Depression? WWII? Vietnam War? Reagan Era? Clinton Years? Beginning of the Iraq War?
Oh right, I get it. America is going through change and you don't like it. BOO HOO! BOO HOO!
He continued: “If the possibility of secession is completely off the table there is nothing to stop the federal government from continuing to encroach on our liberties and no recourse for those who are sick and tired of it.”
Since President Barack Obama was reelected earlier this month, a flurry of secession petitions from states were created — most notably from Texas, which with more than 115,000 signatures far exceeds the 25,000 signatures needed for an official White House response. Critics have said it’s disgruntled voters upset that former GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney lost.
Um, do you think secession will really solve the problems of civil liberties? How about electing Congressmen and Congresswoman who can shake up government? Uh duh, why didn't I think about that?
Paul wrote that secession must still be an option to be used as leverage to make sure the government doesn’t “encroach” on Americans’ liberties.
“In fact, the recent election only further entrenched the status quo. If the possibility of secession is completely off the table there is nothing to stop the federal government from continuing to encroach on our liberties and no recourse for those who are sick and tired of it.”
Um, yeah. Sure. Um. Right. Whatever you say Dr. Paul. Whatever you say.
Paul wrote that secession is a form of American freedom.
“At what point should the people dissolve the political bands which have connected them with an increasingly tyrannical and oppressive federal government?” Paul wrote.
He added: “And if people or states are not free to leave the United States as a last resort, can they really think of themselves as free? If a people cannot secede from an oppressive government, they cannot truly be considered free.”
Ok Ron Paul, if people truly can't be considered free, why don't you fight for better health care since you're such a "doctor?" Why don't you fight against corporation influence over elections? Why don't you fight against voter suppression?
"Um, the libertarians won't vote for me."
Bah, who cares about the Libertarian Party? Just think REAL big and outside of the box. You do put your party above your country, right?
RIGHT?
Sometimes I feel like I want to send Ron Paul down to the Bahamas so he can sell coconuts. Maybe he can learn a thing or two about reality.
Nah, maybe the monkeys might find he's weird.
Wed Nov 21, 2012 at 1:20 AM PT: Update: It's late and I need sleep (IT guys never get enough sleep) but just an FYI, Ron Paul is actually not a threatening person. He strikes me as a rather decent human being who just has these warped views. Even Bill Maher would agree with me.