Posted on 02/01/2008 8:12:50 PM PST by JOAT
I went to the Ron Paul rally tonight to get a sense of the candidate and the people who support him. The venue was the Colorado Convention Center in downtown Denver. The hall was packed, standing room only. I would estimate over 3,000. I didn't expect to find that many people on a Friday evening. (Event time was 6:00-7:30pm)
The session was opened with a prayer then the usual string of self-congratulatory speeches by various campaign workers.
Dr. Paul got up to speak and because the Rally coincided with his 51st wedding anniversary, he spent a few moments praising his wife and family. The bulk of the hour was spent talking about the importance of the Constitution (imagine that from any other candidate) and how we as a nation have strayed so far from the principles enshrined in that document.
It was interesting to me to see the eclectic mix of people cheering the Constitution. From nasty dreadlocked hippies to men in business suits. Long time party activists to first time politicos. The majority of the people in the crowd were very young idealistic student types, but all age groups were represented. (It seemed odd to me that the 20-somethings were the biggest component in this crowd for some reason.)
The only common denominator was that the crowd was yearning for freedom.
To the hippies this of course means smoking pot with impunity. To the business owner this means keeping government regulation out of his business. To the conservative constitutionalist this means shrinking the government to its boundaries as defined by the document.
As I sat in the back of the auditorium and watched the crowd it was informative to observe who cheered and when. There were some who I noted had a hard time cheering during certain parts of the speech, but would cheer wildly at other times.
The crowd convulsed when 'a certain candidate' (Dr. Paul never mentioned McCain's name) was quoted as saying the US might need to stay in Iraq another 100 years.
The people running the campaign seemed to understand that the idealism of the youth was not translating into effective grass roots campaign work, therefore instructions regarding caucus attendance and becoming precinct committee people were touched upon. Ron Paul also echoed this, essentially saying that regardless of how his campaign went, the people in the room needed to stay involved in the process afterwards to keep the government from straying further away from the founders intent.
Super Tuesday will determine, in all likelihood, that the Republican Party will select a RINO candidate this year. Too bad.
The Constitution was a beautiful thing.
‘Reynolds Wrap was flying off the shelves, it was amazing...’
Ron Paul draws big Denver crowd
"He's catching on, I'm tellin' ya!"
Ron Paul’s support is 1,000 feet deep and an inch wide.
When that wasn't enough hundreds of people stood rimming the hall that sits 1,536.
I can attest that were nearly as many people around the edges and filling every aisle that 3000 was close.
You believe we should retreat from everywhere on this planet?
No I don't. I posted a report from a rally.
He's among the Final Four candidates. He's outlasted Giuliani and Thompson.
Put that in your crack pipe and smoke it.
Maybe, can anyone name a Candidate, a Republican Candidate, who actually inspires young people?
Lol. See this?
At McCain Speech, a Paul Rally Breaks Out
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/02/01/at_mccain_speech_a_paul_rally.html
I dislike Ron Paul but you do have a point. There are plenty of countries I’d love have to the US military leave, let them experience the real world without the American security blanket.
The economic advantage that we have is based on the stability we maintain. We cant afford to not to do it without chopping our GDP. I say this only because you brought up cost.
Vote for Osama then,,
What do you think?
When your anti war and support pot smoking you will get a lot of young people supporting you. LOL
How deeply is the US Federal Govt, and by extension, the US Taxpayer, in debt kinoxi?
What is it now? 45 trillion?
How long can we pay for our role as global cop? And we I say “we” I mean us, the Joe Average taxpayer.
Who cares. Fred was get twice as many votes as Paul when he dropped out.
This highlights the problem I have with Paul. I like him on several levels. But I’m supposed to cheer when he suggests we shouldn’t maintain a military presence in the Middle East? We had better darn well maintain a presence in a lot of places. These are our sworn enemies. They are on the attack all over the world. We have a right, indeed a mandate, for self-defense. And self-defense doesn’t just occur within our own borders.
It would be fine with me if we were in there for 100 years. Whatever it takes to get the job done. No apologies.
Do you have a link? 45 trillion in the hole sounds a bit much. What are your sources?
Oh no, we are the US mommy who takes care of things.
Even Bono said so.
and I should do that because?
Perhaps, but even addled minded pot headed hippies do grow up Abbeville.
Any “Troofers” there with their 9/11 conspiracy posters?
It was Ron Paul’s supporters that made me doubt him more than Ron Paul himself.
Yeah, ‘cause they got out when they realized there was no way they could win...and that was when they were receiving 10%-15% more support than Paul.
First of all, Paul is not anti-war. He's a non-interventionist, but he will fight a war if it was necessary.
Second of all, states would still regulate marijuana. Paul would just decriminalize it at the federal level. And if someone wants to smoke a joint, who cares?
Even bono said so? Well this is hugh!
Nobody really cares what I think.
Paul has beaten Fred in all of the contests except MI and SC.
Ron Paul stated “there has never been a war in America’s history that we should have been in”. Spin that. I never said anything was wrong with smoking a joint only that this position is a major reason young people support him.
Because you don’t want:: gonorrhea, herpes.....the man might not be a polished politician,he does believe in the Constitution,,don’t you...?
You seem to have forgotten about Wyoming and Iowa.
It's against the law to smoke cigarettes in certain areas, including ones home, apt, etc. As a non smoker, great for me in restaurants, but someone's own home?
We protect our Constitution by protecting America from our enemies both foreign and domestic. Ron Paul doesn’t. I supported Fred, will support Mitt and will write in Fred if McStain or Huckster are the Republican nominee.
WY was a coronation for Romney from the party hacks, and MI should be IA, that was a typo.
Certainly, a preface though:
Terms like “debt” Deficit” and “Liabilites” are not the same in Governmental Accounting practices, if corporate accounting methods were used:
“Bottom line: Taxpayers are now on the hook for a record $59.1 trillion in liabilities, a 2.3% increase from 2006. That amount is equal to $516,348 for every U.S. household. By comparison, U.S. households owe an average of $112,043 for mortgages, car loans, credit cards and all other debt combined.
Unfunded promises made for Medicare, Social Security and federal retirement programs account for 85% of taxpayer liabilities. State and local government retirement plans account for much of the rest.”
From:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-05-28-federal-budget_N.htm
Now before the accusation of “Bush Bashing” happens, IMO GWB has done a pretty good job on this stuff with recent tax revenues into the Treasury reaching record levels, the problem is more systemic then attributable to a single Administration or President or Congress.
You see no threat from asia or the middle east?
I’m confident that Dr. Paul will protect America from terrorism and keep this nation safe.
Of course.
I commented to my wife after listening and watching tonight that none of the people in that room would associate with each other normally.
The only common denominator was a dislike of government interference in ones life.
Some of the groups, such as the 'troofers' are irrational, but the current of freedom is what binds each person to Dr. Paul's campaign, from what I saw anyway.
The Doc raised over 1 million dollars.
I’m super serial you guys...LOL!
IMO we open our National Checkbook too much kinoxi, Bono’s pandering has led to both Federally subsidized debt relief in Africa to billions being spent on AIDS treatment in Africa.
Fine goals, but out here in “Middle America” we have limits on what we can spend, crappy, and It would be nice if more could be done, but it is what is.
The only true conservative left in this race.....
The article claims that we owe more than the entire planet’s GDP.
China already runs the Panama Canal, and who do you suppose is financing the massive upgrade to the facilities to allow gigantic ships to pass through the region?
Why Norinco or PMRC or whichever front company de jour of course...
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