Ron Paul goes Ralphie on Rick Perry

[themadscientist]

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/paul ... 35183.html

You know they say you should leave those quiet guys alone. Ron just threw a hard punch right in Perry's snoot! I've always liked Ron Paul's ideas, but thought he was uncharismatic and soft. That was not soft.

Paul just got my full attention and I'm starting to wonder if he might have seized some serious momentum. In 60 seconds he took out Perry decisively and wrapped the carcass of Ronald Reagan around him, which hard core righties, the sector of the party who doesn't support him, holds in reverence. I think things just got real.

[IBCoupe]

Bah. Unimpressive. I was hoping for Perry to get taken down a notch, but I walked away disappointed. I want just one Republican candidate to not do this:

[mattblancarte]

Ron Paul is certainly the most "real" politician in modern times. Perry is just a joke.

[themadscientist]

Bah. Unimpressive. I was hoping for Perry to get taken down a notch, but I walked away disappointed. I want just one Republican candidate to not do this:

For real. I liked Regan, but the reverence most Republicans have for him borders on messianic.

[IBCoupe]

I have yet to see anyone reference Reagan in their rhetoric without it coming off as insta-pander. It's like the high school football star reliving his glory days at the 30-year high school reunion.

[themadscientist]

It's stunningly simplistic, but a GOP candidate must bow to the memory of Reagan. The Democrats are different. They seem to rightly, perhaps wrongly, depends on one's opinion, move on. There are mentions of Clinton, but he's not a made man. The infighting between the Clinton camp and the rest of the party is easy to see. I like that, it keeps people on their toes and could lead to real advances in ideas in the party.

This is a good thing for Ron Paul, though. He was on board the rahrah reagan train when it first pulled out of the station. Neocons set the bar of Reagan worship and Ron doesn't have to move an inch from his platform to easily vault that. He has walked the walk that the GOP has just talked for a very long time. They would challenge him at their peril lest the true depth of their devotion to the ideas that the GOP says it espouses come to light and people see it would be safe for a kiddie pool. They instead have correctly fought him by ignoring him, marginalizing him and painting him as a kooky old man. Ron has been guilty of letting them. An ad like this represents a bold dope change and I think he hit paper on the first shot.

The GOP candidates are full of s***. They are weak. They are unoriginal. They would get a vicious beat down in a one on one debate against Ron Paul. If they swing back they will be in trouble because that tells their followers that Paul is a threat. They will start to seriously look at him. At that point they will start to see that these chuckleheads are just posers; Ron Paul is the real deal. This new smashmouth version is the right move. Hit him again Ron! Challenge Bachman to a history quiz. Ask Romney how Massachusetts health care is doing these days.

[IBCoupe]

Massachusetts healthcare is doing pretty well, actually. I know that's not what you're aiming for, but I think the fact that Romney had to be moderate to get anything done (as almost every Governor must) is what gives him the most cross-party appeal, should he survive the primary.

Republicans can go with Paul or Perry, but it means they're going to face a much harder fight next year.

[Encryptshun]

All I hear about the 2012 race is "economy economy economy", so why are the GOP front-runners all known for their social, rather than fiscal, conservative policies? To me, that just shows that, beyond the pervasive Obama-bashing, the Republicans are clueless (just as Democrats are) as to how to fix the economy faster than it's going to naturally come back without political "help".

The real reason the 2012 campaign is so important? Projections consistently put economic recovery at around 2015. So whoever gets elected in 2012 will get the credit for the economic recovery. Regardless of the party in power, that recovery is NOT going to happen as a result of any policies in Washington implemented in 2013, so at the end of the day it doesn't matter what changes they bring economically. However it means a great deal to the GOP what changes SOCIALLY.

Ergo, social conservatives bringing pitchforks to a gun fight and hoping their 15% base is enough to somehow carry the day. I'm skeptical that the math will work out in their favor, but I'm even more determined to vote Democrat than usual because the social ideology of pretty much all the current Repubs scares the ever-loving crap out of me.

[IBCoupe]

I like Huntsman. I didn't see the debate, but transcripts of his comments there make me think of Arnie Vinick.

[stebo0728]

Seeing a repeat of Carter only makes the "Reagaes" hunger for a repeat of Reagan.

[Encryptshun]

I don't get it. Who is a repeat of Carter?

[R/T Hemi]

Massachusetts healthcare is doing pretty well, actually. I know that's not what you're aiming for, but I think the fact that Romney had to be moderate to get anything done (as almost every Governor must) is what gives him the most cross-party appeal, should he survive the primary.

Republicans can go with Paul or Perry, but it means they're going to face a much harder fight next year.

I don't see any fight at all really. The funny thing is the public isn't blaming the president for the economic woes, they are blaming ALL the elected officials. Obama is going to side step this issue, leaving the publicans to share the blame. As soon as Vegas opens the betting on the election, I'm taking Obama and betting the farm.

[Encryptshun]

PUBLIC: (Looking at President) "Hey, we feel for ya. These people are douchenozzles, and they aren't making things easy for you at all. BUT. Some of these douchenozzles are YOUR douchenozzles, and you really oughta be able to smack them into shape. And for the rest of them, you are the PRESIDENT. Grow a pair and make them respect you and your office. Don't manage the country. LEAD the country." Score -- 49 out of 100.

PUBLIC: (Looking at Congress) "DIAF." Score -- 19 out of 100.