We need a thread about Ron Paul

[scootermaster]

And I don't mean why do YOU love him so much....

I'm sure you love him because you have unimpeachable morals and nothing but the best intentions for yourself and your country. Clearly. We don't need to cover that in any greater detail. We get that you're pretty much the biggest Patriot since George Washington and care about your country more than Pat Tillman.

But why, as a demographic, does Ron Paul have such a showing on the Internet? Where's the connection between people who enjoy posting on message boards and whatever, and people deciding to vote for Ron Paul?

Discuss.

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No, we do not need YRPT just to have YRPT.

Harvey
Senior AnandTech Moderator

 

[Capitalizt]

He has the under 35 crowd locked up. Most younger folks disapprove of the war in Iraq and like the libertarian message on social and economic issues.

They are the clear majority on the internet, but still a minority in the voting booth.

 

[JEDIYoda]

Originally posted by: Capitalizt
He has the under 35 crowd locked up. Most younger folks disapprove of the war in Iraq and like the libertarian message on social and economic issues.

They are the clear majority on the internet, but still a minority in the voting booth.

It`s hard to vote when your too young...

 

[Moonbeam]

Maybe Ron Paul is like an internet virus. You can't catch it if you're not on line.

 

[Skitzer]

Originally posted by: Moonbeam
Maybe Ron Paul is like an internet virus. You can't catch it if you're not on line.

Well said.

OP, you mean to tell me you couldn't find any RP threads in this forum? C'mon!
We really don't need another one, especially as vague as this one.

 

[Pabster]

Originally posted by: Moonbeam
Maybe Ron Paul is like an internet virus. You can't catch it if you're not on line.

ZING! :laugh:

 

[cKGunslinger]

Originally posted by: Capitalizt
He has the under 35 crowd locked up. Most younger folks disapprove of the war in Iraq and like the libertarian message on social and economic issues.

They are the clear majority on the internet, but still a minority in the voting booth.

Pretty much. He's an idealist (which is not a bad thing.) And young impressionable people tend to flock like sheep to trendy things. Fortunately, they found a worthy trend this time, but looking at his poll numbers, we see just how ineffectual teenage angst really is when taken out of the high school and put in the real world.

C'est la vie..

 

[bamacre]

Originally posted by: Moonbeam
Maybe Ron Paul is like an internet virus. You can't catch it if you're not on line.

Right because it's easier to find the truth off-line. All I need to know about the candidates and the issues is given to me by CNN and Fox News. Fox News says Paul is a nut, so it must be true.

 

[CitizenKain]

Because he has an attractive message provided you don't look too closely at it. Since most young people have a serious lack of history and the appreciation of what happened to bring us to where we are today, they will flock to the message of change and newness. Generally once you actually look at most of his positions, its a serious turn off. Plus, being a fan online requires nothing more then spamming a online poll, or flooding forums, where as actual realworld change requires leaving the parents basement.

 

[FoBoT]

more nutjobs get their information from the intraweb, that is why

 

[Mavtek3100]

I love his message because it's honest. He isn't telling me what I want to hear, he's telling me what I need to hear. The Government is too big, too crazy, and they have too much control over our lives. Iraq meh, the Fed meh, troops from all over the world meh. He idealistic, and I'd like to see us heading in an idealistic direction, not backwards.

 

[bamacre]

Originally posted by: CitizenKain
Because he has an attractive message provided you don't look too closely at it. Since most young people have a serious lack of history and the appreciation of what happened to bring us to where we are today, they will flock to the message of change and newness. Generally once you actually look at most of his positions, its a serious turn off. Plus, being a fan online requires nothing more then spamming a online poll, or flooding forums, where as actual realworld change requires leaving the parents basement.

Disagree. I think the more you look at his message, the better it is.

Most of the people here who think he is a nut don't even know who he is, proven by the fact that they post obvious bullshit about him.

For example, some schmuck yesterday was saying he only wanted out of the war for financial reasons, unknowing of the facts that Paul has done so much for veterans, and was in the military himself.

Paul is the only candidate who acknowledges the financial crisis we face, and the need for a smaller federal government and decreased spending. It is something that must be done. And for two reasons. One, we are leaving massive amounts of debt for our next generations, which is not only fiscally irresponsible but also immoral, and two, history shows that empires like us fall due to finance.

We are driving our bus straight into a brick wall, and he's the only one who wants to make a turn. But I am sure the neo-conservatives and the Democrats would love the opportunity to shred our constitution into pieces. It just gets in the way of their agendas.

 

[Robor]

Originally posted by: Mavtek3100
I love his message because it's honest. He isn't telling me what I want to hear, he's telling me what I need to hear. The Government is too big, too crazy, and they have too much control over our lives. Iraq meh, the Fed meh, troops from all over the world meh. He idealistic, and I'd like to see us heading in an idealistic direction, not backwards.

Uh, no. It's RP's ideas that are too crazy and that's why he's a forgotten man in the race.

 

[bamacre]

Originally posted by: Robor

Originally posted by: Mavtek3100
I love his message because it's honest. He isn't telling me what I want to hear, he's telling me what I need to hear. The Government is too big, too crazy, and they have too much control over our lives. Iraq meh, the Fed meh, troops from all over the world meh. He idealistic, and I'd like to see us heading in an idealistic direction, not backwards.

Uh, no. It's RP's ideas that are too crazy and that's why he's a forgotten man in the race.

I think being in Iraq for 100 years is insane. I think UHC is insane.

 

[nullzero]

He wants to keep the internet neutral that is one of his big issues... unlike the republican and democrats which want to hand control over to the big companies to block content and make you pay more for viewing certain websites. So all of you internet users should care about that issue...

 

[halik]

Originally posted by: Capitalizt
He has the under 35 crowd locked up. Most younger folks disapprove of the war in Iraq and like the libertarian message on social and economic issues.

They are the clear majority on the internet, but still a minority in the voting booth.

Computer nerds love him, because they have a sense of intellectual superiority over others. The whole "I'm smarter and can do better than the government, so don't tell me what to do" mentality stems from that.

Alas, they lack any and all background in economics and policy, which is why Pauls idiotic plans get 'em all riled up. You can sell them on any rhetoric, so long it's based on a misunderstand of efficient markets and contains word 'freedom' sprinkled in it.

 

[bamacre]

Originally posted by: halik

Originally posted by: Capitalizt
He has the under 35 crowd locked up. Most younger folks disapprove of the war in Iraq and like the libertarian message on social and economic issues.

They are the clear majority on the internet, but still a minority in the voting booth.

No, it's computer nerds love him, because they have a sense of intellectual superiority over others. The whole "I'm smarter and can do better than the government" stems from that.

Yeah, never mind the facts that both the Democrats and the new neo-conservative run Republicans have agendas that interfere with their freedoms and liberties. Never mind the fact that they were born into massive debts.

Never mind the fact that they went to high school and read the constitution and learned about how our government is supposed to operate, only to look into the real world and see the opposite.

 

[halik]

Originally posted by: bamacre

Originally posted by: halik

Originally posted by: Capitalizt
He has the under 35 crowd locked up. Most younger folks disapprove of the war in Iraq and like the libertarian message on social and economic issues.

They are the clear majority on the internet, but still a minority in the voting booth.

No, it's computer nerds love him, because they have a sense of intellectual superiority over others. The whole "I'm smarter and can do better than the government" stems from that.

Yeah, never mind the facts that both the Democrats and the new neo-conservative run Republicans have agendas that interfere with their freedoms and liberties. Never mind the fact that they were born into massive debts.

Never mind the fact that they went to high school and read the constitution and learned about how our government is supposed to operate, only to look into the real world and see the opposite.

You're only proving my point. Nominal amount of debt (stock) doesn't impact the economy - it's backed by the full faith and credit of the US.

Worry about budget deficits (flows), those actually impact the effectiveness of monetary policy and purchasing power.

 

[bamacre]

Originally posted by: halik

Originally posted by: bamacre

Originally posted by: halik

Originally posted by: Capitalizt
He has the under 35 crowd locked up. Most younger folks disapprove of the war in Iraq and like the libertarian message on social and economic issues.

They are the clear majority on the internet, but still a minority in the voting booth.

No, it's computer nerds love him, because they have a sense of intellectual superiority over others. The whole "I'm smarter and can do better than the government" stems from that.

Yeah, never mind the facts that both the Democrats and the new neo-conservative run Republicans have agendas that interfere with their freedoms and liberties. Never mind the fact that they were born into massive debts.

Never mind the fact that they went to high school and read the constitution and learned about how our government is supposed to operate, only to look into the real world and see the opposite.

You're only proving my point. Nominal amount of debt (stock) doesn't impact the economy - it's backed by the full faith and credit of the US.

Worry about budget deficits (flows), those actually impact the effectiveness of monetary policy and purchasing power.

And those are only headed upwards. Look at the future entitlements owed for SS and medicare. The next generations are likely to be bankrupt before they are old enough to even have a credit card.

We are leaving them a shit-hole of a country. What do you expect them to do? Bend over and take it?

 

[Moonbeam]

Originally posted by: bamacre

Originally posted by: Moonbeam
Maybe Ron Paul is like an internet virus. You can't catch it if you're not on line.

Right because it's easier to find the truth off-line. All I need to know about the candidates and the issues is given to me by CNN and Fox News. Fox News says Paul is a nut, so it must be true.

Hey, I didn't say anything about whether the virus was good or bad. You read THAT in.

 

[bamacre]

Originally posted by: Moonbeam

Originally posted by: bamacre

Originally posted by: Moonbeam
Maybe Ron Paul is like an internet virus. You can't catch it if you're not on line.

Right because it's easier to find the truth off-line. All I need to know about the candidates and the issues is given to me by CNN and Fox News. Fox News says Paul is a nut, so it must be true.

Hey, I didn't say anything about whether the virus was good or bad. You read THAT in.

I don't know of any good internet viruses.

For someone who has seemingly lost his self, it is odd you still look in the mirror and see Paul as a nut.

 

[Moonbeam]

Originally posted by: halik

Originally posted by: Capitalizt
He has the under 35 crowd locked up. Most younger folks disapprove of the war in Iraq and like the libertarian message on social and economic issues.

They are the clear majority on the internet, but still a minority in the voting booth.

Computer nerds love him, because they have a sense of intellectual superiority over others. The whole "I'm smarter and can do better than the government, so don't tell me what to do" mentality stems from that.

Alas, they lack any and all background in economics and policy, which is why Pauls idiotic plans get 'em all riled up. You can sell them on any rhetoric, so long it's based on a misunderstand of efficient markets and contains word 'freedom' sprinkled in it.

That's me all right. And I hope you're not suggesting the sense of superiority isn't real.

 

[Mavtek3100]

It's simple really, those who have investigated Ron Paul's ideas and his symbolism have done so via the internet as that is the only medium where he's allowed to fully instigate his ideas. People on the internet have watched him speak on youtube, they have read his many articles, and they have even discussed constitutional governance and the rule of law. It is why so many are coming to him, yet this conversion happens at a slow pace.