Taki’s Top Drawer is now publishing Derbyshire! (An excellent article except for the Frum quote). This mag just gets better and better.

Three cheers for the Derb!

I’m afraid Ron Paul’s message is rather impotent right now. Or have you trouble reading the results. His candidacy is dead as far as 2008 is concerned. Dead as the Dodo.

I’m so happy to see that the sole voice of reason and sanity at National Review has decided to contribute to this site.

Welcome aboard John!

If Taki’s Top Drawer intends to have a symposium on matters Paulian, would it be possible to have Dan McCarthy’s thoughts on what life is like as a Ron Paul campaigner?

Don, define potent.

Meanwhile, Dr. Paul’s first reason for reducing the intensity of his campaign --that “the chances of a brokered convention are nearly zero” puts me in mind of one of the elements of just war theory that was, and has been, ignored: avoid fighting where the chances of victory are nearly zero.  People knew, or should have known, there was nearly zero chance of peacefully occupying Iraq as if it were Germany or Japan post-WWII; that the chances of that type of victory were nearly zero.  Yet we went anyway.  And stayed anyway.  And 100-years McCain wants to stay on, losing.  RP got my support, and still has it, precisely because of correct moral judgments like this. 

It’s scary in a way.  I was kind of wishing he’d fight on and go independent and lead a revolution or, more likely, a romantic glorious lost-cause defeat.  But then he makes the right call like this and, like a reward for that rightness, someone points out that there’s still hope: “the Senator will probably lose his temper a few times” or maybe he’ll even come around yet.  Always some hope.

Taki, Charles Coulombe, and John Derbyshire all in one place!

I’ve found a home.

Taki even allowed Derb to quote Frum. The Editorial Charity astounds me!

Now if we can just get Florence King here I’d never read anything else.

Despite my profound distaste for some of John’s
professional associations and my frisson at his
citation of the Frum, I found his analysis to be
entirely convincing. John is correct that a
competitive Ron Paul would have to present
detailed arguments for
his positions and explain the coercive methods that
will have to be applied if compliance with immigration
restrictions is to be enforced. I am delighted to
discover from reading this essay that Congressman
Paul would win 11% of the vote in a general race
between McCain and his Democratic opponent.

Nothing to brighten the spirits on a Monday morning like the apostle of doom. Derb, you have indeed given satisfaction, sir.

Semper fi,
CJM

In a post signed by John Suarez on LewRockwell.com (today), the author quotes Dr. Paul admiringly talking of Martin Luther King and non-violennce. Sorry, for this traditional conservative, that dog won’t hunt. If Paul admires King, then I am suspending any support I would have for him. King is not admirable and is no way an exemplar for conservatives.

Dr Cathey,

Indeed, Dr Paul DOES respect both Marchin’ Luther King and the Gandhi for their use of “nonviolence”, despite the FACT that the “nonviolence” was in turn backed up with the use and threat of violence - so, it really wasn’t “nonviolent” at all.

Dr Paul MAY agree with my above paragraph in private (I don’t know, I’ve never met the man), but in public he can’t.  Today, a politician feels he MUST respect Marchin’ Luther, the Second Person of the American trinity (the father: Abe Lincoln, the son: Marchin’ Luter King, and the holy spirit: African-Americanism).

Dr Paul isn’t conservative, even though he appeals to some conservatives.  Conservatism has never taken a hold in America, you know that!

“ . . . If you cannot say ‘no’ to middle-class constituents, you cannot lighten the crushing load of government upon society.” (It horrifies me to find myself agreeing with Frum.) Your response to this problem is to create a system where politicians cannot do anything except to say no.  This will not work, because as long as people want an ever-expanding government to “help” and “protect” them, they will elect politicians who promise to find ways around limitations to governmnet’s growth—and find ways they will.  This popular pressure is the reason why Republicans pay only lip service to the idea of small government, while practising the opposite.

You have to go onto a deeper level and get the middle-classes to think that the government should say no.  This is a more difficult task, but it is doable because in history it has been accomplished.  Changes in the political system you are only symptoms of a disease, and you have to deal with the changes in mentalities that are the root of the problem to produce lasting effects.

To have any influence in either party or national politics, a candidate has to hae at least 15% of the vote, to make the powers-that-be take notice.  Ron Paul has come close to that in the primaries after Romney’s exit.

He’s doing a lot better then “I-saw-a-flying-saucer” nutsi Kuchinch on the left in the Democratic primaries...Kuchinch at best got 3% of the vote.

It really tells us a lot about the hypocrisy of most Democrats and Liberals that it was a paleo-conservative REPUBLICAN that made a influence on the national debate, not a Democrat Liberal like Kuchinch or Ralph Nader. Liberals have no consistent anti-war position, they are merely anti-American in their attitudes. And of course a Oama and a Hillary are really fine with most of them.

Ron Paul has brought the terms “anti-interventionist”, “anti-internationalist” into the political debate, the only coherent “anti-war” argument out there.
We should be thankful for that.

I don’t agree with Paul’s “gold standard” position, but he’s right that the US is relying on long term foreign debt to fund our short term prosperity, and like the foreign policy debate, Ron Paul was the only one to offer a coherent criticism of American’s fiscal and monetary excesses, which endanger our national svereignty.
Again we should be thankful for that as well. And again, the failings of the left on this issue are apparent in contrast.

Ron Paul’s campaign fell short by the 15% measure, but he got a lot farther then any leftie in the Democrat Party in influence on the issues.

Perhaps one of you Americans can explain things to me. Why has Paul ruled out running as a third party candidate and decided to put more effort into retaining his seat in congress? The man is 72 years old, surely it is now or never as regards his contesting the presidency. Can he be seriously considering running for president at 76?

Joe Populist, I don’t agree with your comparison of Paul and Kucinich. From what I read, Kucinich seemed to run a very half-hearted campaign and not surprisingly attracted little interest.

<<Why has Paul ruled out running as a third party candidate and decided to put more effort into retaining his seat in congress?>>

I like to think of it as the sinking of HMS Titanic.

Dr Paul, instead of attempting a mutiny when he sees the ship’s course being steered towards an iceberg, is doing what he can to place himself in a position to help people off the ship when it starts to sink.  That is, when the Republican Party starts to REALLY go under, there will be Dr Paul, helping everyone off the “ship” and onto lifeboats he has manned with his own people.

Whereas a mutiny MIGHT have saved the ship from being sunk, more than likely all it would have done is failed, and placed the only people capable of saving the passengers from certain death in the brig.

If you cannot say ‘no’ to middle-class constituents, you cannot lighten the crushing load of government upon society.”

I must have missed the part where the politicians said “yes” yto the middle class - seems the mc are the ones that get screwed at both ends - too poor to have real influence, too rich to get handouts. If any one group feels the brunt of the crushing load of government, I would venture it be they.

AM LESS OPTIMISTIC THAN JOHN DERBYSHIRE.  FRANKLY, THERE IS NOT MUCH OF A CONSTITUENCY IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY FOR LIMITED GOVERNMENT AT HOME AND ANTI-INTERVENTIONISM ABROAD.  REGRETTABLY WHITE CHRISTIANS, WHO COMPRISE MOST REPUBLICAN VOTERS SUPPORT THE IRAQ FIASCO AND WOULD CERTAINLY “RALLY AROUND THE FLAG” IN THE EVENT BUSH OR MCCAIN MANUFACTURES A “PROVOCATION” IN ORDER TO JUSTIFY A WAR ON IRAN.  THE NEOCONS HAVE SUCCEEDED BECAUSE EUROPEAN AMERICANS HAVE BOUGHT INTO THE NONSENSE OF AN “EXISTENTIAL” THREAT FROM “ISLAMO-FASCISM.” INSTEAD OF SECURING THE NATION’S BORDERS, WHITE CHRISTIANS ARE MORE CONCERNED WITH DEFENDING ISRAEL.  THE RISE OF MILITANT, CHRISTIAN-ZIONIST RAPTURISTS, RIGHT-WING TALK-RADIO JINGOISTS, AND OPPORTUNISTIC JEWISH NEOCONSERVATIVES ARE JUST JUST THREE EXAMPLES FOR THE DEMISE OF AMERICAN CONSERVATISM AND THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

Thanks Andrew Capp. I guess your response could be summarised as saying that Paul is putting the party’s interests ahead of his own. A highly unpredictable game. Given the current turmoil in America, I might have thought there was a stronger case for putting national interest before party interests. In addition, given the apparent shallowness of the current candidates for the presidency, I would have thought that there was a strong case for remaining in the chase to the bitter end, particularly given the significant probability of a dramatic change in the political/economic landscape prior to the election.

@Andy Capp,
You and I have disagreed strongly on immigration in the past, so let me say that I am inclined to agree with you this time on what you say about Ron Paul, at least in large part. Hope that doesn’t shock you too much...and that it won’t ruin you reputation!!!

With all due regard for Rep. Paul, a gold standard is not the panacea he thinks it is. Our massively indebted country would soon find itself stripped of its gold reserves. Furthermore, speculators and crooks would subject gold to various schemes to corner the market. Better to remove the money issue from the private monopoly of bankers (the Fed) and put it where it belongs - as a government monopoly which can be held accountable to the people’s representatives.

Dr Cathey,

I believe you would find that we agree on more than we disagree.  It is just that I have a “soft spot” in my heart for Mexican immigrants.

_________________________________________

Meneer van Oosbree,

Ron Paul would rather see private banking than “public” (ie The Federal Reserve Bank).  If private banking decided to use some other form of “collateral” to print notes, and if others were willing to accept that “collateral” (eg silver, oil, platinum, etc.) then in no way would Dr Paul oppose it.

As for the money being “held accountable to the people’s representatives”, I can only guess at what you mean.  Would you be at all at odds with the US Congress declaring gold to be money?  That is the only responsible action they could take.  Anything else would be slipping towards “greenbackism”.

Dr. Paul campaigned on a much more radical position than a simple “return to the gold standard.” He campaigned on allowing the citizens the freedom to allow competing currencies backed by gold or other valuta to circulate as legal tender.  Along the northern tier of the USA, the Canadian dollar is used as a competing currency.  Along the southern tier, shops will accept pesos as well as dollars. Neither of these is a value backed currency; both are fiat money backed by solemn promises of politicians.  Competing currencies throughout the polity, the chance for the populace to use trash paper for transactions and hold value backed paper as wealth protection.  Brilliant. 
Meanwhile it is still sensible to hoard nickles, and pennies; and dump dimes minted after 1964.

“Paul’s refusal to return the money and his silence on their beliefs isn’t merely despicable … it is an indebtedness to evil that he accepts.”

^^ By this sort of reasoning, every American president from George Washington to Dwight Eisenhower and every generation of Americans that lived before the enlightened Baby Boomers was evil. The people who created the United States and built it until a world superpower are evil. Those who are destroying it are morally righteous and enlightened.

Future historians will look back on our times with the benefit of hindsight and their verdict will be scathing: “In the 1960s, a millenarian cult known as “anti-racism” overwhelmed and destroyed traditional American culture. A generation of degenerates took over the reigns and squandered their inheritance, leaving their spoiled, unprepared children with number of problems they could not handle. America from declined its former greatness into a pathetic third world country. Western Europe passively submitted to Islamization. That is how Western civilization came to an end.”

Prozium, like many others before him, mistake secular European and American culture for “Western Civilization”.

Yes, secular America and Europe will collapse.

But the Civilization of the West will remain.

“Still, I don’t think he said these things often enough or at sufficient length.”

In my state, Ron Paul garnered 3% of the vote in the Alabama Republican Primary. In 2004, a proposed amendment to strike segregationist language out of the Alabama State Constitution was defeated in the general election. Now suppose Ron Paul had ran on a platform like this in the South with all his millions of dollars:

- Federal judges out of your face.

- The illegals deported.

- A middle finger for the multiculturalists.

He would have immediately cracked the ice of the media blackout and would have set off a real political revolution.

Prozium

Sure, Dr Paul might have done better in many Southern states (here in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana) with that type of campaign, perhaps even a few western states (Montana, Idaho), but would have ended up making more enemies than friends.  Like I posted above, Dr Paul is, I believe, putting himself and his political descendants in a position to be “heroes” when the Republican ship REALLY starts to go under.

By the way, here in Northeast Alabama, the ONLY campaign signs I have ever seen this primary season were Ron Paul for President ‘08 signs.  In Calhoun County, Huckabee had 46% of the vote, followed by McCain with 36%, then Romney with 15%, and, finally, Paul with 2%.

What we have to understand is how people are informed to vote.  One of three ways, starting with the weakest to the strongest ways in which they are informed:

1) Personal Ethics: unfortunately, these days people’s ethics are no longer formed - they are allowed to just “happen” by being exposed to a non-ethical society.  The ultimate evils are the only things unethical: murder, rape, burglary (not ALL types of theft, mind you, are unethical, only the most violent), etc.  Abortion is “wrong”, but not generally “immoral” in people’s minds, not, at least, as long as it remains “legal”.

2) Media: Mostly television.  The television will expose them to the candidate’s style, looks, manner of speech, but very little substance of either their character or philosophies (like I said above, non-ethical society).  The network news is the strongest of all the media outlets, having gained the attention of the voters for generations.  However, cable television is beginning to take over, and has the inner culture of providing more “sensational” coverage, which will make the campaigns even more focused on soundbites and style, less so on ethics and substantial philosophies.

3)Friends, family, FELLOW CHURCH GOERS: For whom your friends, family members and, most importantly, the people you “fellowship” with after Sunday church, are voting is the strongest influence on your own voting pattern.  This explains the Huckabee phenomenon here in Alabama, and across the South.  Brother Harold and almost everyone else likes Huckabee because they’re all Baptists.  Sister Sherry doesn’t quite know for whom to vote.  Of course, she is going to go with the “group” and vote for Huckabee.  Jonny, the Methodist, doesn’t quite “connect” with Huckabee, but his fellow church goers at the First Methodist Church of Heflin are voting for McCain, so that is what he decides.  How did they arrive at that decision?  Because a FEW members were convinced to vote for McCain by methods #s 1 and 2.  As it is said: the best form of advertisement is “word of mouth”.

THAT, in my estimation, is how democracy “works” in America.

So, Ron Paul never really had a chance.  The few people that vote for him just aren’t “connected” enough to the rest of the community to influence it in any meaningful way.  Here in Northeast Alabama, the only people that supported Ron Paul were a couple of wealthy businessmen who put up the signs (method #2, not as strong as personal relationships with the voters) and traditional Catholics (using method #3, but we just don’t have the “clout” with the Baptists that dominate this place).

Ron Paul only has himself to blame for his dismal showing here in the South. He campaigned as a small government libertarian conservative (nothing wrong with that) whereas Huckabee’s message was “I share your values” and understand your concerns - I’m one of you. Huckabee signed both the NumbersUSA immigration pledge and Sen. Jeff Sessions’ immigration pledge. No wonder he carried Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Louisiana, and Arkansas. He would have taken South Carolina and Missouri too were it not for the strange Republican field this year.

Say what you want about David Duke. He actually won a primary. That’s something Ron Paul still hasn’t done. Here in Alabama, back in 2006 the atheist Larry Darby carried 33 of 67 counties in the DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY running as a Holocaust denier! Ron Paul had millions upon millions of dollars to spend on television advertising and came away with a mere 3% of the vote.

Ron Paul had a huge chance in Central and South Alabama. Derbyshire correctly points out that he blew it by not invoking the National Question in a year of identity politics. Obama stole the war issue. All the other more electable candidates claim to be for low taxes and small government.

Libertarianism is an ideology without a constituency. Ron Who failed because he never found his voice.

<<Libertarianism is an ideology without a constituency.>>

Agreed 100%

<<[Ron Paul] blew it by not invoking the National Question in a year of identity politics.>>

Whites can NOT play “identity politics” if they want to win in a national campaign.  Larry Darby and David Duke could do it here in Alabama and over in Louisiana, but try garnering even 0.01% of the vote in California playing “White identity” politics!

Dr Paul wants a national ["multi-cultural"] coalition behind him, not a Southern ["White"] one.

A 3rd party run for Ron Paul would definitely restore the Democrats to the White House (by splitting the rightist vote), but the restoration would likely be brief (whatever they decide on Iraq).  The GOP neocons could easily accuse the Dems of weakness and appeasement if they left Iraq. 

McCain as president would likely stay the course in Iraq (with Democrat support in Congress) so disastrously (fighting to the last soldier or mercenary) that his regime might trigger a crisis for the two-party system, and an opening for the paleocons.

Then again, as a Christian, I am used to making wishful leaps of faith!

The “National question” is really only part of what I believe is the true issue:Is America to be a Republic or an Empire? As the history of Rome demonstrated, and logic suggests, a political entity can not be both. A Republic can be free, but an Empire can never be.

All the issues of the day revolve around this question: wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, military basing in foreign lands, open borders at home, multi-culturalism, diversity, denigration of patriotism, etc. One of the two visions of the future of this country fixes people in the current political context.

I almost stopped reading when the author confessed to be ignorant of the German-American Bund.  Nor, from what I can tell, has he bothered to find out what it was.  The Browns play on Tory conservative ignorance and fears and then insinuate themselves into Tory conservative circle.  Thus the Sam-Francisan Paleos came a cropper and became the useful idiots of the Browns.

I applaud the author’s mention the reservations many decent folk have because RP hasn’t denounced Brown contributors.  These decent folk have a point.  The Browns are the reason we Tory conservatives are out in the Boonies. I also applaud the author’s willingness to acknowledge when David Frum is correct.  And I applaud both the author and Frum from acknowledging what Calhoun said long ago: Too many tax-takers.  We need a new constitutional check: taxpayers who are not tax-takers need to check tax-takers. 

Despite my profound distaste for some of RP’s contributory associations and my frisson at his
indifference to Brown support, he’s still my man.

Re: multicultural coalition.

Yes, Ron Paul raised millions upon millions of dollars and lost every primary. The major cause? He was frozen out of the mainstream media. There is no way the media could ignore a serious candidate who raised the National Question in such a way.

Re: whites can’t play identify politics on a national level.

The last pro-white candidate to run a serious national campaign was George Wallace. He won Michigan. Mitt Romney would have been blown away in California if he had not tapped into white racial anxiety over illegal immigration. A pro-white candidate could do very well in the Southeast and Southwest.

Re: .001% in California

Neither Larry Darby or David Duke had tens of millions of dollars to spend either.

FYI, the German-American Bund was the homegrown version of the Nazi Party and was active in the years running up to America’s involvement in WW2. It was never a real political force to be reckoned with, and was so much as brushed aside by Hitler in his singular meeting with the Bund’s leader (I can’t recall his name). After the outbreak of WW2, the Bund’s membership (wonder of wonders) dropped sharply and most of its leadership interned as security risks. After the war, the US citizens in its ranks were returned to normal life, while resident aliens were repatriated t otheir country of origin.

I see big things in the future for Takimag.  Good stuff.

Re Karl Rohm’s query: the name of the German-American Bund’s leader name was Fritz Kuhn, I think.

A win for McCain would keep the far left radical neo-cons in power.

So far left the Democrats dumped them [The crazies -Colin Powell] long ago.

Prozium is worried about a caliphate? What century does he live in? Have you forgotten the Iraqi Freedom Operation to free the poor oppressed Muslims under Saddams dictatorship?

Ron Paul didnt get much media attention because he was against the FED. Politicians talk about elminating taxes...thats a canard of all canards. Our debt is actually around 53 trillion dollars, DEBT creates money from thin air [interest]. A Tax cut doesn’t force the government to spend less. Look at Georges 3 trillion dollar budget and the growth of government under this ‘conservative’!!! And that budget doesnt include the supplementals hes been using to fund Iraq/Afghanistan.

Worse, this leads to debasement of the dollar and when this inflation rears its head, and it has, people cannot consume, and when they dont consume we go into recessions and start having, and it has, job losses.

Why, since the BLS [Bureau of Labor Statistics] report came [once yearly] out the hypothetical model used for job creation has to be updated over the last 12 months. That means there were 385,000 jobs reported, but never actually created!! 30,000 jobs a month, poof gone!

America, I think, will not cease to exist because of racail differences as the PTMs [paranoid truculent males] fear *glances at prozium* but because of Imperial designs of world hegemony.

Just a little something about the southern states.
Their economies are highly dependent on military bases, military contracts and agricultural subsidies.  There is a vested interest in the south in “big government” when it comes to handouts.  Not exactly a receptive environment for Dr. Paul no matter what other pandering you think he should have done.

“Possibly—I should like to think it is so—Dr. Paul believes further that when the PC enforcers say “Jump!” there are other responses a man of integrity can offer than “How high?””

Amen to that! But I would be very hesitant to use the terms “nutso” and “fringe.” Both terms are loaded. Derb thinks the 9/11 conspiracy theorists are “nutso” and “fringe.” (I don’t agree with them but am very hesitant to call them names.) But the mainstream conservatives think the gold standard is “nutso” and “fringe.” Others think Paul himself and all his supporters are “nutso” and “fringe.” I would suggest that Derb’s collegues Frum, Brookhiser, Lopez, etc. fall in this group. So these labels get us nowhere. The issue is truth and what is right, not smear words.

Sid, you are off your game. I scrolled down looking for your post where you would predictably strike your more PC than thou pose, but it was many posts down. I was beginning to think you might be incapacitated in some way. But alas, you did not let me down.

Sid, you have inspired me. I am going to take up an obsessive crusade of my own. We must purge the vile, abhorrent, despicable PC enforcers, the Pinks, from this and all other respectable conservative sites. They are a disgrace to authentic conservatism and are not fit for polite company. Purge the Pinks! Before their slavish enforcement of PC right think taints us all.

Paul has in fact denounced those fringe groups several times via interviews. He hasn’t taken the time to put out huge press releases, however, nor give their money back to, as you say, spend it on torchlight rallies.

He’s a great man, and he isn’t giving up! But even I must realize he may very well not be the nominee unless a miracle happens (I love miracles, god!). He has, however, did what Goldwater did in the 60s, influence a generation towards conservatism. Hopefully it won’t take 16 years to see the results of it, though.

Dr. Paul’s statement appers unequiocal on the poosibility of a thrid party run. Once again he is Dr. No. That’s too bad, because no one could make a stronger third party bid and this may be one of those years that call for one. The last time I voted third party was 1996 when the GOP candidate was Bob Dole, the worst major-party presidential candidate of my lifetime. McCain sounds a lot like Dole.

Brent, the demographics of today’s American Empire mean that you’ll probably have to wait a lot longer than 16 years for Mr. Paul’s political efforts to have any results.  The retirement of the evil, self-centered and perfidious Boomer generation will guarantee that.  Medicare and prescription drugs will see to that. The problem here is that there is no practical way to stop the growth of the Entitlement State until the last Boomer goes to his/her reward in Hell.  Unfortunately, old people tend to vote far more often than younger people do.  Given the fact that lots of younger people are inclined towards the Communist Obama, this may simply be a description of the difference between “bad” and “worse”.

Bottom line: the subjects of the Empire are going to get higher taxes, more State spending, and a probable economic collapse in 20 years or so under the pressure of that tax burden.

I am planning on voting for Ron Paul come November if I have to write him in then so be it.  What I would like to know if he isn’t running who is he supporting? 

“In the beginning of a change, the patriot is a scarce man, and brave, and hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot.”
-- Mark Twain
Long live the Revolution.

It is obvious that John Derbyshire is neither a libertarian or a true fan of Ron Paul.  His
article is more obfuscation from the National Review.  Beware!  Some true libertarians
like Justin Raimondo appear on Taki Top Drawer, but I will check the sources of what
I read in the future.  This Derbyshire piece is a hidden smear on Dr. Paul who should
neither be bogged down in giving any attention to whacko support or the details of the
illegals enforcement.  Paul has given his positions and reinforces them every time he
speaks.

I imagine Derb smiling impishly to himself as he types the reference to Frum.  Just a playful tweaking of his paleocon buds?  Or a cautious signal to his neocon patrons that he won’t hang over here without dropping at least one thing in every article that honks the paleos off?  Frum is pretty unreasonable on the subject of Paul, so I’m going to go with the latter.  Spare the Derb, neos, he doesn’t take any of this too seriously!

In other paleo-creep news--or more accurately is it some neos who are surreptitiously creeping to the paleo side?--Ann Coulter cited Steve Sailer on her blog this week.

Those of us following Ron Paul from the British perspective know that he has the only answer for mankind.

Alas he won’t succeed, their are too many big guns arranged against him. Se we can look forward to another four to eight years where both the Americans and British will lose sons, brothers and husbands in this useless and senseless array of battles around the world.

Glory is a bullet in the guts, or a bomb blast under the feet.

Glory is a mother grieving or a single parent struggling to raise her children.

I particularly like the little ditty which goes “If we weren’t over there bombing them, they wouldn’t be over there bombing us”.

Ampers.

“AM LESS OPTIMISTIC THAN JOHN DERBYSHIRE.  FRANKLY, THERE IS NOT MUCH OF A CONSTITUENCY IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY FOR LIMITED GOVERNMENT AT HOME AND ANTI-INTERVENTIONISM ABROAD. “

I agree completely.  There is not now, nor has there ever been any more than a tiny minority within the party of Lincoln who even give lip service to those ideals.  I will go a little further to state that there never will be more in the future than there is now.

“Possibly a candidate of ideas is too much for the distracted, over-stimulated, Britney-ogling, text-messaging, iPod-jiggling, TV-addled electorate to tolerate.”

“Why has the candidate not denounced the various nutso fringe groups—9/11 “Truthers,” anti-Semites, Stormfronters, and the like—who have been loud in support for Paul and who (according to my questioners) have in some cases made contributions to his campaign under their own banners?”

I find it both hilarious, (and instructive) that LewRockwell.com allows Mr. Theodoracopulos’ column here to be linked to his own site, when it was (now that we know) Rockwell himself, who wrote the ‘nusto fringe group’ comments for Congressman Paul back in the 1990’s, in what the Newsmedia tried to use as a cudgel of ‘smear Paul’ tactic, against him in the first place, when it looked like he might be taken seriously this time!

I clearly see Taki and Derbyshire trying to distance themselves from the very people who were behind Paul’s success, and who clearly do not get their news from the minority ethnic interests (who own three of the four News Networks, etc.)- those who are the greatest ‘haters’ out there![Matt.27:25]

While the first comment quoted above clearly delineates a drugged, reductio ad absurdum mindset, (Isserbyt and Gatto clearly have shown US Dept. of Education attempts at PURPOSEFULLY dumbing down an entire electorate, are real- and for which the primaries this term clearly corroborate the thesis) it is not the ‘sheeople’ that Taki and Derbyshire fear.

No, you guys fear (by distancing yourself via such comments above, while at the same time being ideologically tied -at the umbilical cord -via the Paul movement!) those who have the fundamental right as Anglo-Americans, to question EVERYTHING: including the charade of 9/11, ethnic involvement in the Neo-Con movement,(have you guys not read Heilbrunn’s book?) and continued ‘perpetual war for perpetual peace’- and for WHOSE interests? For that ‘sh***y little country,’ as a Brit had the candor to note....

This article of Derbyshire’s may scan well at first reading, but the underlying ‘Oh no, we’re not with them, WE’RE DIFFERENT’ mantra fails at the most crucial point.

If you are for Western Civ, if you are for the Founding Fathers, if you are for what once passed as Christendom, “Ya are, Blanche, Ya are!” and no amount of borrowing from the liberal’s ‘waffle-o-meter’ is going to hide the fact that, kicking and screaming, you are ideological brethren with the ‘nutso fringe group’s interests,’ from either the Neo-Cons (who never forgive, and never forget) or the vast ‘right-wing’ conspiracy that neo-pseudo Democrats like you guys fear, who will one day take back OUR country from the ‘xenos’ that have temporarily gotten the upper hand.

We are the genetic offspring of Marathon, of Magna Carta, of Concord and Lexington, and we view YOUR views as the only ‘nutso fringe group’ out there.

Trouble is, we never forget, either. Come the Revolution (this was just a warm up) how many of the ‘nutso fringe group’ are going to believe you had the country’s best interests at heart?

“Not I,” said the cow.

Orthodoxis ki thanatos!

I agree there are some aspects to the “National Question” that Dr. Paul might have better and more frequently addressed. That Mexican highway from Mexico to Canada, for example, and thr abominable North American Union, as well as NAFTA, should have been denounced vigorously in every speech. But I don’t think he should have devoted any more --or even as much--time as he did to the issue of illegal aliens. Toward the end of the New hampshire primary campaign, his ads here mentioned little else. It blurred the distinctivley pro-liberty message that Paul offered the nation. I like Ron Paul as Ron Paul. I liked him less running as Duncan Hunter.

While all of you guys bicker about details on if it would have been better this way or that way, the train is passing by. The Masters that be are watching in amusement mounted on the Main Street Media.. They throw some conflict here, some conflict there including tampering with the vote and everybody runs this way and that. Of course the Paul movement looks like a miracle. Of course it is positive. But one thing is certain, if you are satisfied with the success and think you can make it certain 4 or 8 years from now, you will be watching how the implacable will have taken all your Constitutional rights away and talking against the stooge in place will be a crime. History shows that when things go that far the return is even bloody. So? What to do? Certainly do not think that you will beat the system with what you Americans are used to doing…Advertising and putting up signs and blimps and rallies. That is the American way. Of course it is necessary, but the Masters will beat you at it. They have infinite means for that. You have to fight the war like those who did the real revolutions and resistance. HOUSE BY HOUSE. Now you still have the chance to do it peacefully. So turn your computers off 8 hours a day and step down from your soapboxes into the street. Visit one by one your neighbors just like Mary Kay, Amway, Tupperware are doing. You are 100.000 to 1.000.000 grassroots activists so activate one on one. Each of you get 10 converts and those ten each. If you know some math you know what raising something to the power of 10 can do. Tell them if they approve of the Iraq holocaust, show real numbers. Tell them that each family is indebted to the tune of 800.000 dollars with the 60 trillion debt, does that not mean their mortgage would be paid and that their children are losing that money before they start? Each “preacher” copy his own fact sheet and leave it behind for the converts to do the same.  Otherwise at the speed you are losing your rights your revolution will not be peaceful. Go Ron Paul.

This article raises an interesting question--how much longer will NR tolerate Derbyshire? Clearly a man cannot say the things he does (i.e. the truth) and remain in neo-con heaven for too long.

A “political revolution” is perhaps the biggest oxymoron of all.

It’s Mr. Van Oosbree to you, Mr. Pseudonym Capp! Private bankers are just the sort of speculators I had in mind when I criticized goldology. A government monopoly on money means that elected representatives could (theoretically) be held responsible by the electorate for monetary policy. The current system is almost accountability-free, run by the private banking elite whom we love so much.

Interesting article.  And many provocative and thoughtful replies.  I’m a slow cogitator, like to take my time and look at things from all sides. So no comment on the post itself or directly on any of the many comments. I just want to say that as much as I would like to see the destruction of the present party system, I think Dr. Paul made the right call in running as a Republican, and in seeing the campaign through as a Republican.  I think it is a huge misperception to see it as a matter of “party loyalty”.  Dr. Paul’s loyalty is (and everyone’s should be) to principles and to the Constitution, and no doubt his course of action is based on his assessment of the best way to serve those ideals.  Could he be wrong in that?  Yes.  but it’s too soon to tell.  I support him in beginning a great and daunting work and letting the actions and ramifications of his audacity play out.  His most urgent task is to retain his congressional seat (we would not have him at all if not for that, and if he should it we will all be damaged seriously).  We can continue to work on, as precinct leaders and canvassers and bloggers and donaters, keep on preparing ground and planting seeds.  Then, in early March (just over a couple of weeks from now), he can turn his full attention back to the presidential campaign and to ground that we will have gained for him.  We should play out the scenario that is evolving in front of us, make the most of it as it happens, and find ways to make use of unfolding events as they unfold, without getting distracted by wishes for expensive, rules-hindered, 3rd-party plans at this point.  I and thousands of others registered this election cycle as Republicans to be able to vote for Ron Paul and only for that.  We’ve been slapped in the face for our pains.  But many have become delegates and taken the first steps toward assuming leadership responsibilities in their precincts.  A good deal of this is going on under the radar, and we don’t know yet what effect it will have.  The Republican party is developing major fault lines and, one could hope, may soon self-destruct in its most recent incarnation.  It’s a long shot, but does not seem impossible that it could be transformed in a new incarnation.  If not, then there will come a time in the near future when the people who have coalesced as the Ron Paul Revolution may choose another vehicle for their fight.  But I believe that our eventual success depends heavily on remaining for the present solidly united behind the strategy that Dr. Paul has initiated, and devising new ways to work together and a structure that will support us into the unknown future.  We have seen how we have been marginalzed, and as bad as it is, it would be so much worse if we were under a third party banner. But that is just AT THIS POINT. If we execute the present strategy to our fullest ability and wait a while to see what it is that we’ve accomplished, then we will know if it’s the best path or if we need another.  And if we are forced to leave, we will have learned a lot of skills and made a network that we can take with us--as we pull down the Republican house behind us.

Since Keyes left the race I think of Ron Paul as the
only fit Commander-In-Chief since he’s the only one
who instinctively integrates ends and means.

I don’t mean here from a libertarian point of view.

I mean purely from a kick-ass point of view.

He’s the only safe pair of hands left in the race.

I hope all you Americans can make it to the
“Statesman Of The Epochs” Ten million man march.
Just a little idea he fielded about 11 hours ago.
Magnificent.

To those who have criticized Mr. Derbyshire’s support of Ron Paul I say don’t become what many fear you to be already.  A bunch of fringe nuts who are going to seek to determine if someones’s thoughts are pure enough for your movement.  He says that he supports Ron Paul and must take him at his word until he proves that he cannot be trusted. 

So much good has come out of Ron Paul’s run for the presidency.  I agree with Shawshank.  There is more work to be done within the Republican party.  A large part of the party has awakened to what happened to our ideals.  I find it so encouraging to look through my e-mail now and see people from the Ron Paul meetup posting articles about the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists.  What the government controlled schools failed to tell us the people are finding out on their own.  One thing we should have known is that the government controlled schools would never have given an unbiased account of our current predicament.  As far as history is concerned their job is propaganda dissemination and they do it well.  Uncer constant attack in this mind killing institution are the church, the family, and freedom.

One of the many good things to come out of the Ron Paul run is that the media are a huge part of the enemy.  They work tirelessly to keep people ignorant assuming that most won’t take the time to figure out what is happening to their freedoms.  One thing that has not been spoken of enough is that textbook publishers are also part of the mainstream media.  We know how the media have lied to us should we be surprised that they are lying to our children?

Regarding the hundreds of victims’ families, architects, engineers,
scientists, scholars, and other highly intelligent and pat
patriotic Americans who have examined the events of
9/11 and come to the conclusion that there are several
elements of the official story of 9/11 that do not
add up, and who has also demanded that the government
release the thousands of pieces of crucial evidence
about 9/11 that it has withheld from the public for
6+ years, why do you smear them and imply that they are a “hate
group”?

My take on Mr. Derbyshire is that he has a fairly clear picture of what’s coming a few decades down the road. The same is true of Pat Buchanan. Peak Conservatism has come and gone. Never again will conservatives control the Presidency, Congress, and Supreme Court. It’s all downhill from here because of changing demographics.

“say no to the middle-class”

Yea, that’s the problem. That
greedy middle class that feeds
both sides of the social spectrum
as well as themselves.
It’s always that ol’ devil the bourgeoisie
holding out on the prole and crowding
the aristocrats.
Gotta love those guys at NR.
They never let up.
Those poison pills just keep commin’.

“Practically all of that 11 percent would
come out of John McCain’s hide.”
That’s funny. Funny enough to make a fool
of myself chortling in the library.
empires at the end, usually transform into
agrarian societies. There will be no way to
continue funding the MSM if few companys have
the wherewithal to hire advertisers, so it
will all come to an end soon enough.

I was at a Ron Paul sign waving the day of the Nevada primary.  The guy next to me and I were holding a huge Ron Paul sign and we got to talking about the truthers. He let on that he is one and I stated that I didn’t see the harm in people wanting to know the truth about 9/11.  He was a quiet, young, thoughtfull ron Paul supporter.  He had no intention of recruiting me to join a group of fanatics he simply states that the truth regarding 9/11 has never been told.  Then we got to talking about other stuff like where we go to church and getting updates on Nevada.  Why ron Paul should be distancing himself from decent people who have anything but hatred in their hearts is beyond me.  We have come a long way from being a free country when someone can’t question an official government report without being slandered by the media as a nut and a fanatic.

When I replied, “Ron Paul,” to the question of “Who are you voting for?” I was immediately harangued for “throwing your vote away” on someone who is destined to lose.  Yet, I say, I was more than happy--no, I was ectstatic to “throw away” my vote to Ron Paul.  I would rather let my vote go to “waste” on a good, honest man, than to give it to any of the Statist-minded future dictators who are currently in the running for the Oval Office.  Long live liberty, and to hell with the rest of the mental midgets out there!

The way I see it, voting for anyone you don’t agree with, just because you think (s)he has a better chance of winning, is the real example of throwing your vote away. The lesser of 2 evils is still evil. I’m not saying Dr. Paul is perfect, but he comes a lot closer than any candidate in a long time.

@c matt:

You hit the nail on the head! Wish there was a “mod” system where one could vote comments up or down, like on Slashdot.

I agree with M. Nucci.  I would like for the author to emphasize that lumping in 9-11 truthers with the other politically incorrect “evil” groups was not his doing, but that of another.  I don’t buy the official government version of 9-11.  I believe that criminal elements of the federal government did carry out the attack.  Cui bono?  I would sure like to know more about what Mr. Derbyshire thinks about the 9-11 Commission report.  I love it when the feds investigate themselves and then decide that if they just had more power and money along with the citizenry relinquishing all their right, then things would be all better.

I’m not convinced about the 11% coming out of McCain’s vote.  I, for one, am not voting in this election since Ron Paul is no longer really running.  I figure that my time is worth about $20 an hour, and since it takes about an hour to vote (going to/from/ waiting in line, etc), the total comes to $20.  Ain’t worth it.

Let me expound on this further.  A lot of the people who have found Ron Paul haven’t found him because they are “Republican”, they have found him because of his anti-war , anti-big government and other “True-Conservative” stances.  You simply cannot apply this same logic in making a choice for McCain, Hillary or Obama, either for their past record or simply because they are creepy.  Therefore, what is the reason for voting?  To choose, yet again, for the lesser of two evils ?  Is that worth $20.  I say not.  Stay home.

To be elected you must have some appeal to the majority of Americans.  You won’t do that by rejecting people who have different beliefs than you and calling them nutso fringe types.  Paul supporters are called that for wanting to abolish the IRS and the FED.  There is nothing fringe about questioning the Bush administration’s official story about 9/11.

“The thing I am asked most often about the Paul campaign is: Why has the candidate not denounced the various nutso fringe groups—9/11
“Truthers,” anti-Semites, Stormfronters, and the
like—who have been loud in support for Paul”

He has at least twice denounced them that I’ve seen on TV.
Once in debate and once on CNN. The question I ask
to people that ask this question is:
Why do you support a candidate that has promised to
financially support a racist apartheid state like
Israel?

I find it amusing that John Derbyshire, who is an immigrant, is so opposed to...immigrants!

He seems to think only whites should qualify for US immigration!

WHITE Americans won’t stand for that in 2008! Ron Paul realized this, which is why he embraced MLK.

John Derbyshire; You are a joke!

GO BACK TO ENGLAND if you have such a problem with immigrants!

It’s not surprising that Derb doesn’t see any problem with Paul getting support from Truthers, White Supremacists, etc. Afterall, he gets HIS support from the fascist warmongering magazine for squirts, NRO.

Long life to Dr. Paul!  I voted for him when he ran on the Libertarian ticket back in the 80s, and hope that he continues in the House for many more years.

Dear John: a very good, well formulated and balanced piece of writing. Congratulations!
Of course certain people cannot differentiate between illegal immigration and legal immigration. This is a worldwide phenomenon. Dr. Paul - and yourself - is not ideology against immigration - especially in the US, being the land of immigration - but you have to regulate and act with illegal immigrations and given the economic realities the US face currently. If the country is on solid financial footing again, and open door policy could be followed again.

Let us hope McCain starts to lose his temper during the 3 man debate (later this month) already, which would make many question him and his leadership abilities. of course one can see he tries to smile his anger away, but he will have his limits, and one does not have to dig deep to reach it. There may also be the possibility of a brokered convention after all, if Huckabee and Paul can secure a substantial number of the delegates still to be elected. The economy may also affect the atmosphere, with only one candidate that really knows about this. There is also a strong discontent among conservatives, that may just vote for Paul due to an anti-war feeling, even though they may not agree with all aspects of Paul’s foreign policy. There is also the possibility that there are some stealth Ron Paul supporters that voted for the other candidates, in winner takes all states in order to become a delegate. I do not think many Romney delegates will necessarily vote for McCain given the negative campaign history, re. his religion etc.) and the anti-war vote that McCain received, may well not vote for him in the presence of the anti-war candidate, the prince of peace and king of reason: Ron Paul

As to those that criticize Paul and Derbyshire about not returning money from only a few white supremacists (note than Don Black did contribute to George Bush in 2000 and even demonstrated for him, and nobody objected? while Dr. Paul did not support Bush) , is Dr. Paul and his campaign supposed to research all the contributers on the internet or call them to enquire where they belong to any of the fringe groups? Get real!
Also think if you find anything white supremacist, neonazi, 911 truth etc in his policy and message? I did not think so, actually rather the opposite. Dr. Paul understand the meaning of freedom of speech, classical liberalism, and one can rather tolerate these people as people (not their ideas) and show them positive the right way, set an example and get them to meet other Ron Paul supporters, and the chances are good they would not feel pushed out and see the other side of the story, broaden their horizon and change. Or do the PC proponents want these people to hold their “evil views” forever and never change? As a christian - as Dr. Paul also is, one or two of his brothers are pastors and he wanted to study it himself - one knows everybody is a sinner
and no one should be so arrogant as to think he/she does not have any weaknesses and mistakes (sins). The PC correct people must also critically ask themselves how morally acceptable it is that many of the voters indirectly contributed to the death of innocent people in Iraq (for instance), by being part of voting for politicians and also funding the government with their taxes. If they want to compare (sins are “equal”: how does the utter of a racist word compare to the killing or lifelong physical and emotional injuring of an innocent victim? In war, the truth is often the first casualty!

BTW: Dr. Paul has received a positive testament from a NAACP president in Austin TX, who knows him since many years and no one has ever heard him making any racist comments in the slightest. He has cared for people of all backgrounds and walks of life, sometimes even for free.
And how is it that a candidate who uttered anti-Semitic words (Hillary CLinton), whose church has connections to an extremist group (monsieur Louis Farrakhan, candidate Obama) or have spoken some derogatory words towards Asians and Arab-Muslim women (McCain) - by the same measure - be even allowed to be considered a viable candidate for the presidency? As they say, it lets one think…

----My take on Mr. Derbyshire is that he has a fairly clear picture of what’s coming a few decades down the road. The same is true of Pat Buchanan. Peak Conservatism has come and gone. Never again will conservatives control the Presidency, Congress, and Supreme Court. It’s all downhill from here because of changing demographics----

You have Iranians on your side.  I’m 100% determined to get someone like Ron Paul into power, I just hope it doesn’t happen too late.

Dr. Ron Paul has awakened a spirit of freedom in America. but this is only the beginning. If he quits now, so will his spirit.
Above all, the USA needs to have the elite leadership of the CFR, like Rockefeller and Kisinger and their Goal of world Socialist dictatorship and the North American Union Exposed, along with Bush and his Daddy who are promoting it, or the USA be be no longer. Pray for it may happen!