So I got this email from a friend:

DailyKos founder Markos Moulitsas asked us to forward this message to everyone
we know in Michigan. If you’d like to comment on this plan, visit:
Dear Michigan Friend,

We’re not going to beat around the Bush. If you want to help make mischief for
the Republican Party - and bolster the Democrats’ chances for taking the White
House this November - read on!

Are you a Democrat or independent registered to vote in Michigan? If you are,
vote for Mitt Romney in the Republican primary on Tuesday, January 15th!

Do you know any Democrats or independents in Michigan? If yo u do, encourage them
to vote for Mitt Romney in the Republican primary on Tuesday, January 15th!

…

To which I sent this reply:  Read more 

Congressman Ron Paul is running on the wonderful ideal of “liberty.” And who among us would not like more liberty? – The freedom to choose any personal path, freedom to do whatever it is that sparks our fancy. We’d be free of governmental impediments; who needs all these laws anyway?

The problem is, that when I gain the liberty to do X you necessarily gain the liberty to do Y. And what if X and Y are philosophically or practically in conflict if not incongruous?  Read more 

Who Would Jesus Vote For? has ten reasons not to vote for quasi-indie darling Ron Paul.

A lot of things are more or less a ’done deal’ at this point; I’m not counting on environmental or economic conditions to be stable, let alone the political or cultural environment. So the imperative for me is about trying to reduce the chances of the “very, very bad” conclusion of this part of the cycle of American history. I’ve had enough of theocracy and government surveillance.

Xan noticed some signs. I have too.  Read more 

Making my final liquor run of the year (note to readers: if alcohol is one of your favorite food groups, check out the local laws on sale of same before moving to a new residence even if it is very cheap) takes me to a town called Paris. Paris Tennessee that is. Seat of Henry County, which y’all have most likely never heard of either, for excellent reason.

At any rate I come into town and at the light (second of three) on the main drag I see people waving signs. This is the FIRST such demonstration I have ever seen in TN, although I have read about others.

Group of about 8 people. Young, mostly 20s-30s range as best I could tell; maybe 5 males to 3 females; all white. The signs are high quality professionally done productions of various sizes.

Promoting Ron Paul.  Read more 

Now that Governor Mitt Romney has given his speech on his much maligned (by the generic Republican voter) fault - Mormonism, might I suggest some topics for the other Republican candidates?

Rudy Giuliani: Fidelity

Fred Thompson: Narcolepsy

Tom Tancredo: Xenophobia

John McCain: Anger Managment

Duncan Hunter: Obscurity

Ron Paul: Over Simplicity

Mike Huckabee: Rapture Ministry

What a great field of candidates they have!

Either way, Paul and the Paultards have a problem. Let me explain:  Read more 

[Welcome, readers of the Ron Paul forums. We haven’t posted a lot on Paul, but FWIW, here is the complete oeuvre.]

Rep. Paul is reputed to be such a strict religious fundamentalist that he doesn’t ever travel alone with a woman other than his wife. So at first it may have come as a shock to see Bunny Ranch brothel [Warning! Sooo NSFW] owner Dennis Hof show up for the campaign stop in Reno yesterday, accompanied by working girls “Brooke Taylor” and “Air Force Amy”. According to Anjeanette Damon of RGJ.com, Paul recovered and gave such a convincing speech that Hof is now a convert:

“Makes a lot of sense, doesn’t he?”

“I’ll do it today,” he said. “I’ll get all the Bunnies together and we can raise him some money. I’ll put up a collection box outside the door. They can drop in $1 dollar, $5 dollar contributions. What a great way for the working girls to support Ron Paul. It’s just the right thing to do.”

A strict Christian receiving contributions from prostitutes and johns, collected at a brothel? Can that possibly be morally acceptable?  Read more 

Too, too delicious! Congressional Quarterly politics:  Read more 

And to think I thought I coined Paultard. But no. Feel the Parltardism:

[paultard]
He is like the rain. He falls down from the sky and renews the world.

Ron Paul is the truest form of a patriot. A grand person of unlimited power. He shall redeem the human race for he is like the lord. Humble yet powerful.

Yet he seeks not violence against those that oppose him. Only understanding. He loves you much like we love him. He is in fact love itself. He shall bring down from the sky a new age. An age of peace and prosperity. He shall hold hands with the rich and poor alike and they shall rejoice. They shall rejoice for Ron Paul only has their interests in mind.

Ron Paul shall bring forth many things as spoken of in the prophecy. He shall abolish the evils of the federal reserve. He shall teach us to love again. He shall teach us the way of the dragon.
Much like the internet he has unlimited potential. He once killed a bear with his bare hands and brought it back to life to teach us a valuble lesson about something. Also he is psychic. He once ate a gigantic burrito in a minute flat and then never farted even once in the same room as others. He takes that sacrifice for us. He understands and protects us. One time my father touched me. And Ron Paul has many names. Jesus, Ron Paul, Xenu, L Ron Hubbard, Henry Winkler. Behold his power and be in awe for he shall show you the way to true happiness.

Sometimes I eat many different things but the thing I eat the most is humble pie. Humble pie served by Ron Paul. For he teaches me to be humble and to protect the constitution.

Ron Paul is the defender of space. He is our dear leader and he shall not be forgotten. It is said that one day he shall enter a new realm. A realm of bliss and brilliant lights. Yet he shall not remain. For it is we that he is sent to defend. Nothing shall stop him in his goal. Vote for Ron Paul 2008.
[/paultard]

I especially like “Ron Paul is the defender of space.”  Read more 

I suppose it’s unfair to overly associate a man with each and every supporter, but at the same time, one has to ask why these fine and upstanding White Supremacists chose him. I’ll let them explain in their own words:

via Heywood

“Once in a great while a presidential candidate is presented to us. A candidate who not only speaks to us, but for us…I am supporting Ron Paul in his run for the presidency,” the Stormfront endorsement says. The endorsement praises Paul’s plans to reduce taxes, close the borders and eliminate trade deals, such as NAFTA.

“Whatever organization you belong to, remember first and foremost that you are a white nationalist,” the endorsement continues. “Put your differences with one and other aside and work together. Work together to strive to get someone in the Oval Office who agrees with much of what we want for our future. Look at the man. Look at the issues. Look at our future. Vote for Ron Paul 2008.”  Read more 

If Paul thinks Corporations are persons, then so much for his Constitutionalist credentials; show me in the Constitution where it says that.*

Worse, when Paul and the Paultards make Grover Norquist look like a moderate, and get rid of the Federal government entirely, there’ll be nobody to stand up to corporate power at all. (Read Neil Stephensen’s Snow Crash if you want a picture of that world. Wonderful fiction, but the world under Bush is already fictional enough for me. I don’t an extra layer of ‘tard fiction on top of it all.)

So, that’s the real litmus test for Ron Paul: Where does Ron Paul stand on corporate personhood?  Read more 

Genius like farmer’s deserves to be front-paged:

In a mixing bowl:

1. Combine one cup of Pat Buchanan and one cup of Grover Norguist, whip to a high peak.

2. Mix equal parts church and state and whisk until thoroughly blended.

3. Pour mixture into the chilled bleached skull of a trade unionist; garnish with red white and blue sprinkles and a shiny gold coin.

Serve with White Nationalist Crackers (supply-sider up), and a thick slice of Strict Constructionist Cheese.

Makes an excellent accompaniment to any hot homemade Chicago Boys Dirty War Chili. (very popular in Latin America back in the 70’s).

Please, sir, I want some more!  Read more 

Go read Glenn.  Read more 

Yikes.

Listening, Beltway Dems? And you, Hillary, especially?  Read more 

I know, I know- my smart friends keep telling me to ignore what I perceive to be a Republican revolt, and an upswell of “libertarianism” in that party. OK, I’m probably wrong. But then there is this thread. It probably means nothing. And yet- on a recent drive thru this state, going up north to the country, what did I see? A lot of poverty, and misery. And, a lot of signs. For one guy, and no one else. That guy was Ron Paul.

I am not a Paul supporter. But I keep talking about him, and his flunkies, because I know them to be like me. That is, lost, and forgotten, and without a real party or representation. I think they are confused about reality, but they likely think the same of me, and in the end, we all understand that we have more in common with each other than we do with our “leaders” in either party.  Read more 

Just too precious. And it couldn’t happen to a nicer bunch of sociopathic authoritarian followers.  Read more 

To spare the rest of you the horror of watching the Republican Debate of last night, I took the time (in small doses) to do so.

[I had to request Lambert’s “hon” to pass me the bucket on numerous occasions]

In true Fox “News” style - we decided, and they failed to report.  Read more 

No, I’m not going to do it. But we seem to get not a few of his supporters around here, so I’m curious. Why do you like him so much, and what makes him better/different than your other Republican choices? Ron Paul’s official site. I know a little bit about him and I’ve said in the past that of all the Republican candidates, he seems the least evil. My mind is open, and if you think you can make a good case for him, I want to hear it.

With the trendiness of the Ron Paul candidacy, I’m moved to share my thoughts about libertarianism.  Read more 

Jesus I hate the SCLM. This moron is emblematic of everything that is wrong with the press corps here. Ron Paul running for president? No way, Heather! My "college roomate smoked pot with him," and anyway, he's not a "superstar" like my BFF St. Straight Flopper. …bah. Snark is hard for me today, so instead, I'll remind those towering intellects over at ABC that Mr. Paul has made fools of those who predicted his loss before. Wiki cause I'm too lazy to look all this up myself:

In 1996, Paul was again elected to the House as a Republican. Mainstream Republican Party figures backed the incumbent, Greg Laughlin, a Democratic representative who had switched parties in the wake of the Republican takeover of Congress. Laughlin attempted to portray Paul's views as extreme and eccentric, but Paul won the primary and went on to win the general election.  Read more