Ron Paul...why the adulation?

I consider myself a realist. A busy one at that.

So, while I try to stay informed on the most crucial presidential election of my short life, I haven't had much time for anything irrelevant. Outsiders looking in need not apply.

Which means, more or less, I've missed the Ron Paul train.

Sure, every election has fringe candidates with no shot of winning. But I've never encountered one with such a loud minority of supporters. Every time I open my paper's Letters to the Editor page...Ron Paul. I can't commute without seeing cars adorned with Ron Paul stickers. My hometown is tattooed with strategically-placed Ron Paul signs...which his supporters had better goddamn well pick up with the same fervor with which they've planted them.

Could anyone explain to me what this guy's gimmick is, especially considering that he's not going anywhere? Do Republicans see this guy as Democrats see Ralph Nader (I guess not, since he is on the party ticket?)

It strikes me as pretty irrational to support a guy with no shot, but Ron Paul's supporters seem to be unmatched in their passion. I just haven't paid any attention to him, so I guess I'm curious why he inspires such devotion.

 

The problem with Paul is he's a free trade guy who has voted against every possible free-trade agreement he's come across.

Also, he didn't wrap himself in glory in explaining why he should accept donations from the KKK.

 

I KNEW IT!

There HAD to be a drug angle. Forgive the cynnicism, but when I see passionate support for an outside figure, and when much of that support is coming from the college-age crowd (like it is here), there almost always is a drug angle.

 

He's been a gadfly in Washington for 14 years, mostly dissenting from just about anything popular. He's pretty accomplished nothing.

So folks some that are probably a few mashed potatoes shy of a decent dinner buffet believe that making him president will save the world.

 

And now even though his presidential bid has waned, is he remaining in the race strictly to keep his name in the national spotlight (albeit dim) as he's also trying to keep his House seat in Texas? Will Paul announce his presidential race withdrawal now or wait until Texas votes?

 

Citizens who think think that the country can do better than $600 Wal-Mart gift cards (underwritten by China) as an economic policy are ga-ga for him. From what I've read on the BLOGS!, people love him for being the ONLY politician who doesn't speak nonsense or bullshit as to where this country is headed economically.

 

And yet all of his supporters apparently expect the gubment to clean up all of their campaign detrius they've so thoughtfully left on the public right of ways.

 

What does that mean?

 

That all the pie-in-the-sky libertarian daydreamers who don't want to pay for government to do much of anything had damn well better clean up their own mess instead of pushing it off on the Public Works department that they would dream out of existence during their high-hat bull sessions.

 

*rolls eyes* at petty, petty, petty arguments that divert attention from real issues that people have no interest in debating or even informing themselves about.

Read Ragu's post again. It'd be a good start.