Dr. Ron Paul, the long shot Republican candidate for the presidency will be campaigning today in Louisiana. Paul is visiting Shreveport, Baton Rouge and Kenner, making a campaign swing in advance of the GOP caucuses tomorrow. Paul is the only Republican candidate to visit the state in advance of the caucuses.
Tomorrow caucuses will be held at 11 sites across the state. Hundreds of GOP activists have signed up to run for delegate and alternate positions. The caucuses will have a very limited turnout, which should benefit a candidate with a very committed base of supporters, like Dr. Paul. According to one Louisiana GOP insider, the Paul campaign submitted a list of 160 candidates to run for delegate positions. If they can motivate a large number of Republican voters to participate in the caucuses, then Paul may do very well in Louisiana, which is a conservative state that should be fertile territory for a strict conservative like Dr. Paul.
Paul has all but admitted that he has no chance to win the nomination, but is running to continue his movement and try to influence the debate. Throughout the country, Paul has a network of very committed supporters, who have raised millions for his campaign. Paul is trying to replicate his success in the Nevada caucuses where he finished second, his best finish so far. Paul is a staunch libertarian who believes in free trade, limited government and a return of our troops from Iraq. Paul also believes that the nation should return to the gold standard so that the U.S. dollar has real value once again.
The GOP caucuses have been criticized by some observers because of the limited number of people who will participate. With only 11 caucus sites across the state, the number of participating will be only a fraction of the total number of Republican voters in Louisiana.
In addition, the delegate winners will then have to attend a state convention where the actual delegates to the national convention will be elected. What is interesting about the Louisiana process is that all of the delegates will be sent to the convention as uncommitted, which could increase the clout of our delegation in the case of a brokered convention. The entire bloc of Louisiana delegates will go to the convention listed as uncommitted unless a candidate receives over 50% of the vote in the February 9th GOP primary. If no candidate receives 50% of the vote on February 9th then the primary will have serve no real purpose as far as sending delegates to the convention. The real action takes place at the caucuses and the state convention.
Several months ago, almost no one thought that a brokered convention was possible. Today, with six major candidates still in the race for the GOP nomination, many astute observers believe that there very well could be a brokered convention. If that occurs, then the Louisiana Republican Party’s plan to send uncommitted delegates to the convention will be viewed as nothing short of genius.
Jeff Crouere is a native of New Orleans, LA and he is the host of a Louisiana based program, “Ringside Politics,” which airs at 8:30 p.m. Fri. and 10:00 p.m. Sun. on WLAE-TV 32, a PBS station, and 8 a.m. till Noon weekdays on WGSO 990 AM in New Orleans and the Northshore. For more information, visit his web site at www.ringsidepolitics.com. E-mail him at jeff@ringsidepolitics.com.
Professor - Have you, in fact, investigated any of Ron Paul's positions by reading his campaign website or statements in Congress?
http://www.ronpaul2008.com/issues/health-care/
* Making all medical expenses tax deductible.
* Eliminating federal regulations that discourage small businesses from providing coverage.
* Giving doctors the freedom to collectively negotiate with insurance companies and drive down the cost of medical care.
* Making every American eligible for a Health Savings Account (HSA), and removing the requirement that individuals must obtain a high-deductible insurance policy before opening an HSA.
* Reform licensure requirements so that pharmacists and nurses can perform some basic functions to increase access to care and lower costs.
By removing federal regulations, encouraging competition, and presenting real choices, we can make our health care system the envy of the world once again. Written by DanPatrick
on 1/23/2008
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If the people of the USA do not elect RON PAUL we are just plain screwed. The constitution will be toast. Your rights will be nonexistant. Our money won't be worth squat. And criminals will be running our goverment, like they are now.
I was watching the TV to see who won the louisiana caucus and a commercial came on saying that florida primarys was a contest between Mac,Huck,Rom,and Julie...like RON PAUL did not exist...even if you don't like Paul...you are being cheated and lied to by omission and that is not right. Free people if given correct information WILL make the right decision so ask yourself WHY you being lied to...WHAT IS SO SCARY ABOUT THE PEOPLE CHOOSING THE PRESIDENT or maybe you just like being told who to vote for...so VOTE FOR RON PAUL. Written by lono1
on 1/23/2008
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There are many of us, Children of Veterans, who are supporting Dr. Ron Paul for Pres!
Thank you, sweet JESUS, for a straight-talking man!
www.dovv.net Written by Daughters of Vietnam Veterans
on 1/23/2008
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While it would be nice to have a brokered GOP convention it still is extremely unlikely. McCain and Romney have won most of the contests so far. Thompson and Giuliani are facing elimination in Florida. Huckabee has to start winning again or he will be gone too. The process used by the Louisiana GOP is a joke. It's extremely undemocratic. Don't they trust Louisiana's Republican voters? Written by David Quidd
on 1/22/2008
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OMFG - I can't believe how much high-level, feel-good ideals are being quoted here! "Ron Paul wants to strip the top 1% of the top 1% and give back to the middle class." Jeez - who's gonna argue with that? But, how is he going to do it? I hear "return to the Gold standard". OK, what effect is that going to have? Give me numbers. Tell me that will move $XX billion from Point A to Point B. Then, back up that with facts. Like I've said, Ron Paul (as is true with most fringe candidates) has no real nuts-and-bolts plans. He's a physician by training, right? He even practiced medicine for years before entering politics. This says that he should be a leading advocate of re-tooling out health care system, since he's a health care professional. However, he's got NO PLAN for health care! So, he can't even be bothered to come up with a concrete plan for that which he (supposedly) is most knowledgeable. And, he wants me to trust that he's got a plan for the economy? Yeah right - I'm gonna place that trust in him! And monkey's might fly outta my butt!! Written by Professor
on 1/22/2008
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J Smith, believe me, the Democrats are a constant disappointment for me, and I know the entire two-party system has been corrupted by corporate money and lobbyists. That having been said, the major take-home lesson of the last eight years is that there IS a big difference between the Republicans and the Democrats, and the former are far worse than the latter. This notion that there isn't much difference between the parties is patently false. Until we have a viable multi-party system, and/or until the Democrats and Republicans shift to the left, I guess I'll have to continue to vote for Democrats. There's less sh*t on that sh*t sandwich. TW Written by Tee Dub
on 1/21/2008
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"Paul has all but admitted that he has no chance to win the nomination, but is running to continue his movement and try to influence the debate"
Where has he " all but admitted" this? I have followed his campaign interviews. I have never heard him say anthing close. Please state your source.
RE:Gold Standard,30% Sales Tax, and more from Tee Dub post...
Ron Paul is and advocate of competing currencies and a non fiat monetary system. It may be gold, silver or anything someone chooses. It would not be paper being continuously printed without any backing....that is fraud. It is a big reason why the top 1% of 1% continue to get richer while the poor and middle class stay the same and/or degrade in their respective finacial positions. He does not advocate a 30% sales tax. A non-interventionist foreign policy would save us trillions of dollars which would enable us to rid ourselves of the highly oppressive income tax.
"No, the problem is not the government - it's the philosophy of the people in charge that's the problem - we need new people in office who want government to work for ALL the people - not just the wealthiest 1%!" WRONG Do you really think things will change with Obama, Hillary, McCain? NO. The only change that will take place is the further usurpation of our civil liberties coupled with more debt. The mainstream media candidates are the Washington insiders. A vote for them is a vote for a third term of GW Bush. Don't believe me. Look at the source of their fundraising. PACS , lobyists, special interests. Ron Paul's average donation per person is around $100. These aren't millionaires donating, just people who yearn for more freedom from the oppressive federal government. Written by J Smith
on 1/21/2008
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Remember John McCain and the “Keating Five” (Of the Savings & Loan Fame)
Here’s what the “National Review” has written about their fellow Republican
http://www.nationalreview.com/contributors/levin040501.shtml
Tax payer cost 3.5 Billion
Written by CHRIS LILLY
on 1/21/2008
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Dr. Paul is the only republican candidate other than to some extent Mike Huckabee, who understands that upwards of 70 percent of the American electorate believes that the country is on the wrong path and has been on the wrong path for years. The president is at 32 percent popularity and has been in the 30's most of his second term--he is now the most unpopular president for the longest period time since polling began 70 years ago. The other republican candidates offer more Bush-lite which will lead to further slaughter and carnage for republicans at the polls as it did in November of 2006. American voters are fed up with this administration's failed, myopic foreign policy in Iraq, Katrina, out of control spending, the federal government drowning in red ink when the budget was in the black when Bush took office, etc. Ron Paul gets it. If the republican party does not start getting it, they are destined to be the minority party for decades. What the majority of American voters want is the antithesis of Bush, not more Bush-lite. Written by Randall
on 1/21/2008
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Dr. Paul is the only candidate that represents the interests of the Americna people and the Constitution. Many say some of his particular ideas are kooky, like a return to the gold standard. America was on the gold standard until 1972 when no less a trustworthy person as Nixon removed it. The economy functioned very well, in fact the middle class had the greatest percentage of wealth they ever had. Once the Fed could manipulate the money supply what happened we now have the greatest disparity between the rich and poor ever. No income tax, is that kooky? The goverment itself say no income tax in 2007 would still leave the government with the same amount of revenue they had in 1995, did the goverment have enough revenue then? I say still too much of our money to waste on unconstitutional spending.
The Democrats and the Republicans are just puppets of the rich ruling class of America, they have raped the people and the Constitution and are destroying this country by thier greed and arrogance. We need the Ron Paul Revolution, it is 1776 all over again.
Written by Don
on 1/21/2008
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Ron Paul's message is resonating because as a Doctor he has the correct diagnosis of the Empire's problem. You can disagree about the details, such as whether or not to return to the gold standard, but at least Dr. Paul identifies the problem correctly. There can be no market-based solutions as long as the U.S. Central Bank is ultimately controlling who gets their federal reserve notes and controlling what their value will be at any given time. Dr. Paul, please keep up the fight to take our country back from the plutocrats and robber barons who run it! Written by R. E. Lee
on 1/21/2008
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Other than the "longshot candidate" remark at the beginning of this article...thank you for being fair. If the MSM followed your lead I am sure that Dr. Paul too would be in the lead. It sickens me to see what has become of our once great nation. If you look deep in the issues and the recent past you will see that the only peaceful way to restore our republic is through electing Ron Paul or someone who supports his views. Thank you once again.
Kenny H.
Ausin, TX Written by Kenny
on 1/21/2008
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Hey roland, my bad on the 30% sales tax. That was Huckabee's most recent bird-brained idea. Sorry about that! And Dave, I remain a believer in the ability of government to do good. I think the programs Roosevelt put in place in the 1930s did this country a world of good - much of our infrastructure was built by the WPA, etc. I also think the Brits got it right when they realized that they had their highest employment during WWII, and that if they could translate that wartime energy into generating peaceful economic prosperity. They gave their citizens some of the best healthcare in the world. We spend way too much of our GNP on weapons, weapons systems, and fighting wars under false pretenses. At least with regard to the last of those things, I'm on Ron Paul's side. TW Written by Tee Dub
on 1/21/2008
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hey teedub, ron paul is against the income tax and flat tax. he isn't going to replace the income tax with another one because he believes(as do many others) that the government is not intitled to the money you work for. he is against the taxes on tips workers get also. the gold standard is safer than the current fiat money system we have in protecting you and i from paying inflated prices on stuff like food, clothes, and gas. most people don't even know that the federal reserve is in control of the inflation/deflation of the dollar, even Greenspan himself has said they are the trusted to track inflation and are also the one's causing it. how convenient. as a matter of fact; every bill printed by the fed costs 4 cents to make, $1 bill costs fed 4 cents, $100,000 bill costs fed 4 cents. the fed charges interest to the government for printing every bill. let's say they charge 5% on the FACE VALUE of each bill printed; they charge the gov. 5 cents for a $1 bill, 50 cents on a $10 bill, $5 for a $100 bill, etc. the gov. requests billions of dollars at a time, imagine what kind of interest that is. we are indebted TRILLIONS right now and all the other candidates are flat out saying we need more. keep in mind, the gov. does not have it's own money, it's OUR money. they take it thru taxes. our money gets printed by the federal reserve (which is a PRIVATE bank made up of 12 PRIVATE banks) which gets requested by the gov. for a small fee of interest. the income tax does not go to helping us after katrina and things of that nature, they do not pave roads, and they do not keep the sky from falling..all they pay is the interest to the fed. i know for a fact that if the general public knew these things they would have ron paul in the white hous in nov. he is the ONLY on that is willing to stick his neck out for us, our families and our country. please research what fiat money is (we're using it now), look up AFTF, and inform yourselves about monetary policies. see why the dollar must be backed by something solid. don't for get the golden rule...
not bashing anybody, actually i like teedubs passion for what he believes. we need more people like that. Written by roland
on 1/21/2008
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Tee Dub:
It has been shown through out history that power corrupts. The whole point of the Constitution is the limit the huge potential power the federal government. It is easy to simply blame faceless bureaucrats and politicians for our current state of affairs, and they do bear much of the blame. But blame also rests with those who expect Washington DC to solve every problem under the sun. If the public demanded that Congress abide by the Constitution and pass only constitutional spending bills, politicians would have no choice but to respond.
Everybody seems to agree that government waste is rampant and spending should be cut—but not when it comes to their communities or pet projects. So members of Congress have every incentive to support spending bills and adopt a go-along, get-along attitude.
Our basic problem is that we have lost sight of the simple premise that guided the actions of our founding fathers. That premise? The government that governs least is the government that governs best.
When we cut the size of government, our taxes will fall. When we reduce the power of the federal bureaucracy, the cost of government will plummet. And when we firmly fix our eyes, undistracted, on the principles of liberty, Americans truly will be free. Written by Dave
on 1/21/2008
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May not win the Republican nomination, but we wil do everything we can to convince Ron Paul to stay in the race to win the Presidency. We are highly motivated because we realize the dire need, conditions are going to get everyone's attention soon enough to make his message perfectly clear, maybe not for "Faux Noise", but we realize that we are going to have to do this without their "fair and balanced" reporting. Written by Scott M.
on 1/21/2008
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The gold standard?!?!?! And people take this guy seriously? Doesn't he also advocate a 30% sales tax instead of an income tax? Can you say "BLACK MARKET?" Not to mention all those racist mailings his office produced for years - if he were truly ignorant of what those racist newletters sent out in his name said, then he's unfit to be President. Period. The guy seems fairly honest, I'll give him that, but he's got a lot of negatives in my book. And in response to Jim - no, no, no - we absolutely need a centralized federal government - the lesson from Katrina is that we have an Administration in Washington who thinks government is the enemy (wasn't that Ronnie's line?) - or acts as if it's a place to give jobs to your cronies (e.g., Michael Brown) and/or give fat no-bid contracts to your friends and relatives (Halliburton). No, the problem is not the government - it's the philosophy of the people in charge that's the problem - we need new people in office who want government to work for ALL the people - not just the wealthiest 1%! TW Written by Tee Dub
on 1/21/2008
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One of the fundamental things about Ron Paul's movement is the amount of grassroots money he raises-without trying. We're in the middle of one of these "money bombs" right now. At the time of this writing the tally is close to a million dollars.
I think why this is important to Louisiana is that given a choice, people step up with help. If we weren't burdened by so many taxes, we would step up much, much more.
The large central government wasn't the answer in the aftermath of Katrina, and it isn't the answer now. Which is better, I send disaster relief $100 directly to the affected community, or I send my tax money to Washington where maybe a couple of bucks makes back to help? This is the message. We CAN be the America of freedom, liberty, prosperity, AND PEACE. Please look into Ron Paul, you might like what you see. Written by Jim
on 1/21/2008
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Dr. Ron Paul, the long shot Republican candidate for the presidency will be campaigning today in 
