Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich just can't get respect

LAS VEGAS -- As our colleague and Las Vegas Bureau chief Ashley Powers points out, you're nobody in Vegas until you get used in a promotion.

The Las Vegas Motor Speedway says it will refund the purchase price for the first customers each day with presidential surnames who buy passes to its Neon Garage zone for the Nascar weekend coming at at the end of February.

But like debate sponsors, they have a cutoff point. If your last name is Clinton, Edwards, Obama, Giuliani, Huckabee, McCain, Romney or Thompson, you're eligible. If you're a Kucinich or a Paul, forget about it.

But at least Dennis Kucinich got a mention in the release. Ron Paul's name was nowhere to be found.

"We gave strong consideration to anyone named 0Kucinich," said Chris Powell, the track's general manager. "But the poor showing of Dennis Kucinich in both Iowa and New Hampshire simply made that impossible."

The Neon Garage is billed as an entertainment center at the track, giving fans access to drivers and racing teams and the occasional celebrity. The promotion ends with the caucuses on Saturday

Oh, and the candidates themselves can get the refund just for showing up. Couldn't hurt to do it -- especially for those trying to campaign in South Carolina too.

-- Scott Martelle

Comments

[tim]

If only. If only I had the money to purchase American media outlets and promotional like your story. I could enjoy the hypocrite blackballing of other presidential candidates running for president. Ron Paul campaign should receive a Nobel Prize for doing so good in the elections considering the willful blackout in media.

[Dave]

If you want to know why Ron Paul can't get respect look at what the Federal Reserve would loose if he were to become president:

"All the perplexities, confusion and distress in America arise, not from defects of the Constitution or Confederation; not from any want of honor or virtue, as much as downright ignorance of the nature of coin, credit and circulation." John Adams wrote to Thomas Jefferson in 1797.

Today, two hundred years later, his statement still holds true. And because of this the United Stats has allowed and continues to allow the Federal Reserve, a paper corporation, to control the flow of money; making it tight and creating unemployment or printing more and creates inflation.

Article I, Section 8, Clause 5 of the United States Constitution states that the Congress shall have the power to coin money and regulate the value thereof and of any foreign coins. As you may know, this is not the case anymore. The United States government has no power to issue money, control the flow of money, or to even distribute it; that belongs to a private corporation registered in the State of Delaware, the Federal Reserve Bank, created by Congress in 1913.

Even though Congress created this monster, former presidents Jefferson and Jackson believed, just as Ron Paul does, a central bank is not only unconstitutional but also causes inflation by printing money with no backing causing US citizens to issue T-bills to support the created money. Unfortunately it is our children that pay for the treasury bills we issue to prop up the markets. Any money the Fed releases to "curb market jitters over sub-prime woes" is a tax on unborn children who will be paying the interest on the debt we have accrued.

When the Fed injects more money into the system, then you have more money chasing the same number of goods which causes inflation. Inflation exists from the uneven change in the volume of money, say, when it is printed and given to a defense contractor. For the moment the contractor's suppliers do not realize the money volume has changed, the recipient of the printed money experiences increased purchasing power. The workers end up receiving the wage in old money, but then are faced with prices in the new money after the vendors adjust to the new money supply. Inflation is the enemy of our prosperity as it causes the cost of living to go up faster than the pay increase for the large majority of people.

Generations ago it was free for citizens to turn their gold and silver into money, which increased the money supply as a wealth to the people. Now dollars are created out of thin air and loaned into circulation as debt against future production, not exchanged into circulation as production performed. Money has been switched from an evidence of wealth to an evidence of debt. The whole principle and function of money has been switched.

Thomas Jefferson was concise in his early warning to the American nation, "If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issuance of their currency, first by inflation and then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around them will deprive the people of all their property until their children will wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered."

Back in 1963, then president John Kennedy wanted an end to the Federal Reserve System and with a simple stroke of the pen he ordered the U.S. government to restore its Constitutional mandate of controlling the money. President Kennedy was dead three weeks later. When President Lyndon Johnson took office, he immediately rescinded Kennedy's order and the Federal Reserve won another round.

Slavery is the price of ignorance.

[DenisL]

We each seem to have our own major issue(s) that make their choice for President seem like the best one. My question is: Would someone tell me why we should NOT elect Ron Paul?

The rest, with Richardson out and Kucinich low in the polls, seem to be talking crazy talk about our military adventures in the Middle East. Additionally, no one else seems to understand the problems with the economy, inflation, and out of control deficit spending. Inflation is going to eat us alive, as it has already started to do so. Do you really believe that the REAL inflation rate last year, the rate that was used by the government for Social Security check increases this month, was 2.3%? Just look at the price of gold up 30% in 2007, now at an all time high and getting higher!

One can not talk about tax cuts without ALSO talking about cutting spending. We have a $9 trillion debt (nearly double since 2000) that must be paid so we can afford Social Security and Medicare. The interest payments will go sky high when we begin to fight inflation with higher Federal Reserve bank rates.

And we must stop inflation or everyone's life savings will go down the tubes, along with the middle class, like what has happened to the middle class in most countries south of our border. And do not forget National Health Insurance, which is coming down the tracks right at us, unless Republicans begin to understand the seriousness of runaway deficits and inflation. And start educating the country. A Democratic President will surely not fight inflation like Volcker and Reagan did!

Please vote Ron Paul and save the country from bankruptcy abroad and at home!

[Andy K. Kuo]

You guys are great. As a Ron Paul supporter, I scour the news sites using Google News and you guys consistently talk about Dr. Paul and Kucinich. Ideologically, I am completely opposed to Kucinich, but he is a principled man like Dr. Paul so he's probably the candidate I respect most after Dr. Paul.

If democrats voted their conscience, Kucinich would win their nomination. Same for Dr. Paul on the GOP side.

My dream is a November election with Paul and Kucinich. Imagine what those debates would be like.

[Yukon Dave]

HA HA HA Paul got 4th place in the largest primary to
date. Michigan has more voters than all the other
primaries to date combined. They are the 8th largest
state. What is interesting is that Ron Paul is still
getting a lot of votes. He spent less time and money
then Giuliani in Michigan but pulled more votes than
Thompson and Giuliani combined. Does that mean that
Ron Paul has more supporters that voted in real
primaries than Giuliani and Thompson combined.

Also remember that he still has 8 Million dollars in real money. Remember he
will not win but he stands a chance of having his
issues become more important. He is still on the
stage and that means he is still getting his message
out.

So I did something that no one in the media dares put
in written form. I counted the total number of votes
for a candidate to date in all primaries. Here are
the numbers.

442,595 – Romney 37.07%
361,235 – McCain 30.25%
206,281 – Huckabee 17.27%
84,335 – Paul 7.06%
50,542 – Thompson 4.23%
49,114 – Giuliani 4.11%

Here are the population numbers for the following
states that have had primaries.

As of January 15th 2008:
9,938,444 - Michigan
2,926,324 - Iowa
1,235,786 - New Hampshire
493,782 - Wyoming

January 19th, 2008
4,012,012 - South Carolina
2,495,529 - Nevada

January 29th, 2008
15,982,378 - Florida

[Ron Paul supporter]

Ok - here is a question -- Who would be the best Presidential candidate to help an injured race driver ????? Answer: Ron Paul - why ? because he is a DOCTOR --- The other candidates would just talk or pray and are of no use to a race driver and actually are of no use to running the USA either . WAKE UP PEOPLE !!!! Ron Paul is now the only hope to get the USA back into the hands of "WE THE PEOPLE " NOT " WE the Corporations ( MEDIA ) Why do people let the
Corportations decide who will be President ???? Give Ron Paul a few $$$ on Jan 21st and show the Corporations and major media that you will not be lied to and told who to vote for . Go Ron go

[Anthony]

They're afraid Paul supporters will throw snowballs at them and chant "Ron Paul" during the entire race. What can I say we are an intimidating bunch.

[Seth M]

Thanks for the truth. Articles like this garner much respect from us nobodies.

(Thanks for the nice words. Obviously, the Ron Paul story is an interesting one to watch, which is why we write about it so often. Hope you check back often. We've got another one coming soon on a special Ron Paul supporter and her project.)

[ByeByeMissAmericanPie]

Who cares? This country is going down the tubes with a government that is so thoroughly corrupt even a Paul or Kucinich couldn't save it.

[Rhys]

This is one of those few times where it pays to be forgotten.

[Drew]

"We gave strong consideration to anyone named 0Kucinich," said Chris Powell, the track's general manager. "But the poor showing of Dennis Kucinich in both Iowa and New Hampshire simply made that impossible."

Hahahaha...as opposed to the unbelievable showings of Fred Thompson and Rudy Giuliani in New Hampshire and Iowa, right?

Thanks for reaffirming the stereotype that Racing fans really are at the bottom of the totem pole when it comes to intelligence, Mr. Powell.

[winter32842]

Stupid Media, why don't they give respect to Ron Paul, who fund raised the most money in the Republican race, who gets about 10% of Republican vote, who beat Thompson and Giuliani TWICE and yet Thompson and Giuliani get so much respect from the media especially from Faux News.

(Can't answer your question about TV, but can remind you that we cover Dr. Paul often here because he and his followers are such an interesting story. Hope to see you here again soon. We'll keep at it.)

[Canada Guy]

In my opinion, Ron Paul is the only candidate that should have anyone's respect.

However, it's obvious that all these other talking heads that are also members of the Council on Foreign Relations have the world's media heavyweights influencing them...

The USA seems to be in deep trouble...

[Chris Future]

Totally. I'd love to see the NON-PAUL memo which is currently circulating. Don't ever mention Ron Paul if you value your job.

(We mentiion him here all the time.)

[NH_GOP]

Who cares what these morons do. Those of us who are serious about restoring our country will still respect and vote for Dr. Paul.

[jane rahn]

A democracy only works with a well informed public. The masses are so easily fooled by sound bites and opinions in the newspapers. Civics is no longer even taught in high school, The people of calif elected the terminator so what does anyone expect? Ron Paul and Kucinich are the only candidates who will make a change, so therefore the media makes a mockery of them. Let the masses, or mobs proceed.

[Jeffrey]

I'm seriously thinking about moving to Canada.

(Well, if you love big govt. and large taxes, including an 8% federal sales tax, you'll love Canada!)

[Rick Toone]

I thought the socialists did a great job of explaining why we should vote for Dr. Paul.

[MLeclerc]

It seems many are still confused regarding the "inflation tax", and I remain stunned that people can't connect the dots between what is happening on Wall St. and the explaination Ron Paul has been providing to anyone who will listen! It seems we're about to nominate candidates who don't know jack about our money system and won't do a thing to fix it... just as the MSM and Fed hopes.

Poster Dave gave an excellent description regarding the history of how we are getting screwed by the Fed. I encourage ANYONE to google "Money as Debt" and "Freedom to Fascism" as videos to start learning about the fraud.
You'll see they are both in the Top 20 most viewed videos on Google.

To put the inflation tax into a one liner: "the dollars you earn working today will buy and oil change in the car you won't be able to afford to drive when you retire".
Yes you are making more dollars than your dad or mom, maybe your neighbor... but what will you be able to afford to buy with those dollars 20 years from now? Please wake up before it is too late.

[tanah]

Ron Paul is the man!! The other candidates are "boys" compared to the maturity he has about the economy and foreign policy.
If anybody else wins besides Ron P. -We should pray -pray pray!
The recession is here-not "if it comes" like Huckleberrry said 2 days ago...
Ron Paul's middle name in my book is : "substance"... He stands tall above the rest.
That's why FoxNews deleted the scene on the debate where the disrespectful moderator asked Ron Paul if he was a "viable" candidate....
Ron Paul put him to shame with his response!
It was so enbarrassing how Fox news was exposed that they decided to "delete" the question and Paul's response so people can't agree with him!!!

www.ultimateronpaul.com (best website i've seen so far).

www.thecaseforronpaul.com

[Terri]

Can you explain that if the poor showing of Dennis Kucinich in both Iowa and New Hampshire simply made that impossible that he be added, that Rudy Giuliani's name has been added to the list? Considering that Giulani did receive less votes in both Iowa and New Hamphire than Ron Paul.

[Fazsha]

Thanks to Ron Paul, I have received an incredible education. I have learned about Austrian economics, Frederic Bastiat, Robert Taft, Grover Cleveland, the ideological divide between Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson, and the Civil War debate on secession.

From Romney, not so much.

[arthur]

As an outsider from the UK. Ron paul is completely ignored over here too. Look at the suposetly independent BBC.CO.UK website and they will not mention Ron Paul in any of the corespondence of the US ellection.

[Doug]

I can see why they might have dissed Kucinich, since his vote totals have trailed the Democratic field, but Ron Paul has actually received more votes than some of the people they are including, like Giuliani and Thompson.

I guess the Neocon Garage can blame CNN, for now showing Ron Paul's "piece of the pie" in their Iowa caucus coverage -- it was that large gray area with no label on it.

[MC]

My mistake, Clinton is on the LATimes homepage 5 times.

I have yet to see Paul on there once.
(and I bet if they do/did it was a smear article)

Good job BLOGGERS! The rest of the LATimes should follow your example.

(Well, that's what happens when you get 30+% in an election. We'll see what Dr. P. does this weekend.)

[Mike]

Hi Scott, I want to thank you for writing about this. I have noticed that the LA Times does seem to cover Paul more than any of the other large papers (even if shuffled to a back page or only on the Internet). The Chicago Tribune (I live near Chicago)...nada. Sun-Time...nada. Washington Post only when they can smear or make snide remarks. New York Times has been iffy at best. The rest...nothing.

I have never, ever seen such a blatant and disgusting abuse of corporate based media manipulation and control than this election. And Brit Hume's retching during the Fox Debate every time Dr. Paul spoke, especially after the international pounding Fox took for excluding Dr. Paul the first time, was incredible.

Sadly I have to say...Dr. Goebbels would have been proud.

[Joe S]

There is not much the public can do about print media, Fox, CNN, and other cable news outlets, but ABC, NBC and CBS are using the public airwaves. The next time your local ABC, NBC or CBS affiliate's license is up for renewal, remind the FCC of their bias. Maybe if they start loosing stations they'll get the message.

I check your site every day for a true, accurate picture of the election and how RP is doing.

(Well, wonderful news. Thank you for your loyalty. We'll try to live up to it. Keep checking because we've got a fun item coming up on one unusual Ron Paul supporter doing her thing for the cause.)

Thanks and a job well done.

[DefendTheConstitution]

(Well, that's what happens when you get 30+% in an election. We'll see what Dr. P. does this weekend.)

Oh so that justifies the total imbalance of coverage applied to anti-war candidates like Paul and Kucinich? How is a democracy supposed to function when the media distributes coverage to the candidates based on their polls? If it were a horse race you would be handicapping the slowest horses in the interests of the fastest horses. That logic would turn the game of golf onto it's head.

Paul doesn't even get a fair percentage of coverage based on his percentages in the primaries. 0% coverage does not equate to the 5-10% he's gained in the primaries where he has beaten Giuliani and Thompson. Yet Giuliani and Thompson still receive vastly more coverage than Paul!

Doesn't make any sense and when you try to justify it you just lose credibility. You're either not so bright or just completely disingenuous. I vote for the latter.

(It's the way the news business--and actually society--works. The squeaky wheel and all that. Baseball teams at the bottom of the standings don't get as much coverage as the leaders either. And, to be honest, the campaign has missed some opportunities to almost require news coverage. Like the Sunday night it broke the one-day online fundraising record. How did that news come out? In a news release on RP's website at midnight, not your most creative way of achieving maximum impact. We got it and posted it immediately because we were waiting for it. But imagine if there had been a scheduled press conf. Monday 10 a.m. for "a major announcement" with the candidate and some supporters handing him an oversized check for $6 million because they had just broken a new record. Do you think the other campaigns would have done something like that and been all over CNN all day. It's too easy to just blame the media for your own inactions. Sometimes there are good reasons people get ignored. You gotta tell 'em. Not just complain after.)

[Michael]

The Republicans have zero chance of winning the general election if Ron Paul isn't the nominee. I've been a Republican my whole life, voted for Bush in 2000 and was a Fox News fanatic but since seeing Ron Paul in the October debate my whole life has changed. Now I will vote for a Democrat if Ron Paul isn't the Republican nominee just to spite the Republican Party and will never again watch Fox News.

[FreedomToFacism]

Where's the exit. I'm disgusted and want off this terrible ride.

[ron page]

what is this world coming to. ron paul has already beaten rudy and thompson twice. WHAT DOES HE HAVE TO DO TO GET RESPECT!!!!!!!!!????????

[AAAAANDRE]

Like they are going to give hundreds of people named Kucinich refunds?
Just how many people have that last name?
I don't think they have anything to worry about.

Did a 411.com search... NONE Kucinich in NV, 255 Paul's, 1 Obama (Brack?), 62 McCain's

[Scott Harmon]

Well, clearly one more evidence of the corporatist control and oligarchical hierarchy that exists in this country. It does exist elsewhere, but last time I checked, the U.S. was supposed to monitor everyone else's elections, preach to the world about "democracy," freedom, and so forth.

Now, I don't agree with some views that are being espoused about this election. One, that Ron Paul has to win for everything to change. It would be a great help, but we might take a longer view about politics in this country. Since when is the political process the means to an end? Often, it is the politicians who must change in the face of blinding reality; they are almost the last thing to change. Politicians are proxies for corporations and special-interest groups, including big media and elitist institutions of many stripes. Until people (a really big mass of people) become active in deconfiguring these interests, boycotting, ending consumerism, working around the mainstream--in short, kicking out the stools beneath the politicians feet--then change will be slow. As a lot, Americans are quite simply not that dynamic; they've been programmed too long, stuck to the system like barnacles, and politically sheltered, and brainwashed. In fact, it's amazing there is any democracy left in this country.

The best thing Ron Paul's campaign can do is to continue serving as the touchstone against the propaganda machines and nurture the freedom movement. With every passing day, more brains get enlightened, more ruses are exposed, and more people want change. Then, with the help of a few catalytic events, things might happen. America might join the 21st century. But, who knows when? There are a lot of weeds that have to be whacked.

[DefendTheConstitution]

(It's the way the news business--and actually society--works. The squeaky wheel and all that. Baseball teams at the bottom of the standings don't get as much coverage as the leaders either. And, to be honest, the campaign has missed some opportunities to almost require news coverage. Like the Sunday night it broke the one-day online fundraising record. How did that news come out? In a news release on RP's website at midnight, not your most creative way of achieving maximum impact. We got it and posted it immediately because we were waiting for it. But imagine if there had been a scheduled press conf. Monday 10 a.m. for "a major announcement" with the candidate and some supporters handing him an oversized check for $6 million because they had just broken a new record. Do you think the other campaigns would have done something like that and been all over CNN all day. It's too easy to just blame the media for your own inactions. Sometimes there are good reasons people get ignored. You gotta tell 'em. Not just complain after.)

OK, Mr Malcolm I take your point. Perhaps the campaign has not been proactive enough in working with the media. I don't know because I have no affiliation with the campaign.

On the other hand, I (and most of his supporters) have noticed an effort to keep Ron Paul out of the spotlight especially since he's been showing well in the primaries (at least better than those frontrunners Giuliani and Thompson). All you need to do is search Google News and you won't find a mention of RP in any mainstream media outlets (apart from the occasional LA Times blog post of course). Then there was the blatant exclusion of Paul from the Fox News forum and I'm sorry I won't accept any excuse for that.

I guess us idealists that support Ron Paul just expect a little bit more objectivity from the media. Y'know journalistic integrity and all that. When I watch Anderson Cooper at night and have to sit through a 20 minute story and discussion on Hillary Clinton's crocodile tears the excuse that there isn't enough time to cover Ron Paul just does not hold any water at all.

Whatever way you try to spin it the media has lost a lot of credibility in the eyes of Ron Paul supporters and we're turning away from traditional media for our information - and we're learning a lot more as a result!

(Well, that's the beauty of the internet and the many changes it's driving in society. So many more sources for all of us to gather and assemble information, including this blog. But also YouTube, which the RP campaign and others have made such effective use of. Obviously, I cannot speak with any direct knowledge of Fox or any news organization. I can honestly say that in my 30+ years in the news business, I have never ever heard anyone say or imply, 'Let's screw Candidate A by ignoring him/her.' I grant you the final results look that way, but my experience suggests that the real reason behind most apparent conspiracies is really ignorance or stupidity. Which an imaginative campaign can combat. They're in the business of telling stories. You give them a good one and they'll tell it. But much of the time they don't know these stories are out there. In the next several days we'll be telling the story here of a special RP supporter who came up with her own creative idea to spread the word and raise money. But she didn't complain about being ignored. She took the initiative and came to us and told us about it. There's no way we could know she exists without that. And as a result, hundreds of thousands of people will soon read her story.
As we've pointed out many times, Mike Huckabee raised much less money than RP. Yet he got noticed not by campaigning or complaining about not having much money but by following the advice of his excellent communications consultant and going on every single free media outlet he could find, large and small everywhere. And there he showcased his geniality and talked some policy and the world got to see how friendly and normal he seems and he made jokes and had serious things to say and spoke openly about the personal importance of his faith etc. And he ended up winning Iowa against someone who'd spent millions and Huckabee did it by a similar kind of spontaneous grassroots organizing as RP's supporters have demonstrated. So now he's a top-tier candidate. And he spent this morning, the day before the SC primary, doing nothing but more national interview shows, which help set him up for upcoming states, even without millions of dollars. That's why politics can be so fascinating. So many good stories to tell. You don't have to be ignored. But as much as you or a candidate may disdain the media, they need to learn how to play the game of gaining its attention. It's run by humans, so it's imperfect. But it does have an important constitutional role to play. And, to be honest, clever campaigns, by figuring out what the media needs and wants to do its sometimes superficial job, can play the media like a violin. Thanks for coming here and reading some. Hope to see you back often.)

[independant in MN]

To gain some insight into what the various candidiates are all about it helps to follow the money trail.

Go to opensecrets.org to see who the top contributors are for each candidate. Click on each candidate, and look under "top contributors". http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/index.asp

Ron Paul has more support from military people than any other candidate - in fact the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, and the U.S. Air Force are among his top contributors. Also very much supported by veterans -http://www.ronpaul2008.com/veterans/

[Love the Ron]

Ron Paul can totally get elected! He looks like Gandalf and, and Obi Ron Konobi from the old school starwars. One message to rule them all! ha ha

[Peter Morris]

When Mike Huckerbee was running at 1% to 2% approval he came out with the amazing piece of wisdom that Palestine should be relocated either in Egypt or Saudi Arabia. Immediatly the media and their polls were in raptures (up to 20%) whilst Ron Paul whose policy means elimination of aid to Israel was given a total swerve.

Therefore what really matters to the media and the handfull of billionaire investors in the media is Israel and has nothing to do with policies for USA.

Its a sad indictment on 'democratic' system in the US. But even sadder that no one is willing to admit it and do something about it.

[Brett D]

I am in the military and support Ron Paul. Here is food for thought: 2 weeks ago we discussed the fact that come May of 2008 if the defense bill going through Congress right now fails to pass that nearly every post in the country would have to cut back costs, causing most of them to be "abandoned" temporarily.

Is this how you see America?

This is what you vote for to happen when you vote for any candidate supporting the war. We have no money. It is difficult to get the parts we need to replace damaged or old equipment. Some of which makes it impossible for our equipment to be effective against real-life threats.

We can't even maintain the equipment back home for defense. Why would any of you want us overseas? You all are fools if you think there is anything honorable about the war as Huckabee says. You people need to wake up and listen to your military. We HAVE spoken as much as we are allowed. We have chosen Ron Paul through donations because of his stance on standing armies, the constitution, and the war.

Maybe every American should be required to make an oath to support and defend the Constitution from enemies foreign and domestic as well. Maybe then they would have enough sense to protect it with their vote.

Fools you all are who support globalisation blindly and don't even realize your candidates are CFR members or voted one way last year and come on TV and tell you their stance on that issue is this way this year. Thats ok with you.

Its ok America. Give up your sovereignty willingly, because once you do there is nothing the military can do for you but suppress you and force feed you globalisation. Soon I will become what you hate and despise.

Wake up America,

A disappointed soldier

[Lindy]

I think you have left out some words in the article title, for it is the Main Stream Meadia that gives no respect to Dr. Paul, now that would ring true with many if you noted this fact.

I am a South African and make this statement based on the obvious fact that Dr. Ron Paul supporters show unwavering respect for their candidate, and to add, many heads are turning world wide and taking note with great respect for this EXTRA ORDINARY Ron Paul Revolution. Go Ron Paul!

[Mike]

I want everyone to consider a few statements. These are made by people from our past and remember, if we do not learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it.

"If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State."
-- Joseph Goebbels, German Minister of Propaganda, 1933-1945

"Those who cast the votes decide nothing. Those who count the votes decide everything."
--Josef Stalin

"Fascism should rightly be called corporatism as it is a merger of state and corporate power."
--Benito Mussolini

"Behind the ostensible government sits enthroned an invisible government owing no allegiance and acknowledging no responsibility to the people. To destroy this invisible government, to befoul the unholy alliance between corrupt business and corrupt politics is the first task of the statesmanship of the day."
--Theodore Roosevelt, April 19, 1906

[Canadian For Ron Paul]

A correction for Jeffrey, who stated he wanted to move to Canada.

1. The Canadian tax system is a "tiered" system; the more you make the more you pay. Example; you earn less than 40G you pay around 30% combined provincial / federal tax, however, you make more than 40G, you pay up to 50%+. No Kidding.
2. Goods and Services Tax (GST) This tax was introduced in the late '80's to replace a hidden "Manufactures' Tax". It started at 7% on all goods and services you bought. Add to that any Provincial Sales Tax (6-8%). That's 15% on anything you buy, or have service for.(You pay someone to do your tax return; add 15% please) Recently, the Federal Government (Conservative) reduced it to 5%. Interestingly, it was a Conservative Government that introduced it. However, while wildly protesting it, the successive Liberal governments never abolished it. Since that time the GST has raised so much money, Canada has run a government budget surplus for almost 15 years. Well, combine it with the money collected for the E.I. (Employment Insurance) that was not to be mixed with general government revenues....but, it was. That's a lot of scratch.
3. Universal Health Care. True, we have it, but we pay for it. Think of it a giant HMO.
4. The biggest trade partner of the United States is Canada.

Go Ron Paul.

Vote Ron Paul

[Larry]

"Asking politicians to be honest or courageous is an empty proposition by itself. The political system will not suddenly become self-disciplined or righteously skeptical of its own well-worn habits. None of the above ideas will be remotely possible unless the governing elites at the national level, including both political parties, feel threatened by some larger political force or the federal government in all its branches perceives a larger challenge to its dominance"

William Greider," Who will tell the People" 1992

If you support Ron Paul then be in it for the long haul not just this one election.

Read this book! Written in 1992, Greider spells out what has happened and what will happen if we do nothing!

[Mike Smithers]

I'm a 29 year old male from Toronto, Canada. I've recently been studying the US Primaries, and from all the candidates, the only one that seems to have an authentic sound message is Ron Paul. I really believe this because he is uniting people that normally wouldn't unite together. There is a lot of power to that. He is totally right about the lack of freedoms & liberty in the US these days. I notice it whenever I head into the states. Ron Paul seems to be the only honest politicain around. He is getting a lot of attention here in Canada, and your friends to the north are big supporters of him. Lets hope he dismantles NAFTA and other multinational entaglements that have only caused harm to our citizens - in income, health, evnironment & liberties (yet has only helped big corporatism).

[jatcagirl]

is it my imagination (or maybe a poor memory) but didn't huckabee jump from the second-tier to the first with the free media blitz about the same time his article appeared in the CFR magazine, and about the same time he acquired CFR head richard hass as an advisor? and we know the power of the CFR...

[S. Englert]

One of the reasons the media has trouble covering Ron Paul, is that he is better informed and more intelligent than most reporters and Americans. I've been a journalist for 24 years and few of my colleagues know what the Federal Reserve is, why and when it was created, and who controls it; what the gold standard is and the benefits of backing paper money with precious metals; what causes monetary inflation; how many U.S. troops are posted around the world in how many countries and why; how much money is given to foreign governments when our own is $9 trillion in debt and on the brink of insolvency; and many other issues critical to this nation's economic health and security.
I realize that investigative journalism essentially is dead when it comes to exposing corporate corruption and government malfeasance, but thanks for your coverage of RP; more journalists could learn from your lead; they just need to do their homework and dig a lot deeper.
Unfortunately, information that truly matters can't be reduced to sound bites like Brittany Spears' latest breakdown, John Edwards' $400 haircut or another irrelevant scandal. If journalists were better informed and less timid on probing important issues, they might be able to cover the only candidate that has the brains and guts to offer more than false hope and promises. In years to come, more Americans will wish they had listened to Ron Paul.

[Darla]

Scott, thanks for providing some coverage on this candidate. Whatever the reasons are -- intentional media blackout or lack of a "squeaky wheel" on the campaign's part -- I do wish I could hear more about this Ron Paul from the major media outlets. Especially eye-catching would be articles that cover the issues that raise reasons to support him and/or not support him -- generally, the only reasons I see in the media outlets is "because he is a long-shot". That's really not a reason, but an opinionated prediction. I should think that an article along the lines of, "The Candidate You're Not Hearing About" would make for an interesting angle for any press to take hold of.

It pleases me greatly to see that you read comments to your article, and respond to them. I may not always agree with all your responses (and, I may not always agree with all the comments!), but it is heartening to see professionalism displayed in your responses, and to know there's an actual person behind the article. Please continue to keep your readers informed about Ron Paul. You'll find people coming to your article, simply because there are so few places reporting on this candidate.

[Afi K. James]

The Republicans have zero chance of winning the general election if Ron Paul isn't the nominee. I've been a Republican my whole life, voted for Bush in 2000 and was a Fox News fanatic but since seeing Ron Paul in the October debate my whole life has changed. Now I will vote for a Democrat if Ron Paul isn't the Republican nominee just to spite the Republican Party and will never again watch Fox News.

I Could care less about the two party system no more, both parties are shams now, paul and kucinich should just drop out and form a new party called the liberty party, the D's and the R's do not exist anymore, they are globalist now.

[saskanya]

I am a proud Canadian and proudly support Ron Paul. Thank you for mentioning his name on your articles.

A little correction though, as of January 1st, 2008 our Federal Sales Tax (GST) is 5% not 8% as you mentioned.