5,709 votes
Reach out to Ron Paul and the Campaign for Freedom under review
The younger generation is overwhelmingly turning away from the social conservative platform perpetuated by what they see as "old, grumpy, white guys"
Instead they are turning by the thousands to people such as Ron Paul and his Campaign for Freedom to give them fresh perspective and a new outlook on the way a government should be run.
Ron Paul already has mobilized the younger generation through the use of the internet (just check out facebook and see who the most supported candidate was through the primaries)...
If the RNC ignores this youthful, strong, and passionate subset of the population, the party will increasingly become less relevant as these young people grow up.
Dangle Em' On The Dems
Reach around Ron Paul?
I thought Bruno already tried that. Queer.
18 days ago
McLieberman
The whole country views the NEOCON leaders of the Republican Party as the Authoritarian Jingoists of America.
How do you rebuild a party with the same OLD POWER RINOS running it? This is like Hilter rebuilding his party as a kinder, gentler party and nation. It Ain't gonna fly... To rebuild the party, you have to get the NEOCONS and EVANGELICALS that hi-jacked the party in the 70's through today, OUT! Then start clean, because the republicans don't have a foot to stay on, after taking most of American's rights and liberties away, Massive spending and deficits, and Cronie Capitalism.
Rid the once proud party of the Ultra right 1984, Fear Inducing, Power grabbing, Self-Centered, Corporate whores, and restore the GOP party of; small gov, sound money, freedoms, liberties, and TRUE FREE markets.
23 days ago
jmartin8
The GOP is seen as the "establishment" or the "law enforcement" or authoritarian party by many young people. Ron Paul has a very anti-authoritarian message and is still pro small government and traditionally republican. Embrace Ron Paul and kick the neo-cons to the out of the party.. they were never real conservatives anyways, just opportunistic war mongers. THINK about it. Did Bush shrink government? NO. The true small government conservatism took a back seat to his big government "nation building" agenda. 2006 & 2008 elections were a public repudiation of the neo-cons and their big government authoritarianism.
2 months ago
jmartin8
This is the best idea there is, possibly with the exception of ending the war on drugs. Why is the GOP unpopular among young people?
1) because they support putting peaceable pot smokers in jail (and LOTS of young people use pot - that fact is inescapable. not all of them are dirty hippie liberals either)
2) Because the GOP turned down the only candidate that was ever really attractive to young people - Ron Paul, in favor of the non-conservative, non-interesting, big government John McCain.
The republican party is supposed to be about SMALL GOVERNMENT, states rights, and individual rights! The Federal government's war on drugs is totally contrary to ALL of these conservative principles, and it alienates young people from the party.
Stay pro-life, go back to small government republicanism, embrace Ron Paul, and DITCH the failure known as the War on Drugs.
2 months ago
Madfoot713
@gabeiacoboni: Obama? Isolationist? Yeah, okay.
2 months ago
danielbier8
What does "under review" mean?
2 months ago
jaspian
Aaron - you seem to believe that a constitution "replete with references to God" is irreconcilable with secularism. You seem to forget that the founding fathers were DEISTS, especially JEFFERSON whom you even quoted here. They too were staunch secularists, and your argument that Ron Paul is not a secularist is refuted by your own quote. Church "in public life" does not in any way imply state-controlled religion, nor religious influences in the state. It doesn't even imply the endorsement of religion. It merely means that one is allowed to identify with a religion, even if they are in public life, such as a politician.
Furthermore, a Google search of the quotes you supposedly cited only comes up with this page, meaning that they are either misquotes, or made up. Yet a broader Google search on Ron Paul and Separation of Church and State does provide quotes OPPOSITE of what you're suggesting.
"The Founding Fathers envisioned a robustly Christian yet religiously tolerant America" - Ron Paul
"When fascism comes to this country it will be wrapped in a flag and carrying a cross." - Ron Paul
As for your quotes, if you actually read the article that they come from, you're taking the quotes entirely out of context. The article is extremely moderate.
Furthermore... here's some quotes from Founding Fathers...
"Revelation assures us that 'righteousness exalteth a nation." - S. Adams
"Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism, who should labour to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens." G. Washington
"Can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are a gift of God?" - T. Jefferson
"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." - J. Adams
So in recap, Ron Paul was right. The Founders were religious, but many were Deists. They were also all secularists, who wanted no federal endorsements of religion - Ron Paul is the same. He's also correct that the founder's writings are full of references to God. But once again: secularism doesn't mean lack of religion, it means lack of religion ENDORSED by the state.
2 months ago
Pete
Of course the GOP should reach out the Paul supporters and Campaign for Liberty folks. To do so is to cut off a voting bloc, and isolate an activist bunch, as well as ensure that a good amount of likely Republicans stay home on election day.
You who are still fighting the primary battle: Shame on you!
2 months ago
Pete
Hmmm. This is under review huh? Some of my Republican brothers and sisters really disappoint me with the whole fetish for shutting down debate. It happens at every convention I go to. Some or another group is the (sometimes only slight) minority, and the majority uses Roberts Rules to do whatever it can to silence the voice of the minority.
Bad moves, as voting this post as "inappropriate."
2 months ago
gaol oriented
The world is a dangerous place. It's a real jungle out there. That's what those libs and libertarians don't realize. Heh, not like me. I'm a grizzled veteran of the foreign policy game. And I'm Conservative. Repercussions? Ramifications? Leave those to the libs, my party goes balls to the walls, guns a blazin', all out all the time! PEW! PEW! OOH-RAH!!
2 months ago
gabeiacoboni
Ron Paul gets traction with young voters and to some extent voters like me because of his stances on limited govt and fiscal restraint. However he loses all traction with me on his no existance foreign policy and his refusal to accept that the world is dangerous. Other then trade policy Obama is a isolationist and in this world that is insane.
2 months ago
danielbrophy
The attraction of Ron Paul to young people has nothing to do with image. It has to do with the fact that Ron Paul represents what the Republican Party is supposed to be about. Disempowering the government. Our party needs to wake up to the fact that this idea has huge grass roots support. More importantly, it's the constitutional path. Figure it out, or we keep losing elections.
2 months ago
gaol oriented
Individualism is SOOO bourgeois. Individualists to the wall !
3 months ago
HarryNRubin
And to gaol oriented, class war is inherently collectivist, just like the neoconservatives are collectivist. They are both victims of the same ideology and the only solution is individualism.
3 months ago
HarryNRubin
I believe Aaron makes a good point, but at the same time, while Ron Paul believes the Founding Fathers wanted Christian traditions to be a part of our public lives, the Founding Fathers did not intend to have a massive public school system. Also, Thomas Paine is a good Founding Father to point out who opposed organized religion.
3 months ago
gaol oriented
What Ron Paul doesn't realize is that there can be NO WAR BUT CLASS WAR. Ron Paul is wrong. The principle that there can be NO WAR BUT CLASS WAR must be applied internationally with cooperation amongst the working classes of all nation states. When it is universally recognized that there can be NO WAR BUT CLASS WAR the neoconservative movement will wither and die.
3 months ago
charlesn12
Yet these same folks say in a chant...: "Principals and Values" - in a meaningless way...that has no true value what-so-ever!
3 months ago
charlesn12
*they=GOP
are seeing the effect if you keep putting in Bush/McCain/Clinton/Obama...etc. History repeats itself...till someone figures what is right!!
3 months ago
charlesn12
Aaron - you make a great point...I am on facebook and a female commented on this very same topic and pointed a finger at those who did not support McCain as the reason for Obama to win...the third party voters...reason why third party voters did what they did...
A) GOP tossed Ron Paul out with support to John McCain...
B) Thumbed their nose at the Constitution...
and now they are...(cont.)
3 months ago
Aaron
. . . with * RON PAUL OVER the meaning . . . (my apologies for not proof-reading)
3 months ago