That's a front page headline in my local paper this week. Unfortunately, I live in Ron Paul's district.
Apparently, a Rasmussen Reports poll taken April 12-13 showed Ron Paul "in a dead heat for president with Barack Obama."
The news story is here.
The rest after the jump.
The question posed to 1,000 likely voters was, "If a presidential election were held today, who would you vote for?" Paul got 41 percent of the vote, Obama got 42 percent, some other candidate (other than Paul or Obama) got 11 percent and 6 percent were not sure.
Apparently, Congressman Paul appeared on Fox News last Thursday to discuss this poll result.
His usual brand of craziness was on full display. He said this in response to a question about whether his Libertarian message would be heard:
"I think the attention the Libertarian message got came about after the financial crisis hit. That’s what I’d been talking about ... the difficulties we have with this deficit," he said.
Conflating the financial crisis with the deficit? Logic is not required in Ron Paul's world.
This quote is so full of non-sequiturs that I have a hard time wrapping my mind around it.
"I thought the interest would fade after the campaign, but the interest has grown. I think its the problems we face, and the people are realizing the government is inept, that they are not capable of delivering what they’ve promised," the congressman said, saying it makes sense to most people that "we can’t depend on borrowing money from China for our prosperity. They know we’re going to have to go back to work and we’re going to have to pay some of these bills. So I think it’s a really attractive message."
Government can't deliver, we can't depend on China, people have to go back to work and pay some of these bills--what an attractive message! Let's see, does that mean I should stop paying my taxes and start sending money to China instead? I'm so confused.
Here is the "fair and balanced" Fox News reporter's next totally unbiased question and Paul's answer.
Kelly stated Paul’s positions are largely endorsed by Tea Party supporters, and that the majority of Americans are against the health care legislation, yet the Democrats pushed it through anyway.
"As the Tea Party movement grows and the push for limited government grows, does it matter that the disconnect between what the people want and what the lawmakers do continues?" Kelly asked.
Paul said elections can remedy the ills, and pointed to Scott Brown winning the Senate race in Massachusetts.
"Who would ever have dreamed that a Republican supported by the Tea Party could even win in Massachusetts? Something significant is going on. When the American people speak they can bring changes to Washington," Paul said.
The end of the article gives us the real red meat. I pray that Ron Paul does have a high profile in the next presidential election, because this kind of craziness will definitely turn off a majority of Americans.
Kelly asked Paul if he thinks Americans "are stuck with massive entitlement programs. Is this just the way it’s going to be?"
"I think so for a while longer," Paul answered, "even though the growing resentment is there and something has to be done.
"I think we’ll get more help in the fall, but we’re not all of a sudden going to have a majority who’s going to vote to abolish these programs because politically it’s just so difficult.
"But I think what will happen is the bankruptcy (of America) will bring it to an end. Economically our system is deeply flawed. It’s built on a welfare system. So when the government can’t take care of the people, they’ll have to act on their own.
"That’s when I think more independence of the states will occur ... that’s why you hear talk of nullification and 10th Amendment movements ... that means the people are getting ready and saying, ‘just leave me alone,’ and I think that’s very healthy."So I think it’s going to take the collapse of the dollar system, and our bond market and rapid inflation that will drive people to self-reliance. And hopefully we can do that peacefully. Very simply, all we need to do is follow the Constitution," Paul said.
Paul said the purpose of all political action should be the protection of liberty.
"We need the confidence we once had in a free society where people can take care of themselves," Paul said.
Kelly asked Paul if he would run for president in 2012. He said he does not know.
So let me sum this up--Ron Paul thinks that America will go bankrupt and the massive entitlement programs will then end. And of course, when the government can't take care of the people, they will simply take care of themselves. Also, the states will all go rogue and secede and the markets will collapse and we will all become self-reliant. It's all right there in the Constitution! (btw, we hope it can all be done PEACEFULLY, because, you know, there is always that other alternative).
God, how I hate that stupid, hypocritical son-of-a-bitch! (For a point of reference, please note that DR. Paul, an obstetrician and avowed libertarian, is strongly opposed to abortion rights.)
Update: Thanks for all the comments! I like being able to commiserate with people about my POS representative.