Will Rand Paul be the Republican nominee?


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If he is you will see a smear campaign by the Left that dwarfs what was done to Romney & now Perry.

I can just see the headlines of the mainstream media:

"Rand embraces Rand, the selfish & cold blooded atheist"

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/republicans/11052897/Americas-eyes-opening-to-ophthalmologist-as-unlikely-potential-president.html

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  • 2 months later...

Here is an odd perspective: no Swiss Cheese holes in your conservatism.

Dear Mitt and Jeb: No, Thanks by Mark Davis | Oct 24, 2014

. . . . But as our fathers told us, life is unfair. Ann Romney recently said she is done with the idea of her husband teeing it up again for 2016. Her husband should know she has a lot of company in that sentiment. Not out of disrespect or lack of appreciation; the urgency of 2016 is fueled by a pressing need for an unapologetic, consistent conservative with no biographical obstacles. I hope our nominee has Mitt Romneys sunny demeanor and ample communications skills, but it must be fused to a demonstrable passion for the kind of muscular, unwavering conservatism on all fronts social, fiscal and foreign policy that will be needed to mend the wounds of eight years of Barack Obama . . . .

That pressing need is the instant barrier to any argument for President Jeb Bush. But before the medicinal truth, a spoonful of gratitude. George H.W. Bushs second son is a shining example of his inspiring family a fine American and a talented leader who served Florida well as one of its better Governors.

But the 2016 qualifications list is drawn far more broadly. After the well-meaning but underwhelming campaigns of Romney and John McCain, Republicans are eager to be inspired and energized, and are in no mood to waste time probing the swiss-cheese holes of a nominees suspect conservatism.

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From the article, I agree that this is a very important problem for Rand Paul: The problem with betting on him is that his success, so far, largely exists in a vacuum. His potential downsides have yet to be fully exploited.

Personally, I will wait for the primaries and if Paul can win and withstand the scathing press I may contribute to his campaign once again. I cannot imagine voting for Christie, Huckabee, or Jeb Bush. towards Perry I am a bit warmer though not fuzzy in my opinion.

Peter

Here are some excerpts from the article mentioned. Matt K Lewis is a senior contributor at The Daily Caller website in Washington, DC:

It's too early to make any serious predictions, but winning the first two primary contests would potentially set him up as a juggernaut for the Republican presidential nomination. As the Washington Post's Aaron Blake observed: "No non-incumbent Republican presidential candidate has won both states since they were granted first-in-the-nation status in 1976. Not one." . . .

But a Rand Paul nomination wouldn't just be surprising, it could also be transformational. Should he become the Republican Party's standard bearer, Paul would hearken back the days of Bob Taft Republicanism, potentially altering long-standing Republican orthodoxy over a wide range of issues -- from foreign policy, to NSA surveillance, to law and order . . .

The main problem with Paul's argument, Perry continued, "is that it means ignoring the profound threat that the group now calling itself the Islamic State poses to the United States and the world." . . .

While Republicans have traditionally (and almost reflexively) sided with the cops, Paul responded to the incident by penning his own op-ed in Time magazine, which decried the increased "militarization" of America's police, and spoke out about the institutional plight faced by American blacks when confronting the criminal justice system. . . .

The problem with betting on him is that his success, so far, largely exists in a vacuum. His potential downsides have yet to be fully exploited.

Still, one can't help thinking that if Paul keeps his eye on the prize, he could win.

Depending on how you look at him, he is either an isolationist crank who wants to roll back civil rights, or a compassionate humanitarian who wants to end American adventurism, abroad, and institute a humbler foreign policy.

But which vision of Rand Paul will Americans see more clearly, come 2016?

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Yuck. That Telegraph article has an ad from "Barnebey's Auctions" selling a picture of naked boys and then a supposed sculpture pops up that looks like a condom or a penis with warts. I get the message, which is don't go back to a Telegraph site or an English auction. Highly inappropriate, Lads!

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If he is you will see a smear campaign by the Left that dwarfs what was done to Romney & now Perry.

I can just see the headlines of the mainstream media:

"Rand embraces Rand, the selfish & cold blooded atheist"

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/republicans/11052897/Americas-eyes-opening-to-ophthalmologist-as-unlikely-potential-president.html

Rand may have been atheist and selfish but she was not cold blooded.

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Yeah she was a heartless cold blooded atheist type person, not like:

Pol Pot

Joe Stalin

Adolf Eichman

Mao

and other folks who had the citizens interests in the forefront of their actions...

A...

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A few thoughts. Newt Gingrich could make a superlative campaign manager and speech writer. Hire the guy. Mitt doesnt want to fade away and is an excellent man to introduce a candidate and Romney has big bucks. Paul Ryan is currently muy numero uno for 2016 IF Rand Paul doesnt have the staying power up to the primaries. I dont think Rand does so I am OK if Paul Ryan is our candidate for POTUS and Rand Paul as VP. (Tom Clanceys last novel is very good. In it Russia invades Estonia and then Ukraine. Protagonist Jack Ryan Jr. takes the place of Jack Ryan Sr. who is our President in the novel.) After the first two primaries? I have no predictions.

From Wikipedia:

January 3: Iowa caucus (both parties)

January 10: New Hampshire primary (both parties)

January 21: Nevada Democratic caucuses and South Carolina Republican primary

January 28: South Carolina Democratic primary

January 31: Florida (both parties)

February 4: Nevada Republican caucuses

February 411: Maine Republican caucuses

February 7: Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri Republican primaries

February 28: Arizona and Michigan Republican primaries

March 3: Washington Republican caucuses

March 6: Super Tuesday: Primaries/caucuses for both parties in several states.

end quote

Any disagreement or counter punches to my theories?

Posted: Friday, October 24, 2014 10:39 pm | Updated: 10:44 pm, Fri Oct 24, 2014.

UT/TT Poll: Cruz, Perry lead GOP presidential pack By Ross Ramsey | Texas Tribune Midland Reporter-Telegram |

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz remains the top presidential choice of Texas Republican voters, but Gov. Rick Perry is starting to close the gap between the two, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll.

It might not seem that way at first glance. While 27 percent of likely Republican voters say Cruz would be their choice in a hypothetical primary for the 2016 presidential nomination, only 14 percent choose Perry. Author and former surgeon Ben Carson is looming in the governors rearview mirror, with 10 percent, followed by former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, U.S. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, each at 7 percent.

But in the June UT/TT Poll, Perry was running fourth, with 7 percent, while Cruz was way out in front with 33 percent of the respondents at his side.

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Peter:

Preparing to reload my predictions after the elections and the two (2) probable runoffs, Georgia is one, and I do not remember the other.

Which will mean after Jan. 7th 2015 or so.

I believe that you have a serious problem with the marriage of Ryan and Paul on the same ticket.

1) White males,

2) too bunched geographically;

3) too few home electoral votes that are guaranteed;

4) two different groups in the young Republicans and neither would play second fiddle;

5) problems with foreign policy consistency; and that is just scratching the surface.

You are overlooking Cruz? Why?

A...

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Adam asked:

You are overlooking Cruz? Why?

end quote

Paul Ryan has already passed muster as a VP candidate and I think Rand Paul would also. Those two would be palatable to the left wing media though Rand Paul's (using Ayn Rand's) lunch counter illusion and disapproval of provisions of The Civil Rights Act will be rehashed. (As an aside, search for Rand Paul, civil rights and lunch counters on the web.) Yet I am sure these two heavy weights can successfully fight the Hillary machine.

Now I will admit the following is a bit frivolous, but Green eggs and Ham, anyone? Cruz would be a wonderful person to caricature in a political campaign because of his looks. I remember John Kerry with his long face was depicted as Lurch the Butler. Cruz, with his downward sloping eyes and long face is also an odd looking person. Rubios boyish veneer is good but will he or Cruz pass the *citizenship* and foreign conspiracy test?

I think the two possible Hispanic candidates will not beat Paul Ryan in the primaries. Would being Hispanic be a plus? I am no longer (reasonably or cynically) sure. However, they would make decent VP nominees. As would Governor Perry who looks like he could garner the TexMex vote though I do not know if he has any Hispanic blood. None of our possibly leading candidates will get more than five percent of the prejudiced, black vote. Would Cruz or Rubio garner the Hispanic vote? I am not so sure.

Look at the Political Philosophy of each candidate. Cruz and Rand Paul are very good as far as strict constitutionalism goes. They are wonderful human beings and good fans of Ayn Rand. I would philosophically follow their likeability with that of Ryan, Perry, and Rubio.

I am hoping we will not nominate a candidate like Romney or McCain who were not worth voting for to a percentage of conservative Republicans because of his (Romney's religion and past affiliation with socialized medicine)and (McCain' left wing stances.) RINOs like Christie must not become our candidate. I would . . . like . . . you know dude . . . puke! That would be like a nightmare.

I am just back from Barnes and Noble with $140 worth of books including the new Jack Reacher, Grisham, Stuart Woods, Preston and Child's, etc. What ticked me off is I just rediscovered John D. MacDonald's Travis McGee series and their local site said they had his books but they did not.

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I am just back from Barnes and Noble with $140 worth of books including the new Jack Reacher, Grisham, Stuart Woods, Preston and Child's, etc. What ticked me off is I just rediscovered John D. MacDonald's Travis McGee series and their local site said they had his books but they did not.

That is why you use a phone, or, a computer because electrons move faster than feet...

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I honestly don't think it matters who will be the republican. The country is fucked, over 30% of the pop is on government benefits. They will vote for who will continue the feeding frenzy. America is pretty much a one state party with the republicans only serving to foster the illusion of democracy...

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It is a problem. I receive retirement income from the Gov. and Medicare and I go to the VA because I pay 8 bucks for a three month prescription at the VA. I would not like it if those programs were discontinued. However, If the programs were shrunk over time and then eliminated I would be for that. Or if there were a privatization of the programs and whatever someone put in up to that point were paid back to them. This seemingly contradictory attitude does not keep me from being a member of The Tea Party or a Randian.

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I just rediscovered John D. MacDonald's Travis McGee series and their local site said they had his books but they did not.

John D, and his Travis McGee? Terrific reads, Peter. I have I think the full set of paperbacks, slowly collected from book stalls. Barbara Branden also loved them, she said she'd lost her collection by loaning them out.

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You are a Travis McGee fan too? Wow. I just reread two with a forward by the author of the Jack Reacher novels, Lee Child and I just ordered five more from the Barnes and Noble's website. I definitely remember the house boat Travis lives on and his friend, Meyer but the plots seem new to me since I first started reading him in the 1960's which is 50 years ago! The first one I just reread was "A Deadly Shade of Gold," from 1965. His attitudes were shared by almost everyone in America back in 1965 but now they would be viewed as VERY un-PC. The next one, which I just finished was "Darker Than Amber" and it was a bit dark in tone. He was an environmentalist before the environmentalist movement and his views were not from a left wing perspective. The Travis McGee books all have a color in their titles.

As everyone may have guessed, Rand said something nice about John D. McDonald once, or as you suggest, it may have been Barbara Branden.

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  • 1 year later...

It is amazing how the marxist left just can't get Ayn out of their craw...

Ayn Rand (1904-82) has arisen from the dead. Over the last decade the pop philosopher and propaganda fictionist extraordinaire has moved steadily from the cultish margins to the mainstream of US conservatism.

Her ghost may even haunt the current presidential race with the candidacy of Republican Senator Rand Paul, a libertarian darling who received a set of Ayn Rand books for his 17th birthday.

This author's bias is quite clear.

Randthought, which I discuss in my book, On Nabokov, Ayn Rand and the Libertarian Mind, serves as a major doctrinal component within the mindset of the libertarian, the latter being the most significant American ideological development of the last 35 years.

He then harkens us back to the good old days, at least in NY State where we were building the Libertarian Party to a point where it had a damn permanent ballot line!! Equal to the Liberal and Conservative party. No more insane petition drives that drain money and energy from a growing Party.

The title of a 1971 book by Jerome Tuccille (a libertarian journalist and Libertarian Party candidate for governor of New York State in 1974) says all: It Usually Begins with Ayn Rand. Rand’s fan base has since grown to include Paul Ryan, the GOP’s 2012 vice-presidential nominee, who in 2005 openly credited Rand with his having entered government service and who reportedly has had his staffers read the market guru’s books.

A...

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I'm confused. How does reading Ayn Rand inspire someone to enter government service?

From an interview with National Review:

I reject her philosophy,” Ryan says firmly. “It’s an atheist philosophy. It reduces human interactions down to mere contracts and it is antithetical to my worldview. If somebody is going to try to paste a person’s view on epistemology to me, then give me Thomas Aquinas,” who believed that man needs divine help in the pursuit of knowledge. “Don’t give me Ayn Rand,” he says.

Hat tip: Dennis Hardin on another thread

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I'm confused. How does reading Ayn Rand inspire someone to enter government service?

From an interview with National Review:

I reject her philosophy,” Ryan says firmly. “It’s an atheist philosophy. It reduces human interactions down to mere contracts and it is antithetical to my worldview. If somebody is going to try to paste a person’s view on epistemology to me, then give me Thomas Aquinas,” who believed that man needs divine help in the pursuit of knowledge. “Don’t give me Ayn Rand,” he says.

Hat tip: Dennis Hardin on another thread

Yeah, my apologies to all of OL, he fooled me.

I had been following him for years because a Congressman I know very well served in the Gingrich revolution, spoke highly of him and he knew how deep I was with Ayn's ideas so he shared Ryan's devotion to her.

Daunce had some prescient comments about him and where he got his money from to go to school.

I also liked the fact that he was really intelligent, family man, outdoors man and hard worker [sleeping in his office].

graphics-sorry-657796.gif

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Well... the guy said he admired Rand. Then he became a politician and ditched reason or honesty or both, I guess.

But I'm still baffled. How does someone get inspired by Rand to enter government service as a career?

Times like these I think I must be a simpleton.

They weren't. They were inspired by government service.

--Brany

"It's earlier than you think."

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Well... the guy said he admired Rand. Then he became a politician and ditched reason or honesty or both, I guess.

But I'm still baffled. How does someone get inspired by Rand to enter government service as a career?

Times like these I think I must be a simpleton.

I can't speak for Ayn.

However, the manner in which Nathanial fulfilled his passion, psychology which she clearly did not want to deal with by her own comment.

In Ryan's case, as with mine, politics was not "government service." Politics was reducing government to it's original parameters and to undue as much of the Federal state as possible.

There are 15 parts of the executive sections of government

http://www.usfederalbudget.us/

http://www.usgovernmentspending.com/us_budget_pie_chart

A...

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