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Thursday, February 16, 2012

2012 Hundreds of Ron Paul Fans Can't Be Right

Posted by Paul Constant on Thu, Feb 16, 2012 at 10:27 PM

"This is a very diverse crowd," the woman behind me in line for the Ron Paul rally said in an approving tone. I looked around the lobby of the SeaTac DoubleTree Hotel. There were dozens—hundreds—of Ron Paul supporters walking around us in their Ron Paulaphernalia, but "diverse" isn't a word I would use to describe them. Basically: They were all white. But not just Seattle white. Let's put it this way: The Rick Santorum rally on Monday was markedly more diverse than this room.

Unless, I guess, she meant the crowd was age-diverse. Because that was certainly true. There were Vietnam vets, satisfied-looking 50-year-olds with receding hairlines and ponytails, a lot of men who probably dressed as Steve Jobs last Halloween and, mostly, tons of young white men in their 20s and 30s. It looked like the staff of every tattoo studio in the greater Seattle area was at the DoubleTree, as well as quite a few scary-looking muscular shaven-headed men (most of them in some variation on the "Don't Tread On Me" t-shirt) who weren't dispelling any rumors about the Paul movement's ties to white supremacist groups.

The conversation in line was dumb. One man said he didn't personally want to exercise the right to bear arms, but he heard that "they want to ban knives now," and he clearly understood that we were on "a slippery slope." Another supporter explained that his friends didn't want to vote for Ron Paul because of his advanced age. "His age is a plus," the man said, because "an 80-year-old man probably isn't looking for world domination." Another man said he tried canvassing his neighborhood on behalf of Paul, but he got frustrated when his neighbors told him they were diehard Clinton fans who couldn't wait for Chelsea to run for something. "Can you believe that?" The would-be canvasser ultimately felt bad for his Clinton-loving neighbors: "They're Vietnamese, so they're Democrats. They probably need what the government's giving them."

Despite the unmitigated idiocy of the hundreds of people in line, the Ron Paul campaign was remarkably well-organized. They handed out buttons, stickers and, if you promised to canvass for them, elaborately printed yard signs. They made sure everyone in line provided their information for the e-mail list. They handed out free information about how to caucus on March 3rd. They made the Santorum campaign's rally staffers look like total, pathetic amateurs. After what seemed like a century (but was probably more like an hour and fifteen minutes) in line, hundreds of us packed into the Grand Ballroom of the DoubleTree for the rally, which started, as promised, exactly at 7:30. Staffers had placed campaign materials on every chair in the ballroom—a couple of pamphlets, and a sample of the Ron Paul Family Cookbook, featuring pot pie recipes, a few recipes whose main ingredient was Oreos, and something called "Impossible Pie." A speaker introduced Ron Paul supporters to former Justice Richard Sanders, whom he called "a fighter for liberty and the Constitution." Sanders gave a completely forgettable little introduction to Paul, but the crowd rabidly applauded the suggestion that he was "considering another run for the state supreme court." "We gotta get his guy back on the bench," the next speaker said, before finally introducing Ron Paul.

What is there to say about Ron Paul's stump speech? We all knew what he was going to say, and everyone applauded at the right times and booed at the right times. Here are the things the audience booed: The UN, NATO, Goldman Sachs, the Fed, inflation, military drones, the military arresting American citizens, spending 12 years in Afghanistan, and bailouts. Here are lines and ideas the audience applauded: "The president is not supposed to be a king"; "we shouldn't try to run the world, we have a hard enough time running our lives"; "gold and silver"; "liberty brings people together"; the "perverse" way our government has interpreted "this whole idea that we are an exceptional nation"; "friendship and peace"; the fact that Vietnam was "a biggie back in the 1960s"; "war is a negative, it is always a negative;" the suggestion that the US government should not be allowed to borrow money; the fact that the only regulations business should follow should be "don't steal and don't rob"; and the suggestion that "we have hyphenated our liberties because we belong to groups," even though we "shouldn't get punishments or benefits because you belong to a group." All through the speech, Ron Paul's wife stood off to the side of the stage in a pink top, her arms crossed and scowling implacably.

"You are the greatest American, Ron Paul," someone in the audience yelled. There was applause and a semi-awkward pause. "I'm delivering the greatest message," Ron Paul finally replied. As the speech neared its end, a background roar gained in volume. At first, we all looked around, thinking the other half of the room was chanting while we remained silent. But it dawned on everyone at the same moment that hundreds of people who couldn't fit in the room were out in the lobby, chanting "We want Paul!"

Finally, the speech ended, and half the audience lunged to the front of the room, swarming around Paul. I joined the other half of the room who were trying to leave, but we were met at the door by the hordes of Paul fans in the lobby who were trying to fight their way into the ballroom. It was a bottleneck, smelly and loud. Paul staffers handed out reminders of the March 3rd caucuses. I was on the phone with a friend as I tried to fight my way through the mob. They were getting angrier and ruder, shoving at me with their elbows. I explained to my friend, "It's like I'm a salmon, trying to fight my way upstream in the river of liberty."

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Oldest First Unregistered On Registered On Add a comment

He has had an awful lot of practice running a campaign for prez, hence you would expect him to have a remarkably well-organized campaign.

Posted by StuckInUtah on February 16, 2012 at 11:02 PM

75% of what he says is a lot saner than what the other candidates are saying. Unfortunately, the other 25%...

Posted by sarah70 on February 16, 2012 at 11:22 PM

Most of what he says is insane the only sane policies he has are on drugs and war

Posted by Democrat1234 on February 16, 2012 at 11:41 PM

Maybe it's more convenient to for your condescending article that everyone there must have been white, but that's untrue. I attended and there was a solid number of Asians that turned out, and a few dozen other racial groups, albeit in smaller numbers. Lets not let personal bias against a candidate get in the way of facts.

Posted by Calebafterthedebate on February 16, 2012 at 11:42 PM

@2 FTW

Posted by Foghorn Leghorn on February 16, 2012 at 11:45 PM

wow, we must have been at different rallies. I saw a remarkably diverse crowd. Your point about Mrs. Paul scowling with crossed arms the whole time was completely inaccurate. She was smiling and clapping as well as Dr. Paul's granddaughter. She even came down and talked to us afterward for a while. I'm guessing that you come to a Ron Paul rally seeing what you want to see. If you like him, you're going to see the good. If you don't, you're going to look for the bad.

Posted by Jjmahoney on February 17, 2012 at 12:46 AM

@5:

I think @2 has the percentages reversed. Then again, even 25% "sane" is way ahead of the standard GOP pol these days.

I use the quotation marks because Paul's seemingly reasonable positions are almost always arrived at from a totally different, totally bizarre, angle. Case in point -- he's against war because he's an isolationist xenophobe who doesn't think the Federal government has the constitutional power to wage war.

Ron Paul doesn't have an iota of liberalism, even if a cursory sound-bite view of several of his positions might make you think he does.

Posted by N in Seattle

on February 17, 2012 at 12:46 AM

Thanks for the morning belly laugh. This article was hilarious! Wonder where the young man heard that the government wants to ban knives? Faux News? LOL.

Posted by Patricia Kayden on February 17, 2012 at 3:26 AM

@4 and @6 ... this is wierd... its like when the Nationalist Party ran here last election. Any article with a comments thread would be ganged by people saying basicly the same thing in this wierd "common sensy" voice... I'm not saying you're doing that (they had basicly a group of volunteers) but it kinda sounds like it.

Is the RP campaign doing something similar in the US? The Conservative Party in Hungary did the same thing and Le Pens gang in France... maybe its a trend?

Posted by JensR

on February 17, 2012 at 4:12 AM

I totally found the RON PAUL rally to be very diverse; it was represent*tick*
represent*tick*
represent*tick*
represent*wham*
representative of Seattle's diverse culture. This is not a recording.

Posted by Banna

on February 17, 2012 at 4:34 AM

@4 Asians and a few dozen other racial groups?

I'm not sure I could even name a few dozen racial groups let alone pick them out of a crowd. Can you tell the difference between an Azerbaijani and an an Arminian?

I'm not sure I'm buying your comment. In fact I think you are a sock puppet.

Posted by jnonymous on February 17, 2012 at 4:48 AM

"...and a few dozen other racial groups..."

What few dozen other racial groups are there? I can think of some ethnic groups, but not a few dozen racial groups.

Put a token Asian and African in the crowd and suddenly Paul has a diverse audience. Maybe with Photoshop it can really be diverse!

Posted by gttim on February 17, 2012 at 5:11 AM

I've been struck by how much appeal libertarianism holds for high-wage earners with narrowly focused technical educations: programmers, engineers, GIS specialists, and the like. I've also been struck by how quickly their social, political, and economic views broaden when their own wages, working conditions, and careers are threatened by outsourcing and loosening of immigration restrictions. But then, walking a mile in the other guy's shoes always *has* been the best remedy for solipsism.

Posted by PCM on February 17, 2012 at 6:13 AM

@13: I'm not surprised at that at all - people who think in binary make for great libertarians.

Posted by kalel80806 on February 17, 2012 at 6:22 AM

So... Some people at the Paul thingee were ignorant and/or scary. In other words, they resembled every other assemblage ever assembled. Except for skin tone. Then Paul said just what was expected. So, Paul (the other Paul), what's the point?

Posted by BLUE on February 17, 2012 at 6:34 AM

"It looked like the staff of every tattoo studio in the greater Seattle area was at the DoubleTree, as well as quite a few scary-looking muscular shaven-headed men (most of them in some variation on the "Don't Tread On Me" t-shirt) who weren't dispelling any rumors about the Paul movement's ties to white supremacist groups."

Gotcha. Muscular, white, inked, and shaved heads equal white supremacist. Stereotypes are FUN.

Posted by NateMan on February 17, 2012 at 6:42 AM

@16 Paul is just the type of pussy that would be physically intimidated by big bald white guys. Have you seen what he looks like? Like someone poured a gallon of oatmeal over a tub of play-doh.

Posted by Rotten666 on February 17, 2012 at 7:26 AM

@17: Sweet. I like being intimidating. I just don't like it being assumed that I'm intimidating AND racist.

Posted by NateMan on February 17, 2012 at 7:28 AM

@2: "75% of what he says is a lot saner than what the other candidates are saying. Unfortunately, the other 25%..."

Right, and that 75% is for the wrong reasons, or necessarily introduces that 25% and is inseparable from it.

I'm sure I could have a nice talk with him, but the freedom to oppress is not "Freedom" as they use the word.

Posted by undead ayn rand on February 17, 2012 at 7:56 AM

God people, 75% of what he says is sane? NO. Sanity takes grace and understanding. RON PAUL IS OLD TIM EYMAN... WHY DON'T PEOPLE GET THAT!? A Hatchet is all his ideas provide to a problem! They sound good because of the alluring quality of smashing something quiet, but focus people, just like Eyman, all of Paul's ideas would pout us in a worse place down the road.

And in addition to all that, you are agreeing, even if you protect that agreement with a qualifier to push a joke, it belies that you do give some sort respect to him. and that puts you on the same side as white supremacists, if that happened to me I would go through my reasoning with a fine tooth comb...

Posted by Fenrox on February 17, 2012 at 8:07 AM

@7 - Completely incorrect. His view is simply that the US should only go to war if it is declared by Congress and that "nation building" is not a role our military should be involved in.

Paul is no more a racist than your average 76 year old white man. The reason a lot of his supporters are so willing and able to look past that is because they believe freedom is the best way to lift people out of disadvantaged circumstances. Nothing brings a smile to my face faster than when a Liberal expresses confusion about how the poor and minorities could be attracted to Paul.

Posted by cliche on February 17, 2012 at 8:22 AM

#20 FTW... Old Tim Eyman! Perfect!

Posted by jp

on February 17, 2012 at 8:36 AM

@21 Doing away with the federal income tax will help poor people? Oh, please.

Posted by Ken Mehlman on February 17, 2012 at 8:53 AM

@23 - It depends on what other systems would come in to replace a Federal tax, doesn't it? And it's telling that you think the goal of the Federal Income Tax is to help poor people. Poor people are fully aware the cards are stacked against them at a societal level. Those who support Ron Paul are looking for a level playing field more than anything else and a very big part of that is slowing down the current system that funnels money to the privileged. Obama has clearly shown he's cool with the Corporatist status-quo and obviously Romney wouldn't change anything.

Posted by cliche on February 17, 2012 at 9:16 AM

"Most of what he says is insane the only sane policies he has are on drugs and war"

I know; it was totally worth it; killing a couple mil brown folk who would otherwise still be living out their average Jamal lives. Iran won't be as easy considering the prevalence of english speaking Iphone users, but I'm sure we can get over that. And de-criminalizing drugs would be super-steroids to a progressive society. With enhanced mdma/lsd techno-therapy all of you crotchety establishment centrists would be propelled into anarcho-socialist ecotopias while the current american right re-visits the flower child movement that escaped their parents.

Posted by porchedge on February 17, 2012 at 9:30 AM

@24 The purpose of the Federal Income Tax is to collect revenue for the federal government, not to help poor people. However, a progressive income tax harms the poor less than any other system of taxation.

You think Ron Paul's economic policies wouldn't funnel money to the privileged? PLease.

Posted by Ken Mehlman on February 17, 2012 at 9:38 AM

@21- "Nothing brings a smile to my face faster than when a Liberal expresses confusion about how the poor and minorities could be attracted to Paul."

Poor people and minorities who support Paul do so for the same reasons rich people and white people do: They're idiots who embrace a completely unfounded view of economics mixed with a dysfunctional idea about state/federal interactions. They have a lot of things they want to smash and a religious idea that invisible forces will then build everything back better than it was before.

Posted by dwightmoodyforgetsthings

on February 17, 2012 at 10:13 AM

@25: "while the current american right re-visits the flower child movement that escaped their parents."

Hah. Exactly. I find it bizarre that modern conservatives project themselves as loving, revolutionary peaceniks for "freedom" while worshipping 60s era Dixiecrats and being the same repugnant bigots they always were. They're not smashing the military-industrials. They're not breaking down the prison-industrials. They're just saying we should bend over for the corporations and deregulate deregulate deregulate some more.

Posted by undead ayn rand on February 17, 2012 at 11:31 AM

@15: I think the point was a truly great last line. :-)

Posted by John Horstman on February 17, 2012 at 12:05 PM

Nothing brings a smile to my face faster than when a Liberal expresses confusion about how the poor and minorities could be attracted to Paul.

There is no confusion. They aren't attracted to him. Or are you confusing the poor with the lower middle class? And white ethnic groups with minorities?

Posted by keshmeshi on February 17, 2012 at 12:11 PM

The crowd at the rally came to support a man that they can believe in some way vs typical rheteric from the right and the left. If people are looking for a person that offers puriest slogans then either only in their dreams, in hollywood or as the same typical politicans will still rule the day, by singing to you a sweet bye and bye
Is it not time to debate on issues?
.Do you believe in policies that have created 50 years war?
Do yo believe in the Patriot Act?
Do you believe that Wall Street is above the law?
Then you are free to believe who you believe in.
Action speaks louder the rhetorical words!
voiceadded

Posted by voiceadded on February 17, 2012 at 12:46 PM

Gibberish

Posted by Sandiai on February 17, 2012 at 1:45 PM

This is the expected fecal diatribe from Paul Constant and The Stranger. If one took the time to actually hear and understand the main points of the Libertarian Party, one would have a diiferent opinion. Democrat and Republican idiots and their pathetic sycophants are actually different sides of the same douche. Any political outsider is always marginalized and ignored. In the case of the stranger, They only support politicans who join in with them to make their ever-waking mission to talk about Gay marriage, gAy rights, gaY schools, gay tacos, gay laundry detergent, gay, gay, gay, blah, blah.

Posted by liberty4all on February 17, 2012 at 3:48 PM

OBOY, the Paultards have arrived on the scene!

Posted by venomlash on February 17, 2012 at 4:14 PM

am i missing something here or is there some reason i should care about some guy's opinion of republicans who happens to be a guy who hates republicans and publish in a free (lol) magazine that hates republicans? i would get an equally fair and objective report about jews from a magazine published by nazis (or iranians).

Posted by looololol on February 17, 2012 at 5:39 PM

@33 Please explain how abolishing the Federal Income Tax would benefit anybody making less than $50,000 a year?

Posted by Ken Mehlman on February 17, 2012 at 5:50 PM

Consider we have forgiven lying, cheating, stealing, breaking vows, from so many (especially Obama) ... a bit of crazy with a lot of honesty .... yeah, sorry but he's still the best politician we've had in at least 25 years.

Posted by KittenKoder

on February 18, 2012 at 4:45 AM

Dr. Ron Paul appears to be a pretty decent person.

Posted by Wally D on February 18, 2012 at 11:12 AM

@21: "Nothing brings a smile to my face faster than when a Liberal expresses confusion about how the poor and minorities could be attracted to Paul."

We express confusion how anybody with a non-shallow understanding of Paul's policies, intentions, and statements would. It all breaks down when you listen to him for long enough.

Posted by Paul's fans are overwhelmingly white. on February 18, 2012 at 11:33 AM

@39 "Paul's fans are overwhelmingly white" - you seem quite focused on race.. You must be a racist.

Posted by lolollol on February 18, 2012 at 2:50 PM

@40: It matters when Paul wants to revoke the Civil Rights Act and re-legalize segregation.

Posted by intolerance of the intolerant on February 19, 2012 at 4:27 PM

@33, I want a gay taco. Where can I get one?

Posted by clashfan on February 20, 2012 at 4:42 PM