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Thursday, July 5, 2012

2012 Ron Paul Forgets About the Fed, Guns for Internet Freedom Instead

Posted by Paul Constant on Thu, Jul 5, 2012 at 11:26 AM

I can't even count the number of times Ron Paul's speeches were cut short by hairy young men bellowing "END THE FED!" Now it looks like Paul fans are going to have to find a new three-word slogan to chant:

Ron and Rand Paul are set today to shift the central focus of their family's long libertarian crusade to a new cause: Internet Freedom.

Kentucky senator Rand and his father Ron Paul, who has not yet formally conceded the Republican presidential nomination, will throw their weight behind a new online manifesto set to be released today by the Paul-founded Campaign for Liberty. The new push, Paul aides say, will in some ways displace what has been their movement's long-running top priority, shutting down the Federal Reserve Bank. The move is an attempt to stake a libertarian claim to a central public issue of the next decade, and to move from the esoteric terrain of high finance to the everyday world of cable modems and Facebook.

This is clearly the Paul family's attempt to completely take over the Reddit crowd, a shrewd shift in branding to a slightly more accessible topic. They haven't given up on the Austrians, though: the manifesto quotes von Mises, and it has some Ayn Rand-y attacks on "collectivism," too. It'll be interesting to see how quickly* Paul fans take this new manifesto to heart, and if "Save the Net" will be the new "End the Fed."

* You'll note I said "how quickly," not "whether." That's because we've learned long ago that Ron Paul fanatics just blindly accept whatever Ron Paul says as the Word of God. If Ron Paul says the Fed suddenly isn't as important anymore, Paul fans will shrug and start writing the new slogans on fresh pieces of cardboard, without any questions asked.

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A good choice. I always thought that people didn't really understand the fed thing and it alienated voters because they didn't want something messing with their money. Keeping people from messing with internet is something everyone can appreciate.

Posted by prompt on July 5, 2012 at 11:40 AM

Ron Paul has been vocal about this issue for awhile. When SOPA was gaining ground he was stomping about how bad it was. It's just that no one pays attention to Ron Paul, aside from the End the Fed thing.
I have a hard time with Ron Paul because of his stace on abortions rights and a few other issues. But really, auditing the Fed, ceasing the out of control war spending and internet freedom are things I can get behind. And they're not new issues/topics for Ron Paul.

Posted by moosefan on July 5, 2012 at 11:48 AM

How's that internet freedom workin' for ya?
Anonymous Hacks Neo-Nazis, Finds Ron Paul.
http://www.care2.com/causes/anonymous-ha…

Posted by David Thompson on July 5, 2012 at 12:02 PM

Ron Paul! Freedom! No abortions! Gold dubloons! Fiat blobbidy blah! Make millions on racist homophobic newsletters and then pretend you know nothing about it! Pal around with and take campaign contributions from white supremacists and "former" kkk grand wizards!

Posted by Slog Tipper David on July 5, 2012 at 12:03 PM

Well... shit.

Goddammit, you racist old loon, keep your hands off the few libertarian-ish causes I actually care about.

I mean, it's an important issue and I guess I'm glad somebody's actually talking about it, but come on... Ron Paul? Is that the best we can do?

Posted by balderdash

on July 5, 2012 at 12:16 PM

Next time I see Ron and Rand Paul I am going to yell, "GET IN THE HOLE!"

Posted by kathotdog on July 5, 2012 at 12:18 PM

Except in this case, "Internet Freedom" means an end to net neutrality, and in fact any regulation of the internet whatsoever. As usual, Ron Paul's idea of "Freedom" is freedom for a few large multinational corporations to do whatever they want. As for the thousands of small businesses who rely on a regulated environment in which to do business, they are free to wither and die as the service providers leverage their control of the internet to crush all competition from brands they do not own.

As a bonus, the "free speech" on display here is reliant on the generosity of private companies with a vested interest in privileging their own content over all other content. You have the right to say whatever you want, and your service provider has the right to decide whether or not anybody else gets to hear it.

Posted by Proteus on July 5, 2012 at 12:26 PM

Well this turn of events makes complete sense. Ron and now Rand are the crazy uncle every family has. That he'd show up at the family picnic on the 4th spouting some new rant, no surprise.

Posted by Machiavelli was framed on July 5, 2012 at 12:29 PM

The internet IS collectivism. Ever make a comment chiding somebody for talking down "political correctness" on Facebook? His friends then jump you.

Posted by --MC on July 5, 2012 at 12:33 PM

Ron Paul thinks state government should be allowed to tell you who and how you should fuck. When it comes to "freedom", that dude's a phony.

Posted by DOUG.

on July 5, 2012 at 12:57 PM

PC,
The Paul crowd is loud and organized on reddit, but are nothing but fringe, like Alex Jones or the racist subs. It's probably more correct to say the "internet libertarian crowd". You should be more thoughtful about reddit considering the majority of your "non original" content comes from there, if a few days late.

Posted by muffaletta on July 5, 2012 at 3:56 PM

They just found another way to suck money out of folls.

Posted by Pope Peabrain on July 5, 2012 at 3:59 PM

Name me one group with any sort of leadership structure that doesn't follow that leader.

Leaders lead. Followers follow. It's how the world works.

At least Paul's followers are following someone who cares about the country, honestly believes in his causes, and is half intelligent.

He's far from perfect, but he's a hell of a lot better than the alternatives.

Posted by malcolmxy on July 6, 2012 at 7:33 AM

@11: "Alex Jones or the racist subs. It's probably more correct to say the "internet libertarian crowd"."

What's the difference?

@13: "Leaders lead. Followers follow. It's how the world works. "

Except y'all Paultards just parrot things you don't understand.

Posted by and toss around a lot of "sheeple"s on July 6, 2012 at 10:57 AM