Fred Thompson complained of the long hours in the Senate and did not seek re-election as Tennessee Senator because he couldn’t take “fourteen hours of voting”. He was – and still is – a lazy politician-turned-actor ( the opposite of a Reaganesque actor-turned-politician ) who “didn’t leave any footprints in the Senate”.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower in his farewell address in 1961 warned the nation of the military-industrial complex – he wished to coin the phrase “military-industrial – Congressional complex” – which is what we have NOW with corporations getting a chunk of that $2,000,000,000 -billion – per week in Iraq.

The more the citizens know of Congressman Paul, they won’t consider the collection of unemployed ex-mayors, ex-senators, ex-governors who can’t get re-elected, yet want to pretend they could get elected President of these United States.

I’m going to venture that what I believe in and what you believe in are relatively similar. I believe in smaller government, a federal government whose primary purpose is national defense, and a free-market capitalist based economic system.

My point in the above is not that Mr. Paul is wrong on most of his issues, (though I totally agree with CC above about his blaming us for 9/11), it’s that he’s totally out of touch with the American voter.

I’ll put it this way. Given today’s electoral climate, if you had the choice to nominate Barry Goldwater or Gerald Ford, who would you pick? I’m guessing you would say Goldwater, as he most closely articulated modern conservative (and libertarian) ideals. Ford was a pragmatic centrist who, while Reagan’s intra-party nemesis, didn’t exactly turn our country over to the hippies when he was president.

Republican’s are going to have to earn every vote they get in this election. While most Republicans will recognize the need for Social Security reform, they also realize statements like “he is not a supporter of Social Security in its current form” are vote killers.

If Mr. Paul were our nominee, I’m sure he would articulate libertarian policies on limited government with the most clarity of any candidate since Goldwater. I’m also sure he would scare the hell out of every centrist voter in this country, get about 30% of the popular vote, and cost us at least 10 more Senate seats, 50+ house seats, and ensure that a fillabuster proof congress filled with liberals would change the laws and courts of this country to ensure that no conservative majority could be elected again for generations.

As for the specific question about what I would do to keep a Republican in office, I’m much more concerned with keeping a liberal democrat out of the office than keeping a Republican in it.

I agree with you. Thompson may be the best thing since sliced bread, but can anyone seriously tell me why he has such a following without laying out one bit of policy? For all I know he could be another Reagan (except for the fact there would be no possibility of tort reform for the next 8 years and he supported the greatest rollback of first amendment speech in McCain-Feingold). I must admit, as a conservative, I am not happy with the “top three” choices in the GOP field, but I am not convinced that Thompson is the answer.

The Term Limits Association’s 2007 Slogan unveiled right here on Peach Pundit.

How is that dated?

Thompson has had a honeymoon. Probably ending. He has now got to slog through things like everyone else.

I think Thompson is a great candidate and may well be the nominee (which I do not object to at all) but it is time to see his campaign more objectively, particularly in light of what he brings (or does not bring) in border states and outside the South.

2008 Republican Presidential Primary
Thompson 27% Giuliani 24% in Race for GOP Nomination

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/2008_republican_presidential_primary

Election 2008: Clinton, Thompson Tied
Clinton (D) 46% Romney (R) 42%

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_2008_clinton_thompson_tied

How is the marathon going?

Your marathoner is pulling up lame (torn ACL I believe), running out of gas, trailing more and more, his shoes are falling apart, and no one has hit the 13.1 mile mark yet.

Amazing how apt your marathon comparison is.

I pretty much agree with your overall assessment of both the War, Bush White House, and Congressman Paul.

I’ll add that while the war may have been for the right reason, hindsight shows that the Bush team threw overboard his economic team who told him how much it would cost, and Colin Powell, who told him “if you break it, you own it.”

Inside Man,

It’s not that Ron Paul doesn’t have principles, it’s that he’s totally and completely unelectable.

When asked in a general election how he would reform social security, my guess is that he would say social security is not provided for in the consitution, and therefore should be eliminated. Same for most Federal agencies.

When average joe six-pack voter hears this, do you really think they’re going to have philisophical debates about whether he’s right, or just vote for anyone else who doesn’t appear completely out of the mainstream?

I don’t care to have a debate about whether or not he’s right about the consititution, and I’ll cede that on most points, he is. That doesn’t make him in step with the average voters or make him in any way able to win a national election.

1) Was it wrong to go there in the first place? (for deciding if the general concept of attacking governments who sponsor/protect terrorist activites is a wise one)
2) What do we do now that we are there?

On point 1: Just because the administration’s mishanded the war doesn’t mean that the concept is wrong. However, this belief does place a lot of trust in the executive branch to have exceptional intelligence and good motives… be reminded that our founders built our system of government on the assumption that we needed to work hard to keep government honest.

On point 2: Congressman Paul’s assertion that we should leave now is something that I cannot agree with, both from a policy standpoint as well as from a philosophical one.

On policy, I believe that it is in our nation’s best interest to bring this conflict to a place that we can reasonably say that we have accomplished our objectives and it is time for the Iraqi government to take over. To immediately withdraw (which I understand Mr. Paul’s position to be – please correct me if I am wrong) means to further the perception that we have lost. I also fear that we are far too impatient as a country when it comes to war… but that is something to discuss later.

On philosophical grounds (and this is where Mr. Paul lost me for good), he said that our overseas actions had invited the terror we experienced on 9/11. IMHO, to leave now would be a major propaganda victory for those in the Islamic Jihad movement.

I believe that you can be a patriotic American and disagree with policy of pre-emption. I believe that you can be a patriotic American and want to withdraw now (although I disagree). However, I draw the line at saying that we were attacked because of our action overseas… these extremists attacked us because we do not ascribe to their thinking… our action overseas is just an excuse to unleash terror on INNOCENT Americans.

What do you mean ” Fred Thompson bought a table”? Don’t you mean the illionists who are backing Fred for fear nobody but Fred could stand down Hitlery????

Come on folks!!! We are stronger than this!

It was NOT Brian- It was people who were volunteering for the Cagle campaign. I saw Jesse’s pictures on his cell phone. Brian just
happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong
time I guess. Seems he was out there at the
same time but he was not in the pictures.

In fact I was told by Kyle that Brian was making
space at the front for his mom’s signs.

Then- the next day or so – a rumor started that
Brian was removing signs to put up Casey’s. I
never saw any evidence of that.

It was sadlyt all a big misunderstanding.

I think it would be great if Donovan Head and
Brian Laurens would talk C-Biscuit into running
again. She comes so close.

Just think what a great legislator she would make if she had you people actually helping her ? I think she has tried to really reach out
to both of you on several occasions with
great kindness.

A lot of folks are weary of the Iraq War, including Republicans as well as indys and Dems.

I think that by 2008, the election will not be as much about how we got there, but what we do next. I believe there will be a lot of pressure on the White House from Congressional Republicans by early fall to begin troup withdrawls from Iraq. Our Army is not trained to be peacekeepers, and we’ve allowed mission creep to go on too long.

I understand the desire of purity for someone with a true libertarian perspective, but it’s never been an easy sell to the masses. If you think the MSM will be kind to Mr. Paul and not twist his blunt, matter of fact pronouncements about most topics because he’s anti war, you’re setting yourself up for a big disappointment.

First, I appreciate you keeping this discussion at a respectable level. However, I think you misread the Independent vote entirely. A solid majority of them are very weary of the Iraq War, while many are also very leery of a lurch to the welfare state. Rep. Paul bridges that gap as no other candidate in either party can do. Our campaign in its nascent state shows this to be the case, as we have members from both parties, as well as self-described independents joining everyday. Losses in the House and Senate can and should be blamed on support for this war, and the absolutely mind-numbing spending levels we have experienced since the GOP took power.

Besides, Paul would hold the veto pen, and even his Republican critics should warm to that idea.

Thompson has 2-3 months to prove his mettle. If he falters, Gingrich steps in to fill the vacuum. With his baggage and very late start, I don’t see him breaking 20% either. That takes up the six months between now and the first votes in Iowa and NH, with Super Tuesday now just 7 months away.

Continued fracturing among “pure” conservatives leaves Rudy at the top through Super Tuesday.