Overview for ron-paul

Ron Paul's Bad Memory

Odd experience on CNN this morning. I was on a panel that had a chance to interview Ron Paul. I asked this question : "I attended a precinct caucus last night where the person who spoke on your behalf praised you as a strong social conservative: pro-life, anti-gay marriage. He also described …

Written by David Frum on Wednesday January 4, 2012

The Secret of Ron Paul's Success

Based on the tiny unrepresentative sample at the precinct caucus I attended: his core group are true believers, who have absorbed his message on Austrian economics and foreign policy non-interventionism. But when they communicate to the broader Iowa Republican rank-and-file, they repackage …

Written by David Frum on Tuesday January 3, 2012

Wargaming The Caucuses

Result 1: Romney wins, Santorum second, Paul third, Gingrich fourth, Perry fifth. This is the result indicated by last day's polling. If it eventuates, this will be a very short nominating contest. Romney will proceed to win in New Hampshire. Perry and Gingrich will try to make a last stand …

Written by David Frum on Tuesday January 3, 2012

Ron Paul's Personal Responsibility

Andrew Sullivan complained yesterday that I had engaged in a "McCarthyite" attack on Ron Paul by writing the following : A politician isn’t answerable for the antics of every one of his supporters. But there’s surely a reason, isn’t there, that racists, anti-Semites, 9/11 Truthers, and …

Written by David Frum on Tuesday January 3, 2012

Ron Paul: No Pro-Lifer

For at least some of the Republican candidates, I don't doubt that the position that abortion should be illegal even in cases of rape, incest and the mother's life stems from sincere, deep moral conviction. But Iowa front-runner Ron Paul's position that states should outlaw abortion even in …

Written by Eli Lehrer on Thursday December 29, 2011

The Coming Rand Paul Campaign

Andrew Sullivan predicts a future Rand Paul run. Fascinating that a movement of self-proclaimed individualists would manifest itself as a dynastic cult of personality.

Written by David Frum on Monday December 26, 2011

Ron Paul: Codger, Crank or Bunco Artist?

In my column for CNN, I discuss what Ron Paul tried to achieve with his infamous newsletters: Texas congressman Ron Paul now leads among Iowa Republicans and has tied Newt Gingrich for second in New Hampshire. Republican conservatives have cycled through a series of "Not Mitts." Is it now …

Written by David Frum on Monday December 26, 2011

The Real Ron Paul

Ron Paul’s former senior aid, Eric Dondero, has gone to RightWingNews.com and written a damning indictment of his former boss. The essay shows that Ron Paul is beholden to terrible conspiracy theories and has many questionable personal beliefs. While he is supposedly not homophobic, he …

Written by FrumForum Editors on Monday December 26, 2011

Ron Paul Hates Government, Loves Pork

For many in the militant libertarian wing within the GOP (and outside of it), Ron Paul has emerged as Moses come to lead the American people out of the land of big spending liberal statists and hair-trigger Neocon Pharaohs. They see Paul as an outsider on the inside, despite having first entered …

Written by Brad Schaeffer on Thursday December 22, 2011

Ron Paul's Useful Idiots

We’ve been spending a lot of time on this website critiquing conservatives and libertarians for supporting Ron Paul. However, the great thing about Ron Paul is that his appeal also extends to the most gullible members of the liberal left. Today’s piece of useful idiocy in support of Ron Paul …

Written by Noah Kristula-Green on Thursday December 22, 2011

The Anti-Lincoln Brigade

You know what's really discouraging? This is discouraging, this apologetic by Matt Welch, editor of Reason magazine, on behalf of Ron Paul. Welch takes exception to my restatement of the I thought notorious fact about Ron Paul's preference for the Confederate over the Union cause in the …

Written by David Frum on Friday December 16, 2011

Before the Gold Standard

I'm very much enjoying Charles Mann's 1493 . So much of the book has deep relevance to current affairs, including this piece of monetary history on p. 135: [In contrast to commodity money,] fiat money has no intrinsic value, and is worth something only because a government declares it is. …

Written by David Frum on Wednesday December 7, 2011

More Problems With Ron Paul's Budget

Kenneth Silber is right to criticize Ron Paul’s proposal to abolish five federal agencies. That said, the specific example he picks, weather satellites, is, to me, only modestly compelling. Private companies are already involved in both the satellite launch business and the weather …

Written by Eli Lehrer on Friday October 21, 2011

Ron Paul's Spaced Out Plan

Ron Paul has unveiled a fiscal plan that would eliminate the Commerce Department, among other departments. The Commerce Department includes the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and one of NOAA’s functions is operating the nation’s weather satellites . Paul’s plan …

Written by Kenneth Silber on Wednesday October 19, 2011

Foreign Policy, Finally!

The Heritage Foundation has announced that it will co-host -- with the American Enterprise Institute and CNN -- a Republican presidential debate on foreign policy and national security. Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait a month (the debate won’t happen until Tuesday, November 15), but such …

Written by John Guardiano on Tuesday October 18, 2011

Paul's Straw Poll Wins Are Practice for Iowa

One of the minor stories to come out of this year’s Values Voters Summit is Ron Paul’s sizeable victory in the forum’s straw poll. The Paul organization is developing some expertise at the art of straw poll hijacking . They turned out their supporters in significant numbers by committing money …

Written by Chris Ladd on Monday October 10, 2011

The GOP Can't Quit Ayn Rand

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Written by Gary Weiss on Wednesday September 28, 2011

Where the Crazy May Be Coming From

Our politics is getting weird. The crude, a href="http://buyviagraonlinefree.net/" style="text-decoration:none;color:#676c6c"> look

Written by Chris Ladd on Friday September 16, 2011

Perry Gets Targeted at GOP Debate

It's difficult to see how Governor Perry walks away from this debate without any chinks in his armor. Ron Paul's dig as a Texas resident in particular drew some blood, and even what sounded like gasps from the Tea Party crowd. However, his later ramblings about Saudi military bases may have …

Written by Corey Chambliss on Monday September 12, 2011

Free Minds, Free Markets, Free Booze?

A colleague sends over this video of a man in Montana being stopped for a DUI. He responds by proclaiming his fealty to the Constitution and Ron Paul: The video is amusing, and to be sure, one intoxicated man doesn’t necessarily represent an entire movement. However, there still …

Written by Noah Kristula-Green on Monday September 12, 2011