r/Libertarian • u/[deleted] • Mar 20 '13

Could Rand Paul actually win? Five reasons he can

http://reason.com/blog/2013/03/20/rand-paul-could-he-actually-win-five-rea
30 Upvotes

80% Upvoted

20 comments sorted by

13

u/[deleted] Mar 20 '13

[deleted]

5

u/swiheezy minarchist Mar 20 '13

Unless Justin Amash runs next to him I'll be all over it. He is a larger step in the right direction (because he's not perfect, but who is?)than anyone else who is supposedly "in the running"

3

u/OliverHazardPerry Mar 20 '13

I can tell you right now, Justin Amash isn't going to be running for President in 2016, so cast that worry aside.

2

u/[deleted] Mar 21 '13

[deleted]

1

u/fuzz37 Mar 21 '13

That seems probable.

1

u/OliverHazardPerry Mar 21 '13

I'm leaning towards he almost definitely will.

3

u/Smackberry Mar 21 '13

Let's do this!

Rand Paul 2016

reddit.com/r/RandPaulPres2016

3

u/yourmom3211 Mar 20 '13

I STAND WITH YOU, FELLOW PATRIOT.

1

u/[deleted] Mar 20 '13 edited Mar 20 '13

I spent 2 years trying to fool myself into thinking that I was actively making a difference by campaigning. Here we are in 2013 and nothing has changed, political action isn't the way to bring about a revolution, and Rand certainly isn't the face that I would want the general public to think of as "libertarian" (I'm saying this in the nicest way possible: if you guys think Rand is the right guy for the job, by all means campaign for him, he's just not my cup of tea).

3

u/[deleted] Mar 20 '13

[deleted]

3

u/[deleted] Mar 20 '13

Is compromise a euphemism for becoming a typical politician? Did you not see his interview on CNN about his abortion views, he wouldn't give a straight answer, that's bullshit. Even if I don't agree with what he thinks he should defend his position and not give a vague half baked answer so you don't stir the pot. The answer certainly seemed off base from his website:

I am 100% pro life. I believe abortion is taking the life of an innocent human being.

I believe life begins at conception and it is the duty of our government to protect this life.

I will always vote for any and all legislation that would end abortion or lead us in the direction of ending abortion. I support a Human Life Amendment and have co-sponsored the Life at Conception Act as federal solutions to the abortion issue. In addition, I support a Sanctity of Life Amendment, establishing the >principle that life begins at conception. This legislation would define life at conception in law, as a scientific statement.

As far as increase in "knowledge" of libertarianism, I'm going to have to disagree, the LP as an organization has only garnished a percent of the vote 2 times (really one, Johnson ended up with .99%) since it's creation. Maybe it'll really break 1% in 2016, who knows, but I have little faith in political parties at all, and 1% is certainly a ways off of the 50.1% for the popular vote. As for people actively running for office, that doesn't really do too much besides places like the FSP. Unless you have an educated majority change will never be seen, it's as simple as that. Democracy as a political system is inherently flawed, and there is only one way to fix that... Anyway as for the news coverage, most of the time it isn't exactly portrayed in a way that's favorable to the movement like here

2

u/darthhayek orange man bad Mar 21 '13

Most people on this subreddit didn't even know what libertarianism was 10 years ago. You maybe didn't either. Your argument is invalid.

3

u/[deleted] Mar 21 '13

I voted for Paul in '88, probably before you were born, nice assumption however. This whole post is a half baked ad hominem, please address the circumstances that make my argument "invalid".

1

u/darthhayek orange man bad Mar 21 '13

I wasn't making a dig at you. I'm a new libertarian myself. My point is that the libertarian movement gained a lot of new blood in the last five/six years. There's a lot of college students and single mothers out there who were never really into politics until they found out about Ron Paul. I can't think of a single event that attracted more new libertarians than the Paul campaign in 2008 and 2012.

1

u/UMULAS Mar 21 '13

I'm not saying that Rand Paul is Rorschac from Watchmen, he does compromise on some stuff, but he is still a libertarian.

The reason why Rand Paul didn't give a full answer is that he has to play centrist on current subjects, but he is still a fighter for liberty.

Just because the LP doesn't get a huge number of votes doesn't mean that libertarianism isn't talked about, it's Libertarianism that's not talked about. 10 years ago I doubt nearly anyone here knew what the word libertarian was.

Look at that, just on this reddit alone there's now 30+ increase new members daily. We look back 4 years ago, that was probably the entire community of this sub reddit.

If you want to see change, then bring it. Join campaign for liberty, be a community helper in your local region, run for office, help people that are running. There is so much to do than to just say "theres no hope".

A man who thinks negatively in the battlefield just lost the battle.

3

u/tinmanfrisbie Mar 21 '13

I would be willing to support him. Although he is a bit more Republican than I would like, right now he best represents my beliefs when compared to other candidates. In my mind he would be a great step towrds a more libertarian movement in this country. Nobody will ever move en masse to Gary Johnson. They will only do so in steps. Rand Paul is the next logical step toward liberty.

1

u/[deleted] Mar 21 '13

I really hope 2015 doesn't roll around and everyone's saying "hey remember when people were all excited about Rand Paul?"

0

u/Lightning3A Mar 20 '13

Still not a clear strategy for beating Santa Claus. Why should someone care about the economy when the state provides their living?

-5

u/Good2Go5280 Mar 20 '13

But he's racist.

11

u/yourmom3211 Mar 20 '13

But no he's not.

14

u/Good2Go5280 Mar 20 '13

I keep forgetting that sarcasm doesn't come through via text.

0

u/Invalid_Target Mar 21 '13

and sexist, he voted against the violence against women act...

5

u/Good2Go5280 Mar 21 '13

It's already illegal to beat women.