An Open Letter to Ron Paul Supporters

Posted by Mark Radulich on 11.23.2007

Frankly, when your guy is in last place, it seems silly to the rest of the world to act and treat others like you’ve already won, not to mention it doesn’t help the cause of actually winning anything.

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Dear Friends,

Hi! How are you? It's great that you are out there making viral videos and throwing "Tea Parties" to raise money for your man, Ron Paul. It is outstanding that you are so invested in the coming election and that you're willing to get behind a clear dark horse candidate like Dr. Ron Paul. I applaud you, I really do, for your passionate support and undying struggle to give the vast American voting public a better choice than, "a giant douche and a turd sandwich." Hats off to you.

I understand your enthusiasm for Ron Paul. I really do and I think it's great, truly. Much of what Ron Paul stands for is worth embracing and he makes many salient points in the debates, despite being painted as a Kucinich-like lunatic. I agree with Ron Paul on issues such as the economy and our ever sinking dollar, especially in the face of the rising euro. Certainly a vote for Ron Paul is a vote for restoring stability to the falling dollar. I agree with Ron Paul on his ideas about reducing government spending and the overall size of government. Surely a government that spends millions on a bridge to nowhere is one that is far out of control and apparently living on planet "Money Tree." Now I disagree with Ron Paul on his isolationist foreign policy ideas and specifically his assertion that Iran is not a direct threat to the United States, while they are still the main financial and political support for the terrorist group Hezbollah, but that's OK. This is America and we can be free to disagree.

Now do you see what I just did there friends? I stated simply that I disagreed with one of Ron Paul's positions and gave a reason for my disagreement. You'll notice the absence of shrill language and name calling. You'll also notice that I didn't call him or anyone else a fascist, a communist, a fag, a Nazi, a racist, Britney Spears or insane in the membrane. You'll notice that I didn't insinuate that Ron Paul hates children or the poor. I didn't even make a "Yo Momma" joke. That's called having a rational discussion.

My dear friends, Ron Paul supporters big and small, a political election is all about convincing people to stand behind a certain point of view and electing someone who will represent that point of view in Washington. Generally speaking, and maybe you all don't know this because while you may be true to the game, you are still new to the game, attacking the people who you seek to lobby or are trying to convince is usually counterproductive. One might even say that insulting the people who you would want to vote with you is downright stupid. It's like being in court and telling the judge and jury to suck a…well you get the idea.

This extends to the those in the media as well who give folks like Ron Paul a platform to speak from and share his views. I am trying to help here so let me give you a few examples of what not to say when you are trying to lobby people to your campaign or ideology:

Medved is just yet another neocon Likud jew. Now how is that helpful?

Giuliani is a wanker. Thought he was sooo tough standing their smug in front of a fox chosen crowd clearly showing the ignorance of a half bake who does not understand how to engage with someone on the topic area, totally misconstrue the statements by Paul and behave like an overindulgent prick. This refers to the exchange between Paul and Giuliani from the Fox Debate back in May that was instrumental in getting Paul noticed. While Giuliani was patently pandering to the pro-national security crowd in the audience and misconstruing history in the process, calling him a wanker doesn't really help convince people that Giuliani was dead wrong and Paul was right.

apparently the whole nation is behind him. anybody with a brain and a conscience is absolutely intoxicated by him; americans r too stupid to choose him; wow, rudy is a real pile ' sheeeawt; and my personal favorite, RON PAUL IS SO FUCKIN ON HIS SHIT THAT AINT NOBODY GUNNA FUX WIT HIM! DAT MUFUKKA IS A GANGSTA! (In a good way, you know... urban slang?)

There are plenty of you who write comments that are not as caustic and shrill as the ones above but there are many more worse comments that are peppered throughout the blogosphere. Ridiculing those who disagree with you or being condescending toward those who don't completely buy 100% of what Ron Paul says is not the way to promote this man to the presidency. In fact, this behavior is exactly what drove people with progressive leanings like myself away from the Green Party. Simply put, we didn't want to be seen standing next to a bunch of nut cases screaming on top of Mount Pompous.

And let's face facts here. Ron Paul consistently polls last in all serious election polls from Zogby to Marist and Rasmussen. He's a deep third in New Hampshire where he has the strongest chance of winning…not a Mike Huckabee in Iowa chance but a chance of not coming in dead last. I would think that Ron Paul supporters would concentrate more on building up more supports for a candidate that consistently polls third to last rather than pronouncing him the winner when mathematically he isn't a contender. Frankly, when your guy is in last place, it seems silly to the rest of the world to act and treat others like you've already won, not to mention it doesn't help the cause of actually winning anything.

You don't have the luxury that Clinton supporters do. She's so far in the lead that some of her supporters can afford to be complete assholes like this fellow, "I piss on your face, you shit-for-brains. WHo the fuck cares what you have to say? You're a fucking nobody!!! VOTE FOR HILLARY OR LOSE YOUR FREEDOMS, AMERICA!!!" When Ron Paul is leading in national polls then you can act like the above child, but not before.

My dear friends, you can have tea parties and one day fund raisers until the cows come home and all you'll accomplish is making Ron Paul a little wealthier than he was before but you won't succeed necessarily in making him the GOP nominee. Money helps win an election but it is not the last word, see Howard Dean circa 2004.

I realize you are all not neo-Nazi, 9/11 Truthers and secessionist as Medved once wrote but you are dangerously close to doing more damage than good when you are as shrill and caustic as you have been. Learn from the Naderites instead of stampeding down the path of becoming them and thus permanently sinking Ron Paul's candidacy for good.

Your Friend in Conversation, Candor and Goodwill,

Mark Radulich, MSW
Political Shrink

PS: Here's an example of promoting your candidate that I think works like gangbusters and will not drive people away in droves:



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