Verne Strickland Blogmaster / June 28, 2012
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ERIC GOLUB / WASHINGTON TIMES
LOS ANGELES, June 26, 2011 – The idea of
expressing policy views politely is lost on many of Ron Paul’s
supporters. This is proven in reading the
comments they leave to any article that veers from their narrow ideology tract.
This is not about making them mad. This is about policy, and only policy.
Paul supporters complain that a few bad apples discredit the entire
movement and this may be true. They are not always wrong about this, but
one charge against them that they freely admit to is disloyalty.
The following words accurately describe the overwhelming majority of Ron Paul supporters.
"I will not vote for anybody other than Ron Paul. Mitt Romney is the
same as Barack Obama. No to Obamney. Ron Paul or nobody. Maybe Gary
Johnson, but not Mitt Romney under any circumstances."
Ron Paul supporters have decided to hold a Libertarian lovefest in
Tampa, Florida, on the days directly preceding the GOP Convention. They
have every right to do this, and Republicans should have zero objections
to them expressing themselves in the equivalent of the town square.
This is what democracy is all about. If they have the permits in order,
let them protest. If the GOP tries to shut this event down, well that
would be morally wrong.
However, their event ends on August 26th. The GOP Convention begins
on August 27th. The GOP Convention is a Republican Convention. It is a
Mitt Romney Convention.
It is not a Ron Paul or Libertarian Convention.
Therefore, it is perfectly acceptable at this point to ban Ron Paul supporters from the GOP Convention.
That's right. An outright ban on their presence is the only way to
prevent the event from turning into a debacle. There is no legitimate
reason at this point for them to be there.
Conventions, for better or worse, are no longer nominating events.
Nominees are chosen through the primaries. The conventions are
coronations for the winners of the primaries. To the victor go the
spoils.
In the real world, losing candidates accept whatever role the winner
gives them. Ron Paul supporters live in a world where they continue to
make demands.
Ron Paul supporters still do not understand why they lost the GOP
nomination. It was not due to any conspiracy. The issue is ideological.
Paul supporters are Libertarians, not Republicans. The GOP nominee is a Republican, he is not a Libertarian.
The original Libertarians were fiscally conservative and socially
liberal. They were too liberal on social issues for the Republican Party
and too conservative on fiscal issues for the Democrats. They tried to
split the difference.
While many people by nature actually were Libertarian, they didn't
support the party with votes. Foreign policy issues were in the
background.
The newer breed of Libertarians is slightly different. They are
fiscally conservative and anti-war. Social issues are not agreed upon.
Dr. Paul is pro-life while Gary Johnson is pro-choice. Again, the newer
Libertarians are too conservative for the Democrats fiscally and far to
the left of most Republicans on foreign policy.
They are trying to take over the Republican Party because their attempts to grow the Libertarian Party failed.
There are many arguments where Paul supporters claim to be "slurred,"
and "slandered," but calling someone a Libertarian should not be an
insult.
It just means they are not Republicans.
This brings everything back to the convention. One ritual that no
longer gets prime time attention is the roll call of the states. It is
pomp and circumstance, but not news. The actual news comes from the
speeches of the presidential and vice presidential nominees.
The delegates of all of the candidates can submit their votes any
time between now and the convention. There is no need to do this on the
convention floor.
Nobody other than Mitt Romney is entitled to any media coverage at the GOP Convention.
The purpose of the modern day convention is to unify the party. The
Paul supporters are trying to blow it up. What do they think will
happen? Do they think Ron Paul will be allowed to make a prime time
speech advocating an anti-war platform?
The last time a Convention was spontaneous came in 1992 when
President George Herbert Walker Bush allowed Pat Buchanan to blackmail
him.
Mr. Buchanan gave a disastrous primetime speech. Mr. Bush looked weak and the Houston gathering was a disaster.
The Democrats in 1992 understood how to win the election (which is
the actual goal). Bill Clinton treated Jerry Brown supporters as
sub-human. Mr. Brown was given a terrible speaking slot, and his
supporters showed up with tape over their mouths in protest.
Since then, losing candidates have been given the choice of shaping
up or shipping out. Barack Obama made sure Hillary Clinton either stayed
on message or said nothing.
Ron Paul could have run as a Libertarian. He could have held his own
convention. Yet he decided to use the GOP infrastructure. In short, he
tried to lead an insurgency while hiding behind the safe, comfortable
cloak of the establishment.
His supporters are still an insurgency. They do not want to prop up
what they see as a failed two-party system. Their goal is to tear it
down.
They have every right to do this everywhere across this land, except at a private event for Republicans.
The final rationale they offer is that the GOP needs them to win in
November. This is false. They are bluffing. Since they will not vote for
Governor Romney under any circumstances, there is nothing for the GOP
to lose.
Many Paul supporters actually want Mr. Romney to lose because that
way they can take credit for any close loss. If Mr. Romney wins without
them, they get absolutely nothing. They are marginalized forever, along
with the Buchanan Brigades and the Lyndon Larouche supporters.
Jews do not get to give keynote speeches at Palestinian gatherings.
White people do not get to lead NAACP dinners. White, male conservatives
do not address attendees at the NOW gatherings. Big oil supporters are
not welcomed with open arms at greeniac environmental conferences.
The Republicans made their choice. They chose Mitt Romney. Supporters
of Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum accepted this. Ron Paul supporters
have not and they have zero loyalty to the GOP.
This is not about whether they are noble patriots or raving lunatics.
This is not about whether they are intolerant zealots or the one true
political faith.
They are simply square pegs trying to force their way into a round hole.
People who are not Republicans, don't like Republicans, detest the
Republican Party, reject the Republican nominee, and want an agenda
different from the current Republican agenda, all fall into one
category.
They are non-Republicans.
Non-Republicans should be banned from the Republican Convention to
prevent 1968-style Chicago riots. The time for arguments on the right
has ended. It is time for strict iron-fisted party discipline. It is
time for Republicans to be good soldiers and fall into line. Anti-war
protesters from Occupy Wall Street to Code Pink are there solely to make
trouble. Security escorts them out.
Ron Paul supporters can either put on Mitt Romney t-shirts and pledge
loyalty to the GOP or find a place where Ron Paul is in charge. They
made their choice, and now have their own festival.
Happy Festivus for the rest of them.
Those who refuse to pledge loyalty can attend the events the day
before the convention in the park. Paulopalooza can accept everybody, or
ban establishment Republicans from attending.
As for the Republican Party Convention, party-crashers are not welcome.
