One of our very own NH residents wrote a great song - "The Ballad of Rudy McRomney". Check it out by going to the NH Liberty Calendar. Dr Paul was interviewed on G4's the Loop testifying to the importance of keeping the internet free. When confronted with the question of "what about the children", his response was: "Children should be the responsibility of parents. I know it's difficult, I've raised five kids and a lot of grandchildren." This stands in stark contrast with Hillary Clinton who believes "it takes a village to raise a child", and is pushing for universal pre-school. As a parent myself, I'd much rather take Dr Paul's approach of empowering parents than give my kids up to "the village" to raise. Dr Paul also has released a new video, "Freedom is Popular" on the official youtube channel - make sure to subscribe if you haven't already. He answers the question of "how come you are doing so well on the internet" with "it just might be that freedom is popular."
There are several meetups posted for Independence day, which will hopefully give Ron Paul some great visibility. On the 3rd of July, Manchester is having a big celebration that would be great to go to. Then on the 4th, it would be great to get a lot of people to the Amherst parade which has a high attendance. Then there are celebrations in other towns - check out the full list on the meetup calendar. It should be easy to have a great time supporting Dr Paul on this holiday, and enjoy some great fireworks.
Dr. Paul's chances of winning this election ultimately come down to his ability to raise enough cash to compete with the corrupt corporate lap-dogs. The special interest groups and lobbyists will not be donating a dime to Ron's campaign--so it's up to us to cram the coffer.
Americans know that our government has been bought and bribed for by big business and special interests. We want change, and we've been waiting apathetically for it our entire lives. Finally, the incorruptable statesman we've been cynically hoping for is here--but many of us think he "doesn't have a chance" (that's cynical hope for you).
America--if Ron Paul doesn't have a chance then we don't either. It's time to lay it on the line. Our hearts, our minds, and our wallets. How much money would you put on the table for a chance to clean-up Washington and take back our country--to restore our freedom, and our honor, and our Constitution?
Don't underestimate Dr. Paul's chances--but don't underestimate the level of committment that might be required to pull it off either. If there's anything left of what this country used to be, then Ron Paul has a chance. But it's going to take sacrifice--it might take everything we've got.
June 30th is the deadline for 2nd quarter donations. The more Dr. Paul has at the end of this month, the more he is likely to get during quarter 3. If you care about honesty, if you care about integrity, if you care about consistency--and most importantly, if you care about the Constitution and your own freedom, please donate as much as you can before the deadline.
Tell everyone you know. Pass this message along. We've got 4 days left. Lets show Dr. Paul, the rest of the country, and the rest of the world, that we mean business.
"Our Founding Fathers felt freedom was worth their 'lives, fortunes, and sacred honor.' Do we?" ---Ron Paul
I can't take credit for this idea, but listening to Ron Paul this morning on WBUR's On Point, I couldn't help but think of how much political blowback is helping the Paul campaign.
Between this Iowa brouhaha and the original Giuliani mess, it would seem that some of the campaign's biggest boosts are coming as a result of attempts to marginalize or mock our candidate. Dr. Paul stands alone against an authoritarian on national television? Campaign donations swell; web traffic soars; speaking invitations pour in. A political shill in Iowa excludes Dr. Paul from the forum? Same results.
So what is the answer for those who hope Dr. Paul will just go away? Apparently, the best of bad choices (for them) is to invite him to everything and treat him as a serious candidate. They're between a rock and a hard place. Lol.
As an anonymous commenter noted two posts down, this story just keeps getting better. It turns out that Mr. Failor, of Iowans for Tax Relief, is a Senior Advisor to the McCain campaign.
And just in case you're not convinced of its must-readedness, here's an excerpt:
At first glance, he looks like every other congressman in the Canon Building. His suit is dark. His tie is striped. He is convivial with his colleagues, who genuinely like him. But there is something different about Ron Paul.
You can hear congressmen when they walk down the hall, strutting their own importance. After all, there are regulations to be implemented, special interests to serve, a teetering American Empire that would collapse without their management. They wear black or cordovan leather shoes--captoes, wingtips, and brogues--clacking down the hall, their bellies full of medium-rare steak from Capital Grille. They are surrounded by ambitious interns and legislative aides. They fiddle with their BlackBerries. You can't miss them tromping out of the elevators.
Ron Paul is easy to overlook. He takes the stairs; he does not have an entourage. You can't hear him coming because he's wearing plain black tennis shoes. In a bag he carries a can of soup that he will heat for himself in the microwave in his office. Beneath pictures of Austrian economists Frederick Von Hayek and Ludwig Von Mises, he will eat his lunch alone and in peace.
What is the purpose of Ron Paul's candidacy for the presidency of the United States? Some longshots run because their egos demand it. Others want to raise their lecture fees. Some run because they have plenty of money and nothing better to do. Following a flood of viewer requests, the Texas congressman recently appeared on Fox News to explain himself. His answer was buoyant though laconic: "I want to be president because I have this dream. I'd like to reinstate the Constitution and restore the Republic." His answer was also revolutionary.
Seriously folks, this is one to read, print and hand out to people on the street.
I'll skip the editorializing this time and go straight to the facts: Ron Paul is being excluded from a debate in Iowa. Hosted by the Iowans for Tax Relief and the Iowa Christian Alliance, the forum will include Mitt Romney, Sam Brownback, Jim Gilmore, Mike Huckabee, Tommy Thompson, and Tom Tancredo--but not Dr. Paul.
You know what to do.
Edward Failor Iowans for Tax Relief 2610 Park Avenue Muscatine, Iowa 52761 Phone: 563-288-3600 or 877-913-3600 Fax: 563-264-2413 E-mail: itr@taxrelief.org Also at Iowans for Tax Relief, Chairman David M. Stanley, 563-263-7203, and a direct (I hope) number for Mr. Failor, 563-263-3738
Steve Sheffler, President Iowa Christian Alliance 939 Office Park Road, Suite 115 West Des Moines, Iowa 50265 Phone: 515-225-1515 Alternate phone: 515-971-7363 Fax: 515-225-1826 E-mail: slscheffler@iowachristian.com
Ron Paul was initially motivated to join Congress based on reading Hajek's "The Road to Serfdom." This launched him into the study of Austrian (free market) economics which predicted the fall of the Soviet Union, and America's departure from the gold standard.
Based on his deep understanding of economics, Dr Paul has focused on trying to hold the Federal Reserve bank accountable, or to abolish it, and return to a gold standard. This is a difficult issue for people to understand, but is vitally important, as the Federal Reserve system is believed by many economists to be responsible for the Great Depression, the stagflation of the 70s, and the recent dot-com bust. It's directly responsible for the inflation that has decreased the worth of a dollar down to 4 cents over the past century. This inflation is in essence a hidden tax that has allowed the government to grow larger than it would have been able to through direct taxation. I advise anyone who has been impressed with Dr Paul's stance for freedom in foreign policy and at home to look into this complex issue.
There is a good article by Dr Paul and Lew Rockwell at Daily Paul. And the following video is long, but does a great job describing the issue:
We just got word that Dr. Paul will be in town Friday and Saturday for press events etc., and we're planning a rally at the Airport Friday morning to greet him. Check out the details and RSVP here. Hope to see everyone there!
We just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Father's Day weekend, and remind you to RSVP now and then get your tickets for the Coalition of New Hampshire Taxpayers' (CNHT) annual summer picnic. It's happening Saturday, July 7th at Hopkinton State Fairgrounds. Rand Paul, Dr. Paul's son will be speaking at the event! CNHT will also be holding a straw poll; a win for Dr. Paul would be sure to garner some very good press in the state. RonPaulHQ will have a table at the event with yard signs (including FREE 4X8 footers!), t-shirts, and our new, top-secret "Paul Nuggets" which will be available at PaulMart soon.
If you haven't seen it yet, check out the Washington Post's FRONT PAGE STORY about Dr. Paul's internet stardom.
You have to register to see it, so I've copied the text below.
Have a great day!
An Also-Ran in the GOP Polls, Ron Paul Is Huge on the Web
By Jose Antonio Vargas Washington Post Staff Writer Saturday, June 16, 2007; A01
On Technorati, which offers a real-time glimpse of the blogosphere, the most frequently searched term this week was "YouTube."
Then comes "Ron Paul."
The presence of the obscure Republican congressman from Texas on a list that includes terms such as "Sopranos," "Paris Hilton" and "iPhone" is a sign of the online buzz building around the long-shot Republican presidential hopeful -- even as mainstream political pundits have written him off.
Rep. Ron Paul is more popular on Facebook than Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). He's got more friends on MySpace than former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney. His MeetUp groups, with 11,924 members in 279 cities, are the biggest in the Republican field. And his official YouTube videos, including clips of his three debate appearances, have been viewed nearly 1.1 million times -- more than those of any other candidate, Republican or Democrat, except Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.).
No one's more surprised at this robust Web presence than Paul himself, a self-described "old-school," "pen-and-paper guy" who's serving his 10th congressional term and was the Libertarian Party's nominee for president in 1988.
"To tell you the truth, I hadn't heard about this YouTube and all the other Internet sites until supporters started gathering in them," confessed Paul, 71, who said that he's raised about $100,000 after each of the three debates. Not bad considering that his campaign had less than $10,000 when his exploratory committee was formed in mid-February. "I tell you I've never raised money as efficiently as that, in all my years in Congress, and all I'm doing is speaking my mind."
That means saying again and again that the Republican Party, especially when it comes to government spending and foreign policy, is in "shambles."
But while many Democrats have welcomed the young and fresh-faced Obama, who's trailing Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) in most public opinion polls, Paul is barely making a dent in the Republican polls.
Republican strategists point out that libertarians, who make up a small but vocal portion of the Republican base, intrinsically gravitate toward the Web's anything-goes, leave-me-alone nature. They also say that his Web presence proves that the Internet can be a great equalizer in the race, giving a much-needed boost to a fringe candidate with little money and only a shadow of the campaign staffs marshaled by Romney, McCain and former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani.
An obstetrician and gynecologist, Paul is known as "Dr. No" in the House of Representatives. No to big government. No to the Internal Revenue Service. No to the federal ban on same-sex marriage.
"I'm for the individual," Paul said. "I'm not for the government."
If he had his way, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Education, among other agencies, would not exist. In his view, the USA Patriot Act, which allows the government to search personal data, including private Internet use, is unconstitutional, and trade deals such as the North American Free Trade Agreement are a threat to American independence.
But perhaps what most notably separates Paul from the crowded Republican field, headed by what former Virginia governor James S. Gilmore III calls "Rudy McRomney," is his stance on the Iraq war. He's been against it from the very beginning.
After the second Republican presidential debate last month, when Paul implied that American foreign policy has contributed to anti-Americanism in the Middle East -- "They attack us because we're over there. We've been bombing Iraq for 10 years," Paul said -- he was attacked by Giuliani, and conservatives such as Saul Anuzis were livid. Anuzis, chairman of the Michigan GOP, threatened to circulate a petition to bar Paul from future Republican presidential debates. Though the petition never materialized, Anuzis's BlackBerry was flooded with e-mails and his office was inundated with calls for several days. "It was a distraction, no doubt," he said.
The culprits: Paul's growing number of supporters, some of whom posted Anuzis's e-mail address and office phone number on their blogs.
"At first I was skeptical of his increasing online presence, thinking that it's probably just a small cadre of dedicated Ron Paul fans," said Matt Lewis, a blogger and director of operations at Townhall, a popular conservative site. "But if you think about it, the number one issue in the country today is Iraq. If you're a conservative who supports the president's war, you have nine candidates to choose from. But if you're a conservative who believes that going into Iraq was a mistake, Ron Paul is the only game in town."
Added Terry Jeffrey, the syndicated newspaper columnist who ran Patrick J. Buchanan's failed White House bid in 1996: "On domestic issues like spending and taxation and the role of government, Ron Paul is saying exactly what traditional conservatives have historically thought, and he's pointing out that the Bush administration has walked away from these principles. That's a very attractive argument."
Especially to someone such as Brad Porter, who obsessively writes about Paul on his blog, subscribes to Paul's YouTube channel and attended a Ron Paul MeetUp event in Pittsburgh last week.
The 28-year-old Carnegie Mellon student donated $50 to Paul's coffers after the first debate, and an additional $50 after the third debate.
"For a poor college student, that's a lot," said Porter, a lifelong Republican. "But I'm not supporting him because I think he could get the nomination. I'm supporting him because I think he can influence the national conversation about what the role of government is, how much power should government have over our lives, how much liberty should we give up for security. These are important issues, and frankly, no one's thinking about them as seriously and sincerely as Ron Paul."
Tucker Carlson interviews Dr Paul about foreign policy in the Middle East, and the size of government. I like how the bar under Dr Paul on the interview says "A Genuine Conservative's View"!
Politico actually featured an article on Dr. Paul this morning (specifically on his non-interventionist foreign policy stance). The article itself is pretty good (some constructive criticism, but really quite fair), but it's the comments that are really striking: just a nice, intelligent discussion of Dr. Paul and the relevant issues.
Steven Colbert was passionately ambivalent about Ron Paul! For those that haven't seen Colbert before, you have to understand that he does parody of people like Hannity and O'Reilly. He comes off as a neo-con in this piece, which gets a lot of laughs (like "I'm a small government guy except when the President wants to do something"). My favorite is calling Dr Paul an enigma, wrapped in a riddle, nestled in a sesame seed bun of mystery. And the response is that Colbert is confused, because Dr Paul is a Constitutionalist. I do wish that Dr Paul had gotten a chance to explain more fully why he wanted to get rid of all those departments at the end. People don't realize that the activities of these departments should be left to the states or the people, so that we have some competition and innovation, rather then central control. In other words, most of these violate the 10th amendment (The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people).
After the horrific shootings at Virginia Tech in April, many predicted that the feds would respond by passing yet more gun control. Sadly, the House of Representatives did even better (that is, worse) than that today, with the overwhelming passage of a bill that "strengthens" the national background check system by requiring states to create and share databases documenting mental health and criminal records. States that comply will be given money; states that do not will have federal grants cut.
Lest you miss the aggravating element here, in addition to another federal gun law, we are talking about a database with your mental health records in it, and a powerful incentive for your state to intrude upon your once-confidential interaction with your doctor. If guns aren't your issue (and they're not mine), this should still give you pause.
I found a video of Rand thanking us before the debate. Here it is:
Thanks to whoever posted it!
By the way, we have received 100 4' X 8' "Ron Paul for President '08" signs from Michael at ronpaulstore.com. We are distributing them to anyone in New Hampshire with a good, high traffic location. Unfortunately they are too large to mail. Email us at mail@ronpaulhq.com for more information.
Check this out--Rand Paul was interviewed on WMUR here in NH before the debate, with our rally going on behind them. Great interview. Oh, and we just got word that Rand *might* be coming up to speak at the CNHT picnic this summer. We'll post the details on meetup as soon as we get confirmation. Anyway, here's the interview. Enjoy!
See everyone at the sign wave on Weirs Beach this afternoon!
I was fortunate to be one of the 15 NH residents to go blog during the debate (5 R's, 5 I's, and 5 D's). It was interesting to be there with all the bloggers I've been butting heads with over the last few weeks. Going into the debates, three of us were Ron Paul supporters. At the end of the debate, they did a straw poll of the 13 bloggers who showed up, and who won the debates, and the results were:
Ron Paul - 6 Giuliani - 5 McCain - 2
Video of the results are here (don't bother watching it to the end, they never interview Dr Paul, probably because the mob of reporters surrounding him was too big).
So three Dems/Independents were drawn by Ron Paul's message of freedom and liberty! In fact, one Democrat seems to have fallen in love with Ron Paul. An independent decided that when it comes to moral issues, Ron Paul dusted the others by talking of pre-emptive war. Another independent praised Ron Paul's heroism in "dropping the Empire bomb". All in all, Ron Paul definitely impressed my fellow bloggers. For blogs from the pro-Paul people going in, you can see mine, Matt's, or Ross's.
Just thought I would share my Debate Day with you!
After the usual confusion, we ended up in Concord around 11am, placing a few RP sign in and around Concord...and can't forget our only banner! We decided on a overpass leading to the interstate. Believe me it is not as easy as it looks. Anyway, a couple sweaty t-shirts, and an hour later it was up! Sorry no pics, and I'm doubtful that our effort with a cell phone will prove successful.
Then down to Manchester to scope out St. A's, have lunch with a few of the folks at Murphy's, and of course, place a few RP signs in places that we hoped the folks would see!
Then about 3pm, it started raining, I mean like major raining, but long about 4pm it stopped! "grin"
A few of us got to St A's as early as possible, and did our best to get the best spot. The Rommey folks came with their big sticks, with 5 signs on each. A violation of the rules, but hey! They pushed us over a bit but, then the folks started coming! It was so sweet! NH folks for sure, but also folks from, NC, NY, VT, ME, MA, CT, MY, and TX. Sorry if I missed a couple states, didn't talk to very one! One dude, in a suit from ME, lead many of our cheers, and I swear he was good, better than a sound system! You ROCK dude!
If anyone can remember any of the chants...Please post them, they were really cool, and we were loud!
Anyway, left with a friend and her baby and we got lost just before the major down pour started, around 6:30pm. Funny, just as we arrived at Murphy's the rain stopped.
It was close to capacity when we got there, and the folks kept coming! There was a warmth, an energy in the air. Lots of freedom folks, together, supporting Dr Paul!
Had to be there!
Around 10:30pm Dr Paul showed up! Said a few words, and gave a big hug to a Lass he had delivered a few years back. She has signed on to help in our effort in NH! Way cool! After an hour or so mixing with the folks Dr Paul was gone, but many of the folks stayed on until closing.
Just wanted to say thanks to all the folks who helped make this happen, and an even a bigger thanks to the folks who came to support Dr Paul.
So believe Dr Paul is our only chance to begin bring freedom back and if we are about freedom, we just have to do our best to support him.
Okay, so I'm a day late. Sue me--I was recovering.
I am here to confirm that the rumors are true. We kicked ass. We drowned out the feeble, manufactured enthusiasm of the other candidate's "supporters." I felt a little sorry for them... Sort of. This is what it looked like when we got started:
I don't think we stopped screaming for more than a few seconds during the entire 2 and a half hour demonstration... and demonstrate we did. We demonstrated our love and support for freedom, honesty, and consistency. And the constitution. Oh, and this Ron guy. By the end, it looked like this:
And my voice is still hoarse. Not just a little hoarse, either. I'm being laughed at by everyone I talk to. We had the largest crowd, the loudest voices, and we got the most attention--not bad for 3 spammers and smoke and mirrors. I'd show you pictures of the other candidates supporters, but I don't have any. I didn't want to waste the space on my 1 gig memory stick. Pictures with nothing in them are boring anyway... so here's some video of us instead:
Okay, so, after the rally--like as I was leaving the parking lot--the storm began... Rudy was near. It was time to head over to Murphy's Tap Room to watch the action...
I'll spare you my assessment of the debate, as I know you've already seen Ron's full 6 minutes of the 2 hour "event." Besides, what was much more important is what happened afterward.
We waited--while Ron was apparently being bombarded by the press--until about 10:30, when Dr. Paul decided to stop by for a little meety greety. He walked in the door, and could hardly get in. The entire building erupted into a firey ball of burning love. We were a hunk of it.
It was loud. The screaming and the flashing (cameras) and the fainting (okay, not really) were a bit overwhelming I think for the good doctor. You'd have thought Thomas Jefferson himself had stepped into the room. Certainly his spirit was with us--hiding behind his bust perched on the mantle above the fireplace. It was absolutely amazing.
I met Dr. Paul's son Rand, and most of his grandkids. They were all very sociable and surprised and friendly. Matt, who blogs at The Daily Paul was particularly enthusiastic. They all seemed stunned by the size and scope of the reception... well, they'd better get used to it--especially if they plan on coming back up to the live free or die state.
Last night just blew my expectations out of the water.
I'll have to let Jason really cover the rally, as I was inside the arena for a good chunk of it, but from the early parts that I saw, we had numbers, we had volume, and we had an enthusiasm totally lacking in the other groups.
What I did see was the after-party at Murphy's Taproom, and good lord, what a crowd. I was over there by about 9:30, and the place was packed to the gills, spilling out onto the street. The Granny Warriors set up shop right on the sidewalk, and attendance estimates are ranging right now between 200 and 300.
Dr. Paul arrived some time after 10:00 and was bowled over by the cheering crowd. He spoke, shook hands, signed autographs, and was just everything you could hope for in a President: gracious, genuine, and fired up at the prospect of bringing back Constitutional government.
Members of the Paul family were also there, and what a great bunch they are. We hope to see a lot more of the whole Paul family in New Hampshire.
Alright folks, it's time to get going. As you all know, the New Hampshire Presidential Debate starts at 7pm (eastern time) this evening on CNN; we will be rallying to support Dr. Paul outside the debate at St. Anselm College (map) in Manchester. The campus opens to us at 4pm--but I would strongly encourage folks to get there a few minutes early, at least to line up outside the main entrance so we can push for those front spots at the rally location.
Signs: We will have plenty of signs for rally attendees to hold, so feel free to just bring yourselves.
Parking: There will be some parking available on campus, but it will be tight, so please carpool if you can; as you enter the college, you'll be directed to the lot that's available to us.
Party: At 6:30, we'll disperse and head over to Murphy's Taproom at 494 Elm Street in Manchester. Come watch the debate and give Dr. Paul a hero's welcome when he comes by after the show!
Matt over at Send the Right Message blogs about how an anti-drug-war candidate can win election after election in Texas, and links to a May 24th Paul interview with NORML:
Despite his personal dislike for drugs, the 71-year-old obstetrician (who has delivered over 4,000 babies) says he believes in the somehow radical yet simple notion that adults should be free to choose for themselves what they want to ingest, provided that they bear the responsibility for their actions...
Paul also directly addressed some of the political realities associated with Drug Prohibition, explaining that many of his colleagues in Congress know the truth but are afraid to speak out against prohibition for fear of reprisal at the ballot box. "They think they can't possibly be elected or reelected to government if they tell the truth about the Drug War," Paul explained. "And yet that's one thing I've always been able to overcome."
Thanks to all those who turned out for the sign-waving event today in Manchester!
Once again we had higher turnout than expected--and got very positive feedback from the drivers going past. They waved; they honked; they cheered and yelled "Ron Paul!" For anyone who's got a sign, I highly encourage you to get out on a street corner one day and just smile and wave at the folks going by; you won't believe the reaction you'll get.
Dr. Paul was interviewed this morning on the radio in Boston. Here's the link. It's a long interview, and it went well from what I hear (I haven't had a chance to listen yet).
Mart 
