# Andrew Sullivan - Ron Paul For The GOP Nomination **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [December 15, 2011, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/andrew-sullivan-ron-paul-for-the-gop-nomination/606253 "2011-12-15T00:08:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chen019](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f19dbf/32.png) [@Chen019](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chen019)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/andrew-sullivan-ron-paul-for-the-gop-nomination/606253/1 "2011-12-15T00:08:20Z")
Andrew Sullivan [Endorses Ron Paul](http://andrewsullivan.thedailybeast.com/2011/12/ron-paul-for-the-gop-nomination.html): > [@](#): > > …The constant refrain on Fox News that this man has “zero chance” of being the nominee is a propagandistic lie. Nationally, Paul is third in the polls at 9.7 percent. In Iowa, he may win. In New Hampshire, it is Paul, not Gingrich, who is rising this week as Romney drifts down. He’s at 19 percent, compared with Gingrich’s 24. He is the third option for the GOP. And I believe an Obama-Paul campaign would do us all a service. We would have a principled advocate for a radically reduced role for government, and a principled advocate for a more activist role. If Republicans want a real debate about government and its role, they have no better spokesman. He is the intellectual of the field, not Gingrich… > > I feel the same way about him on the right in 2012 as I did about Obama in 2008. Both were regarded as having zero chance of being elected. And around now, people decided: Why not? And a movement was born. He is the “Change You Can Believe In” on the right. If you are an Independent and can vote in a GOP primary, vote Paul. If you are a Republican concerned about the degeneracy of the GOP, vote Paul. If you are a citizen who wants more decency and honesty in our politics, vote Paul. If you want someone in the White House who has spent decades in Washington and never been corrupted, vote Paul. > > Oh, and f\*ck you, Roger Ailes. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/andrew-sullivan-ron-paul-for-the-gop-nomination/606253/2 "2011-12-15T02:21:02Z")
Well, Paul’s locked down the gay British wing of the GOP. I can’t see how he can lose now. ---
**Author:** ![Chen019](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f19dbf/32.png) [@Chen019](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chen019)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/andrew-sullivan-ron-paul-for-the-gop-nomination/606253/3 "2011-12-15T03:50:19Z")
lol. ---
**Author:** ![Lantern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d26b3c/32.png) [@Lantern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/andrew-sullivan-ron-paul-for-the-gop-nomination/606253/4 "2011-12-15T05:01:35Z")
Paul has a committed 10% but very little room to expand beyond that. His foreign policy views are completely unacceptable to a large majority of Republicans. Romney, himself is struggling to expand beyond 25% but I reckon that in a one-on-one fight with Paul he would win at least 70-30. Bottom line: Paul is not going to be the Republican nominee. ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/andrew-sullivan-ron-paul-for-the-gop-nomination/606253/5 "2011-12-15T05:20:09Z")
> [@](#): > > I feel the same way about him on the right in 2012 as I did about Obama in 2008. Both were regarded as having zero chance of being elected. And around now, people decided: Why not? I’m happy to be proven wrong, but at this point in the cycle I don’t think Obama was really considered that much of a longshot. He was certainly never a Ron Paul-level longshot. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/andrew-sullivan-ron-paul-for-the-gop-nomination/606253/6 "2011-12-15T05:23:16Z")
I respect him for his bluntness and honesty but his ideas of foreign policy are basically nineteenth century and his proposals about abolishing the Federal Reserve are ridiculous. We need a President of 21st Century Superpower America not a President of 1880 Gilded Age America. ---
**Author:** ![Try\_Not\_To\_Over\_Think](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@Try\_Not\_To\_Over\_Think](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try_Not_To_Over_Think)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/andrew-sullivan-ron-paul-for-the-gop-nomination/606253/7 "2011-12-15T12:32:08Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > I respect him for his bluntness and honesty but his ideas of foreign policy are basically nineteenth century and his proposals about abolishing the Federal Reserve are ridiculous. We need a President of 21st Century Superpower America not a President of 1880 Gilded Age America. So you say his ideas are “19th century and ridiculous” why do you think that? Everyone loves to call him a kook but no one can explain why. All I have to say is that what we have been doing as far as foreign policy and monetary system has not been working for the last 40 years, the proof is in the lack of value of the dollar versus the value of precious metals and a military industrial complex that supports wartime manufacturers for weapons. After all, if we cant identify an enemy to kill then the weapons manufacturers will go out of business. Politicians would hate to lose their lobbyist dollars. So please, explain your stance with some intelligence that would change the views of someone open minded like myself. Hopefully you dont think that because that is what you hear on TV and read online. Just take a self assessment and determine where your views come from. Mine come from the US Constitution and quotes and letters for our countries founders. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/andrew-sullivan-ron-paul-for-the-gop-nomination/606253/8 "2011-12-15T13:19:24Z")
It’s hard to imagine anything more disastrous than a return to the gold standard. Restricting the growth in the money supply- what could possibly go wrong? I think we’d be idiots to limit our options to those known of and approved by the 18th century agrarian aristocrats that wrote the Constitution. They were wise men- for their time. Founding father fetishism should be called out for what it is. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/andrew-sullivan-ron-paul-for-the-gop-nomination/606253/9 "2011-12-15T14:35:16Z")
The reason Sullivan endorsed Paul for the GOP nomination is because Paul is the only real decent human being available. Yeah, he’s got his silly ideas. But he’s not a total fucking asshole like the others. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/andrew-sullivan-ron-paul-for-the-gop-nomination/606253/10 "2011-12-15T14:48:58Z")
> [@Try\_Not\_To\_Over\_Think](#): > > Everyone loves to call him a kook but no one can explain why. All I have to say is that what we have been doing as far as foreign policy and monetary system has not been working for the last 40 years, the proof is in the lack of value of the dollar versus the value of precious metals and a military industrial complex that supports wartime manufacturers for weapons. And you think that adds up to **failed** policies?! Somebody somewhere is drinking to the amazing success of them. For the rest, we don’t **need** currency that has any particular value relative to precious metals. ---
**Author:** ![WillFarnaby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/willfarnaby/32/514_2.png) [@WillFarnaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillFarnaby)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/andrew-sullivan-ron-paul-for-the-gop-nomination/606253/11 "2011-12-15T16:27:29Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > It’s hard to imagine anything more disastrous than a return to the gold standard. Restricting the growth in the money supply- what could possibly go wrong? I think we’d be idiots to limit our options to those known of and approved by the 18th century agrarian aristocrats that wrote the Constitution. They were wise men- for their time. Founding father fetishism should be called out for what it is. Yes much better to limit our options to those known of and approved by early 20th century industrial aristocrats. (and Alexander Hamilton) ---
**Author:** ![Rhodes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhodes/32/273_2.png) [@Rhodes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhodes)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/andrew-sullivan-ron-paul-for-the-gop-nomination/606253/12 "2011-12-15T16:38:59Z")
> [@DoctorJ](#): > > I’m happy to be proven wrong, but at this point in the cycle I don’t think Obama was really considered that much of a longshot. He was certainly never a Ron Paul-level longshot. I agree. Beginning with [this magazine cover](http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,20061023,00.html)in 20_06_, I didn’t see many people saying Obama had “zero chance of being elected.” ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/andrew-sullivan-ron-paul-for-the-gop-nomination/606253/13 "2011-12-15T16:47:48Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > It’s hard to imagine anything more disastrous than a return to the gold standard. Restricting the growth in the money supply- what could possibly go wrong? I think we’d be idiots to limit our options to those known of and approved by the 18th century agrarian aristocrats that wrote the Constitution. They were wise men- for their time. Founding father fetishism should be called out for what it is. I can think of dozens of things more disasterous than a return to the gold standard. However, while the President has a lot of unilateral authority to deploy troops and launch missiles, he can’t return us to the gold standard without an act of Congress. And that’s never going to happen, even if Paul is elected president, which is also not going to happen. The thing is, every American today can walk into a coin shop and exchange their worthless fiat dollars for gold, and they can take their gold and sell it whenever they wish. Back when we were on an ostensible gold standard that was impossible, it was illegal to own gold bullion for crying out loud. Back when we had a gold standard, it meant socialism for gold. Now that we have fiat money we have a free market for gold. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/andrew-sullivan-ron-paul-for-the-gop-nomination/606253/14 "2011-12-15T16:59:54Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > The thing is, every American today can walk into a coin shop and exchange their worthless fiat dollars for gold, and they can take their gold and sell it whenever they wish. Back when we were on an ostensible gold standard that was impossible, it was illegal to own gold bullion for crying out loud. Back when we had a gold standard, it meant socialism for gold. Now that we have fiat money we have a free market for gold. Indeed, all of the apocalyptic gold bugs worry that the evil government is going to come after their precious, what do think would happen if we went back to the gold standard? Hmmmmmmmmm? ---
**Author:** ![Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swords_to_Plowshares)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/andrew-sullivan-ron-paul-for-the-gop-nomination/606253/15 "2011-12-15T17:26:24Z")
> [@Try\_Not\_To\_Over\_Think](#): > > So you say his ideas are “19th century and ridiculous” why do you think that? > > Everyone loves to call him a kook but no one can explain why. All I have to say is that what we have been doing as far as foreign policy and monetary system has not been working for the last 40 years, the proof is in the lack of value of the dollar versus the value of precious metals and a military industrial complex that supports wartime manufacturers for weapons. After all, if we cant identify an enemy to kill then the weapons manufacturers will go out of business. Politicians would hate to lose their lobbyist dollars. Gold standard, abolishing the Fed, removing federal power to protect minority rights and leaving it to the states. That wasn’t hard. ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/andrew-sullivan-ron-paul-for-the-gop-nomination/606253/16 "2011-12-15T17:50:11Z")
> [@Try\_Not\_To\_Over\_Think](#): > > Everyone loves to call him a kook but no one can explain why. I’ll explain why. Ron Paul believes in all kinds of crazy conspiracy theories. For starters, he believes that there’s a secret plot between the governments of the USA and Mexico to merge the nations into a “North American Union”, replace the dollar with a common currency, and build a “NAFTA Superhighway” across the country. ([Cite](http://www.factcheck.org/2008/02/wrong-paul/)) All of this is bluntly false. I think anyone who’s considering voting for Paul should ask themselves one question. Ron Paul is certain that Mexico is actively seeking the destruction of the United States, how do we know that he wouldn’t drop a nuclear bomb or two on Mexico to win the war that’s occurring in his head? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/andrew-sullivan-ron-paul-for-the-gop-nomination/606253/17 "2011-12-15T17:55:14Z")
> [@WillFarnaby](#): > > Yes much better to limit our options to those known of and approved by early 20th century industrial aristocrats. > > (and Alexander Hamilton) Better [Hamilton](http://www.amazon.com/Hamiltons-Republic-Democratic-Nationalist-Tradition/dp/0684831600) than Jefferson. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/andrew-sullivan-ron-paul-for-the-gop-nomination/606253/18 "2011-12-15T17:58:47Z")
Awuh Buhh! ---
**Author:** ![WillFarnaby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/willfarnaby/32/514_2.png) [@WillFarnaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillFarnaby)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/andrew-sullivan-ron-paul-for-the-gop-nomination/606253/19 "2011-12-15T18:06:46Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Better [Hamilton](http://www.amazon.com/Hamiltons-Republic-Democratic-Nationalist-Tradition/dp/0684831600) than Jefferson. Better Jefferson than Hamilton. That was easy. ---
**Author:** ![mkecane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9e8a1a/32.png) [@mkecane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mkecane)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/andrew-sullivan-ron-paul-for-the-gop-nomination/606253/20 "2011-12-15T18:14:17Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > Awuh Buhh! Got milk? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/andrew-sullivan-ron-paul-for-the-gop-nomination/606253.md?page=2)