# Ron Paul: Why/how is he snapping up delegates? To what purpose? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [May 7, 2012, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-why-how-is-he-snapping-up-delegates-to-what-purpose/621182 "2012-05-07T15:42:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-why-how-is-he-snapping-up-delegates-to-what-purpose/621182/41 "2012-05-08T06:40:08Z")
> [@WillFarnaby](#): > > There has been several times over this campaign season that Paul could have moderated his views and increased his support manifold. I don’t think that’s actually true, but it’s worth pointing out that given the choice between accomplishing something by moderating his views and standing on principle out in the wilderness, Paul does seem to prefer the latter. So at the present, he’s getting credit for bedrock Tea Party ideas and coming nowhere close to being nominated at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-why-how-is-he-snapping-up-delegates-to-what-purpose/621182/42 "2012-05-08T08:39:12Z")
> [@bdgr](#): > > ?? I’m referring to the CIA’s murder of Tariq Aziz. It is a damning condemnation of both the Republicans and Democrats that only “Crazy Old Ron” has a problem with this sort of behaviour. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-why-how-is-he-snapping-up-delegates-to-what-purpose/621182/43 "2012-05-08T11:24:02Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > I’m referring to the CIA’s murder of Tariq Aziz. > > It is a damning condemnation of both the Republicans and Democrats that only “Crazy Old Ron” has a problem with this sort of behaviour. First off, he’s not dead yet. Second, he was tried and convicted by an Iraqi court and sentenced to death. And even if you think such sentencing amounts to murder, the U.S. and especially the CIA had nothing to do with it. Did you maybe pick the wrong name? ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-why-how-is-he-snapping-up-delegates-to-what-purpose/621182/44 "2012-05-08T13:10:21Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Did you maybe pick the wrong name? So it seems - I was referring to [Tariq Khan](http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/tariq-khan-killed-cia-drone/story?id=15258659#.T6kaPFJsf6Q). I looked it up just before posting to make sure I got the name right, but [the first one I checked](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2133282/The-boy-sitting-photos-protesting-deadly-US-drone-strikes--Three-days-later-killed--US-drone-says-Jemima-Khan.html) got the name wrong. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-why-how-is-he-snapping-up-delegates-to-what-purpose/621182/45 "2012-05-08T13:59:09Z")
Don’t get me wrong. If he wasn’t a militant, and this occured as his supporters say, then it is a tragic accident, and hopefully will cause for a review of the informant system in Pakistan. That being said, we don’t launch drones into Canada, because Canada doesn’t have militant murderers who use it as a staging area to launch attacks in their neighboring country. If Pakistan did it’s job as a nation, and cleaned their house, then drone attacks would stop. As the former is unlikely, I don’t see the second happening any time soon. But I digress, as this is far off topic. ---
**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:** [May 8, 2012, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-why-how-is-he-snapping-up-delegates-to-what-purpose/621182/46 "2012-05-08T15:34:08Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I don’t think that’s actually true, but it’s worth pointing out that given the choice between accomplishing something by moderating his views and standing on principle out in the wilderness, Paul does seem to prefer the latter. So at the present, he’s getting credit for bedrock Tea Party ideas and coming nowhere close to being nominated at the same time. I’m curious to hear of an example of Paul moderating his views this campaign season. I’m not saying it hasn’t happened, but If anything he usually just communicates his ideas in a way that is lest jarring to his given audience. For example, in his “Plan to Restore America”, he doesn’t completely abolish the FDA, income tax, etc.. Now this could be viewed as moderating his views, but it isn’t. It’s just a response to some criticism that his ideas are impossible to implement. He still is against the FDA and income tax and has said so in interview and debates. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-why-how-is-he-snapping-up-delegates-to-what-purpose/621182/47 "2012-05-08T15:36:09Z")
> [@WillFarnaby](#): > > I’m curious to hear of an example of Paul moderating his views this campaign season. I just said he didn’t moderate his views, so you’re not going to get that example from me. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-why-how-is-he-snapping-up-delegates-to-what-purpose/621182/48 "2012-05-08T15:57:52Z")
> [@dngnb8](#): > > Change usually starts as a small snowball rolling down hill. It usually starts small… …then shrinks and melts in the heat of late August at the Republican National Convention. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-why-how-is-he-snapping-up-delegates-to-what-purpose/621182/49 "2012-05-08T16:00:11Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > …then shrinks and melts in the heat of late August at the Republican National Convention. As a resident of Tampa, I’m **still** holding out hope that all this will somehow turn into political riots in the streets! Like Chicago in '68, only sillier! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-why-how-is-he-snapping-up-delegates-to-what-purpose/621182/50 "2012-05-08T16:10:08Z")
I see the GOP may deny the Ron Paulites from Maine seats at the convention. Romney’s lawyers are saying the Ron Paul supporters didn’t follow rules correctly. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-why-how-is-he-snapping-up-delegates-to-what-purpose/621182/51 "2012-05-08T16:36:34Z")
> [@Ca3799](#): > > I see the GOP may deny the Ron Paulites from Maine seats at the convention. Romney’s lawyers are saying the Ron Paul supporters didn’t follow rules correctly. !!! That sounds a **lot** like Chicago in '68! If that happens, I expect there **will** be something approaching a riot! ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-why-how-is-he-snapping-up-delegates-to-what-purpose/621182/52 "2012-05-08T16:48:19Z")
> [@](#): > > Quoth **Measure for Measure** : > > 1. Since we’re in elections… why not substitute approval voting for instant runoff? You’re doubtless aware that any system of voting has paradoces associated with it. And I personally am not fond of the particular paradoces associated with approval voting. Although really, IRV isn’t too great itself. It’s better than what we use now, but there are other systems that are strictly better than it. Its main virtue is that, of the systems better than what we have now, it’s one of the easiest to understand (which is admittedly an important intangible: People can’t trust a system they don’t understand). ---
**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:** [May 8, 2012, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-why-how-is-he-snapping-up-delegates-to-what-purpose/621182/53 "2012-05-08T16:49:36Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > As a resident of Tampa, I’m **still** holding out hope that all this will somehow turn into political riots in the streets! Like Chicago in '68, only sillier! 😃 Wait till that crazy Utah delegation gets full of root beer! You’re in for three nights of unbridled hijinks! Some of them may even brazenly chew gum in public AND expose their elbows! ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-why-how-is-he-snapping-up-delegates-to-what-purpose/621182/54 "2012-05-08T16:59:40Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > !!! That sounds a **lot** like Chicago in '68! If that happens, I expect there **will** be something approaching a riot! Because Paul doesn’t get all of the less-than-10-percent-of-Romney’s-total delegates his supporters believe they’ve earned? Come on. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-why-how-is-he-snapping-up-delegates-to-what-purpose/621182/55 "2012-05-08T17:02:51Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Because Paul doesn’t get all of the less-than-10-percent-of-Romney’s-total delegates his supporters believe they’ve earned? Come on. They’re Libertarians. I have met many. Some are nerdy, but some are . . . scary. ---
**Author:** ![The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_wind_of_my_soul)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-why-how-is-he-snapping-up-delegates-to-what-purpose/621182/56 "2012-05-08T17:23:42Z")
To answer the “how” part of the OP: The campaign headquarters in VA had my contact information, and they badgered me relentlessly to be a delegate. I got … gosh, maybe four voice mails asking me to be a delegate, and several e-mails as well. I ignored them all, because it struck me as unethical. The day before the paperwork was due, I came home from work to find all the paperwork I needed to fill out stashed between my doorknob and doorframe on my front door. Apparently, campaign volunteers had actually driven to people’s houses with the paperwork, and had I been there at the time, they would have made sure it was all filed correctly, and all I would have needed to do is give them my signature. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-why-how-is-he-snapping-up-delegates-to-what-purpose/621182/57 "2012-05-08T20:58:52Z")
> [@Ca3799](#): > > I see the GOP may deny the Ron Paulites from Maine seats at the convention. Romney’s lawyers are saying the Ron Paul supporters didn’t follow rules correctly. Yes. They broke the “you were supposed to let Mitt win” rule. The nomination process is a sham anyways. But to the OP, I think Paul just wants to get enough delegates to put his name into nomination, make a prime time speech about how Republicans have lost their way, and then retire into the sunset. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-why-how-is-he-snapping-up-delegates-to-what-purpose/621182/58 "2012-05-09T05:21:12Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > I’m thinking that IRV is easier to sell because the ability to rank-order the candidates by preference offers more psychological satisfaction. Sounds good. > [@Chronos](#): > > You’re doubtless aware that any system of voting has paradoxes associated with it. And I personally am not fond of the particular paradoxes associated with approval voting. > > Although really, IRV isn’t too great itself. It’s better than what we use now, but there are other systems that are strictly better than it. Its main virtue is that, of the systems better than what we have now, it’s one of the easiest to understand (which is admittedly an important intangible: People can’t trust a system they don’t understand). But are the paradoxes empirically significant? I once read a study about a British Union election where they had the group vote in a number of ways. It turns out that the results were pretty similar… except for first past the post voting. Now it’s _possible_ that after a point people were just blindly checking boxes. But I haven’t been especially convinced of the salience of these (inevitable) paradoxes in practice, except of course for the spoiler effect in winner-take-all voting. > [@WillFarnaby](#): > > Paul is about the least loyal Republican in Congress. … He won’t support Romney Wha? Ron Paul and Romney are BFF. Neither attacked the other _even once_ during the Republican debates. That makes sense: RP didn’t want to piss off the presumptive nominee. > [@](#): > > … he’s willing to crash the party to further his message… More seriously, my take might be off. But I’m guessing that RP is in fact _not_ willing to run as a Libertarian independent in 2012 and crash the Republican Party. If he does, my POV is falsified. > [@](#): > > I’d like to know in what way he has demonstrated himself to be a " loyal Republican." Contrast with Gingrich who ran a slash and burn campaign against Romney. Contrast with Nader who ran a slash and burn campaign against the Democrats. > [@](#): > > So you accuse Paul of running for personal gain. Why do you think Barack Obama ran? Obama ran for the same reason that Romney did: they wanted to be President of the United States. Ron Paul ran for the same reason as Michelle Bachmann: they wanted to deliver their message, sort of like Hollywood liberals allegedly do. > [@](#): > > Of course there’s going to be benefits to running for president but I think it’s pretty clear that he’s evangelizing at this point. Maybe we agree more than we pretend. That’s no fun! 😃 > [@](#): > > He doesn’t build coalitions? He has worked with Democrats like Kucinich and Frank. Endorsed McKinney and Nader. ## What legislation has Ron Paul passed? Serious question. In congress there are sausage-makers, gadflys and dead wood. My take is that Ron Paul is a gadfly. Hey, it’s a living. I came across an article speculating about Ron Paul’s motivation: [What Does Ron Paul Really Want](http://www.tnr.com/article/the-permanent-campaign/103116/ron-paul-libertarian-election-2012-supporters-delegates)? The underlying reality is that Dr. Paul and his fanbase have already won what they most craved from Republicans: respect. I don’t just mean his hard-earned inclusion in candidate debates, or the civil treatment he’s received from his rivals. In a very real sense, on domestic issues at least, the GOP has moved dramatically in Paul’s direction since 2008. That’s most apparent in discussions of monetary policy. While none of Paul’s rivals in the presidential contest embraced a gold standard or abolition of the Fed, the alleged perils of monetary inflation have been emphasized far more than one might expect in the midst of a recession. As National Review’s Ramesh Ponnuru noted in February: [INDENT] Many Republicans tell pollsters that they will not vote for Paul because of his foreign-policy views. Nobody says that his monetary views are a deal breaker; no pollster even bothers to ask. There is no organized opposition to Paulite views on money within the Republican party or conservative movement, and the people who hold those views hold them intensely. [/INDENT] With the elevation of Federal Reserve conspiracy theory, the Republican Party has added another shard to its collection of cracked pottery. Mission accomplished! ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-why-how-is-he-snapping-up-delegates-to-what-purpose/621182/59 "2012-05-09T05:23:11Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > Wha? Ron Paul and Romney are BFF. Neither attacked the other _even once_ during the Republican debates. That makes sense: RP didn’t want to piss off the presumptive nominee. Why didn’t that stop Gingrich or Santorum? ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-why-how-is-he-snapping-up-delegates-to-what-purpose/621182/60 "2012-05-09T05:47:04Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Why didn’t that stop Gingrich or Santorum? Gingrich had nothing to lose. He only wants a cushy spot at Fox News or CNN. More to the point, there’s nothing that the Republican Party could do to him. Actually, imposing party discipline on _any_ Presidential candidate is hard. But Ron Paul is trying to build a mailing list. For those purposes warm words by leading members works to his advantage. More deeply, if he _doesn’t_ topple the apple cart, he will be in a decent position to ask for favors. Such as… other mailing lists. I suspect that Santorum will be forgiven pretty quickly: the #2 candidate is allowed a certain amount of slack after all. Gingrich, OTOH, may have burned his bridges. ETA: …unless Romney would rather have Gingrich on the inside of the tent pissing out. Except… Newt might not settle for an ambassadorship and putting him in the cabinet would be incredibly risky. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-why-how-is-he-snapping-up-delegates-to-what-purpose/621182.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-why-how-is-he-snapping-up-delegates-to-what-purpose/621182.md?page=4)