I like the new portraits. Great idea!

I like 'em too. And on that note, guys PLEASE do not ever switch to the awful format that RIFuture has switched to. I don't know what the point of having a 1024x768 monitor is when the article space takes up about 400 pixels across.

Ron Paul is blacklisted here as well? {sigh}

Paul blacklisted? No way. He's the Republican's answer to Dennis Kucinich!

Ron Paul is not being blacklisted. We're just waiting for him to say something worthwhile.

Ron Paul is not being blacklisted. We're just waiting for him to say something worthwhile.

Posted by Andrew at August 20, 2007 7:18 PM
XXX
I guess dismantling the police state and the Empire aren't "worthwhile" in your mind.

Ron Paul voices no objection to empires and police states created by countries other than the U.S. And he seems to object to the U.S. taking steps to defend itself from those police states and imperial wannabes.

I'll wait for a libertarian who doesn't elevate a blame-America-first mentality over his libertarianism, if you don't mind.

"expect progressive support for “National Popular Vote” to mysteriously disappear."

Yes, it all depends on whose ox is being Gored.

I've met Ron Paul on more than one occassion. I actually met his son Rand Paul only a few weeks ago. Truly no finer a man -- and one committed to principle at that. Unfortunately, they're just not necessarily the right principles for this period in history.

When the choice has gotten to be "convert to our way of thinking or we'll kill you and your family" by either beheading or stoning, I'm not sure how relevant one's stand on warrantless wiretaps, tracking international calls to Afghanistan, or providing free legal representation to terrorists is exactly. Pretending that the rest of the world doesn't exist, or that many within it mean you and me great harm -- no matter what we do to "offend" their sensibilities -- is not a foreign policy strategy.

He's a nice man, and I'm sure he means the best, but he's also his own worse enemy (in that respect, he reminds me quite a lot of our own Rod Driver).

First, thanks Andrew for posting the state data. It's very useful.

As for national vote, I hope that seeing that it can cut both ways shakes out the unprincipled proponants. Then we can have the debate on principle.

SusanD is way out ahead in competition for pun o' the month.

Ron Paul was a guest on NPR's wonderful news-quiz show "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" this weekend. Smart guy, but the irony of that appearance was truly stunning.

I agree with Greg that RIFuture's new format is not a step forward.

If you believe Ron Paul has yet to say anything worthwhile, you are not listening. He is spot on.

The terrorists are here because we are over there. Period. Osama "hates our freedoms", so we cleverly get rid of them. That will teach him. If this is the solution, count me out. Cowards.

Someone mentioned Rod Driver. Rod is a stand up guy. If we had more like him in the state house maybe the place would not stink like the only port-o-john at a three day rock festival.

1. One of OBL's stated grievances is the loss of Spain from the Islamic caliphate. Who exactly is the "we" and where is the "there" where Spain is involved?

2. It is not a libertarian position to say that it's "nobody's business" when a group of people want to impose an authoritarian government on others. But Ron Paul supporters don't see any connection between preventing Jihadists from trying to restore their vision of the caliphate through the use of violence and a supposed libertarian philosophy of limited government, because they place their blame-America-first ideology ahead of their libertarianism.

3. To stand quietly aside saying "not my business" while a group plots and executes the mass murder of others is as cowardly as it gets.

"because they place their blame-America-first ideology ahead of their libertarianism"

Is that an accurate description of why Ron Paul and his supporters want to stay clear of foreign entanglements? Or is it, America is great and we didn't cause any of this. We're staying clear because this doesn't involve us; we're strong and we can kick butt on American soil as needed.

- Advocatus Diaboli -

Ron Paul is not blaming America, but rather poor foreign policy. Good try. Next time weave in something about how he does not support the troops.

We were told that the reason for the September 11, 2001 attacks resulted from "evil doers" who "hate our freedoms". The simpleton's explanation, I know. This gem from youtube should clear that up -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1bm2GPoFfg

And from wiki:

Motive
The September 11 attacks were consistent with the overall mission statement of al-Qaeda, as set out in a 1998 fatwa issued by Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri, Abu-Yasir Rifa'i Ahmad Taha, Shaykh Mir Hamzah, and Fazlur Rahman.[93] The fatwa lists three main "crimes and sins" committed by the Americans: U.S. military occupation of the Arabian Peninsula, U.S. aggression against the Iraqi people, and U.S. support of Israel. The fatwa also specifically condemns the U.S. for "plundering" the resources of the region, oppressing the people by supporting abusive regimes in the region, and dictating policy to legitimate leaders. It also opposes the presence of U.S. military bases and installations in the region, especially on Muslim holy land, which are used to "threaten" Muslim countries, while fomenting disunity and strife. By a similar token, it decries the continued refusal to address the "occupation of Palestine".

The CIA reports the same. Silly to think we were hit because of OBL's beef with Spain.

Yes, it is the business of every American to oppose the group of people who want to impose an authoritarian government on others. Wake up and smell the fascism oozing from DC.

PDM,
Bin Laden opened his videotape immediately after the September 11 attack by directly comparing the situation in today’s Palestine to the “tragedy of Andalusia”, i.e. the ejection of Muslims from Spain. His November 3, 2001 videotape was more extensive in its catalog of grievances…

Our brothers in Kashmir have been subjected to the worst forms of torture for over 50 years….

The crusader Australian forces were on Indonesian shores, and in fact they landed to separate East Timor, which is part of the Islamic world.

In southern Sudan, hundreds of thousands were killed.

But when we move to Palestine and Iraq, there can be no bounds to what can be said….What is taking place cannot be tolerated by any nation.

And what’s the typical Ron Paul’s supporter response to this? Oh, Bin Laden didn’t really care about these other places he’s mentioned; the only one he really cares about is Palestine, because it’s just plain obvious that America creates the biggest problems in the world, so to understand Jihadist terrorism, just ignore anything mentioned by Bin Laden that doesn’t directly involve America.

That reasoning is why Ron Paul and his supporters are accurately viewed as part of the blame-America-first wing of American politics.