Bob Cesca, HuffPo: The Fantastical Crackpot Cult of Ron Paul

[highplainsdem]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bob-cesca/the-fantastical-crackpot-_b_1200608.html

The word "cult" is often employed in political contests, but seldom in recent history has it been more appropriate than when describing the so-called Ron Paul Revolution. Specifically, Ron Paul has no chance of winning the nomination (and he doesn't really want to); if a miracle happens and he actually does win the nomination and, subsequently, the presidency, he has no chance to successfully govern; and his libertarianism is pure hocus-pocus science fiction, evidenced by the fact that it's never been successfully implemented. Ever. But Ron Paul's supporters don't know it. Or, at least, none of them can describe a single instance in history when such a system has prospered without serious consequences and horrendous side-effects.

-snip-

Despite an era when deregulated corporations and financial institutions pushed the world economy to the brink of another Great Depression, Ron Paul's agenda would remove almost all restrictions on the market.

Certainly, rich white men would continue to prosper under the laissez-faire policies of a Ron Paul administration. Until the inevitable crash. More on that presently. But minorities and women would fall prey to free market discrimination and subjugation. While "liberty" is the calling card of a Ron Paul supporter, they don't appear to understand how liberty would be denied to women and minorities.

-snip-

Then again, pot and heroin would be legalized and the United States would wall ourselves off from the rest of the world -- a policy that worked out really well in the 1930s. By the way, if you believe Ron Paul is anti-war, think again. Some of his top donors are defense contractors, he voted for the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) against terrorists, and he proposed HR 3076 which would have unleashed a government-financed private army of mercenaries and assassins to indiscriminately and unaccountably kill terrorists irrespective of nationality.

-snip-

Cesca concludes that Ron Paul is less a candidate than "a shibboleth for nihilistic hipsters. If you can work "Ron Paul" and "liberty!" into a tweet, you're one of them. You're anti-establishment. People who are devoted to Ron Paul appear to be more interested in the fantastical, fictitious idea of President Ron Paul than the realistic manifestation of President Ron Paul."

[Old and In the Way]

1. President Ron Paul

What a waste of 4 years. He'd be totally ignored by Congress.

[dimbear]

2. Robinson Crusoe was a Libertarian and it worked out great.

At least until some other people showed up.

[Bluenorthwest]

3. Paul is one of the few people I dislike more than I dislike Cesca.

So an interesting read.

[Major Nikon]

4. Regardless of what you think about Cesca, he well describes the loonacy of Paul and his supporters

These people love to describe the liberating utopia that would surely exist if all government interference were removed, but have absolutely no ability to describe exactly how that happens when minor variables like reality are factored into the equation.

[HillWilliam]

5. They heard "legalize marijuana" and

uh, what were they just talking about?

[Major Nikon]

7. Pot is certainly one way to understand the rest of his ideas

Drunk and stupid is another, which seems to work well for his constituency in and around Galveston.

[HillWilliam]

8. If you listened to Lily Tomlin way-back-when

you'll recognize the reference... pot is also a way to gain a cosmic insight into a Lipton Flo-Thru teabag.

Which, incidentally, is about all any of Ron Paul's ideas are worth.

[highplainsdem]

6. kick