Holy shit! Ron Paul is holding an online fundraiser today, and he’s already raised over $4 million!!! Really. No joke. 4 million bucks in one day. Infuckingcredible.
To put that in perspective, that’s almost twice what Mike Huckabee has raised all year, and closing in on John Kerry’s record $5.7 million nomination day haul. Not Rudy Guiliani. Not Mitt Romney. Not Fred Thompson. But Ron fucking Paul!
I’m not sure exactly what to make of this, but dollars to donuts the GOP establishment isn’t rejoicing. A) Ron Paul is an ultra-libertarian nutjob; B) Ron Paul is the only Republican presidential candidate running on an anti-war platform; and C) Ron Paul is an ultra-libertarian nutjob. That Paul is able to marshal this kind of grassroots support should send shivers up the spines of his fellow Republican hopefuls, not because he can win the nomination, but because it signals how out of touch the GOP leadership is with its own base, at least on the topic of the war in Iraq. It also makes one wonder if out of the ashes of the failed neocon experiment we might see a resurgent libertarian movement emerge? Hell, something’s gotta take its place.
Over $4 million in one day, from over 35,000 contributors — and for a “fringe” candidate. This isn’t just big, this is goddamn historic. And I just can’t see how it’s good news for Republicans in 2008.
Wide Stance Gimbel spews:
Well, apparently they banked some major portion of that previously, and announced the total as all coming today, to impress the easily impressed.
Mission Accomplished!
The Guy With No Car spews:
$4 mil sounds like a lot. I’d want to see the breakdown of those numbers. But as for grassroots support, I believe it. It seems everywhere I turn there are Ron Paul signs.
It sure sounds like bad news for the GOP, and it sounds like bad news for some of the Democrats as well if they don’t repudiate the war (*koffHilarykoff*).
Alan spews:
I don’t know why anyone would say that this story is “bad news for the GOP”. I think it’s AWESOME news for the GOP — at least for the GOP as it used to be, but not for the miserable neocon leadership of today. It may be bad news for the corrupt pseudoconservatives that have taken over during the last seven years, but it’s great news for the average Republican, like me, who is sick of the bankrupt policies of the current administration.
SeattleJew spews:
Goldy ..
Makes the local Kps seem … err ahh feasible?
Cameron spews:
I’m a waiter, and I sent in $300. The average donation if you divide 4.2 million by 35,000= $120.
We are going to end this Iraq Occupation. The Dems won’t do it. The GOP “official candidates” won’t do it. Ron Paul will. Say what you want about Ron Paul, but he is a man of his word, and will stand on his principles even if he’s the only one still standing.
GoldenAge spews:
“Ron Paul is an ultra-libertarian nutjob”
What does this mean? Name calling is dismissive in a way that indicates extreme intellectual laziness.
Have we lost the idea of America and strayed so far from the fires of our founding philosophy that we now consider the human rights enumerated in the Bill of Rights to be quaint, obsolete, and irrelevant? Is standing up for traditional American values now “ultra-libertarian” qualifying someone as a nutjob?
As for me, I want to make this country into something worth defending. I’d be nuts to have served in the armed forces of such a country which dishonors liberty, cherished above all things by our founders. Why throw away my life and watch my friends be wounded and die for the shameless looting of a populace addicted to entitlement and consumerism? For the self-aggrandizement and posturing of a power hungry, big-money, big-media created caste of artistocratic, lying, special-interest owned policians?
No, I would not work much less serve such a society. Hence it is my duty to fix. Responsibility and ownership are what is lacking. Or so I thought…
20,000 donations have not even been counted yet. Millions upon millions say to me that a majority of Americans have the same values as Dr. Paul.
Its just that these values get in the way of the money interest owning and controlling us, their “human resources”. They expect their media to make up our minds for us.
Don’t let them form your opinions. Think free and ask questions. Do your own research and formulate your own independent opinions. De-program. After awhile, Dr. Paul will begin to make some sense, I guarantee it.
If not, then let’s have a reasonable discussion about issues and policy. Not based on emotionalism or sensationalism. An agreeable conversation where peers learn from one another via an exchange of ideas with mutual respect. Which specific policies advocated by Dr. Paul are you opposed to and why? What are you so afraid of?
Phil spews:
@1 and 2…
Right before the day started they addded in about $400,000 from offline donations. The rise from $3.1 million to $7.2 million where it is right now was all online.
Goldy spews:
Goldenage @6,
Okay… how about paranoid, racist whackadoodle?
Phil spews:
Not only did the $4.1 million from today come from 35,000 contributors – but 21,000 were NEW donors. Paul’s fundraising potential didn’t decrease today – it increased astronomically. Paul has about $50 million dollars in potential additional fundraising just from his donors today.
Unfuckingbelievable.
Jimmy spews:
Hey, I agree that Ron Paul is actually good for the Republican Party… even though his is a bit on the fringe. Heck, the fact that Goldy is calling him a “ultra liberatarian nutjob” is a bit of irony considering how out of whack the GOP has become. It seems we all forget too soon how parties shift over the years. It may be more measurable with Paul vs. the GOP of old, but damn!
david in wedgwood spews:
Ultra libertarian until it comes to abortion, then he’s as right wing as any of ’em.
Goldy, you can add hypocrite to your list of adjectives.
N in Seattle spews:
I think all those Seattlites sporting RP signs on their lawns are going to be surprised when they show up at their precinct caucuses and find that the guy isn’t one of the choices on the ballot.
I live in 90% Democratic Fremont, yet the only presidential signs I see are RP’s.
Politically Incorrect spews:
Okay… how about paranoid, racist whackadoodle?
Ron Paul is an ultra-libertarian nutjob
Hey Goldy, fuck you.
Noemie Maxwell spews:
This was new information to me: Ron Paul vs The New World Order, David Neiwert. Here’s a snippet:
The other major problem with Ron Paul (besides the fact he wants to defund government… ) is that he dismisses climate change as a real problem.
‘Tis a shame he has these major deal-breaking qualities — racism, a desire to dismantle democratic government, and a denial of the earth’s number one challenge, which has us poised on the edge of self-annihilation. Otherwise, I like Ron Paul. Really! He’s very lucid on the issue of corporate predation, Iraq occuapation, et.
Lee spews:
@6
“Ron Paul is an ultra-libertarian nutjob”
What does this mean?
It means that he’s crazy enough to believe that the free market will protect endangered species.
I actually like Ron Paul, but if he doesn’t give up his free market fetishism, he will pass up a great opportunity to take down the two-party system. I consider myself a libertarian, and I agree with Paul completely on the war on terror and the war on drugs. But you simply cannot believe that you can deal with the world economy like it’s 1789 all over again and be taken seriously.
And yeah, his head is completely up his ass when it comes to abortion, too.
chadt spews:
@13
Have you noticed that no-one ever pays attention to you?
There’s a reason for that.
Lee spews:
@16
I posted another clue for him here:
http://effinunsound.com/?p=544
Mike Barer spews:
It looks like he has tapped in on the Howard Dean crowd.
mark spews:
Goldy, 5 PM, 4 million just showed up in Satterbergs campaign account. Its over.
christmasghost spews:
i don’t think it’s republicans giving him money here.
two words for you….ross perot.
and # 14…nice swift boating!
Broadway Joe spews:
One of the funnier things is that when Paul first entered the House, he was graded as (if I remember correctly) the most conservative Representative of them all, furthest right of all. Nowadays, he’s somewhere in the middle of the road field in most areas, as compared to the current crop of R’s in Congress. Yeah, he’s got some skeletons in his closet, and big nasty ones at that. Honestly, I wouldn’t even think of voting for him. But as far as I’m concerned, he’s a breath of fresh air amongst the stale quagmire of Bushie sycophants. And the fact that he’s causing so much commotion within the GOP is enough to make this fourth-generation D consider actually donating a few bucks his way, if only to help him make the GOP even more miserable than it is now!
Broadway Joe spews:
20:
Perot? Oh dear……..
Imagine if you will, Rudito Mussoweenie…….er, Giuliani getting the GOP nomination. The Dobsonites will probably bolt at that news, no matter who he picks for his veep, with maybe even Dobson himself running (who knows?). With CG’s suggestion that maybe Perot could be the one quietly bankrolling Paul, could a Paul/Perot candidacy happen when the GOP won’t even let Paul in the door at the convention, no matter how many delegates he may or may not have?
Anyone else suddenly see the possibility of a four-way race? And what would happen if no candidate gets more than say, forty percent of the vote? A runoff election in December, maybe?
Bruce Guthrie spews:
Ron Paul voted NO on:
The Use of Force Authorization for Iraq
The Military Commissions Act that eroded the defense of our right to habeas corpus
McCain Feingold campaign finance that violates the first ammendment
The USA PATRIOT Act.
Hillary Clinton Voted YES on all of these!
Ron Paul joined Hillary in voting NO on the Defense of Marriage Act, that defines marriage as between one man and one woman.
Ron Paul votes “no” on bills that grant corporate welfare subsidies. He accepts no corporate donations. Hillary accepts millions from corporations.
Does Ron Paul sound like a right-winger to you?
Join the Ron Paul Revolution!
Ron Paul is a reaction to the neocons. If the Republicans are smart enough to nominate him, Hillary will have a hard time convincing us she is not pro-war!
By the way, the next “money bomb” fundraiser is scheduled for 12/16/07: the anniversary of the Boston Tea Party. I think Ron Paul will raise $10 million. I’ll be donating.
Oh, I’m the Libertarian who ran for US Senate against Cantwell. I differed with her in my opposition to the Iraq war and the PATRIOT Act. She was also pretty weak on marriage equality…
Chuck spews:
Hey Goldy,
So here I am. I voted for Bush both times. Have always voted down the line Republican for local elections. Have debated with my church friends about small government, personal freedom, and abortion (to name a few). Watch O’Reilly, etc. So I consider myself very Republican.
Then I find Ron Paul’s website when it was still the Exploratory Committee. A long time before he got “famous”. I read his ideas. And most of his main ideas, me and most of my Repub friends agree with. If I asked most of my TN friends about the issues, they would agree maybe 85% w/ Ron Paul’s platform.
So I guess all I’m saying. Is you’re right- RP has tapped into a vein of the GOP that really wants smaller federal government, lower taxes, more privacy, etc. We want more than words (which is all we’ve received in since Reagan left the Oval Office).
So many of us are real Republicans that feel disenfranchised. And it doesn’t make much sense why our party calls us loons =/
Chuck
Bruce Guthrie spews:
Chuck, the reason they call us “loons” is that they have no rational arguments against our positions.
Ron Paul’s position is genius: just defend the Constitution. Who can complain about that? The ACLU loves the Constitution, and so does the John Birch Society! We should follow the rule of law.
Here is the deal he offers to voters:
To Liberals: How ’bout this: we’ll stay out of your bedrooms if you will stay out of our wallets?
To Conservatives: How ’bout this: we’ll stay out of your wallets if you will stay out of our bedrooms?
To Both: Let the troops focus on defending US borders, and the money saved will solve our deficit problems.
It’s as American as apple pie! It cuts right up the middle of the political spectrum. It is centrist and popular. It could win!