Ron Paul's campaign: what a waste!

http://mises.org/Community/blogs/radicalidealism/archive/2008/02/10/ron-paul-s-campaign-what-a-waste.aspx

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 08:55:17 GMT

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re: Ron Paul's campaign: what a waste!

Gulli — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 18:17:35 GMT

Ron Paul has inspired so many people to learn more about Austrian Economics. Not just in America, but all over the world. This is money well spent.

re: Ron Paul's campaign: what a waste!

Champion — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 02:41:25 GMT

If one had a truly HeroicLife he/she would be adamantly advocating the message of human liberty and freedom in spite of the disinformation propagated by a corrupt media. If it wasn't for Ron Paul I never even would have found this site let alone be studying Austrian Economics. I consider my donations a down payment to cure myself of continued indifference and apathy. I don't consider any of my personal dollars as a waste. In fact, I am just getting started. What are you doing?

re: Ron Paul's campaign: what a waste!

gonzofunkmusic — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 20:03:38 GMT

So, to summarize:

1. The analysis of wasted campaign money is bunk.

2. Ron Paul's investors fueld a fire of true patriotism-- a message that freedom cannot grow until people like BrainPolice & HeroicLife shed their pessemistic views of hopelessness & the rigid win-or-lose perspective.

3. Avant Garde politics have proven to be more prominent than ever-- a sign of imminent, necessary change.

4. Ron Paul did what he set out knowing could be accomplished by spreading the message of Wise Revolution & nationalism without arrogance.

re: Ron Paul's campaign: what a waste!

Mark Thornton — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 22:41:15 GMT

Yes, some of the money and many opportunities were clearly wasted by the campaign staff, but in the main the campaign was a success beyond anyone's imagination (at the beginning). Ron has expanded the number of libertarians, Constitutionalists, and/or classical liberals by a factor of more than 10. Most are young, intelligent, and productive people. I see the Ron Paul Revolution continuing until it is won. Everyone should continue their own personal political and intellectual revolutions.

re: Ron Paul's campaign: what a waste!

lee337c33 — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 11:18:11 GMT

How can the finest politician of his generation, not just in the United States but arguably the world, running for office be a waste? The fact that he isn't favourite to win the GOP nomination is surely dissapointing, but lets not fall into the statist trap of looking at this through simplified absolutes. Ron Paul is the only candidate standing in either of the parties that'll be referenced in bibliographies in 10, 20, 50 years from now.

re: Ron Paul's campaign: what a waste!

Knarf Nibmar — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 04:56:27 GMT

If offering constitutional governance to the electorate as the truly legitimate stance for any candidate for the office of the presidency of our constitutional republic is a misappropriation of campaign funds, then viva le misappropriation.

re: Ron Paul's campaign: what a waste!

John C. Randolph — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 08:35:48 GMT

Ron Paul put things back on the agenda that nearly everyone had given up for lost decades ago. If the only effect of his campaign was the thousands of people who now know what happened to our gold, what inflation is, who does it to us, and who benefits from the operation of the Federal Reserve, then it's time and money well spent.

The fact is though, that this raising of awareness is not the only effect of his campaign. The Ron Paul Republicans have an opportunity to fix the Republican party the way that Newt Gingrich didn't. In Maryland, four out of seven Ron Paul Republicans won their primaries. In New Jersey, Murray Sabrin is running for the Senate. There are more candidates running in other states, and they're just the start.

Ronald Reagan didn't win the first time he ran, but that was no reason to throw in the towel.

-jcr

re: Ron Paul's campaign: what a waste!

nelson — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 06:24:54 GMT

<i>How is it possible for voluntarily exchanged resources to be misallocated?</i>

LoL

re: Ron Paul's campaign: what a waste!

xahrx — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 04:25:49 GMT

How is it possible for voluntarily exchanged resources to be misallocated?

re: Ron Paul's campaign: what a waste!

Juan — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 23:41:14 GMT

I don't know what good effects can the RP campaign have, but... to say that the money should instead go to the 'Ayn Rand Institute' sounds...odd.

It seems that warmongering is a favourite passtime at the ARI ?

re: Ron Paul's campaign: what a waste!

g.goes — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 18:03:50 GMT

Not a waste;every time someone contacts me about politics for donations etc, i tell them;the only politician,not worth of hanging is ron paul.I also send regular e-mails to the oreilly's and other establishment lapdogs.If enough people do the same consistently it will start something.

re: Ron Paul's campaign: what a waste!

jtucker — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 03:29:56 GMT

Yes, and there is another point. Hundreds of thousands of people have been drawn to serious thought about politics and economics. In other words, Ron has achieved his goal in this way: getting people interested in ideas. That alone is a revolutionary act. This is not wasteful.

re: Ron Paul's campaign: what a waste!

Doug — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 02:28:01 GMT

Some of that money was mine! Isn't it impossible for voluntarily donate money to be misallocated? I'll tell you the advantages I saw from the campaign: 1) I had no idea there were that many people out there that would support his message - it was very encouraging. 2)Who would have ever thought you would have seen any campaign rally where they cheer eliminating the Fed? 3) A lot of people came for the Antiwar message and (hopefully) learned something about economics.

Do I wish he would have won? or been a bit more aggressive? or stopped answering every question at the debates in context of fiat money to try to win some votes? Sure. But would I have paid that $300 just to see Fox squirm at a Sinclair Lewis quote? Oh Yea!

re: Ron Paul's campaign: what a waste!

jtucker — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 20:31:44 GMT

I'm sympathetic with your point, in an ideal world. It is a sad thing that it takes politics to get people interested in ideas. Then the tragedy of politics is that it puts ideas to a vote and gives the impression that their validity depends on the outcome. I wish it were otherwise.

However, it doesn't make sense to talk of misallocations. There is no central planner at work here. People give money based on their own preferences.