Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Nominate Ron Paul- or else! (a bad idea?)

I don't believe in voting. Neither do I believe politics is an ethical way to get anything done. But, I wonder if or how a political threat might work. Yeah it probably violates the ZAP in that if voting is an initiation of force (which it seems it might be), then threatening to vote is advocating or delegating an initiation of force.

However, ignoring all that for a moment...

I wonder what would happen if liberty lovers, en masse, told Republicans in no uncertain terms that if they nominate anyone other than Ron Paul, we will all vote for Obama. Even if we have to register to vote to do it. Even if we otherwise would never even consider voting, period.

Think of it as putting a mortally injured, dying America out of its misery, if the offer of medicine* is refused.

Just a thought.

I may try this out on my "conservative" relatives. Or, I may post the "threat", without all this post's contemplation, and minus all the uncertainties, somewhere in this form:

Notice is hereby given to the Republican party and all Republican voters: You have a chance to do the right thing. You can nominate Ron Paul. If you nominate anyone other than Ron Paul, I will register to vote, and I will vote for Obama. I will encourage all of my liberty-loving friends, contacts, and acquaintances to do the same- even if they have not voted before or in many years. You will be throwing away your nomination by nominating anyone other than Ron Paul. Is that what you really want to do? It's your call.

Added: I just thought of a shorter way to phrase this threat: "Republicans- I will vote this time, for the first time in years. But, I will either vote for Ron Paul or I will vote for Obama. Your choice." And, no, I don't really intend to vote.


(*Yeah, it could be debated whether this is medicine or a placebo. Or even a poison. I'd still enjoy seeing what Repubs would say or do if this idea went viral. I'm not perfect.)
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15 comments:

  1. Kent, I'd more likely call it the "Socratic Solution", as it would put to rest any Republican fantasies about taking the White House back and then doing absolutely nothing but screw things up as usual. Since when have we not been disappointed?

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  2. I've been beating this horse since they ran Herman Cain out of the race.

    If I start a petition, would you promote it?

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  3. SCREW IT!

    HERE'S THE PETITION - LET'S SPREAD IT FAR AND WIDE!

    http://tinyurl.com/Paul-or-Obama

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  4. Yes, I will promote it. Just for the fun of it. Who knows... maybe it will have an effect...

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  5. I am in! But I don't think I can bring myself to vote for this potus... So I say I'll vote for Ron Paul or no one else!

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  6. Here are some worthwhile ideas from my comments.

    Hendrik

    Say it more charming:

    Ron Paul the only viable contender
    OR I'll go Barrack in November !

    Best wishes for the Ron Paul Revolution 2012 from Germany. We're watching you! We put our strongest hopes in you. We'd need a Ron Paul here even more.

    or...

    Quarter of the Nation is the haul
    they vote Obama if there's no Ron Paul

    or...

    If Winning Half The Nation Is No Drama
    You Take Ron Paul Or They Obama

    or...

    Establishment or people,
    what's your notion ?
    Ron Paul or nothing
    be my motion.

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  7. Keren- By telling them "I don't think I can bring myself to vote for this potus" up front, you are saying that your rattlesnake has been de-fanged. It might bite, but there is no venom. That's what the Republican party is hoping you'll do.

    You are still saying "Don't tread on me" instead of saying "Time's up!"

    For it to really hurt them you've got to get across to them that not only will you not support their guy (if they choose the wrong one), but you'll do all you can to hurt them by actually supporting someone you despise.

    Brock- Your readers are feeling very poetical. Hehe.

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  8. http://dispatchesfromheck.blogspot.com/2012/01/republican-electoral-trap.html

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  9. rexxhead- Great minds think alike. :)

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  10. I think that starting a movement to NOT vote for any republican or any democrat in any election but only Libertarian, Constitution or Green Party candidates makes more sense. Paul is the only republican that I would vote for though.

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  11. Anon- I still think that wouldn't scare them. I already refuse to vote at all. They don't care. I only voted for Libertarian Party candidates. They didn't care. Threatening to vote for Obama- they might actually care about that. Maybe.

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  12. This is interesting. However the danger is that Ron Paul actually wins. As Larken Rose puts it, we've just selected a kinder slavemaster. The point is, to stop being slaves. I think the optimal solution is for the election to be obviously stolen from Ron Paul. That will wake people up if nothing else does.

    I keep going back and forth on whether I want Ron Paul president. I don't know which path is more likely in the long run, to give us liberty. I think this country still needs to hit bottom first.

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  13. Paul- I agree. But you probably already knew that. I just like to toss out ideas and see what happens.

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  14. Good idea, Kent.

    Back when Bush II was running, I copied and pasted Bush and Gore's positions side by side in an email message. I opined then that Gore would likely do less damage as president, since the Republican controlled house would vote for anything Bush asked for.

    If RP is not the nominee, I'll either write in Ron Paul (again) or vote for Obama. IMO, Romney will destroy the country as surely as will Obama, but it will then be recorded as being the fault of Republicans. In reality, we have a one-party system with two different names. It matters not who wins if Ron Paul is not the president.

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