Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire How did you transition from Ron Paul to Donald Trump?

What was the thought process that played out in your mind? I am not asking this to provoke a bicker of any sort; I am seriously interested at how you came to these conclusions.

I lean strongly libertarian. I was very much in agreement with Ron Paul on at least 80% of everything he said. Never a total sycophant to any man, there was 20% of what he said that I strongly was against; nonetheless...

Trump to my way of thinking is the anti-Ron-Paul.

What are you former Ron-Pauler's thinking that I am missing?

You're missing that Trump is the only non establishment candidate running for the GOP nomination.

You're missing that Trump is the only candidate to call out the media as being dishonest.

You're missing that Trump is the only GOP candidate that's being subjected to a media attack just like Ron Paul was.

You're missing the fact that if the media and the GOPe attacks them that they're a candidate that's not likely to carry on the neocon status quo.

Because isn't a businessman who's used his money to buy politicians influence exactly the problem with the Washington Cartel?


I believe you believe he was the first


Ron Paul was a kook. No one attacked him, they just avoided him.


nerocorns

I never did.
Rand was my choice this time. I'm glad he dropped out to concentrate on his Senate race. The Dems are trying hard to take it from him.
I will probably vote Libertarian unless McAfee wins the nomination.

For me I didn't


Some may laugh but I'm not bothered by the jibes of the ignorant so much

I'd take Ron Paul over trump any day

He's a decent man that understands the big picture


Hard to go back & see how things could have been different I know we've lived a very good life here for a long time thanks in large part due to cheap pill & govt meddling in the ME to ensure we'd have all the energy we need

Ron Paul probably has a better understanding of freedom & Liberty than the vast majority of Americans

For far too many of my countrymen they don't want freedom they just want whomever is most closely aligned with their vision of how things ought to be to have power

We've increasingly entered a world where a man or a woman has to be a bit forceful to gain much traction in our political system

Ron Paul with his physical presence and his libertarian leanings doesn't convey that sense of power

If a John Wayne type espoused the same things that Paul did it would have been much better received Imo

But perhaps not as too many Americans want power rather than freedom and are too blind to see the ultimate source of power is freedom

Now shut up and eat the blue pill.

Don't get run over by a train...

I really appreciate the way you think.

Robert,

Like you, I agreed with 80% of what Ron and Rand say and advocate. And I disagreed with 20%.

Unfortunately, The Paul's have not ever been able to expand beyond that small segment of libertarian minded segment of Americans. As much as I hate to say it, the Paul's have not demonstrated a leadership style that resonates. Too much policy wonky-ness, not enough leadership.

Trump identified--and nailed--4 issues (illegal immigration, trade with Mexico, trade with China, legal immigration of potential terrorists) AND proposed hardnosed, conservative solutions. That alone caught the attention of the press, and a significant segment of Americans.

More so, in contrast with the Paul's, Trump has a leadership style that definitely caught the attention of the press and America--and apparently the rest of the world too ( at least according to my son who just came back from a week in Spain and Italy).

More so, Trump went after the political establishment, and has been successful in pointing out how moribund and incredibly self-serving that political establishment has been. Importantly, Trump has equally criticized both of the political parties.

Say what we may about Trump's particular style, somebody who is going to take on the establishment, identify issues that really resonate in America, and propose tough solutions, is not going to descend from the heavens with a halo around his head as much as many folks would like to see.

Trump has blown holes in the Republican establishment, political correctness, Cheney/McCain interventionism, a media that has had it's way with the political establishment, etc.

In other words, Trump isn't just running for the Republican nomination, he taken on a much broader establishment at the same time. He's done so from the bully pulpit, appealing directly to the people--something that only Trump has been able to do with any effectiveness in a long time.

Like most folks, I rolled my eyes when Trump announced his candidacy, and Rand was my first choice. But once I listened to Trump I couldn't help but root for him too. In a field of 16-17 candidates, I didn't think Rand would last for long--his voice isn't one to rise above the crowd--Trump's voice did.

Casey

Nicely done, and in spite of Bristoe's hand-wringing, Trump will be the nominee.

I hope he does become the nominee and enough of the establishment resigns themselves to support him. He can beat Hillary with a little help from the establishment.

Right now, Trump is waaay off message.


Casey

I didn't believe 8 months ago that Trump wanted to be president and I'm still not sure I believe it today.


It's gonna be a wild year.

I was a big Ron Paul guy but not so much now.

Its not that he's changed, its just that it comes a time when you have to admit he's not effective. Ron may have laid the foundation for the Tea Party and open the eyes of some Americans about the downfalls of our agressive foreign policy but at the end of the day all I get are just a ton of emails asking for money. I'm done giving to the liberty foundation and whatever else he pimps as of late.

Also a big difference in Rand and Trump that I identify with is fair trade versus free trade.


I'm at a point where I think Ron needs to amend his way of thinking as the current approach to free trade just screws over the middle class.

I've been harping about fair trade versus free trade for decades - its Adam Smith economics 101

I also differ from Ron on Federal Parks. While I have no argument that its constitutional for the Federal Government to maintain parks - I feel its a luxury we can afford as Americans - but I have no idea where Trump stands on that.

I gravitated to Ron Paul early on because of his stance on protecting our own borders instead of some damn desert in the middle east, and when Trump starting talking about getting illegals out of our country and building a wall, I was all in after that. I considered Trump a joke candidate up until then.

Do I think he can build a wall? I have no idea but at least he's saying it - and no other GOP candidate would touch until then (and I don't give a damn what anyone says about Cruz and anti-immigration stance - he's a lying prick )

I will say this though - a big part of why I'm so pissed at the GOP is how they treated Ron Paul and totally dismissed his supporters.

its why I want Trump to just completely go scorched earth on them. I honestly don't care if the GOP in its 2012 form ever exists again - and honestly I think the country would be better off if another group rose up to take its place.

While Trump and I don't have the same friends, we do have the same enemies.

You're missing everything you say he's missing.

I have asked your question several times without getting any reasonable response. Usually just that Trump is the only non establishment candidate running. You have to be freaking blind to claim that Cruz is an insider.

Ron Paul: I wouldn't support Trump as GOP nominee

2/24/16 Trump has been able to tap into the anger and fear of a large "minority" of voters, Paul told CNBC's "Squawk Box." He said the billionaire businessman acts like he has all the answers but "zero" realistic solutions to the problems facing the nation.

"I hear the ability of politicians to capitalize on the worries," the libertarian Republican continued. "They're able to use the blame game."

alpine crick that was a very good post






And lt. Pat thank you, I may be able to ignore the jibes of the peanut gallery, but the guys ive come to respect upon here for how they conduct t & express themselves, their opinion of me does matter



But I believe JOG put it most succinctly

ABC

Ron Paul was anti-GOP as well, and pointed out the shortcomings. Trump just bashes through without a thought of how his message will be taken by the spectators or media.

We don't get to design our perfect candidate, so we have to choose among the willing.

The establishment professional politicians have gotten us to where we are, and I want something different. Trump or Bernie are the only ones offering something different.

its that leadership

Ron Paul isn't a leader, he doesn't command respect. You either had to be in tune with his message or not and if you weren't, he wasn't going to win you over by taking over a room.

that said he's pretty unwavering on his positions, even if he knows people will line in masses to go against. That's what we need, but its never played well in debates setup to take candidates down who don't kiss ass.

Trump is a leader - and in an era void of leadership in the GOP (Saying NO to everything is not leadership), people are willing to follow Trump to hell and back if he just takes a stand on something and follows thru - or at least tries.

Trump says alot of garbage I don't agree with, he wavers on positions that are important to some but from what I can tell he hasn't wavered on his position of immigration and fair trade - the two topics that vaulted him into the lead for the GOP nomination. But even if he waivers on positions beside the other two - abortion or Palestine or whatever - its not the swarmy used car salesman routine that we get from Cruz. Its the I'm not going to act like you want me to just because its what we've come to expect from politicians. And many people are attracted to that.

I'll stick with him as long as I believe he'll do whatever he can to make a difference in those areas.