Ron Paul blocked from Iowa debate (by RW group)

[cyberswede]

Nothing like blocking debate if you don't like the position of the speaker! How Republican of them!
An Iowa-based anti-tax group is blocking Ron Paul from an upcoming candidate forum in Iowa.
Be sure to read the comments - interesting. (disclaimer: I'm posting this because the right-wing anti-tax group in the story has been a thorn in the side of Iowa progressives for a long time, not because I like Ron Paul). :)

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Candidate excluded from Iowa debate: Muscatine-based Iowans for Tax Relief and the Iowa Christian Alliance group blocks candidate from presidential forum

MUSCATINE, Iowa – Texas congressman Ron Paul’s campaign said Tuesday that a Muscatine-based tax relief group has excluded the presidential candidate from participating in its June 30 forum in Des Moines.

Campaign chairman Kent Snyder said the GOP candidate learned Tuesday he was not and wouldn’t be invited to participate in the forum hosted by Iowans for Tax Relief and the Iowa Christian Alliance.

“If they didn’t call us — some of our supporters — we probably wouldn’t have known anything,” Snyder said Wednesday.

According to the Web site for Iowans for Tax Relief, candidates who will take part in the forum include Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback, California Sen. Duncan Hunter, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, Colorado congressman Tom Tancredo and former Wisconsin governor Tommy Thompson.

More at link:
http://www.muscatinejournal.com/articles/2007/06/21/news/doc467a9a6a1c4dc451822361.txt

[Sparkly]

1. That's weird.

Why wouldn't a "tax relief" group embrace him?

[EarlG]

3. Weird indeed

You don't get much more anti-tax than this:

"Proposing an amendment the Constitution of the United States (sic) relative to abolishing personal income, estate, and gift taxes..."

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h.j.res.00023:

[Sparkly]

8. On the Colbert Report he said he wanted to abolish practically every gov't agency

up to and including the IRS.

[whistle]

2. RePukes can also pick the candidates they want and tell the rest to

....just go away. Very strange indeed.....smells like fascism!

[Contrary1]

4. What Dr. Paul should do is tape the debate...

call a press conference, and answer the same questions. He would probably have more viewers
than the clowns that barred him from participating. It's obvious they are afraid of him.

[durrrty libby]

5. What kind of Dr is he?

[Contrary1]

7. Not sure if he has a specialty or not,

but I did find this in one of the on line bios:

"Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Dr. Paul is a graduate of Gettysburg College and Duke University School of Medicine. He proudly served the United States as a flight surgeon in the U.S. Air Force in the 1960s, then moved to Texas in 1968 to begin a medical practice in Brazoria County..."

http://www.free-nefl.com/html/bio.html

[durrrty libby]

9. Thanks

[KurtNYC]

10. assuming he can't get in inspite of these guys - that is an EXCELLENT idea

He polled huge after the other debates so he warrants coverage.

[Maat]

12. You hit the nail on the head!

In fact, I think that you came up with a good idea for ANYONE excluded from a debate! I like it!

[petersjo02]

6. We live about 30 miles from Muscatine

These tax relief jokers are absolutely and completely nuts. Tells you what they are that they're allied in this with the "Christian Alliance." Right-wing wacko nuts jobs all. They make a lot of noise, but in reality they count for very little in the political arena in this state--especially now with governor and both houses of Legislature gone Dem.

[Generic Brad]

11. Republicans appear to only want to compete on tilted playing fields

It would be rather embarrassing for the big money boys if Ron Paul was perceived by a segment of the population to have won three consecutive debates. He's currently the closest thing to a populist that their party has at the moment.

If the daddy party is afraid of little old Ron Paul, then they won't stand much of a chance against a Democratic opponent.