What's up with the faux Ron Paul mania on DU3?

[whatchamacallit]

Beside a few new members who may be trolls, is anybody over there really advocating for Ron Paul? I ask because the ardent Obama supporters act as if they're at war. Seems a little forced and over the top IMO.

[No Elephants]

1. Dunno. I have a feeling a good number of Paulytes are either paid posters or

cult followers.

However, bottom line, Ron Paul is a distraction, a shiny thing, akin to bs about amending the Constitution to ban flag burning. It's never going to happen, but it's used to rile us up to show how different the two major political parties are from each other.

This distracts us from realizing how similar they really are on economic issues and how similar they are becoming, even on wedge issues, like guns, religion and reproductive rights.

Ron Paul is a distraction of that kind.

[whatchamacallit]

2. I agree it's a distraction

I was just wondering why.

[Divine Discontent]

3. nice explanation

[myrna minx]

4. No. It's a distraction and a misrepresentation of what left of center critics

are writing about the President and the state of the Democratic party. It's the most bizarre and rage filled GOTV drive I've ever seen. :shrug:

[Renew Deal]

5. There have been people advocating for Ron Paul

some are trolls, some are long term members. The Obama supporters are at war and I appreciate what they are doing. They are educating DUers on how to deal with Paul supporters. Besides, a little war gaming for them is good. :)

[SwampG8r]

6. it is in fact sock puppets

of those self same "supporters" making the ron paul talk then objecting under their 'super supporter" names to kick up a fuss
they are trying to buy a false unity by bringing in their own devil (paul)to gather around
they want you to be a member of "us" and to do it unquestioning of anything
so they have to create a "them" for everyone to gather against
of course thats only my opinion and i could in fact be wrong

[Leopolds Ghost]

7. I think most Dems would love it if Paul won the Republican nomination, for obvious reasons.

Namely that Obama would win in the fall as a direct result (but not before Paul completely upended the GOP discourse). :evilgrin:

Gingrich is almost as good an opponent, but not quite, because he would merely drag the debate to the right before going down in flames. But if we are lucky he could drag the debate to the left, because of popular dislike for the man, Gingrich, and his ideas by extension.

If Ron Paul won the GOP nomination (fat chance) it would signal a populist revolt within the Republican party which would produce interesting fireworks, not to mention create room for Dems on the left to do the same. Remember, if your worst enemy embraces a couple of your key positions... it means the popular mood is moving in your direction.

Romney is the worst case scenario...

[No Elephants]

8. I think Huntsman would be the worst case for Obama, but Republicans don't seem to agree with me.

Which suits me fine.

[Tx4obama]

9. Well, so far just about ....

all of the GOPers have had their day in the spotlight being in the lead: Bachmann, Perry, Cain, Gingrich, Paul, Santorum and now Romney is ahead in Iowa - the only one left that hasn't risen up to be at the top of the polls is Huntsman, I hope to hell that he does NOT get his turn!

[femrap]

12. There are a lot of people

who love Ron Paul for some reason. He seems to appeal to the Angry White Dudes who want to be able to do whatever they want and women have no right to abortions.

Personally I'd like to see him run as an Independent. It would be more amusing since these campaigns are basically circuses anymore. The candidates just do as they're told.

But I still believe that Big Biz and Inherited Wealthy run the world. And the inequality is becoming so huge so quickly that no wonder there is OWS. People are pushed to the wall.

I still can't believe that half of the US population is poverty level or low-income....that was quick! And when the 2012 Budget cuts appear, it's going to get worse.

[No Elephants]

24. I hope he runs as independent as well. As the Republican candidate, he would

lose. As an independent candidate, he will help the Republican candidate lose.

If he merely drops out, he's even more useless than he usually is.

[femrap]

26. Excellent analysis! nt

[Fire Walk With Me]

10. Someone figured out that on DU3, you could post threads without having a post count.

They've since changed that. Thursday had a few errant posts.

[whatchamacallit]

11. I think this DU3 thread is illuminating

http://www.democraticunderground.com/100298622

[woo me with science]

13. I got hidden in that thread

for daring to suggest that Paul's surge includes protest voters who could be and probably would RATHER be Democrats, if Democrats would only offer them something.

Apparently we're not allowed to talk about things like that on DU3.

[whatchamacallit]

14. Man...

I just don't get it. :shrug: There seems to be a major effort to rally everyone against a bogeyman so we don't have to deal with our own house.

[woo me with science]

15. "...so we don't have to deal with our own house."

Ain't that the truth.

You've gotta give the OP credit here for trying to make that point. He makes it repeatedly, and repeatedly and directly asks posters if they support the administration's war policies, and why the administration has ceded the anti-war issue to Paul. It's like a damned Monty Python skit. Even when asked directly, the defenders absolutely refuse to go there.

Over and over and over and over again, the OP NEVER gets a straight answer, only increasingly desperate and tangential deflections about Ron Paul. It would be hilarious if it weren't so damned illustrative of the larger problem.

[whatchamacallit]

17. Yep.

Frustrating I know. At least you can take some pride in your ability for nuanced thought. :think:

[Huey P. Long]

19. I'm glad you posted this, as it clarifies where you are coming from.

Mr. Riddler is a good egg. I have been knowing that poster for years on another forum. He has fought for the people and victims of the elite for forever.
In no way should he be accused of 'hyping' RP. That to me is outrageous! The man is trying to make a point, and the bots attack him.

[paulk]

21. that was a good post

which was in no way a violation of the community standards, imo.

one of the better features in DU3 is that you can go back and read the "hidden" posts.

I'm really curious about the jury system, how it actually works as far as the selection process. There is a poster on that thread, one who has 97 posts, a 23% chance of serving on a jury, and smells an awful lot like a completely biased sock puppet - who has served on 7 juries. I've got a 60% chance and have served on one. Is the system being gamed somehow? I know from the one jury I did serve on that the alert was nothing more than an attempt to shut another poster up (the post was let stand by a 6 - 0 vote).

I'd post this in the meta section on DU3, but I don't know if I'm allowed to talk about things like that over there. Or really even here, for that matter.

[Leopolds Ghost]

16. "Why is this racist, knuckle-dragging right-winger outflanking Democrats to left on certain issues?"

From JackRiddler's post linked above. I will say this, based on the reactions to posts like that one, I'm not seeing the quashing of dissent over on DU3... More like discontent now that the two factions of the party (GD and GDP) have been thrown together. My only issue with DU3 is that the general culture and spirit of the place may change due to the new system, especially once people lose their stars.

[whatchamacallit]

18. Interesting dynamic

the election will be wild...

[Huey P. Long]

20. Just wait a few more months. I tell you they are 'itching' for that time. -eom

[Blue_In_AK]

23. It makes my head hurt to read those threads. n/t

[countryjake]

25. Yes, what an eye-opener!

The OP asks sincere pertinent questions, but effectively never gets even one serious answer from any of the main responders.

In trying to deal with types in real life, who have muscles in their heads that ain't never been used, the points put forward in that thread really do need to be answered, now, rather than later.

[WI_DEM]

22. "ardent Obama supporters" well that tells us a lot from where you are

coming from.