How can we convince the "I like him but he 'can't win'" crowd?

How about: we won Louisiana.

Booyah!

Renewable Wealth - Profitable Green Investing

This is not a time to be quibbling around issues. These are dire times, we are already in some serious trouble. We can no longer afford to choose the lesser of 2 evils. It's time to ask who do YOU think is best fit for the job. Politician or a statesman?...

and then point out all the success RP has been having...

itworksmostofthetime

1) Once he begins to win (2nd in NV, possibly 1st in LA), simply say "but he can win."
2) If a third party gets greater than 15% of the popular vote (I think) the FEC recognizes that party as a "Major" party in the next election. This apparently has a slue of benefits. So, they are furthering a process that will give them MORE OPTIONS in coming elections.

"Your vote doesn't matter among the millions of other votes" is very convincing, I think.

A voter who imagines that he can affect the outcome of the election, is an idiot. It is mathematically impossible. No president has ever been elected with one single vote's margin, and never will. So the one vote you have, will never matter.

So voting is evidently not at all about influencing who will win the election. Voting is a symbolic ritual, a private matter, a kind of meditation which is disconnected from causes and effects in the real world.

You vote for what you believe in, for the sake of your personal conscience! No one will ever now what you voted for, and your vote will have no consequences at all. The only rational option is to vote to feel good.

First and foremost point out that *two* candidates are biting the dust - Thompson and Ghouliani... Soon Ron Paul's message will only be split among *four* war-mongers - if nothing else, tell them, just keep paying attention, Ron Paul's support is growing as word-of-mouth overcomes the medias blackout.
Tell them what do you want to vote for - warmongering or your CONVICTIONS... if you vote for someone who doesnt back your convictions you are GUILTY of perpetuating the sin.

Also note that even if Paul does not win the election, by voting for him you are helping to get the word out that our system is broken and this needs fixing and only if people STAND UP FOR THEIR PRINCIPALS will anything ever happen..
MOST IMPORTANTLY -POINT OUT THE ANTI-WAR MOVEMENT IN THE 60'S - IF NOBODY HAD PROTESTED, FAUGHT, RAGED AGAINST THE COPORATE FASCIST MEDIA AT THAT TIME we might still be dying in Vietnam - Past REVOLUTIONS SHOW THAT PEACE will always win out, but is it to be NOW or later??? that is the question - eventually PEACE will WIN OUT... but must the blood total be so high that we forever hand our heads in shame as in Vietnam that we didnt get our troops out of their sooner....
Then point out how we f&cked up the troops so bad that many never had productive lives ever - do you want to see that happen to THIS generation of troops.... and again remind them that our media IS CONTROLLED and show the evidence of descrimination towards Ron Paul who is calling out the Fascist Controlled Media - the evidence is on the internet... google Ron Paul and one thing will lead to another and hopefully their minds will be changed...
If this doesnt succeed, forget it, you are talking to a sheep... tell them if you want to remain a sheep and controlled then dont research for yourself - perhaps you can SHAME them into checking out Ron Paul...

otherwise I would give up.... I worked my sister and brother-in-law over til they gave in and watched the last debate and they support Ron Paul but still with reservations about his electibility - so I challenge them to test that electibility come their primary dates.... go and vote Ron Paul or sit back and be sheep

Dr. Paul won't win the nomination. He understands this. But, he is surprised by the support he is getting because he understands that there is a generation of persons who have heard the message of liberty without being fully indoctrinated in the message of statism.

He understands that you will educate your children in the message of liberty. It will be a slow revolution. I won't live to see it. You probably won't either. But, it will come.

"Cheers for liberty, my man."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qpVWPlqSAw&feature=related

"The question isn't who is going to let me, it's who is going to stop me." - Ayn Rand
http://www.myspace.com/goldenstategalt

RON PAUL WINS!!

It is about them winning personally. Then go on to explain how candidates are picked for them and not by them. This is their opertunity to get their voice heard.
Unless they like the direction the country has gone in the last 60 years this might the best last hope to make a change in the right direction.

Tell that person that this kind of lemming mentality gave FOX news the power to choose our candidates for us. This isn't a popularity contest. Thinking like this might have mattered in a Nader vs. Gore type situation. But all of the other candidates suck big time in the same way. The only way we will make a difference for future generations is to show Coke and Pepsi that we are sick of drinking cola because our teeth are rotting!!!! Ron Paul is like fresh squeezed orange juice, chalked full of natural vitamins that prevent you from financial illness.

You aren't going to get liberty unless you ask for it. We have to show them that we are not going to stand for the status quo any longer. So any vote in the right direction is just that. Even if he doesn't win, no one else deserves your vote. period.

That if we are truly to be a free society then we must act accordingly. Specifically by voting. not just for the same select few, but for the truly independent thinkers who are not enslaved to a group of special interest.

i also mention what he has accomplished, WITHOUT MEDIA support.

by saying "Ron Paul IS winning - the media just isn't telling you about it". That gets them thinking... hmmm, really?! Then I say "yeah, Ron Paul has won just about all the Straw Polls... he's beaten Rudy and Thompson in most of the primaries already... and he just beat out Hillary in Nevada!". That is either enough to make them want more info or not. If so, give them a dvd - offer more info. If not, NEXT!

Joe

Tell them they can stay enslaved then. Go on, be the same slave to your government that you've always been. Don't cry or complain when you FRN's don't buy anything anymore and you can't afford to feed yourself because that's where we're headed.

Quote John Adams --

Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost.

And then hit 'em between the eyes with everything you like from this thread. Great stuff here!!

I especially like the one about using their logic against them when it comes to polling data.

Viv la R3VOLUTION

Tell them we all lose unless Paul wins!

Then tell him that he can win!

To bad these sheep are getting others in trouble.

Based on my experiences, there are:

1.People who don't know much about Ron Paul, but respond to Ron Paul's messages almost right way. You should spend more time trying to find these people. There are so many out there. I found it's much better to spend time finding these people. These people are likely to become active almost right away like many people here. It's much better to find these people. But, still, the key is to present the right information. I got Ron Paul DVD's from a meetup and the DVD has been very successful.

2. People who say, "I like Ron Paul, but..." We need their votes, but they won't help us right away. Based on my experiences, it's better to leave them alone. Just give them an info package, slim jim, DVD, YouTube links, etc. and move on. My feeling is that these people will look around and eventually come around after seeing so many Ron Paul bumper stickers and hearing other people talking about Ron Paul. Some of them may even try to act as if he or she was for Ron Paul from the get go once they find out that a lot of people are for Ron Paul. Don't waste your time on these people.

3. People who are just not interested. Move on.

Merely "remind" them this remains their opportunity to communicate their true personal positions to the Republican Party, in the way that matters.

When the RNC and its nominee are shaping up their platform, they have NO way of knowing that you like Paul and his positions enough to vote for them -- unless you vote for him.

A single popular vote will never determine the nomination, but it can be a true vote for your beliefs, and one that encourages future pro-liberty candidacies.

I just don't get why people think the lesser evil argument applies to primaries, especially primaries where it doesn't matter which of the evil ones wins.

Ron Paul's foreign policy position of no nation building and no sending brave young Americans into harms way overseas to police the world is the same position that won George W. Bush the Republican nomination and the Presidency in the 2000 election. It is the only position with any potential of drawing the bipartisan and independent support needed to win in the general election.

While Americans were throwing Republicans out of office in droves in 2006, Congressman Paul received over 60% of the vote in his district.

According to the Federal Election Commission, active military donate more to Ron Paul than any other Republican. His record breaking 4th quarter fundraising of nearly $20 million leads the GOP and puts him on par with the leading Democrats.

Ron Paul is a Veteran, a Medical Doctor and married over 50 years to his wife Carol. He has 5 grown children and 18 grand children. In his 20 years in Congress, Ron Paul has amassed one of the most conservative and Constitutionally compliant voting records in American history. The man is a modern day Founding Father. The lobbyist call him "Dr. No" because special interest groups can never get any of our money out of him.

He is pro-life, strong on National defense, and gun owners have no better friend in Congress. He wants to cut taxes, cut spending, and secure the borders. He is a true Conservative. A REAL Republican who's rock solid record stands head and shoulders above any of the other Candidates.

PRESIDENT PAUL

Year after year, administration after administration, Republican or Democrat; nothing seems to be able to stop the unrelenting growth of government. Every time government expands, Americans must sacrifice more of our wealth and more of our freedoms.

The moment Ron Paul becomes President, the era of big Government in Washington is over!!!

President Paul would usher in a return to the Constitutional principles of limited government, just taxation, fiscal responsibility, sound money, free market trade, individual liberty and strong national defense.

Freedom, peace and prosperity is Ron Paul's campaign message. He wants to get rid of the income tax, abolish the IRS, end the Federal Reserve monopoly and he's in it to win it. Let's get back to the future; Back to the Constitution.

Vote Ron Paul! Thank You.

May our efforts in support of Doctor and Congressman Ron Paul's Campaign to be President of these United States of America be blessed with supernatural productivity and success

Listen People,
I was discouraged by NH and IA, but now I can see everything falling into place. All we have to do is make it to the brokered convention and then all of the American people will get to hear Ron Paul's message.
I guarantee you that once they hear his message, our numbers will grow exponentially. Currently we are getting endorsements and funding from first time donors at an unprecedented rate. Even Joe Scarborough of Morning Joe has complained about media bias. People are starting to wake up from the Neocon induced coma of apathy.
And the best way to get to the brokered convention is to donate to RonPaul2008.com so the campaign can afford television ads, which we all know are the best way to reach people. Give as often as you can, even ten dollars will make a difference. I have recently had a lot of people who had not followed the presidential race thus far, ask me about Ron Paul.
This goes to what I had always believed, most Americans are too busy during the Holidays to pay attention to the Presidential Race. But now, many Americans are starting to get interested and are starving for something other than choosing the lesser of two evils.
Once exposed to the message of freedom, there is no turning back.
I will give my life to Ron Paul and his message if given the opportunity.
We must exact revenge on any main stream media personality that says anything bad about Ron Paul by bombarding that person with intelligently reasoned e-mails describing the folly of the comments.
Listen Main Stream Media, we are not going to go away. You will have to confront the conscious Americans at some point in time. Ron Paul's message makes too much sense for us to easily disregard. It comes down to two choices, you're either with the American public or against us.
Ron Paul supporters, you must never lose heart, for we are in a battle of epic proportions. Everybody is against us, as you have seen. They are the Military Industrial Complex, the drug companies, the bought and paid for politicians, and the media. Ghandi once said that at first those in power seem invincible, but in the end they always fall, always!
WE WILL TAKE OUR COUNTRY BACK !!!

Most people I encounter suffer from a bad case of " It doesnt matter who I vote for " apathy. Some want to go for the winner, sounds odd but true. I have had a few gender and race ones as well. I always say research your candidate. If they are a member of the CFR or affilliated with them, dont vote for them. Then I explain what the CFR is and how this is a direct violation of our Constitution. If this fails, I say, well voting for the lesser of two evils IS still evil ! If you are throwing your vote away on evil, you might just as well give it to the good guy for once, Ron Paul.

Because the MSM selects the candidates and the voters are sheeps who follow the radio and tv commentators without independent thinking, the Doc has to change his plan of action. The strategy to go with the republicans was correct.After the republicans(MSM) will select the candidate,Dr. Paul must go independent.As an Independent( the MSM will have no choise to eliminate him from the race) the doc will have the direct benefit of the popular support of the millions of money contributors and followers.The Doc is the most conservativ Republican but "not enough" for the Republican Party recte MSM( O'Reiley, Hannathy, Medved etc....)

and who can really stay in it for the long haul?

RON PAUL FOR THE LONG HAUL!

Ron Paul - best finish so far - 2nd Place (Nevada)
Rudy - best finish so far - 4th place (NH)

So who is more viable again?

I'd be more interested in changing their voting habit than having them vote for Ron Paul. Them choosing Ron Paul I'd leave up to them. I'd be very happy if they'd choose him, obviously.

"Can't win?" "According to the big media polls?"

Does that mean that you don't really decide "who is the best candidate which fits your criteria", but rather, you listen to the media polls then decide who you vote for based upon what they tell you?
This usually gets an emotional response with them realizing that they were going to be a media opinion slave.

"Can't win?" "According to the republican primary results"
Same basic argument - Do you vote your conscience or what the hardcore republican zealots (majority of primary voters) herd tells you to vote?

It's not democracy if you ignore your own criteria and follow the lemming mentality.

rp08