Ron Paul at the National Press Club 9/10/08--VIDEO

I have been a Constitutionalist for a long time. People like the late Harry Browne shaped my political ideas and I can never repay him for that.

When Ron Paul announced he was running for President, I, like many of you became very excited at the idea of one of our own finally getting the attention that the message of Liberty deserves. I am very disappointed that Dr. Paul would self destruct the movement in which he helped form.

Ron supporting Mr. Barr or even Mr. Baldwin could be seen as natural, but Nader and McKinney… you’ve got to be kidding me. McCain catches a lot of flack for being too friendly with the Democrats... Nader and McKinney are Socialism at its worst.

Even though I don't like the idea of PBS...
Shouldn't they earn their money and have an equitable debate with all of the nationwide parties?

I'm sure that pressure could be applied in order to accomplish this.

I only know what I live and Ron Paul is right about the percentage of non voters and the reasons why they don't bother to show up. I've heard this from my own family members who have voted in the past but now see it as a empty exercise and waste of time.

The revolution has to come from the majority of the population and that's what Ron Paul is doing with this proposal. That's what his campaign and message has been from the beginning. I support the debates between the third party candidates and will be watching for an announcement and doing my research on those candidates, to cast my vote in Nov.

Not only that I'm talking about this whole idea within my circle of non voting friends and family. I hope everyone does the same.

People think that it is no big deal because Ron didn’t run.

Get over it! His said his not going to run third party so many times I can’t even begin to count them, and he is and will always be a man of his words. However much that might annoy us at this moment.

However, what we have here is an agreement on a set of principles and this in itself is monumental. We need to get people to read this set of principles. When they agree to them, as almost everyone will, we need to ask them to question their candidate, and whether they also agree on these principles. Then explain to them how voting for the lesser of evil is still evil and how voting for candidates that you believe in is actually a much better use of their vote.

Print the statement,
Email the statement,
send to friends, family, neighbours, friends of friends, random people on the street.

Get the word out!!! We HAVE to change the system. Because WE ARE A MAJORITY!!

Ron Paul at the National Press Conference:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1LMoWqXrE4

I never trusted Barr and here is yet another reason NOT to!!!! This was released by his campaign and then quickly pulled but not fast enough, I friend of mine saved it first!!!
Mike Ferguson wrote:
Earlier today, Congressman Ron Paul (R-TX) held a press conference in Washington, D.C. where he said…well, nothing…

He invited Libertarian Party Presidential nominee Bob Barr and independent Presidential candidate Ralph Nader along with the nominees of two small, minor political parties to stand behind him as he encouraged Americans to vote for anyone other than Sens. Barak Obama and John McCain.

Ron Paul wasted the press corps’ time with this press conference. It accomplished nothing and displayed a complete lack of leadership on Paul’s part.

Of the four invitees, only Bob Barr had the sense to skip the event. He held his own press conference, also in Washington, D.C., later in the day.

Among the things in Ron Paul’s statement was a reference to the “principled non-voter”, claiming they are sending a message and should start a “League of Non Voters” to impact the nation and government.

So, in other words, Paul stated that people should not vote for Obama or McCain and should vote for a third party nominee…unless they really don’t want to.

Allow me to set the good Doctor straight: “principled non voters” count the same, and have the same impact on America, as lazy, apathetic citizens who simply do not care enough to get involved and vote. There is no difference between the wannabe political philosopher who refuses to cast a vote “out of principle” and the lazy citizen who chooses to remain ignorant of the issues, the candidates and his or her government.

Keep in mind that some of Paul’s followers have placed his name on the Presidential ballot in two states (Louisiana and Montana). Paul could have kept his name off the ballot in those states by simply requesting that he not be listed as a candidate in the general election, but in an effort in ego, he chose to allow his name to go on the ballot in direct competition with the other candidates he claims to encourage people to consider voting for.

Ron Paul has, again, blown a tremendous opportunity to lead and advance the agenda of the Constitution, and individual liberty. Since he launched his Presidential Exploratory Committee almost two years ago, Ron Paul has repeatedly said this campaign is not about the man (him) but about the message (liberty and the Constitution).

Really, Dr. Paul? Your actions belie your words.

If he were truly serious about this being “about the message” and not the man, he would be making sure that the message is resonating far and wide through and during the Presidential campaign.

The Libertarian Party begged him to accept its nomination and continue his campaign through Election Day. He declined.

The Libertarian Party then nominated the only credible pro-freedom candidate in the Presidential race, former Congressman Bob Barr, but Paul refused to support him, saying he is working for freedom within the Republican Party.

Backing Barr would have taken courage on Paul’s part. Instead, today he took a cop-out course of action by encouraging a nondescript “vote third party” message that would water down the impact of the freedom vote. If Americans are serious about sending a message that demands the restoration of our civil liberties, an end to the war in Iraq, a foreign policy that makes sense and solid, realistic economic policies then there is only one option to vote for on November 4th – Bob Barr.

Ron Paul knows that. Instead, he encouraged watering down the vote while maximizing his marketing base for the Campaign for Liberty, his book sales, etc.

After Rep. Paul collected millions in donations from Libertarians, independents and Republicans during his campaign, he has since:

1) Sold his followers a book

2) Had people travel to (or donate to) a march on Washington D.C. that ultimately proved to be too small to even get noticed, much less have any sort of impact

3) Launched the “Campaign for Liberty” and hit up his followers, again, for donations to this organization that has made no noticeable effort to support liberty-minded candidates

4) Sold thousands of tickets to the “Rally for the Republic” in Minnesota, where he then sold t-shirts, more books, vendor booth space, advertising in the programs and a host of other things.

Ron Paul is now in the Ron Paul business – and business is lucrative.

As painful as it is to state the obvious: this campaign by the man is no longer about the message, it is about the money – lots of it. Other than in his pocket and in the pocket of his paid staff, where is all the money going?

No one seems to know for sure.

In a time of economic recession, Paul has found a way to keep going back to the financial well of his followers, creating yet another challenge for candidates who are still running for office at all levels and are unable to raise the funds needed to effectively spread the message of liberty and the Constitution.

I was among the first to donate to Dr. Paul’s Exploratory committee and I also donated to his Presidential campaign. Once he dropped out of the race, though, I did the responsible thing and got behind the only remaining credible candidate, Bob Barr, who is capable of injecting the message Ron Paul claims to want to spread through Election Day and beyond.

America still needs to hear that message and only Bob Barr is capable of taking the message further down the field. Unfortunately, it is obvious that Ron Paul is more interested in making money off the message than helping spread it through someone else. Maybe he is worried that Bob Barr will publish a book and compete for customers.

Thousands of Americans rushed to join Ron Paul’s campaign, myself included. For us, it has always been about the message. We were thrilled to have someone serve as spokesman for the cause of liberty and back a candidate who could leverage his position as a major-party candidate to spread our message to millions through the campaign.

That is why we donated millions of dollars collectively.

Since ending his Presidential campaign, though, Ron Paul has gone from being the hope for America to being a major obstacle to the message of freedom and the Constitution.

By contrast, Bob Barr showed that he is not just talking about and rallying for the message of freedom, he is doing something about the need to put liberty and Constitutional issues front and center in the Presidential campaign.

The Barr campaign continues to pick up steam in the national media and in the polls. People are listening and we cannot miss this opportunity to maximize our reach. The message is still getting out – because of Bob Barr.

Dr. Paul, where is the leadership from you? We certainly did not see any today in Washington, D.C.

Do Paul’s loyal followers, I ask one simple question: Are you serious about continuing to spread the message of Liberty for America?

If so, prove it. Go to http://www.bobbarr2008.com and sign up for our email updates. Then, look for a MeetUp group in your area – if there isn’t one already, start one. Also, make a donation to the campaign. In any event, get involved in the Barr campaign because this campaign is actually about the message.

I love how he said, "Please don't". When people were clapping. GO PAUL!

This is something that Dr. Paul eluded to and should be sponsored by the C4L. The campaign should immediately begin working on a nationally televised debate of all Presidential candidates. Of course Obama and McCain won't come but because we believe in Liberty they should be invited.

In this way we control the debate and who gets to ask the questions that we demand answers too.

For example

What will you do to restore sound money as president?

What will you do to ensure our military is not used in unconstitutional wars?

What will you do to ensure that the 2nd amendment is protected?

What will you do to ensure that all life is protected as demanded by the constitution and Declaration of Independence?

What will you do to ensure that the education decisions are left to the states and local school boards?

What will you do to ensure energy independence

Will you inforce our immigration laws?

And on and on.