General Discussion

onenote

(46,073 posts)

80. I haven't tried to measure it

Mon Jan 9, 2012, 10:51 AM

Jan 2012

but I would be surprised to find that when Cain was surging that there weren't far more posts about him than the other candidates and that when Newt suddenly looked like he was catching fire there were more posts about him than the others and it seems like there are as many if not more posts about Santorum in the last week or so as about Paul. The one difference is that on the Cain, Gingrich and Santorum posts, there was no one defending their candidacy. To the extent that there are posts on DU that defend Paul's candidacy (not his specific positions but his candidacy), its true that there is more "controversy" -- but that's not because the folks challenging the Paul defenders support the War on Drugs, its because they don't think that his position on that issue or even on the wars is enough to make his candidacy defensible.

Click here to purchase valentine hearts!

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

92 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

It's his position against the drug war that makes Ron Paul so volcanically controversial here on DU. [View all] Fumesucker Jan 2012 OP

I bet he bought that umbrella from Acme Tuesday Afternoon Jan 2012 #1

IMO it's also his position against WAR particularly the war on terrorism. nt jody Jan 2012 #2

And bailouts. And the Patriot Act. And Gitmo. Jackpine Radical Jan 2012 #17

Agree and if he makes Rep & Dem candidates take positions on those issues, IMO that's good. nt jody Jan 2012 #20

Ron Paul is not against war. TheWraith Jan 2012 #29

IMO that doesn't matter as long as he makes other candidates defend their position FOR war. n/t jody Jan 2012 #37

I first learned about Paul from his followers endlessly spamming Fire Walk With Me Jan 2012 #3

I admitted Paul has many serious faults.. Fumesucker Jan 2012 #5

It just flows so easily, eh? :) nt Fire Walk With Me Jan 2012 #21

I think that on DU military hegemony and the surveillance state are equally large factors cthulu2016 Jan 2012 #4

Those two things aren't nearly as racist, at least against Americans.. Fumesucker Jan 2012 #8

I get you. (Didn't read the op closely enough) cthulu2016 Jan 2012 #15

Yeah, in 2008 THIS was everyone's concern, the drug war. Lets start talking about the economy/jobs FarLeftFist Jan 2012 #6

It's possible to talk about more than one thing at a time.. Fumesucker Jan 2012 #9

Agree "talking about the economy/jobs" but all I hear from pols both sides is borrow & spend jody Jan 2012 #11

I'd rather be out of work _ed_ Jan 2012 #72

Depends on what you did to end up there. What if you killed someone? FarLeftFist Jan 2012 #82

Really? zappaman Jan 2012 #7

Are you OK with the US having the higest incarceration rate on the planet? Fumesucker Jan 2012 #10

Agree. IMO Paul cannot be elected but if he keeps critical issues in play then he serves a jody Jan 2012 #12

effective politicians adopt good ideas of bad politicians and use to benefit. msongs Jan 2012 #13

What of Newt, Mitt, and Santorum? DocMac Jan 2012 #74

sure, but this discussion is about Ron Paul zappaman Jan 2012 #89

I know the topic. DocMac Jan 2012 #92

Ron's clock is ticking down. JoePhilly Jan 2012 #14

Only ProSense Jan 2012 #16

Is your message is that he is uniquely racist and homophobic among RWers? cthulu2016 Jan 2012 #19

Wait ProSense Jan 2012 #22

"you wouldn't be trying to justify anything he said" cthulu2016 Jan 2012 #25

OK ProSense Jan 2012 #28

Your implication was that cthulu2016 Jan 2012 #32

No ProSense Jan 2012 #35

It's his position against gays, abortion, thinking the civil rights act shouldn't have been added justiceischeap Jan 2012 #18

Ron Paul's position on drugs is atrociously antiliberal. He wants to deregulate the whole thing. phleshdef Jan 2012 #23

Does Paul also want to deregulate alcohol? Fumesucker Jan 2012 #26

Um. Alcohol is regulated. phleshdef Jan 2012 #30

Heh, you can die from alcohol *withdrawal*.. Fumesucker Jan 2012 #33

Yes I know that. Its also not that common. phleshdef Jan 2012 #46

One drink of adulterated moonshine can blind or kill you.. Fumesucker Jan 2012 #47

Post removed Post removed Jan 2012 #52

Moonshine is illegal.. Fumesucker Jan 2012 #61

Bullshit theory. There are plenty of opiate based pain pill addicts overdosing & killing themselves. phleshdef Jan 2012 #67

The facts are that all drug deaths together, everything is less than twice as much as alcohol.. Fumesucker Jan 2012 #69

And now we have terminally ill people in horrendous under-medicated pain, because their doctors Warren DeMontague Jan 2012 #70

Hear hear. nt woo me with science Jan 2012 #73

I'm sorry, the RACIST War on Drugs is "atrociously antiliberal"--there's no defending it with Romulox Jan 2012 #76

Paul, with all his faults, does like fresh Orange Juice ... Trajan Jan 2012 #24

Orange Juice is equal to millions of lives ruined? Fumesucker Jan 2012 #27

Not the point .... Trajan Jan 2012 #39

I admittted that Paul has many serious faults in my OP.. Fumesucker Jan 2012 #41

Anyone who tells the truth about the WoD RainDog Jan 2012 #31

This is a serious issue. 'Drug War' is a political construct and not specific Bluenorthwest Jan 2012 #34

The drug war has been driven for seventy plus years by federal policy.. Fumesucker Jan 2012 #38

Yes, but only since Reagan has incarceration ProgressiveEconomist Jan 2012 #42

Reagan was elected in the early 70's? Fumesucker Jan 2012 #43

There's a BIG difference between modest growth and EXPLOSION ProgressiveEconomist Jan 2012 #68

Tricky Dicky Nixon started the modern drug war with the founding of the DEA Fumesucker Jan 2012 #71

That was sort of rude. In what way did I imply that I am not aware of that? Bluenorthwest Jan 2012 #59

He is no friend to women, being against sexual harassment laws. undeterred Jan 2012 #36

I admittted that Paul has many serious faults in my OP.. Fumesucker Jan 2012 #40

Disagree blogslut Jan 2012 #44

I admittted that Paul has many serious faults in my OP.. Fumesucker Jan 2012 #49

And you missed my point blogslut Jan 2012 #54

Better no government involvement in "drugs" than totally counterproductive government involvement. Fumesucker Jan 2012 #56

Sigh blogslut Jan 2012 #58

You mean 'Better State government Bluenorthwest Jan 2012 #60

Do you deny that federal policy has had a great deal to do with the establishment of the drug war? Fumesucker Jan 2012 #63

Most of DU is against the drug war. Shit, most of AMERICA is against it. That's why Warren DeMontague Jan 2012 #45

It's not "spine" that's the problem.. Fumesucker Jan 2012 #48

"Sensible Centrists" and "Pragmatic Progressives" love the drug war, love hot wars, TheKentuckian Jan 2012 #50

and you just nailed three big areas where our 'leadership' has let us down. Warren DeMontague Jan 2012 #66

Ron Paul is not volcanically controversial on DU alcibiades_mystery Jan 2012 #51

That's why there are no threads arguing about Ron Paul on DU.. Fumesucker Jan 2012 #53

Free for all between a small group of the same posters, maybe alcibiades_mystery Jan 2012 #57

This is my first OP on Paul.. Fumesucker Jan 2012 #62

Alcohol prohibition lasted alcibiades_mystery Jan 2012 #64

That's why there are so many arguments about Paul.. Fumesucker Jan 2012 #65

Declare victory over right wing lies and bring the drug warriors home RainDog Jan 2012 #55

A significant minority of DUers are enthusiastic supporters of the Drug War, and War in general Romulox Jan 2012 #75

It's drugs and the wars in the middle east I think Marrah_G Jan 2012 #77

Flawed premise onenote Jan 2012 #78

No. Objectively, DU has not been obsessed with Mitt, Gingrich, Santorum to same extent. nt Romulox Jan 2012 #79

I haven't tried to measure it onenote Jan 2012 #80

Problem: Paul has never really "surged". There really isn't much context for this obsession. nt Romulox Jan 2012 #81

What's controversial here is posting anything favorable DevonRex Jan 2012 #83

Thank you. AtomicKitten Jan 2012 #86

The war on drugs is BS, the empire wars and the massive MIC needs to end ASAP, but... workinclasszero Jan 2012 #84

Thank you. Nt DevonRex Jan 2012 #85

I keep hearing that SixthSense Jan 2012 #88

No - it has precious little to do with that. Fawke Em Jan 2012 #87

Uh huh. AtomicKitten Jan 2012 #90

Honestly, I suspect it's his position on Israel that's made him a lightening rode. Puregonzo1188 Jan 2012 #91