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    Why Ron Paul Placed Second in Iowa Straw Poll

    By Marie Dubuque | Yahoo! Contributor Network – Mon, Aug 15, 2011
    This story comes from the Yahoo! Contributor Network, where individuals publish their unique perspectives on some of the world’s most popular websites.
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    COMMENTARY | Ron Paul is a maverick. He is a businessman who is the anti-politician. So I'm not surprised he came in second in Iowa. Winner Michele Bachmann beat the congressman by only a slim margin and outspent him by a mile. What I like about Ron Paul is the fact he wants to get rid of the Federal Reserve and let the people control the money supply.

    That view must come across as extreme to the other candidates. Even though they might have poo pooed him as a serious contender before, they have to be taking him seriously now. I used to think this country wasn't ready for anyone as forward-thinking as Congressman Ron Paul, but now with Iowans clearly in his corner, maybe his time is now.

    Sure, Michele Bachmann won, but does she have the moxie to go up against charismatic Gov. Rick Perry who just entered the race? Honestly, lack of charisma could eventually be Paul's undoing. Let's face it. The guy isn't all that flashy on camera. And to me, that's a good thing. Because in my opinion, charm got Barack Obama into the White House, not substance. So finding a polar opposite to the white teeth and movie star looks is a refreshing change. But can you win a campaign without a little camera presence? I'm not sure.

    Perry is pro-business, but he's not the businessman Paul personifies. Still, you can't overlook what the governor's done in Texas as far as balancing the budget and creating jobs. I know, opponents claim he had nothing to do with it. Texas is an energy-rich state. Sure, but there are plenty of other highly productive states that still can't seem to balance their budgets. It will be interesting to see how these two Texans battle it out in the coming months.

    Was Perry smart to avoid the Iowa straw poll? Absolutely. He took the wind out of the sails of all the candidates tromping around the fairgrounds. Mitt Romney may still be the front-runner, but you have to admit Paul grabbed the momentum and I'm hoping ... won't let go. And just maybe the other candidates will learn; and chime in on Paul's anti-big government stance, instead of reverting back to typical mainstream responses.

     

    1,015 comments

    • Aryeh
      Aryeh  •  9 mths ago
      Actually Paul is a former pilot and a doctor, not a businessman.
      • Paul
        Paul 9 mths ago
        Many, if not most, doctors have their own practices. Therefore, they have to have at least SOME business acumen. After all, they have to handle payrolls, scheduling, etc.
      • Chris
        Chris 9 mths ago
        You're not real smart, are you Aryeh?
      • Heisenberg
        Heisenberg 9 mths ago
        Ron Paul was a flight surgeon in the Air Force, not a pilot. As well he is a businessmen while practicing in the medical field (his own practice) he delivered over 4000 babies.
    • notabangbutwhimper
      notabangbutwhimper  •  9 mths ago
      The absolute pinnacle of insult is to have Romney running. This man made his millions
      creating off shore accounts for the treasonous drug laundering banks. Why don't you write
      about that AP?
      • Angel
        Angel 9 mths ago
        and why don't you notabangbutwhimper run against romney. Compete against him other than saying bad things about him. Come on go go for it notabangbutwhimper!!!
    • t
      t  •  9 mths ago
      Perry is not anywhere near conservative...selling the freeways to a Spanish conglomerate and he was the frigging Al Gore campaign manager...give me a break.
      • James
        James 9 mths ago
        T: If you read his book, where he calls for the elimination of the federal income tax, social security, Medicare and Medicaid, as well as all federal regulations, as well as secession from the US, I think you might change your opinion.
    • A Yahoo! User  •  9 mths ago
      What in the world is a man of Ron Paul's intelligence, reason, and honor doing in the Republican party?
      • Ray Sisd
        Ray Sisd 9 mths ago
        He'd be equally out of place as a "Democrat".
      • Mathews Man
        Mathews Man 9 mths ago
        The Independant Party won't be big enough to win an election until after he becomes president, and he's for smaller government, which the Republicans used to be for.
      • American
        American 9 mths ago
        I don't think he would have the intelligence if he belonged to the democrat socialists party would Ron Paul.
    • RON
      RON  •  9 mths ago
      Rick Perry balancing the Texas budget, are you NUT's- when he took office the state had a deficit larger than Calif if you compare GDP vs. Deficit. He is another Texas big spender, when he took office the deficit in texas was $17B and in 2010 was nearly $35B. How does he plan to get the budget under control? Cut Medical expenses and education and probably raise taxes. Who is this fooling except those pinheads that do their own research.
    • Shannel
      Shannel  •  9 mths ago
      I don't buy this whole "Romney is a front-runner" thing. No conservative/republican I have heard likes him for their candidate. The left media is putting him forth as the front-runner because THAT's who they want to run Obama against in 2012 - that's my thought on it.
      • beezulbubz
        beezulbubz 9 mths ago
        seems even democrats want Ron Paul to win though.
    • R. W
      R. W  •  9 mths ago
      I saw a report today that said Bachmann wins! Pawlenty comes in third......i had to laugh
    • craig
      craig  •  9 mths ago
      We do need to push ending the War on Drugs into the public debate. There is no worse example of the "nanny state" run amok than having state budgets in which prison budgets swallow college budgets, cities in which police and criminal justice swallow roads and schools, and which habituate the population to the loss of 4th Amendment rights to security in your home from unreasonable searches and seizures.
    • Rinifi
      Rinifi  •  9 mths ago
      Ron Paul...change that means something.
    • Ralph
      Ralph  •  9 mths ago
      Perry used stimulus money to achieve what he's being credited for, and you can't vote in that straw poll without at ticket. Bachmann bought thousands of tickets and gave them away. Ron Paul didn't buy any. So to say she outspent Ron Paul doesn't really tell the whole truth. Without Bachmann's vote buying Ron Paul would have won easily.
    • Timemonkey
      Timemonkey  •  9 mths ago
      These articles are getting better only one lie found: "Mitt Romney may still be front runner" for that is merely a media induced fantasy that is just not true. Mitt is superfluous.
    • Peace Sells
      Peace Sells  •  9 mths ago
      Michele Bachmann paid 4000 of her supporters to come and vote for her. Sounds like a case of buying votes.
    • Lakes Lady
      Lakes Lady  •  9 mths ago
      Texas has nothing but minimum wage jobs and lots of illegals. Paul makes more sense than that phony idiot Perry. And why put so much weight on a MOCK vote where people paid $30 to get in to and many came from OUTSIDE Iowa. What a farce!
    • K
      K  •  9 mths ago
      Ron is really the only hope we have. We can't keep putting actors into power. They are only puppets for the people destroying our country / world.
    • Zinger
      Zinger  •  9 mths ago
      It's a sad critique of our society that how a person looks on camera has anything to do with why we'd vote for him or her. How completely superficial. Unless this changes, we can look forward to years of camera-friendly, politically unhinged presidents. Yay for us.
    • Marty
      Marty  •  9 mths ago
      Bachmann won because she gave away 4,000 free tickets.
    • Triliberty516
      Triliberty516  •  9 mths ago
      No actually if you think about it Ron Paul came in FIRST in the Straw Poll why do I say this? Ask Michelle Bachmann how she felt about her supposed Win and Ron Paul Coming in Second place in the states she was born in(only by 152 votes)? Ask her how it felt to give out 1500 more free ticket to the Straw Poll the Dr. Paul but receive only 152 more votes the Ron? Ask Michelle Bachmann who revives much more Media attention then Ron Paul how it feels to loose to Dr. Paul by 152 votes? Michelle Bachmann is loosing steam. The Revolution is just beginning to Pick up momentum!

      Dr. Ron Paul 2012 = The Light!
    • U Know U Like it
      U Know U Like it  •  9 mths ago
      I would vote Ron Paul before Romney and President Obama. Only problem is will he be on the ticket come election time.
    • damage done
      damage done  •  9 mths ago
      @ RON PAUL If you want to win the nomination for pres,you will have to start playing the game,just say you will sleep with big oil,cater to the wealthiest Americans,screw the average American#$%$ on the constitution, so your party will support you,once elected you can do the right thing.But for now, just lie like the rest of them. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
    • Save Us
      Save Us  •  9 mths ago
      Ron Paul if he wins the nomination. Obama if he doesn't. Take your pick republicans. The "swing vote" is more than likely with Ron Paul. Several people say anything is better than Obama. If that's the case Ron Paul IS your ONLY chance.
     Post a comment
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