Quote from: beetcoin on February 03, 2015, 09:49:07 PM

Quote from: iCEBREAKER on February 03, 2015, 12:51:24 PM

Quote from: beetcoin on February 03, 2015, 11:54:59 AM

I really doubt Rand will make it out of the primaries. He's not going to end up fundraising enough money to even stand a chance. The game is rigged.

2016 isn't the only primary. There will be another one 4, and then 8, years later. Rand is still a relatively young man!

The game is rigged, but the GOP operates on an 'it's my turn' hierarchy and is *really* sick of losing the White House to the Dims.

President Hillary (BARF!) is their worst nightmare, and they might be ready to abandon the War On Drugs and other 'social conservatism' BS in a come-to-Jesus moment of existential terror.

Doesn't change any of the underlying factors. In 2020, 2024 (or whenever), Rand will still need big money to even get the nomination. There is indication that Rand wants contributions from the Koch brothers, which is understandable if you expect to win anything. So even if you like him, he will likely be beholden to billionaire interests. http://www.politico.com/story/2015/02/rand-was-a-dud-at-the-koch-brothers-conference-114853.html

The biggest problem with politics right now is money and special interests. Nothing is going to get fixed unless that does. And you know what? The Republican supreme court justices, and the GOP in general, are responsible for all that money being funneled in.

As it is right now, I prefer 1) Elizabeth Warren 2) Bernie Sanders 3) Rand Paul

You think I'm unaware of Citizens United? Hah, as if. I've followed the SCOTUS since high school like jocks watch the NFL and NBA.

The court made the right decision. You need to get over the butthurt and jealousy about some people having more money, and thus more ability to fund their causes, than others.

Not all billionaires have the same interests. Charles Koch and Peter Theil are the good guys, and use their resources to fight to keep the US safe from ManBearPig and other schemes that increase taxes and decrease freedom. Mayor Bloomberg and Tom Steyer are the bad guys who use their money to take away our RKBA and manufacture scary climate apocalypse hobgoblins.

Liz Warren is just another Ivy League lawyer owned by Wall Street, albeit good looking and very well marketed. She's the loyal (IE kept, token) opposition, not a radical. The same PTB own Politco, which is why that article natters about Rand's blue jeans instead of substantive issues.

Romney likes the Pauls, and I suspect the Koch Bros might as well (update: suspicion confirmed by Politico). If Rand wins the GOP primary (or is a strong 2nd) the Old Guard will fall in line to beat Hillary. And don't forget Silicon Valley/Hills/Prairie/Gulch cyber-libertarians adore his dad. That includes more than a few billionaires and their 1% buddies.

Thanks to Citizens United, Peter Thiel and Charles Koch can each throw $2 billion dollars into anti-Hillary issues. That's a Good Thing.

Bernie Sanders is great for the socialists in Vermont but will never be President. He's even older than Grandma Clinton FFS! Get a grip.

You progs need to build out the Green Party and its younger generation of leaders like Matt Gonzales. Stop dreaming about electing ancient elders in their 70s. It aint' gonna happen.

The only reason the GOP respects its libertarian wing's fearsome leverage is because of the Libertarian Party's demonstrated ability to cost them close elections.

Until the Green Party represents a similarly credible threat, the neo-liberals in charge of the Dems will continue to ignore their Progressive constituents.

Don't fret or FUD about Rand's fundraising ability. Besides the inevitable traditional moneybombs, he has Harris Media onboard to amplify their impact.

And since you probably didn't know this, look into what the name Nate Morris represents:

Quote

http://www.nationaljournal.com/magazine/rand-paul-s-new-confidant-20140618

Morris had carved out a reputation as a man with a talent for shaking loose campaign cash. Back in 2004, he was, at 23, by all accounts the country's youngest bundler for George W. Bush, raising at least $50,000 and becoming a "Bush Maverick." His list of contacts had only grown in the years since. "People in politics know who raises money," Morris says. "That's not a secret." In short, Morris was just the kind of moneyman Paul needed if he was going to pursue his presidential ambitions.

He's a mainstream Republican with no major ties to Paul's father but plenty of links to the GOP establishment. His moneyed connections span from coast to coast, and his mainstream pedigree even includes his wife, the granddaughter of a legendary Republican fundraiser.

When Paul first ran for the Senate four years ago, against a candidate favored by the GOP donor class, he "was ridiculed and lambasted and ignored as vigorously as he possibly could have been" by the establishment, says David Adams, who was Paul's 2010 primary campaign manager. Today, Paul's relationship with the GOP's power brokers has changed dramaticallyand Morris is both a symptom and a cause of that transformation. Understanding who Nate Morris iswhat he believes and how he operatestells you a lot about the new Rand Paul.