A Western Front Article

Stop campaigning after candidate's loss
by Jon Sayer
Tuesday, April 29, 2008

So I was walking around the Viking Union the other day eating a hot dog and talking to the Associated Students (AS) Election candidates. It was a day like any other. The sun was out, and I was in a good mood.

That was until I saw a sign that said RON PAUL on it.

I always spell his name in capital letters because this is how it is pronounced, that is to say at a high volume in a crowded public place with little context provided. RON PAUL is one of the candidates for the Republican presidential nomination.

Although he is registered as a Republican, he is more of a Libertarian than anything. That means his political beliefs can be summed up with the phrase, “Everything the government does is bad.”

Now, I have no problem with people campaigning for their presidential candidate of choice. It’s one of the most important rights — and responsibilities — an American has.

What I have a problem with are people who keep playing after the game is over. RON PAUL lost. The Washington state primary and caucus were in February and John McCain clinched the Republican nomination nearly two months ago. Yet like the Energizer Bunny, RON PAUL’s supporters keep going and going into infinity.

Continuing to campaign after your candidate lost is like rooting for the Seahawks at a Yankees versus Mets game. They’re not even playing, let alone the same sport.

So I have a message to the people who keep coming to campus with RON PAUL pamphlets and signs, as well to the people who keep littering our highways with giant RON PAUL signs:

Please stop. You’re only embarrassing yourselves.

I supported John Kerry back in 2004. After he lost, I took the Kerry/Edwards poster out of my dorm window. I didn’t keep parading around for weeks trying to convince people that he still had a chance.

Every time I see these guys on Vendors Row, I ask them, “Why are you still out here? Ron Paul lost.” (I don’t yell his name. I purposely mispronounce it)

The answers I get vary. One guy told me they aren’t out there promoting RON PAUL anymore but his ideas, which include such great ideas as withdrawing from Iraq (not a bad idea at all!), legalizing drugs (okay, a little bit out there, but I can see your point), getting rid of the income tax (um, how will we pay for things like financial aid for college students?) and eliminating financial aid for college students (oh...).

RON PAUL’ers, if that is why you are still out there, you need new signs. Perhaps they could read “Western Libertarians” or perhaps “RON PAUL-ism.”

Heck, basing your political ideology off of one individual is still creepy. Give them a couple of years and they will form a personality cult like Lyndon LaRouche or Mao.

Other RON PAUL followers suggested to me they do indeed think it isn’t over for him. Some suggest we write-in RON PAUL in November. I prefer to stick to Colonel Sanders and the Hamburgler for my throwaway write-in votes, thank you.

Others suggest they need to subvert the democratic process to get him elected. RON PAUL supporters around the country have been finding ways to screw with the caucus system to get their candidate more delegates.

Aside from the inherent undemocratic nature of this, there is no way at this point for them to amass enough stolen delegates to overthrow McCain.

So RON PAUL supporters, just do us all a favor and stop this nonsense. You’re only going to force more people like me to make fun of you.

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There is so much that can be said about this article, so I'll just try to sum it up. Jon, if I were you, I would ask for your college tuition back because you got hosed.

If you feel the need to respond to this individual, you can comment to the article here:
Western Front Article

Or drop him an email here: jsayer622@gmail.com

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