Final results of Thursday's Illinois straw poll:

1. Mitt Romney – 40.35%

2. Fred Thompson – 19.96%

3. Ron Paul – 18.87%

4. Rudy Giuliani – 11.61%

5. John McCain – 4.12%

6. Mike Huckabee – 3.04%

7. Sam Brownback – 1.08%

8. Duncan Hunter - .65%

9. Tom Tancrado - .33%

Paul just beat Guiliani and McCain, but loses to a candidate not officially running and Romney.

I'm not sure how much time Ron Paul has spent in Illinois, but this vote should at least show that he is a viable top-tier candidate. CNN seems to hesitate to even mention his name or the surprising results, instead pausing to worship the organization of the man who bought the victory at the first straw poll in Ames by bussing in and putting up all of his voters. I'm not saying that they didn't want to vote for Romney after he bought them a weekend getaway to Ames, it's just that election results of this type have little real meaning to me... I had also read in another article posted that claimed that Paul's supporters had all paid their own way. That's not exactly true, as many of the supporters (500) were offered a ride (by bus). But he received 1000 votes more than that, so enjoyed widespread support anyway.

The basic premise is this: Ron Paul is as electable as the numbers show: he has superman-strength on the internet, and is gaining with every poll done by phone. Paul is the alternative to Romney in a state where the frontrunners enjoying more national support than him had less votes than he did put together; the only other "candidate" is a man not even in the race, which shows that no one takes the other candidates besides Romney seriously. All of the second tier candidates had much stronger showings in Ames than in this one.

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"From the psychopharmalogical standpoint we now understand these [religious/mystical] states to be changes in brain chemistry. From the sociological perspective we see that they tended to be connected in some way with religion."
--Huston Smith, "Do Drugs Have Religious Import?"

Check out my first grow ever: White Widow and Santa Maria! Input obviously accepted...
http://www.rollitup.org/grow-journal...nta-maria.html

It may even be more telling that Julliani showed so low. His recent statements may have bitten him. VV

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Amendment IV, search and seizure rights. Read about them before they're gone.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_...s_Constitution

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The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in cases of rebellion or invasion the public safety may require it. United State Constitution, Art. I Sec. 9 Par. 2

"Dissent is the Highest form of Patriotism" -- Howard Zinn

Paul would probably benefit if he were to become an independent (or Libertarian).....med, you are right that a lot of voters are not even going to consider a Republican.....too bad, because I think it is too late for him to switch.

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If you wind up with a boring, miserable life because you listened to your mom, your dad, your teacher, your priest or some guy on TV telling you how to do your shit, then YOU DESERVE IT.
~ Frank Zappa ~

Liberty means responsibility, that is why most men dread it.
~George Bernard Shaw~

You guys also have to consider why Ron Paul is running as a republican. Most of you, if you've read a little bit about him, know that he ran in '88 as a libertarian. The problem with running on a third party ticket? You don't get covered unless you can buy your own ad time on tv like Ross Perot was able to do.

It seems like a major understatement to say that he merely has conservative points. His popular messages that appeal with "liberals" like are, in fact, always justified through his libertarian philosophy, at a point far enough right to seem left. We have this idea because of Bush not listening to anyone for the last six years that resistance to repressive "conservativism" must come from the left, and that, in my opinion, is why Paul seems liberal.

Paul could not get any attention on the left as a candidate who was not proposing new major federal legislation; he would start "phasing out" federal influence.

Does anyone else wish he could just simply support nationalized health care (which musn't necessarily be centrally administrated.) to give Americans what they've already been paying for? People I talk to in Europe can't believe how badly we're getting screwed over here.

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"From the psychopharmalogical standpoint we now understand these [religious/mystical] states to be changes in brain chemistry. From the sociological perspective we see that they tended to be connected in some way with religion."
--Huston Smith, "Do Drugs Have Religious Import?"

Check out my first grow ever: White Widow and Santa Maria! Input obviously accepted...
http://www.rollitup.org/grow-journal...nta-maria.html

If you can find the authorization in the Constitution for national health care, paid for through coersive taxation, then brokered through the federal government, and show it to Ron Paul, he'd support it. Otherwise, not.

Vi

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"What's the difference between a Pit Bull and a Hockey Mom? ... Lipstick!" --- Sarah Palin

Hahahaha, anything run by the government is strictly opposed by Ronnie baby. There is a YouTube clip where he insults a fat kid when he asks about universal health care. It's awesome. Anyone seen it?

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Growing & Selling Marijuana - Learn how to avoid the law and make sick cash!

__________________
The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in cases of rebellion or invasion the public safety may require it. United State Constitution, Art. I Sec. 9 Par. 2

"Dissent is the Highest form of Patriotism" -- Howard Zinn

__________________
Amendment IV, search and seizure rights. Read about them before they're gone.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_...s_Constitution