"The GOP could have had most of the Ron Paul voter support if Romney had named either Ron Paul or Rand Paul as his VP running mate."

I see no evidence of that whatsoever.

In either case it would have been seen as a sellout by the Pauls.

What poer does the vice presidency wield?

Mitt should COMMIT to who his appointments by name and possion,such as PAUL, PALIN, RAND and other conseratives to fully insure his election!!!!!!!!!!!!! Then it might be a landslide!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As a European I could claim that things are worse in Europe.While there is a wide spectrum of parties from far-right wing to radical left-wing we have reached a point at which we don't know who to vote for. This is the gloomy face of democracy by carade.
It seems that the democracy is being reconstructed.And today the democracy is a form of dictatorship to a parliamentary mantle
Even Plato and Aristotle would have burnt their writings today.

Great article Mr. Holland. I always enjoy reading your thoughts.

The problem with voting is, it causes one to "own" a part of what happens. And, we all know the end game. If folks, in droves, failed to vote, it would scare the pants off of the PE. The very fact they have managed to get so many to get so involved in this process is all a part of the brain washing. If we vote for one side or the other, we have been bought and paid for... committed ourselves to slavery. With things about ready to fall (get pushed) off a cliff, it's important to have everyone involved and having some level of responsibility for it all.

Another point of view is, the PE have made an extreme effort to pit us one against another. They know what is the final act. So, for them to have half of us supporting one "candidate" and the other supporting the other, it is guaranteed, when the crash comes, half of us will be blaming the other half. Pretty clever, if you think about it.

Frankly, I think, even if Ron Paul had received the Republican nomination and elected POTUS, they PE would have taken great pleasure in crashing everything, during his term, to permanently break the back of Austrian economic thought. At least with a puppet, like Obama or Romney, as POTUS, those of us who think rationally, will be able to speak with certainty, that the cause was Keynesian economics, used by the PE, that caused the crash.

Nevertheless, Dotti, I also respect your desire to participate, but just think about how your vote plays into their game. And, for the record, I did enjoy watching Romney knocking out Obama's lights. If nothing else, a Romney presidency will likely drag things out a little longer, so I can finish building my safe haven to ride out the fire storm.

The whole affair is very upsetting. I've resigned myself to the fact that not much can be done to prolong the inevitable demise of the empire no matter which puppet is foisted in front of the naive' masses and even those that are awakening to the corrupt system of things. Although, a definite breath of fresh air that Ron Paul would have brought to the World and especially the U.S.. It would have been too little too late. The entire world's system has been programmed for 'complete implosion' and a New World Order has been given the nod as the replacement. I'm not certain that placing one person (R.P.)in charge and giving him all of the liberty minded seekers' support and rooting for him is the best way, anyways. Maybe its better to teach as many people as we can individually, about freedom and then allowing each and everyone of them in masses to go out and demonstrate what we require of this world is a better solution. At least, it will make for alot more 'targets' for the Power Elite to have to eliminate, which might be more difficult. We already know the Power Elite has perfected eliminating small numbers, even those in high positions. I'm speaking of country leaders throughout the world.
No, the entire System of Things must be eliminated and not just one Joker (Obomney) here or there. Its beyond the feasibility of a few world leaders even if they have alot of freedom minded people's backing. Its truly up to We the People or God depending on your beliefs. Next step, fervent prayer and passive resistence. Lets hope thats enough... .

Gabe, re your post:

The only thing I can definitively say about these candidates is that, IF Romney were elected and yes the country would continue to go to the crapper, Then "free-markets & low taxes" would be blamed in the popular media.

That being the case... I'd rather have Obama win than Romney... .not that I'm voting.

I think you have an excellent point in that regard. It may justify my staying home instead of making the effort to vote.

Re: Am I the only one who was impressed when George W Bush said he wanted a humble foreign policy and came out soldily against "nation building"? "read my lips, no new taxes"?

Do you think this was his policy???? Are you speaking of the first "George" or the second. The last quote was definitely (I think) from the first George.

And as I recall, those of us who read his lips were misled. Not that he really had any choice. At least I don't think he did.

And I totally agree with your assessment that "democracy" is the tool of despots. As you say, "The best slave is one that thinks what he is doing is his own idea."

My first husband was a manager of salesmen. He said he loved to hire salesmen who were big spenders. It meant they had to work harder to support their "habit".

Gee. I wish we had a happier topic. But at least we are not part of the walking dead--brain dead, that is.

Thanks, Gabe.

It was no accident that republicans like W started praising "democracy" while ignoring "constitutional republics" and "liberty". "Democracy" has been sharpened and honed into a weapon by the elite. The best slave is one that thinks what he is doing is his own idea. Those that treat these democratic choices at face value, wrinkling their brow comparing the pros and cons of the two candidates and then deciding who they will give their critical vote to... .are fooling themselves into thinking this ridiculous choice really is important.

It is not.

The people with the ability to call up central bankers really don't care which of these 2 win... .they just want you to participate in the process. They want you to wait 6 months, 1 year, 2 years after the election to evaluate the new... see if you like the way he handles beer summits... wait to see who he appoints to the supreme court... pacify, pacify.

Meanwhile the prison planet devlops around you.

Passing judgement on which actor will perform less bad as president is like deciding which professional wrestler to root for.

To take anything these two puppets do or say at face value is beyond naive.

Am I the only one who was impressed when George W Bush said he wanted a humble foreign policy and came out soldily against "nation building"? "read my lips, no new taxes"?

One thing I have learned is you cannot trust those who are ejaculated forth from the loins of CFR, Kissinger, Zbig and the rest of the them.

The only thing I can definitively say about these candidates is that, IF Romney were elected and yes the country would continue to go to the crapper, Then "free-markets & low taxes" would be blamed in the popular media.

That being the case... I'd rather have Obama win than Romney... .not that I'm voting.

There can not be many who really want Romney to be president, he is just the last ABO candidate with a chance. I voted for Ross Perot as the lesser of three evils. I though that he would be a very bad president, yet better than the alternatives. If we can't have RP, who might have been able to save our country, I would still take RP, who would at least have made his own decisions.

If the whole basis of this site is correct, and I believe it is, then it makes no difference who is elected in any election, the money power will have their way, no matter what we think, or how we vote.

I concur fully, Sir. . .

The GOP has no idea what it has done. Or perhaps it does. Maybe when we stop pretending our vote counts, they can stop pretending it does and declare the full dictatorship we are living in.

I also felt Ron Paul was our last hope of salvaging the America of my heart (even if it was only an illusion). As I watched the GOP and mainstream media mistreat Mr. Paul, I just could not believe what I was seeing. How can I now hold my nose and vote for another bad candidate like I did four years ago? As badly as I want to see Obama gone, I can not, WILL not vote for Romney. After all, I must live with myself later. I will sit this one out.

Right now, I feel I will never vote again. But I could be persuaded to if someone like Tom Woods were to run in 2016. But he would have to be the chosen candidate of the GOP because I don't want to see a repeat of the abuse suffered by Mr. Paul. My back will stay turned to them all unless they show they will indeed work for us and not the elite.

Les and I met mid-90's. I realized his "specialness" and valued the time that I was allowed to spend with him. When he turned the business over to Tim, I knew that I could trust him because I knew that Les would never allow his friends/clients to be entrusted to anyone not totally trustworthy.

Les exposed me to ideas that I had never known existed. I think/hope that he enjoyed my sense of wonderment.

I do not mean to pretend that I spent many hours with Les, but that the time spent was very special to me.

I can't wait for the book!!! Do you have a publishing date yet? I'm sure notice will be posted here at DB when it is available.

Thank you again for all you do for all of us! And best wishes for success with your book. I hope it will be available for Kindle.

The GOP mocked Ron Paul by giving away his speech to the "Clint and his Chair" stream-of-conscience act. Now the GOP can only make a laughing stock out of itself by promoting its "smaller government" bit. *wink*

Dotti, Les and I became friends and partners way back around 1980. He died about a month after I posted the column about his book. Just wait to you see his gold research which I will have to post as fiction for obvious reasons whenever I finish it.

I am humbled (and delighted!) by your reply to my post. I thank you.

I read your column about Les Roberts with interest and respect. I had the great pleasure of dealing with him and time spent with him--sitting at his feet, so to speak--and soaking up his knowledge and wisdom.

I have considered to "boycott the ballot" as you have chosen. As long as there is any shred of hope for a defeat of President Obama, I will feel compelled to attend the polls--although I am more and more suspicious as to what effect, if any, the process actually serves.

There is a YouTube post indicating that the results are pre-determined--it is very effective. I cannot determine its truth.

Thank you and DB for hanging in there with us--the foot soldiers of the Internet Revolution.

Dotti, I always enjoy your feedback although I seldom post. Also I agree with you that a victory for Romney will be slightly less bad in the near term than the re-election of Obama. Still my decision is firmly not to vote in this election but I understand and respect your choice to vote as at least for now we still have the opportunity although meaningless to vote or not.

I agree with all of the factual data presented by Mr. Holland. Thank you for it, Sir.

However, I disagree that both are equally bad. In the long run that may be true, but the re-election of President Obama is a clear signal that class warfare has been successful. That we have turned the corner where the non-productive segment of society is angrily battling what they see as generations of treatment as an underclass. Demanding that they be given what is rightfully theirs and that has been wrongly denied them. And I do not mean this in terms of racial inequality--this is far more than a racial issue.

The sad thing is that either way this is a victory for the Power Elite, who are really running the show. Like with all wars, they position themselves to win, regardless of who is perceived as the victor. I readily acknowledge that both parties have been corrupted and both do the bidding of the PE in the final analysis. I just find the process of the Republicans a little more palitable.

Yes, Mr. Holland. You are right in presenting a picture that never had much hope to start with: Ron Paul never had a chance. And Ron Paul's candidacy represented our last hope to endure as a constitutional republic. His victory would have given us a reprieve, but it would not have turned this ship around.

As long as the MSM and academia are controlled by the PE, so will the politicians and the public be. (T-shirt, anyone?)

As much as I detest the choice that we have had forced upon us, I will vote for Romney and will consider his victory--if there is one--to be a small victory.

Excellent assessment. As a libertarian I couldn't have said it better. The sad part of the story is that if a miracle had occured and Ron Paul could have made it all the way to the Presidency,it would have been a true major positive turning point in history,not only for America but also for the world. How does that old saying go about how it might have been? Too bad we'll never find out.