Banter Voices

Wow. Ron Paul is a Dick

By Ben Cohen · February 11,2013

| 4558 Views | Uncategorized

It seems Ron Paul’s philosophy of self interest really knows no limits. From Buzz Feed:

Ron Paul has filed a complaint with the World Intellectual Property Organization against the proprietors of RonPaul.com and RonPaul.org, according to a blog post on their site on Friday.

The authors of RonPaul.com see the move as the ultimate betrayal from a politician who, more than many others, depended on an astounding level of grassroots support on the Internet in order to keep his longshot presidential campaigns running.

“Last month, after Ron Paul expressed regret on the Alex Jones show over not owning RonPaul.com (in an interview titled “Ron Paul: The Internet Is Our Last Chance to Awaken America”), dozens of supporters urged us to contact Ron Paul to work out a deal,” the owners of RonPaul.com write.

They say they offered Paul the use of RonPaul.org as a “free gift” but wanted to keep RonPaul.com. Their price, should Paul really want RonPaul.com, was $250,000.

Remember, these followers were responsible for organizing and mobilizing hundreds of thousands of supporters for the Texas Libertarian’s Presidential campaign, and have brought in literally millions of dollars of donations. Hilariously, Paul’s complaint is being filed through a UN agency, the WIPO which is much despised by the Libertarian movement. From RonPaul.com:

Earlier today, Ron Paul filed an international UDRP complaint againstRonPaul.com and RonPaul.org with WIPO, a global governing body that is an agency of the United Nations. The complaint calls on the agency to expropriate the two domain names from his supporters without compensation and hand them over to Ron Paul.

Despite the unfortunate internationalist organization being used to deprive the owners of RonPaul.com from their livelihood, I’m sure Paul can use his Libertarian philosophy to explain why the legal action benefits everyone. In true Libertarian fashion, Paul is suing those using his name so he can maximize his self interest. This means that:

1. Lawyers get paid and can contribute to the economy.

2. If Paul wins, he gets the financial benefit of owning his own domain and scooping up millions of supporters who go there every day.

3. The owners of website will learn a valuable lesson in free market economics. Even if they lose their only source of income, the market is always fair so they must learn the wisdom in it.

Another interpretation of course, is that Paul is being a giant dick.

Wiseburn

Domain Disputes are handled by ICANN, under a contract every domain registrant agrees to when they register and renew domain names. WIPO is an ICANN approved arbitration board. Using WIPO makes sense as the domain is owned by an Aussie and uses an Aussie registrar. I believe the domain is being leased to supporters who provide the content by the domain owner.
damon.somers@yahoo.com

he is ron paul you guys are dicks! its his name you idiots, so he dsnt own his own name?
EzekielZ

Right. Those who foolishly call this extremely principled man a “hypocrite” think that because he fights against the immoral Federal Reserve Bank that he should conduct his transactions in gold, or that because he believes in privatization of roads he should not drive on public ones. That the federal government has cartelized the product called “money” and mostly cartelized the product called a “road” escapes their notice.
- Christopher Foxx
  
  Ah, so it’s OK if he won’t “walk the walk”, as long as he talks a good story.
  
  Got it.
  - EzekielZ
    
    No, you really don’t got it at all.
    - Christopher Foxx
      
      Then explain it to me.
Dave

It doesn’t matter if it’s his name being used as a website address. A website address is not inherent property of an individual. Tell me, how is what Ron Paul is doing letting the free market dictate? That’s what libertarians stand for is it not?
http://www.facebook.com/jake.punisher Jake Punisher

I guess it suprises people when government is used for what it was meant for, to protect individual rights. It is unfortunate RP has to submit to an agency he is wholly against but that is the state of the world we live in.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000601395582 Bernhard Barkowsky

Wanting control over your own name is not being a Dick. In his position, one does not want others putting words in his mouth
- Dave
  
  I don’t believe they are putting words in his mouth, they are supporting him. On top of it, this goes against his ideals as a libertarian, the very thing he has been pushing to represent. The least he can do is live by his ideals instead of pushing them on others and then turning around and being a hypocrite about it. The true libertarian way would be to let the market dictate what should happen (I’ve stated in my other post what I believe he should do). I by the way am a libertarian, and a former Ron Paul supporter. I however am beginning to question my support of Ron Paul.
  - Top_Jimmy
    
    You are a fraud and have no idea what this about. They are using his fame and image to make money with a fake association with his name, that is not free market capitalism. And you “don’t believethey are putting words in his mouth”? They are using his image so as a matter of fact, yes they are.
EzekielZ

Ben Cohen: Don’t worry about drones flying overheard, unsustainable debt, millions of people in jail for non-violent “drug crimes,” “Constitution-free zones” where your laptop can be searched with no cause, or endless wars overseas. Just write “Ron Paul is a dick” on a subject you don’t understand and go back to sleep.
- Benthedailybanter
  
  My friend, I AGREE with Ron Paul on all the issue you outline. Have you ever read anything I’ve written? I suggest you do some googling before hurling around accusations. I think Paul gets a lot right, he’s just bonkers when it comes to economics (his solutions, not his analysis mind you).
  - EzekielZ
    
    Lol, my comments need moderation? Get over yourself.
    - http://www.facebook.com/people/Jim-Ramphal/853895633 Jim Ramphal
      
      lol; your delusions need medication.
      
      Get yourself a good physician.
  - http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1330771455 Gregory Patrick Wesson
    
    Yes, it is TOTALLY BONKERS to spend less money than one makes – are you for freaking real?! Pick up a non-interventionist leaning economics text book and do some reading.
http://www.facebook.com/bob.bobbins.31945 Bob Bobbins

Free market? Seriously? They are making money off his name, not some other person named Ron Paul. No one else in this country would stand for people making money off their name without just compensation, so how does this make Paul the evil one? I suppose if you were someone famous and not just a nobody with a computer you would allow someone to make money off your name… Of course, what else besides ignorance, lack of comprehension, and insults would you expect from a socialist joo.
- EzekielZ
  
  Ben Cohen couldn’t care less whether someone is making money off Ron Paul’s name or not. He cares about enriching the State, which he hopes to someday be part of. Psychologically, he already is, lock, stock & barrel.
  - Benthedailybanter
    
    you’re an idiot. If you’re going to comment here, say something intelligent.
    - EzekielZ
      
      I’m an idiot and Ron Paul is a dick? That’s some method of argumentation. Why don’t you spend your time writing about the Obama (and Bush before him) Administration locking up millions of innocent people for “drug crimes,” bombing millions more, destroying the middle class on behalf of the 1%, and destroying our civil liberties along with it. Calling the man who’s done more to fight these things than anyone else in memory a “dick” removes you from labeling anyone else an “idiot.” And like I care if you don’t publish my comment.
      - Benthedailybanter
        
        You’re welcome to comment here EzekialZ. You just hurl around a lot of accusations without knowing anything about me. I’ve followed Ron Paul for years and know all about him. I agree with him on many, many issues. But on this issue, he is being a dick. What’s the problem? You’re being a dick right now. I’m sure you’re a cool guy when not posting on the internet (as I’d like to think I am).
      - EzekielZ
        
        It was “Ron Paul is a Dick” in the headline, now it’s just “on this issue, he is being a dick.” Keep dialing it back, you’re making progress.
        
        Did you or did you not vote for Obama twice? Don’t tell me you’re fighting for the above issues and then that you voted for Dictator Obama twice. That’s as bad as voting for Bush or Romney. If you had a Ron Paul to vote for and you didn’t then you didn’t stand up when you had the chance.
      - Benthedailybanter
        
        Firstly, I’m not a US citizen, so I can’t vote here. Secondly, Obama is not by any definition of the word a ‘dictator’. Thirdly, if I could vote, I’d certainly not waste it on Ron Paul. Regardless of whether you agree with the concept of the modern industrial nation state (and I don’t necessarily), if you implemented any of Paul’s ‘economic reforms’ the country would collapse in about 3 seconds, along with the global economy. The thing is Ezekiel, you’re an ideologue with no understanding of how the real world works. In your fantasy land, Ron Paul would sweep to power, dismantle the federal reserve, stop protecting America’s industries, dismantle the state and, and everyone would flourish in a free market utopia. It’s cuckoo land, and you’re sadly too naive to understand it. Go to Somalia where they don’t have a functioning government, and you’ll see how well your economic theories work in practice.
        
        I’d vote for Obama for tactical reasons as I believe he is pulling the country (slowly) onto a saner course and away from the disastrous neo con, free market madness of the Bush years. It’s like shifting the Titanic – it simply can’t be done quickly. Obama, despite his flaws, is at least an adult.
        
        Anyway, I’m done arguing with you as you evidently see the world in absolutes and are incapable of debating seriously. Grow up.
      - EzekielZ
        
        Not even a US citizen but telling us how to run our affairs? That’s rich. Without skin in the game why should anyone care what you say? But just for fun:Obama is not a dictator, but his Justice Department just affirmed its right to check ANYONE’s laptop computer within 100 miles of the US or Canadian borders, or even of the OCEAN’S BORDERS! This encompasses 70% of the US population. Obama is not a dictator, but he oversees 25% of the world’s prison population in a country with 5% of the world’s population. Obama is not a dictator, but his Executive Branch wages constant, congressionally-unapproved wars against dozens of countries around the globe. I could go on, but really, if you can type the sentence “Obama is not by any definition of the word a dictator,” then you don’t understand that the Executive Branch of the US government is the most powerful force the world has ever known, and most certainly does not answer to the kowtowing US congress.
      - EzekielZ
        
        OK, just for fun: drones over US skies, drones over foreign skies, drunk driving checkpoints with “no opt-out,” and where refusal means they can draw your blood against your will. So much of this has happened only in the past 10 years, too. Only the blindest frogs can’t see that the water is starting to boil at an increasing pace.
      - EzekielZ
        
        No, fantasyland is believing that you can borrow $2 trillion per year and not have the society collapse. The Ron Paul people are the only ones willing to live within our means; the Obama and Romney people think we can keep printing money and the rest of the world will keep going along with it ad infinitum; that is “cuckooland,” to use another of your silly words. As for promising utopia: only statists do that, like you. Libertarians never do, though statists who don’t understand libertarianism often accuse us of it. Finally, it’s rich to hear you tell me to grow up after you’ve headlined an uninformed piece with the words “Wow, Ron Paul is a dick.” If you want people to respect you, then you’ve got to start off a lot better than that.
      - EzekielZ
        
        There are so many substanceless accusations and incorrect statements by assertion in this post that I’ve actually decided you don’t know enough about the world the debate with anymore, but just to clarify one: Somalia indeed has a functioning government, as Sicily did before Italy took it over: it’s called a mafia, or in Somalia’s case, “warlords.” It’s a pretty awful form of government, cited as an anti-libertarian case only by those statists who’ve heard it from somewhere else and don’t have the critical thinking skills to realize that it’s completely inaccurate. A much better example of the kind of government Ron Paul wants is that of Switzerland, where a weak central government must kowtow to strong states (cantons they call them — but maybe you’re a citizen of Switzerland, so perhaps you actually knew that). I’m sensing there’s not much knowledge to be gaining by continuing to debate with you, so I’ll sign off now. You’d do best in the future not to insult your superiors.
      - http://www.facebook.com/people/Jim-Ramphal/853895633 Jim Ramphal
        
        Guess you didn’t see where Ben said ‘I’m done arguing with you,’ huh genius?
      - http://profiles.google.com/gorgonblood Matt Beauchamp
        
        Hahaha. Ben Cohen lecturing on how the world works? What are you, like 28 years old? Lol. You majored in “political science” and “international relations”. Around here, we call those “basket weaving” majors. Total jokes.
        
        Let me know when you’ve run ANY type of business before yammering about your expertise on the economy. Ron Paul’s ideas are the only ones that will fix this country. Your moronic allegiance to the ever-expanding state and deficit spending are part of the problem.
      - http://www.facebook.com/people/Jim-Ramphal/853895633 Jim Ramphal
        
        ‘I’m an idiot and Ron Paul is a dick?’
        
        Well at least you can admit it.
- http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=663669914 Sean Richardson
  
  They worked for years putting together a website and an organization based around his message, which he expects them to hand over for no compensation based on government order. Good luck ignoring the reality of how his actual actions contradict his message [and non-hypocrisy is pretty much the biggest thing Ron Paul fans cite as a reason to be a Ron Paul fan].
Dave

I just hope those website owners do experience a valuable lesson in the free market and get to keep their domain name. Shame on Ron Paul! I don’t understand how them owning this website goes with free market in a way that Ron Paul should just be handed ownership. If it’s a free market they should get to keep it! Ron Paul needs to live by a true libertarian philosophy. Under libertarian philosophy I believe the logical action of his in wanting to own RonPaul.com would be him to make his own website and speak to his supporters and try to find a way to move all of his supporters to his new, own site, and if he is able to make this connection with his own supporters and take away RonPaul.com’s users then possibly make a deal with the owners of RonPaul.com. I believe that would be the way someone of a true libertarian philosophy would deal with this. Let the market dictate, aka the people visiting these websites. Instead your taking an authoritative point of action on this and making a forced ownership change? Rethink your actions.
disqus_ZSz5qQRMlN

How is this Ron Paul being a dick? They are trying to get him to pay $250,000 for his own freaking name. They are the dicks.
- Benthedailybanter
  
  Ron Paul isn’t the only Ron Paul on the planet, so why does he have the right to ronpaul.com? It’s just a name. He could show some gratitude to the website and the followers who have propped up his recent campaigns by promoting him and generating a ton of money.
  - dbtheonly
    
    Ben,
    
    He is the famous Ron Paul & is the subject of the discussions on those fora. I suspect we are treading into copyright & trademark areas where I know little.
    
    We can turn the question around though; why should the owners of those site names be able to make money off of Ron Paul’s popularity without compensating him?
    - Benthedailybanter
      
      Compensating him? They’ve kept him relevant for christ’s sake! Ron Paul has ‘made’ a lot more money from them than vice versa.
  - EzekielZ
    
    This is called being “faux-naif,” or, in English, “playing dumb.” Ben Cohen knows the obvious counterargument to this, but hopes his readers won’t. dbtheonly has made it below for those unable to connect two dots that are very close together.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Cindy-Koehn/1778151730 Cindy Koehn

I am particularly amused that he rails against the evil United Nations, and then files his suit using WIPO. Such hypocrisy, but, sadly, not uncommon with those of his ilk.
Joecaber

surprised the owners of the domain weren’t expecting that the poster child for “I got mine, good luck getting yours” philosophy now wants his and doesn’t give a shit about yours.
- EzekielZ
  
  Joecaber: if you don’t know anything about a subject it’s best to be silent. Ron Paul — as have the three of his five children who are physicians — have always treated patients who cannot afford their services for free, so you mistake, either out of ignorance or purposely, his philosophy of life.
  - Benthedailybanter
    
    so what? Just because he’s nice in his personal life doesn’t mean his not a dick politically and philosophically. George Bush is probably a great bloke to have a beer with. Not so much when destroying the Middle East.
    - EzekielZ
      
      Is everyone you disagree with politically a “dick”? Paul has an extremely compassionate view of human life, and if you think “I got mine, good luck getting yours” is anything like a reasonable summary of it then you’ve been misinformed. For starters, he would stop bombing and occupying countries around the world; he’d pardon hundreds of thousands of non-violent non-criminals currently locked up in cages by Dictator Obama (and by Dictator Bush before him); and he’d reverse the terrifying erosion of our civil liberties. “I’ve got mine, good luck getting yours” in no way addresses that.
      
      You make the common mistake of those conditioned to love the State: that if a person does not believe the State can or should provide housing, health care, etc., to those unable to do so themselves, then they think that no one should or will. That is not true, and Paul’s life has been exemplary in showing otherwise (as in treating patients for free, and even refusing Medicare from patients who could have paid him with it, on principle.
      
      And you label this man, who is far more moral, compassionate and productive than the State he fights, a “dick”? Learn a new word, and learn more about Ron Paul before you pollute the web with any more of your misperceptions about him.
  - http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1330771455 Gregory Patrick Wesson
    
    I think he is more worried that he cannot control the message since he cannot have ownership of those domains. Allowing people to put words in your mouth through the internets is not a good idea (imagine someone created a facebook page in your likeness and pretended to be you). Of course, all of this only matters if Ron Paul, the man, remains relevant.
http://twitter.com/mrbilldavis Bill Davis

Yep, Anus Rand Paul’s daddy is definitely a dick.
- Dennis
  
  Bill- I have always thought that certain t-shirt wearing angry liberal rednecks who are stuck in Texas and whose only recourse is to lash out and spew epithets on the internet, to be some of the funniest, most comical beings in existence. I can click on your name and follow your Disqus posts, but was wondering if you might oblige me and allow me to follow your Twitter feed as well.

Banter Voices

Wow. Ron Paul is a Dick

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