The RECESSION of 08, 09, 2010, '11...not much of a limb, but I'll go out on it...

If your aim is to have a smaller government - you don't tell that from before hand.

I don't know. I seem to recall Reagan and GW Bush Saying they wanted to Reduce the size of the Govt - both Did the opposite though.

Like it or not: the US Government is the biggest employer in USA. By saying that once elected, you'll cut the federal funds to balance the budget - you've lost millions of votes.

True. On the flip side, by saying you will Increase the govt you'll lose millions of votes.

In this case I think it would kind of average out - you'll gain votes by saying you want to reduce govt, and lose some from those in the govt jobs. (Do govt employees actually spend the time to vote? Or do a lot of them absorb their govt job apathy and just don't bother?

The businesses love Ron Paul. But the businesses alone can't win him the elections.

It's not just the businesses that love. People. Individual people. Employees. They also "love" him. The media on the other hand... well...

I don't think any of the other Candidates on either side stand up to Paul. However, those that get their info from headlines and the like will hear about Huckabee and Mccain on the one side and Obama and Clinton on the other. Huckabee makes anyone else look good - so compared to Huckabee, Obama looks the better option. Hillary? She's a scary one - reminds me of our current state leader (socialist dictator-like female who has passed a bunch of laws without any govt process - including laws to prevent local govts not abiding by her laws, by removing the freedom they had to govern their own jurisdictions on those matters. basically, forcing her Personal Views and Agendas onto the population).

But when it's all said and done, nothing will really change that much. A bit of change here and there. People will complain and they'll get over it. But no matter who wins things will pretty much stay the same. Though the campaign - the fight - between those who want power over others, is an interesting thing to watch.

Michael Ross