Rep. Ron Paul: I advocate the same foreign policy the Founding Fathers would

Union Leader ^ | October 8, 2007 | Ron Paul

[Eric Blair 2084]

Any response to this paper's Friday editorial on my foreign policy position must rest on two fundamental assertions: first, that the Founding Fathers were not isolationists; and second, that their political philosophy -- the wisdom of the Constitution, the Declaration, and our Revolution itself -- is not just a primitive cultural relic.

If I understand the editors' concerns, I have not been accused of deviating from the Founders' logic; if anything I have been accused of adhering to it too strictly. The question, therefore, before readers -- and soon voters -- is the same question I have asked for almost 20 years in Congress: by what superior wisdom have we now declared Jefferson, Washington, and Madison to be "unrealistic and dangerous"? Why do we insist on throwing away their most considered warnings?

A non-interventionist foreign policy is not an isolationist foreign policy. It is quite the opposite. Under a Paul administration, the United States would trade freely with any nation that seeks to engage with us. American citizens would be encouraged to visit other countries and interact with other peoples rather than be told by their own government that certain countries are off limits to them.

Rep. RON PAUL (BOB LAPREE) American citizens would be allowed to spend their hard-earned money wherever they wish across the globe, not told that certain countries are under embargo and thus off limits. An American trade policy would encourage private American businesses to seek partners overseas and engage them in trade. The hostility toward American citizens overseas in the wake of our current foreign policy has actually made it difficult if not dangerous for Americans to travel abroad. Is this not an isolationist consequence from a policy of aggressive foreign interventionism?

It is not we non-interventionists who are isolationsists. The real isolationists are those who impose sanctions and embargoes on countries and peoples across the globe because they disagree with the internal and foreign policies of their leaders. The real isolationists are those who choose to use force overseas to promote democracy, rather than seek change through diplomacy, engagement, and by setting a positive example.

I do not believe that ideas have an expiration date, or that their value can be gauged by their novelty. The test for new and old is that of wisdom and experience, or as the editors wrote "historical reality," which argues passionately now against the course of anti-Constitutional interventionism.

A Paul administration would see Americans engaged overseas like never before, in business and cultural activities. But a Paul administration would never attempt to export democracy or other values at the barrel of a gun, as we have seen over and over again that this is a counterproductive approach that actually leads the United States to be resented and more isolated in the world.

[jrooney]

Spot on MNJohnnie. Spot on!

[AuntB]

Here’s one of Ron’s votes from last week, the only NO vote on this one.

Rebel Ron Paul at it again, but what is the Point? Is he against labor rights in Iran? All labor rights? What?

Roll Call Votes: 110th Congress: House Vote #929 (Oct 2, 2007) H. Con. Res. 203: Condemning the persecution of labor rights advocates in Iran (Vote On Passage) Result: Passed

Nay TX-14 Paul, Ronald [R]

Ayes: 418 (97%)

Nays: 1 (0%)

Present: 1 (0%)

No Vote: 12 (3%)

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/vote.xpd?vote=h2007-929&sort=vote

[mnehring]

Can someone find the source of a quote I read today on the Paul forums? They quoted Paul that ideally he would be President of Switzerland...

[Eric Blair 2084]

I’ve actually been reading some books about how France and Spain came to America’s aid during the Revolutionary War.

That is why I find it hard to believe that the founding fathers would be against foreign military intervention, since they gleefully benefitted from it....They all would have been captured and hanged without it.

[jrooney]

I guess Ron Paul would issue flint lock rifles to all our troops too.

[mnehring]

Considering he voted against funding our troops in the middle of a war, they may have to resort to that, or, as Zell put it, spitballs.

[SJackson]

Ron Paul says America deserved Barbary Pirate attacks, urges surrender.

Not to mention our undeclared war with France following the ABC affair.

Ron Paul says Who Needs a Navy!!!

[G8 Diplomat]

Ron Paul appears to be one of the two candidates of choice at my university (Obama is the other). Someone wrote “Ron Paul is the shit” on the sidewalk in chalk. If I had any chalk of my own I would’ve crossed out “the”...

Fortunately my work was done for me by the scuffing and smearing of the chalk from frequent passerbys. It now reads “RON PAUL (smudge smudge smudge) SHIT!”

[Eric Blair 2084]

I have to go back to my real job.

If anybody has something good...links, articles, books about how the Founding Fathers themselves were direct beneficiaries of foreign military intervention from France, Spain and the Netherlands, please share it.

[Reagan Man]

If Ron Paul believes in the Founders idea of original intent as contained in the Constitution, its difficult to understand how Paul could oppose the invasion of Iraq, taking down the regime of Saddam Hussein and killing his murdering and butchering sons. The invasion aftermath has been a poorly handled, but cutting and running as Ron Paul suggests we do today, would only make matters worse in the long run. The ME is a region with high value American interests.

The Founders placed a high value on the federal government protecting and defending the American people. After the horrific events of 9-11, I seriously doubt the Founders would have chosen to cut and run. Ron Paul sounds like a classic antiwar advocate and more in tune with the antiwar Democrats. No thanks.

[mikrofon]

And their protege and successor also expounded the Monroe Doctrine, hardly a true isolationist principle...

[lormand]

"They quoted Paul that ideally he would be President of Switzerland..."

There is no way that "Dr. Paul" would said that.

Why, only a complete lunatic would say such a thing.

[jrooney]

God Bless Zell. He hot a homer with those comments. Ron Paul voting against our troops while we are at war is disgraceful.

[SJackson]

TOP 10 PARANTHETICAL HEADLINE SUGGESTIONS FOR TODAY'S ADMIN MODERATOR

===================

11. Paul States George Bush is an un-Constitutional President and Should Be Removed from Office

"I'd be surprised if they win both - I think they're going to win one body and if they win the House right now they do not say they would have an impeachment but I think the way that place operates I think they probably will make every effort," said Paul.

"If they happened to have a ten or fifteen vote margin that would be a political thing - it would be payback time."

"I would have trouble arguing that he's been a Constitutional President and once you violate the Constitution and be proven to do that I think these people should be removed from office."

12-Paul Accuses George Bush of Advocating Domestic Concentration Camps

Right now we don't have concentration camps, but like you have pointed out, the authority has been given so that concentration camps can come without Habeas Corpus. I have heard the argument that there is nothing else left in the Bill of Rights. If they can lock you up, what good is freedom of speech or what good is a gun? That is now part of the books, part of the law."

13-If you understand what motivates suicide terrorism, you'll realize it's not radical Islam.

If you understand what motivates suicide terrorism, you'll realize it's not radical Islam.

[mnehring]

This is the closest quote I could find so far.
Countries like Switzerland and Sweden who promote neutrality and non-intervention have benefited for the most part by remaining secure and free of war over the centuries..... But this, of course, is not attractive to the military-industrial complex, which enjoys a higher standard of living at the expense of the taxpayer when a policy of intervention and constant war preparation is carried out."

(source: http://www.house.gov/paul/congrec/congrec2002/cr090502.htm )

[lormand]

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Check it out...too funy. Not my work though.

[lormand]

[SJackson]

Is their anything in the Constitution that specificly authorizes the purchase of land with the peoples money?

[Moby Grape]

It’s a shame that your cult leader can’t even get his FACTS right regarding the Founding Fathers...as others have pointed out, Jefferson sent the armed forces to deal with the Barbary Pirates (Muslims).

[mnehring]

..or ‘Manifest Destiny’?

We have a lot of land to give back..